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School Bags

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Hi everyone

I need to get a new school bag and have some ideas in mind but can't find anything similar- even after long searches online- I hope you can help.

I bike to school and so need something I can wear on my bike- this bascially means a backpack.

I don't want a boring 'sporty' or 'traditional' canvas one tho as I'd love a 'proper' nice bag but obv can't carry it on a bike along with clip folders and textbooks!

I am going into year 13 and so would like something nice; I was thinking of a nice simple backpack made of cord?

My criteria would be:

- Smart/stylish
- Able to carry and fit an A4 clip folder an textbook as well as books/drink etc
- Fairly weatherproof
- Preferably not plain canvas
- Not like a sports bag
- Hopefull made of cord
- not too exspensive

Any ideas or websites I might try?

Thanks

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Before I became a bit too fashionable for my own good, and used ridiculously small handbags instead of backpacks, I used to buy ones from surf labels, i.e. Quiksilver, Animal.. they're really hard-wearing.. well, if you treat it well (don't drag it along the ground, over-fill it) it will last for at least a year, which is pretty good considering theyre usually about £15-20. They're usually plain colours, but theres some really stylish patterned ones, too, and sometimes they have extras, like skateboard holders etc.

    You should be able to find them in surfy websites, or in your nearest high-street surfy store.

    ... forgot to add... yeah, they will fit a ring-binder, lunch box, text books etc, but if you're dubious, buy one of the larger ones. they're often a canvassy material, but have a waterproof lining.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thanks, does anyone have any websites or a list of possible stores/names? I've been looking again but no luck- really need to order soon in time for the start of term!!!

    All help much appreciated- didn't think this woul dbe so bloomin hard!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Just search for 'surf wear' or Quiksilver, Animal, Salt Rock etc etc on Google.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I would think somewhere like Free Spirit would have that type of thing too :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    1 ordered a new 1 online today actually :) it was gothic though
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hi; thanks for the direction- I've been on tons of 'surf wear' sites and I feel I'm heading moreinthe right direction!

    Two problems tho:

    As its surf wear it (unsurprisingly) seems to be canvas rather than Cord...does anyone know anywhere than sells cord/cotton bags too?

    There don't seem to be any sizes- I need to fit a clip folder in...so I am quite anxious not to order something that won't fit!

    Normally I'm quite a handbag smart girl- but this obv. doesn't work on a bike...so was looking for something large enough to hol dmy kitchen sink (seirous- school textbooks/lunch/drink etc) without looking like I'm going on holiday, perhaps in purple or a nice colour and stylish...

    Anybody shopped anywhere or have any suggestions...would be prepared to get creative with material to conver up anything dodgy- I'm certianly not a gothic sort of person...

    Many thnks
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    a friend of mine once had a purple cord bad, she got it from H&M but this was a few years ago. She used it for college, kept all her folders/books/food etc in it
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Doh- I was sure I was subconsioulsy remembering one form H+M...wonder if there are any one EBay...any more ideas keep them coming pleeeeese
    xx
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    H and M,H and M,H and M!!!!
    I got my brown cord rucksack 3 years ago from there and its still going strong,as far as im aware they do these bags every year :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i bought a bag, two shoulder straps, like a mini rucksack, but more of a backpack kinda thing, for £47.50

    lasted me 3 years without any wear at all, and even has its own waterproof cover if it starts raining
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My last school bag was a red cord Billabong one, and it was pretty huge - could fit everything in it. Was a bit retro-smart-feminine looking too. Lasted ages.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ok well when i gave that link it had about 5 cord bags on it but they are all gone now!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    MrG wrote:
    £47.50

    :eek:

    anyway, i got a grey chunky cord backpack from H&M about 5 years ago, and with moderate use, it's still kicking. it was £7.99, i think.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    kaffrin wrote:
    :eek:
    Quite :|.

    My backpack (which I :heart: ) cost...er...I think it was meant to be £16ish. I got it for £11 'cause I had a voucher but mih. I bought it from Hoax, and it had survived 3/4 months of college (with various A4 notebooks, lots of heavy textbooks, and various other things), a trip to Spain, a trip to Kenya, and so all 4 plane journeys, a week in Shropshire when it was crammed full of clothes, a week in Oxford (ditto with the clothes), and V festival. And it still looks the same as it did when I bought it (if a bit dirty on the bottom). It's an Animal one, and it looks like this.

    I dunno how good a cord one would be in the rain, either. Mine is waterproof inside, but the canvas still gets quite wet, but it dries relatively quickly. I used to have a cord bag (which I loved to death, but it broke ;(), and it went all poo in the rain. Depends what colour cord you were thinking I suppose...
  • JadedJaded Posts: 2,682 Boards Guru
    They aren't cord, but Clipper bags are the best bags for bike riding according to all my cycling friends. I will try and find you a link...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    god this is so scene but the jansport bags are really sturdy - current one lasted 2/3 years of school/college, reading, wireless, greece x2, switzerlandx3, spain etc - you get the message

    i need a new one though as i think reading encrusted it with so much dirt that it'll never be clean
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Surely a cord bag isn't very waterproof and therefore not wildly practical for whilst your on your bike.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    yeah i suggest searching for backpacks by quicksilver, billabong and roxy etc - i LOVE corduroy (god knows why!) and in the past i have owned tons of corduroy bags (still do! - i bought a shoulder bag last week in fact ;) ) and quicksilver especially have been very good and have lots of nice bags to choose from

    if there arent any shops near you that sell quicksilver etc then i suggest checking out ebay - thats good too
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