Planning to buy a new backpack for backpacking? There are three main areas where you’ll need to make choices.
Backpack capacity: The size of the pack you’ll need is tied to the length of your trip and how much weight and bulk you want to carry.
Backpack features: These are the refinements that affect how the pack works for you.
Backpack fit: Torso length—not your height—matters most.
Internal-frame backpacks: The majority of packs sold at REI today are body-hugging, internal-frame packs where the structure is hidden inside the back panel. They are designed to keep a hiker stable on uneven, off-kilter terrain and may incorporate a variety of load-support technologies that all function to transfer the load to the wearer’s hips.
External-frame backpacks: With an external-frame pack, you can see the structure that supports the load: aluminum (usually) hardware on the outside. Because the frame extends beyond the packbag, a backpack like this may be an appropriate choice if you’re carrying a heavy, irregular load (like an oversize tent or inflatable kayak). External-frame packs also offer good ventilation and lots of gear organization options.
Frameless backpacks: Ultralight devotees who like to hike fast and light might choose a frameless pack or a climbing pack where the frame is removable for weight savings. But packs without a frame are much more uncomfortable under heavy loads.
Some packs feature a suspended mesh back panel to combat the sweaty-back syndrome you tend to get with internal-frame packs that ride against your body. Also called a “tension-mesh suspension,” this is a trampoline-like design where the frame-supported packbag rides a few inches away from your back, which instead rests against the highly breathable mesh. Other packs will have ventilation channels (sometimes called “chimneys”) in the back panel to solve the same issue.
The shoulder bag is back. As we reemerge—whether that entails a return to office life, resuming dinner dates with old friends, or planning travels for the summer—there’s an appetite for the best slouchy handbags that are soft yet comfortable to carry. Recently during the resort 2022 collections, Louis Vuitton made a case for the silhouette, as did Khaite and Balmain, which showcased their own iterations on the catwalk: Louis Vuitton presented its signature monogrammed versions, Khaite displayed its classic minimalist take, and over at Balmain, slouchy bags were oversized and front and center. And just last week Altuzarra released its new Duo bag collection, which features its own unstructured shoulder bag. Altuzarra’s version, however, takes it a step further by offering it in a reversible option—why choose just one color when you can have two?This accessories trend seems to wink at the comfort we’ve all been seeking as of late. We need practicality in our handbags, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be cushy and soft. Just as our wardrobes are shifting from cozy pajamas to double-duty dresses and our winter slippers to summer shoes, we’re all looking to ease back rather than rush. Ahead, shop 24 of the best slouchy handbags for post-pandemic life, perfect for all occasions—work, play, travel, and beyond.
While hobo bag is characterized by its crescent shape, slouchy posture and a long strap designed to be worn over the shoulder. This type of bag is typically large-size and are made from soft, flexible material that tends to slump or slouch when it is set down.
This bag is called hobo bag since it looks the same shape with the bindle on a stick that hobos are portrayed as carrying over their shoulder in cartoons and drawings.
But if you are getting bored with your regular totes, satchels and other purses, a Hobo bag can be an exciting addition to your collection. Legend has it that a late fashionista took note from the cartoon characters, the hobos, and tied her belongings in a stylish handkerchief, giving birth the hobo bag.
Wondering why is it called a bucket bag? Simple! The bag literally resembles a bucket with its roughly cylindrical shape, deep interior and tall sturdy sides. Typically, the bucket bag’s wide brim is closed by a convenient drawstring that makes it easy to use.
The bucket bag might look as striking as any totally modern and fresh style, but actually, it’s been around for quite a while.
Major names in fashion have been playing around with versions of the bucket bag since the 1940s. One of the first bucket bags to popularize the style, from Hermès, took the name quite literally. They removed the bag’s typical drawstring and used stiff material to design a look essentially indistinguishable from a bucket tooled out of leather.
With contemporary brands always looking to re-image dazzling silhouettes, the bucket bag has undergone many transformations. It came back onto the radar of fashionistas in a big way when Mansur Gavriel, a New York City brand founded in 2012, introduced their own take on the bucket bag. Their take on the bag was refined, but still glittering with personality—a perfect companion to anyone who dresses with intention.
This quirky but somehow still oh-so elegant bag has quickly made its name as a cult favorite. Since the fashion world fell back in love with bucket bags, designers have been putting their own twist on the look, softening the shape to create a more elegant look or applying minimalism to create a more stripped-down statement piece.
There is really no wrong way to wear a bucket bag. You have to love its versatility. Because it is the bag’s shape, not material or print that defines what is a bucket bag, there is endless room for brands to bring their own take to the design.
Some bucket bags, like Hozen’s mini bucket bag come with two straps so that the silhouette can be adjusted to different lengths to make it a perfect partner for a variety of styles. Whether you want to wear it as a chic shoulder bag, or as a longer across the body bag, the bucket shape can fill out any outfit perfectly. Plus, the utility of the design has been modernized with super user-friendly features like drawstrings and weather-proof materials.
Bucket bags are a great choice for a weekend get-away because their functional size can easily fit everything you need in the interior’s ample storage space. The wide and round top also makes it a great beach-side companion because it’s easy to access your phone or lipstick without having to dig around and risk dragging in dreaded sand.
Even though the design-new PU bucket bag has a rather minimal shape, it can be endlessly customized t