Backpack Today, it is so popular and almost becomes an indispensable accessory in every person's wardrobe. A backpack (derived from the French ballot) is a type of cloth bag with two straps over the shoulder to be worn on the back, but there are exceptions. Light backpacks sometimes have only one shoulder strap.
Origin of
Perhaps we will be surprised to learn that objects with a shape similar to today's backpack have appeared since the Bronze Age in Europe . Archaeologists have found the body of a lone man who crossed the Alps and named it " Otiz - Iceman ". It is worth mentioning that besides the frozen body, people also found a hard framed object, with a strap on the back quite similar to today's backpack. Because this person is dead, there can be no basis to confirm that he is the inventor of the backpack-like object or not.
Over the years, in 1886, a U.S. Army colonel named Henry Clay Merriam was granted a patent for a bag made of leather, worn on the back with an intricate frame and strap, clasp. . It was quite heavy and poorly balanced, but at that time, it allowed soldiers to carry more items on their backs than before.
By 1909, a Norwegian named Ole.F. Bergans patented a sling bag with a sleek metal frame that hugged the body more tightly than Colonel Merriam's model. It is also equipped with a hip belt to transfer part of the weight to the wearer's hip, thereby reducing shoulder pain and back fatigue. The Norwegian Armed Forces have been using Bergans backpacks since 1913, the design is quite similar to today's modern backpacks but this is still not considered the inventor of the modern backpack today.
The birth of the modern backpack
Hikers and mountain climbers - Gerry Cunningham created a lighter, more practical backpack in 1938, with zippered compartments to make it easy for outdoor enthusiasts to access. However, things didn't really work out with Gerry's backpack until after World War II. In the years 1945-1946, Gerry and his wife began making "Gerrys," beautifully designed backpacks and climbing bags for skiers and mountaineers.
They have continuously improved upon Gerry's model, mainly focusing on outdoor sports. By 1967, when the company pioneered a sturdy, lightweight nylon teardrop-shaped backpack, Cunningham revolutionized the modern backpack.
Since then, the creative mind of people has produced a lot of backpacks with high applicability, for many different jobs and individuals. At the present time, backpacks are a common and ingenious item for transporting camping gear, school books, yoga or office supplies, even toddlers.
The development trend of today's backpack
And to better meet the needs of users, backpacks are more and more diverse in designs, models and colors. Moreover, it is also enhanced with many optimal functions such as modular removable compartments , USB sockets or anti-theft, waterproof functions... Today's backpack models are suitable for any object. .
And recently, backpacks have become a sought-after fashion accessory. They are designed according to separate trends and change from time to time. They can be so unique that many people are willing to spend huge amounts of money to own them.
It can be seen that, at first just a common item for men, over time, backpacks and bags have become an important accessory in the fashion industry and an extremely convenient item. Today, the theme of designing backpacks, bags, or choosing backpacks and bags is still an eternal topic of women. No matter how the backpack develops, we can probably thank Gerry Cunningham. The person who introduced nylon material and zipper to the backpack model many years ago to make the backpack more beautiful and convenient as it is now.
