Disappointment in American engineering

By Ryan Ranked #156 - Daypacks December 20, 2011

I bought one of these a few years ago. That one lasted until January, 2011. After only a few years, its right shoulder strap was opening up at the side, and the internal padding was exposing itself. I bought a new model (the same thing) in January. I used it for school from then until the end of May, minus two weeks for spring break. It resumed usage in the fall until the beginning of December. By then, it had developed a hole on the bottom large enough for me to fit my arm through if I actually wanted to. This backpack had fewer books and less weight in it than the previous one did for most of the time. A backpack at this price level should last much longer than a few months. When I looked inside the backpack and held it up to the light, I noticed that the fabric on the bottom was significantly thinner than the fabric on the sides and top. Does Jansport want me to carry my backpack upside down so that the contents sit on the stronger fabric? That would be ridiculous and indicates that the engineers were not thinking logically about how the backpack would actually be used. However, I am replacing it with a German backpack (rucksack) which was designed by logical engineers. Only the Germans could engineer a backpack with a weight-easing suspension system, a shield-like back system to protect the wearer from any kind of potential injury of the spinal area (such as falling while mountain climbing, falling down the stairs on the way home, or anything similar. It should be just as great to protect the inside, such as a laptop), extra lumbar cushioning, a shape to fit on the body comfortably, a ventilation system for the back to avoid sweaty back syndrome, a lining to prevent drinks inside the backpack from freezing in cold temperatures, and a fleece-lined pocket for goggles. Last week, I sent the two Jansport backpacks back with the lifetime warranty to see if they would do anything redeeming.

View Details: JanSport Odyssey Backpack - 2350cu in

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