City & sports backpacks

City and sports backpacks: how to choose and buy without overpaying

Updated 20 October 2026

Capacity and purpose

Choose a backpack by how you will use it, not by looks. For daily city use, 18–25 litres is enough: a laptop, a charger, a water bottle, a change of clothes. For the gym and weekends people take 25–35 litres, and for travel 40 litres and more. A primary-school child needs a light backpack with a structured, orthopaedic back, while an older student needs a roomy one with a laptop compartment.

Look at the weight of the empty backpack: a heavy one made of thick material puts load on your shoulders. The straps should be wide and padded, and a chest strap helps spread the weight.

Material and protection

Nylon and polyester of 600D or more take the load, and a water-repellent coating protects from light rain, which is handy in the rainy season. Only models with taped seams or a rain cover are fully waterproof. If you carry a laptop, look for a padded compartment for your exact screen size, for example 15.6 inches. Anti-theft pockets on the back and a USB port are convenient but not essential, and a USB port only brings a cable out, not a charger.

Another detail is the back panel. If you wear the backpack daily, look for a soft ventilated panel and, on sports models, a waist belt: the weight spreads more evenly and your back sweats less.

What to put in your request

• Type of backpack — city, sports, school, laptop, trekking.
• Capacity — in litres.
• Features — laptop compartment (screen size), water protection, USB port, anti-theft.
• Brand — for example The North Face.
• Colour — darker shades are more practical.
• Material — nylon, polyester, water-repellent fabric.
• Condition — new, pre-owned; original or replica.
• For whom — adult, schoolchild (class), woman, man.
• Delivery city and budget, if you want to name one.

Example: “I'm looking for a new 25-litre city backpack with a compartment for a 15.6-inch laptop, water-repellent nylon, dark grey, with a chest strap. Ajman, courier delivery. Budget up to AED 130.”

How to compare offers

The same model name from different sellers doesn't guarantee the same build: ask about the year of manufacture, the country of production and the warranty. For pre-owned, ask for photos of the seams, zips and straps, as these wear out first.

On BlaBlaPrice you write a request once, and sellers send offers in the chat with price, photos and delivery. The platform shows the best by content first, with seller reviews next to each. Sellers see their place among others, so they compete and often improve their terms. Your phone number stays hidden. It is all explained on the “How it works” page.

For small items in your pocket, wallets and pouches will do, and for every day, bags.