Ergonomic Design in Your Favorite Backpacks
Better Posture and Health Benefits with an Ergonomically Designed Backpack
Carrying your work necessities to and from the office can be a pain, literally. Excess weight in a backpack can cause discomfort, but with new ergonomic designs, you can finally carry all your gear comfortably. Thankfully you don’t need to worry because Targus’ product designers implement the principles of ergonomics into our backpack designs so that you can take on your day without being weighed down by discomfort.
What Is “Ergonomic” Design?
Ergonomic design means that products are designed with comfort, health, and efficiency in mind. In a backpack, ergonomic design encompasses how weight is distributed, the way it fits your back and shoulders, and the elimination of pressure points.
Why Is Using an Ergonomic Backpack Important?
Proper weight distribution when carrying a backpack eliminates shoulder strain and back pain: “When a backpack is incorrectly worn on the shoulders, the force can actually pull the body backward forcing an unnatural and uncomfortable spinal position” (Neel Anand, M.D.). Other health concerns arise with traditional backpack designs like posture distortion and tense muscles caused by improper weight distribution. In fact, Bad posture has several adverse effects including shoulder and spine strain. To stay pain-free and make sure that your backpack doesn’t feel too heavy get one that is designed ergonomically.
How Targus is Creating Better Ergonomic Backpacks
Targus’ product designers focus on providing users with top-notch quality, ergonomic design, and intuitive features that help make everyday life as seamless as possible. During a recent study on ergonomic backpack design volunteers of various heights tried on multiple backpacks while being observed by an ergonomic expert. Although each backpack weighed the same the expert observed how slight differences in the design affected the comfort level of each user. This study and others like it help us understeer the effects of shoulder straps and on other design features on comfort.
Our Findings
- Backpacks that fit well always felt lighter despite all of them being the same weight.
- Backpacks with wide shoulder strap spacing felt heavier.
- Flexible shoulder straps were able to provide a comfortable backpack for a range of body type and height.
- Shoulder strap spacing that is more than 70mm is not necessary to fit a wide range of users.
How We Implemented the Findings
Commenting on how the ergonomic backpack study has impacted the design process, Targus’ Sr. Product Designer, Alex Cabunoc, said, “We gave the straps a shape that better fits the body and also attached them to the bag to allow more range of motion. It was less about technology and more about thinking about the human body and shaping design to fit it rather than having the human body have to adapt to the preconstructed design, which often tends to be more uncomfortable and can lead to pain.” Following this human-centric design approach Targus ergonomic backpacks offer features; like:
- Airmesh back panels for improved airflow
- Padded carry handles and straps
- Flexible shoulder straps
- Strategically placed pockets that help distribute weight