Is it better to get a schoolbage or a backpack?

Are you preparing a future first-grader for school and deciding between buying a schoolbag or a backpack? Because children at this age are still developing, they need anatomically shaped and padded back. For that reason, we prioritized the selection of a schoolbag on the recommendation of doctors. In the following article, we will try to summarize the most important information regarding what a correctly chosen briefcase should have.

What to bear in mind when choosing a schoolbag?
We have prepared for you, according to our opinion, the 7 most important points for the eventual selection of a schoolbag:

1. WEIGHT
 The most important features of a schoolbag include weight. According to experts, it is important that the filled schoolbag does not weigh more than 10% - 12% of the child's current weight. The ideal weight of a schoolbag is no more than 1.2 kg for primary school and 1.4 kg for secondary school. This means that the contents should weigh a maximum of 2 kg. However, beware of models that are too light, this is often caused by lower padding, less material or poor shaping and dimensions.

2. ANATOMICAL SHAPING
For the child's health, the main parameter is an ergonomically shaped rear part with a sufficiently reinforced back for proper posture and supporting the formation of the child's spine. In the upper part, there should be padding on the shoulder blades and in the lower part on the lumbar vertebrae, which prevents possible bruises. The briefcase should start at the level of the shoulders and end near the hips, this way you will achieve a copy of the spine and flawless carrying.

3. MATERIAL (bottom, water resistance)
Young schoolchildren often do not realize where they put their schoolbag and how they handle it.
A schoolbag has to hold its shape perfectly, so a strong and thick plastic bottom is important, which school backpacks lack. You can place the bag on a wet surface and it will stay dry. The bottom is easy to wash, so you don't have to worry about it getting dirty, it can always be removed with a wet cloth.
One of the other benefits is that it is waterproof, so you don't need a raincoat. Compared to backpacks, which have a zipper and thus can get wet and thus damage the school equipment inside, schoolbags should have washable and waterproof material.

4. EASY TO CLOSE

Schoolbags on the market have either mechanical or magnetic closures. We would definitely recommend choosing a schoolbag with a magnetic closure. At least first-graders may have a bit of a problem with the mechanical fastening at first, where one part has to be precisely oriented  and slid into the other part and pressed to make the lock click. On the contrary, with the magnetic closure, you only need to direct the top flap and the magnet will pull the lock and click.

Children often move the schoolbag between classes and don't always want to carry it on their back. That's why the briefcases have a comfortable silicone handle designed directly for the child's palm.

5. BACK STRAPS
A lot of emphasis is placed on back straps. Children grow significantly at this age and it is necessary to set the correct size. Also pay attention to the season, sometimes the straps need to be shortened or lengthened based on the layers of clothing. The width of the straps is also very important. They should have padding too, which prevents possible digging into the shoulders and the formation of bruises. If there is no soft padding, the width must be at least 4 cm. For padded straps, a width of 3 cm is sufficient. For even more comfort, a chest strap is a useful accessory (you can buy it from us with each schoolbag in several color variants). Its job is to keep the schoolbag attached to the back and prevent it from shifting from side to side even in case of accelerated movement.

6. REFLECTIVE ELEMENTS
Safety even in low light conditions is ensured by reflective elements located on each schoolbag. The color of the schoolbag can also sufficiently affect visibility, so it is good to choose at least partially saturated and bright colors.

7. PRACTICAL DIVISION
As for the contents of the schoolbag itself, it consists of a spacious main compartment, which is a big advantage for children, because they can quickly put everything in the schoolbag "pell-mell". But it is necessary, for health reasons, for the heaviest contents to be placed as close as possible to the back and prevent possible distortion of the spine. That is why the schoolbags from the manufacturers Ars Una have placed a practical pocket in the main compartment near the back, designed specifically for transporting the heaviest items, such as document boxes filled with notebooks and textbooks. A separate pocket for a lunch box, which can also be used for keys or a wallet, is also positively evaluated. The side pockets close with Velcro and are suitable for a bottle or slippers.

But don't forget about your first-grader and definitely don't choose his schoolbag by yourself. Rather, we recommend directing him to a certain manufacturer and just letting him choose a certain design. Nothing makes a child happier than being able to take a schoolbag on the first day of school of his choosing.