How to choose a schoolbag, pediatrician recommendations, Roskachestvo research

First, the most important thing – what health problems your child can get if they wear the wrong backpack.

“A bad knapsack will primarily affect the back. This means that the musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular and nervous systems will suffer, ”says Tatiana Butskaya, a pediatrician and international expert on children’s goods.

The spine is the pivot on which human health rests. For a small person, this rod is not yet strong enough to cope with any load.

“A crooked back can cause scoliosis, pinched nerves, circulatory and breathing problems,” the doctor continues.

The correct school backpack for elementary and middle school children looks like this:

– firm, unbending back, it evenly distributes the load over the back, without harming the child’s posture;

– wide shoulder straps (at least 3,5 – 4 centimeters) and the ability to adjust the straps;

– the backpack should fit snugly to the body;

– backpack material – lightweight, durable, with a water-repellent coating, easy to clean;

– backpack case – form-stable;

– the outside of the backpack must have reflective elements, and inside – at least two compartments or a special pocket or insert for pens and pencils;

– the weight of the backpack for children of primary school age – no more than 700 grams, for middle classes – no more than a kilogram.

Experts from Roskachestvo decided to find out how the satchels in stores correspond to the established standards. For this, we purchased different types of backpacks and knapsacks of popular brands. The price range was from 709 to 12 rubles. All bags were tested for strength, water resistance, toxicity, the presence of reflective elements, weighed and measured – only 500 parameters. And here’s what turned out.

“On the labels, for the most part, the description was rather meager. Neither the weight nor the size of the product was reported almost anywhere. Most of the goods were made in China, but there were also samples from the Russian Federation, Germany, Japan and Serbia. For some goods, it was not possible to determine the country of origin, “- said in research findings.

In addition, manufacturers did not always indicate on the knapsack that it was intended for a child. And in stores, such backpacks stood next to the student’s – it is easy for the buyer to make a mistake.

“Parents cannot always clearly identify what the backpack is intended for. “City”, “tourist” backpacks with a soft back, goods of the “wrong” size are not suitable for children of the primary school group, “says Deputy Head of Roskachestvo Elena Saratseva.

The expert advises to carefully read the label – it should indicate that this is a schoolbag, as well as the age of the child for which this particular backpack is designed.

Basically, deviations from the established norms affected the weight of the backpacks and the back. Many were too heavy, and the back was, albeit embossed, but not rigid – these are not suitable for younger schoolchildren.

But with the consumer properties of the backpacks, everything turned out to be in order. The quality of tailoring, durability – there are no complaints about this.

“Most of the products are sewn with high quality and neat, do not fade or dye, and are resistant to dry and wet abrasion. Most of them have a comfortable handle and a sufficient number of pockets. All have strong seams, good quality zippers, almost all backpacks today have reflective elements, ”says Elena Saratseva.

1. Look at the label, the labeling must necessarily contain information on the identification characteristics of the product. There should be a clear indication that this is a school backpack, and not a tourist or city backpack. Therefore, find the appropriate inscription on the label, for example, “school backpack (satchel).”

2. The label should also contain information about the manufacturer, country of origin and detailed information on the composition of materials. Information must be presented in Russian.

3. Check which child’s age the backpack is designed for. It is important to estimate the age, because for children of the primary school group, backpacks should be lighter and smaller. The age group is assessed by the manufacturer independently, for example, 3+, 6+, 14+.

4. It is important to look at the weight and size of the item. For children of primary school age, a backpack should not weigh more than 700 grams, for middle classes – no more than a kilogram. On average, for primary school students, the dimensions should not exceed 360 × 260 × 100 mm (deviations are not more than 30 mm).

5. Look at the back – for junior and high school children, it should be firm, unbending. In addition, you need to pay attention to the consumer characteristics of the product: the presence of reflective elements, additional internal and external pockets for pencils, compartments for textbooks and notebooks, shoulder straps of at least 4 centimeters, is it possible to adjust the belts. The material of the satchel should be lightweight, durable, with a water-repellent coating, easy to clean.