[Ryan1524]

how big is it?? i'm thinking of getting a bag that can fit a powerbook, some textbooks (2-3 & each the size of dictionary - about 500-600 pages thick) and one or two binders for day-to-day college purposes. i'm considering the Volt XL or the 'Large' Timbuk2. they're about 1800-ish cubic inches (taken from their webpages)

but since i don't have any bag that's close to that size, and i don't know what my current bag's capacities are...do you think that'll be enough??

this is also intended for college/univ students who carry a similar load everyday. how big are your bags?? do you use massive ones that can take anything and everything, or do you use a smaller one to only carry a binder, a clipboard, and a notebook around (or to lectures) ??

thx.

[madmacgames]

1800 cubic inches is about the size of 1800 cubic inches

ok seriously, the Volt XL is 19 x 12 x 8.5 according to the website.

[madmacgames]

Originally posted by Ryan1524:
this is also intended for college/univ students who carry a similar load everyday. how big are your bags?? do you use massive ones that can take anything and everything, or do you use a smaller one to only carry a binder, a clipboard, and a notebook around (or to lectures) ??

The 1st two years I have a "backpack" style bag but walking a couple blocks to campus every day sure put a strain on the ole back lugging all that weight. So then I got a carrier style bag... IMO, definitely easier to carry the weight around. Now though, I usually only carry one textbook and a notebook with me. Sometimes I'll have 2 textbooks.

[Ryan1524]

Originally posted by madmacgames:
1800 cubic inches is about the size of 1800 cubic inches

ok seriously, the Volt XL is 19 x 12 x 8.5 according to the website.

i was kinda hoping someone who has it can give a more practical measurement of the space.


^ and...carrier style bag?? are you talking about messenger bags?? i've been using that for school for 3 years, and now my legs hurt since i 'think' my posture's not good when i walk with it. i dunno. i kinda think if i have a more balanced distribution of the weight, it can be more comfortable for large hauls.

[madmacgames]

Originally posted by Ryan1524:
^ and...carrier style bag?? are you talking about messenger bags?? i've been using that for school for 3 years, and now my legs hurt since i 'think' my posture's not good when i walk with it. i dunno. i kinda think if i have a more balanced distribution of the weight, it can be more comfortable for large hauls.

yeah a messenger bag... when it is loaded heavy it does put some strain on the legs but I usually don't have it loaded heavy. When I had a normal backpack I noticed strain much more often, but no so much on the legs but on the ankles and achilles tendon.

as for more practical measurements, if you're not sure how big those measurements are, take a pice of 8.5x11 paper... how wide the paper is, is how thick that bag can expand to (stack up as much as you think you might put in it, and hold a piece of paper on its side to see if it will fit into 8.5"). Then how long the paper is, is about how wide the bag is, plus another inch. Then lay 2 pieces side by side so that the 11" sides touch each other. That is about how long or tall the bag will be, plus another 2 inches (8.5 + 8.5 = 17). And actually laying 2 pieces like that will give a rough idea of the overall size/shape of the face of the bag (will be 17x11 and the bad is 19x12). Plus with more in the bag and the general shape of bags, you always loose some space, so the 17x11 would be a good estimator as well as stacking the books up and using the 8.5" side of the paper to get an idea there.

[Ryan1524]

hahah...yea, i might try and construct a model...or maybe i'll just go down to CPUsed or Coast-Mountain Sport sometime in the weekend and see similarly sized bags to get a good image.

i actually cut up some bristol board in the size of the 12" and 15" PB sometime ago to see which i like better. lol. but that's a different story.

as a side note, in college/univ, do you tend to bring many books with you or just bring a clipboard and some paper for notes?? i mean, for lectures, bringing lots of textbook doesn't seem to be practical since we'll be listening most of the time anyway right ??except maybe when going to a library or someplace to study, then we'll be carrying loads of books.

what are the typical trend in terms of bag content in the day-to day routine of a college life?