The Element Backpack Buyer's Guide

Whether you’re skating around a new city or simply carrying your books and laptop to class, a great backpack is essential. It can be the difference between keeping all your stuff safe and organized, and lugging your gear around in a jumbled mess all day.

The ideal backpack is both comfortable and ergonomic, as well as stylish and functional. However, with so many styles and types to pick from (laptop backpacks, school backpacks, skate backpacks, camping backpacks, daily-use backpacks, travel backpacks, etc.), choosing the right one can be difficult. And after years of creating the best skateboard backpacks known to man, we’ve decided to put together this backpack buyer’s guide to help you decide which Element bag is best for you.

While it’s important for backpacks to have a good balance between comfort and style, we believe they also need to be rugged and able to withstand years of everyday abuse use. Daily treks to and from class, camping trips, vacations, and visits to your local skatepark will take a toll on your backpack — so you need to make sure it’s durable and can withstand constant wear and tear.

We also know there’s nothing more annoying than when a zipper falls off or a buckle breaks. That’s why we made sure to reinforce those sensitive areas with a super strong material called Duraflex, so that our backpacks are made to endure years of use.

Like with size, what features you want should determine what backpack you choose.

If you’re just looking for a simple, day-to-day backpack, then the Beyond and Beyond Elite backpacks might be good options for you.

Or maybe you want a backpack to take on hikes and camping trips. Picking a waterproof bag with bottom straps and lots of storage like the Explorer would be a good choice.

Carry a laptop around with you all day? Most of our bags have laptop sleeves to keep your computer safe and sound inside your bag.

Our most popular bag, the Mohave, is the perfect backpack for transporting your skateboard, with secure straps and a super durable exterior.
 

While durability is an obvious necessity for all backpacks, comfortability is equally, if not more important. You don’t want to be stuck carrying around a poorly-designed bag that hurts your back and shoulders all day, right? A great backpack needs to be able to be filled to the top with your stuff, yet still maintain its shape and comfortably go wherever you take it.

Ergonomic design and added padding on the shoulder straps make wearing the bag comfortable even after extended periods of time. And the cushy, soft back padding makes carrying even the heaviest of hauls a piece of cake.

Ventilation is another key theme we focus on when creating our backpacks — no more sweaty-back syndrome after skating to class! The backs and shoulders of our bags are lined with breathable mesh that promotes airflow and leaves you cool and comfortable.

Size is another thing you have to think about when shopping for a backpack and figuring out which size bag to purchase basically comes down to how you’re going to use it.

Do you need a smaller, daily backpack used to carry a laptop and some other day-to-day essentials? Or do you need extra space for traveling and camping?

We have everything from 30L backpacks like the Sparker to 60L bags like the Weekender.