[nabs-l] Backpack alternative at convention

Sun Jun 5 17:00:01 UTC 2011

This sounds cool! Now, if only there were something like this for 
wheelchairs...  I have 2 bags already, and I use my black 
briefcase type thing for books and such.  It's often crammed to 
the max, and 2 bags (I have a blue one too) is a lot for the back 
of my chair.  Ah well, as Joseph C said, I guess I'll have to 
keep the search up.
Josh

sent from my Apex
Email: joshkart12 at gmail.com

 ----- Original Message -----
From: "Rania Ismail CMT" <raniaismail04 at gmail.com
To: <carter.tjoseph at gmail.com>,"'National Association of Blind 
Students mailing list'" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Sun, 5 Jun 2011 12:51:18 -0400
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Backpack alternative at convention

Thanks for sharing! As a massage therapist I also see people with 
neck
shoulder and back pain like a physical therapist does.
I will hold on to this website and suggest this as an alternative 
to
changing bags or lightening the load!
Thanks
Rania,

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org 
[mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of T.  Joseph Carter
Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2011 3:06 AM
To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nabs-l] Backpack alternative at convention

Hey everyone,

I have been playing with a very cool "backpack alternative" for 
about
two weeks now.  If you carry too much stuff with you and are 
coming
to National Convention, I'd be happy to show it to you!

As probably most of you who know me are already aware, I tend to
carry everything but the kitchen sink around with me.  My 
girlfriend
has even threatened to buy me a folding camping sink so that the 
next
time someone asks if I have it, I can respond with, "Actually..." 
and
pull the thing out!  It would be SO worth it.  *grin*

Anyway, there are two problems with a backpack: You can't get at
anything in them without stopping to take it off first, and of 
course
a heavy backpack is literally a pain to wear.  A sling or 
messenger
bag makes the first problem easier, but makes the second problem 
much
worse.

That's where this ingenious device comes in.  It's called a 
BackTPack
(that should be read "Back Tee Pack" if your screen reader of 
choice
mangles it.)  The company's website is: http://www.backtpack.com/ 
and
the product doesn't cost significantly more than any quality 
backpack
would, making it very much worth a look!

The design of the BackTPack is a bit unusual, but completely 
logical.
Essentially it takes your backpack and splits the bag portion in 
half
to make two (relatively) thinner bags.  Then it slides these down 
the
straps so they hang more like messenger bags, one on each side.  
The
place where the bag was becomes just a small, flat piece to hold 
it
all together and attach the backpack straps.  Like nicer 
backpacks it
has a sternum strap to keep the BackTPack sitting properly on 
your
shoulders.  It's way less complicated than it sounds, I promise.

The idea behind this arrangement is that it balances the load and
places it vertically on your spine, which is the part of your 
body
that is intended to support that kind of weight.  It was designed 
by
a physical therapist who saw one too many school kids hunched 
over
carrying the weight of school books.  Even a moderately heavy
backpack pretty much ensures bad posture and eventually back 
pain.

With the BackTPack, you aren't hunched over or pulled backward or 
off
to either side.  This consequently makes it easier to wear for a
longer period of time, and the whole thing feels lighter than my
backpack for the same contents.

If you're wondering if the BackTPack would interfere with using a
cane, it doesn't in my experience.  I cannot wear messenger and
laptop bags on my left side because they interfere with movement 
of
my cane-using arm, but I do not have that problem with the 
BackTPack
at all.  The BackTPack website talks about how useful it is when
using a service animal, but it's just as useful for a cane user 
and
for the same reason: One of our hands is occupied pretty much all 
the
time!

Of course a pack is only as good as what it will let you carry.  
The
size of the bags on the BackTPack vary slightly based on which of 
the
three models you're using, but the smallest size is 13 inches 
square
by 3 inches wide.  The medium/large model 3 is 14 inches by 13 
inches
by 3.5 inches.  The bags are soft, so they can fit items that are 
a
little bigger in one of these dimensions, but you're not going to
cram a 17 inch MacBook Pro into it.  The larger model 3 will hold
about a 15.4 inch laptop.  It easily swallows netbooks, note 
takers,
iPads with folio cases, etc.

If you look into one of the bags, there are pockets about the 
size of
a pen pouch you'd put into a three ring binder.  On the wall 
toward
your body, the pocket has a zippered top.  On opposite wall, the
pocket is sewn into a few pen holders and pocket about four 
inches
wide.  The model 2 and 3 bags have a mesh bottle holder pocket as
well intended for 16-20 ounce bottles.  A Camelbak 25 ounce 
bottle
fits, barely, but the large 32 ounce Nalgene bottles are too wide 
for
the mesh pockets.  The other bag mirrors all of the above, and 
adds a
strap with a keyring clip toward the front.

Outside, there are two pockets in the front that will hold a cell
phone (including larger phones like the iPhone or Blackberry),
glasses, or whatever you need.  On the outside of each bag is a
pocket big enough to carry a men's wallet (which is not what I'd
suggest putting there, of course!).  On one side, this small 
pocket
has a mesh window for a bus pass or ID badge, should you need one 
of
those.

There are two other features which might be really nice, 
depending on
your circumstances.  First, if you're going to sit down in chair 
that
has no armrests, a bench, or a seat on a bus that's wide enough,
there is no need to take a BackTPack off.  There's a strap that
hangs down in front on each side called a sit strap.  Buckle it 
and
have a seat!  All of the weight is taken completely off your
shoulders by the sit strap.  Plus you know how much space you 
occupy,
so you're unlikely to turn and smack someone with with your 
backpack.

The other feature is a set of elastic loops on the inside of the 
bag
intended for a hip belt, should you desire one.  You might find 
this
useful for longer trips.

And speaking of elastic, purely as an attention to detail matter, 
all
of the straps have elastic keepers to hold the excess strap so it
isn't flopping about or getting tangled.

If you'd like to see my BackTPack in person, just let me know!  I
will be attending the whole Convention.  I am staying in the 
overflow
hotel, but I literally take the BackTPack with me everywhere.  
Just
reply off-list to this email or give me a call at 503-610-8709 
and we
can arrange a time and place.  (I'm still going through the 
agenda
trying to determine where all I will be and when, and I'll bet I 
am
not alone in that regard!)

And yes, I AM going to be there this year-my state president 
tells me
I am not allowed to suddenly find any scary medical problems that
keep me from going.  If I find another tumor or something, I 
won't
have to worry about it, because Art is likely to kill me first.
*grin*  That is assuming of course a few others who have said 
similar
things don't beat him to it.  (It's good to know I'm loved, 
hehe!)

See you all there,

Joseph

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