Backpacks

Anyone who's ever gone on a vacation involving swimming knows how yucky it can be to pack up a wet bathing suit when it's over. The Guide bag, now on Kickstarter, aims to solve that issue and save you some space when packing dry clothes as well.

While most hydration packs could be used for just about anything, they're typically designed with activities like mountain biking or running in mind. The Duet, on the other hand, was created specifically for use at outdoor music festivals.

Even if you're a dedicated off-road cyclist, there are going to be times when you have to carry your bike over really rough terrain. The Hike A Bike Harness allows you to keep your hands free while doing so, by putting your bicycle on your back.

Skateboarding can be a fun way of commuting, but most boards have to be either carried by hand or strapped onto a backpack when not in use. The Koala Boards skateboard offers an easier alternative, as it magnetically snaps onto an accompanying pack.

In & Motion is developing a backpack to take bicycle airbag protection to the next level. Its Stan pack works like other protective inflatables but gives the commuter more complete protection around the head, neck, chest and back.

Hikers, cyclists and other athletes carry their gear in backpacks, so why do golfers mostly use shoulder bags or wheeled carts? That's the thinking behind the Grasshopper Backpack, which can hold up to seven clubs along with other equipment.

For better or for worse, campers are taking an increasing number of electronic devices into the wilderness. A device known as the Hikerpower was designed with that trend in mind, as it's a portable power station in backpack form.

Although carrying gear in a backpack is easier than carrying it in your arms, sometimes even a backpack can be too heavy. That's where the HipStar comes in – it's a hands-free cart that allows users to tow their pack behind themselves as they walk.

Vaude has taken the next steps in "Leave No Trace" backpacking, simplifying a backpack down to a single material and 3D-printed components. Billed as the world's first recyclable backpack, the Novum 3D pack previews a more eco-friendly form of gear.

Although there are already cycling jackets and vests with integrated rear lights, those aren't going to do you much good if you cover them with a backpack. That's where the Torch pack comes in, as it has an integrated lighting system of its own.

While most bicycle commuting backpacks simply allow cyclists to carry their stuff, EVOC Sports' newest model offers a little something extra. In the event of an accident, an airbag pops out of it to protect the rider's upper body.

Ordinarily, a backpack is something that you take off if you're getting too hot. The NASA-inspired Honu, however, is claimed to actually make its user feel up to a total of 20º F (11º C) cooler than if they weren't wearing a pack at all.