Backpack vs. Hair

[Wavybrunetteuk]

Personally I wear a backpack everyday, a big heavy one. I was wondering if anyone else was a backpack wearer and if their hair gets caught in it or gets in the way. My hair is only at Below Shoulder Blade length so far, so for me it doesn't get in the way yet...

[pili]

Oh, yes. You need to keep that from happening. It will cause mechanical damage.

[Anje]

Not these days, but yes, you definitely need to keep your hair away from the straps. Major potential for damage there.

While you're at it, make sure you aren't leaning against your hair, especially in lecture halls and at desks. I see so many people with breakage right at the point where their hair touches the chair back.

[Hairkay]

I sometimes have a bag on my back but I keep my hair up. Occasionally my plaits/braids will be down when they're a little damp to dry and I carefully put on the bag moving plaits out of the way but hair will be up by 30 minutes. I like to walk with my hands swinging or free so back packs work best for that. I even make my own smallish colour co-ordinated ones.

[Chromis]

I wear my hair up in general and always when I am wearing a backpack!

[MidnightMoon]

I haven't worn a backpack in years, but back in the day (school) I would wear my hair loose and didn't mind it. These days, on the few occasions I wear one, I don't mind either, I just move my hair to the front or to a side, or just let it be. If I were to do so daily, though, I'd prefer an updo, at least while I'm wearing it (you can put it down later, once you reach your destination).
I don't find having loose hair while wearing a backpack particularly comfortable, anyway, my fine hair gets trapped in zippers, wraps around the straps...

[lithostoic]

I use an over-the-shoulder bag and this happens. That's why I keep my hair braided and bunned.

[AZDesertRose]

I haven't used a backpack in years (although I used one as a book bag from basically middle school through university), but I've had to go to cross-body purses in recent years because I can't do shoulder bags (my neck protests), and I need my hands to be free even when I'm carrying my purse for Reasons (basically, I live on a high floor and I don't want to or in some cases can't make multiple trips to bring groceries or whatever up to my flat).

With the cross-body purse, I have to make sure that my hair isn't caught in the strap if I'm not wearing it in a bun; what I generally do if it's not in a bun is hold my hair out of the way while I put the purse strap on myself, and then set my hair back down once the purse is settled securely. (And if my hair is in a bun, I have to make sure I don't catch the stick/fork on the strap as I bring it over my head. Darned if I don't, darned if I do. :laugh: )

So yeah, I'd say you might want to be mindful of possible mechanical damage from carrying the backpack.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Oh, no no no, backpacks and hair don't mix! Please protect your hair and keep it up and away from your backpack!

[Aredhel]

Oooh yes my backpack in high school used to shred my hair... back when I didn't care for my hair (my hair was still about TBL back then, like now), my hair would constantly get caught in the buckles and straps, and I'd just rip my hair out of it. Terrible. Definitely keep your hair protected (preferably up) when wearing a backpack!

[martyna_22]

Damage is the reason I don't wear my bag on my shoulder. I just keep it in my hand or in the elbow curve. The sacrifices you make for hair!

[Wavybrunetteuk]

Oooh thank you for your insight guys. I will have to take that into consideration. I really do wear a backpack every single day. My backpack drops to about MBL at the moment :S

[sanguinebread]

It can be uncomfortable, but I wouldn't say it's the end of the world - I wore my hair loose with a backpack down to hip length, when it became so obnoxious I didn't want to anymore. Hold it out of the way when you put the backpack on, and if you have to remove hair from under the straps, lift the whole bag with your other hand so there's no weight dragging against the strands or breaking them.

Buns can also get caught putting it on but are fine once it's on. Braids are okay to a certain length and then they'll also get caught and stick out oddly, so I usually wore my braid over my shoulder.

I carry a messenger bag now, and basically use the same procedure if my hair is down, it's just physically easier.

[embee]

Backpacks and chair backs were the reasons I thought my terminal length was about BSL. Heh. Once I stopped leaving my hair down, it grew and grew. :) So yes, do watch out for that.

[marvel-lover]

Oh yeah, I wear a backpack frequently too. I always have my hair bunned, but on the rare occasion that it's down, I side braid it to keep it away from the backpack...and the wind on my college campus.

[pailin]

Yes, if my hair isn't up when I wear a backpack, it's braided. Either a side braid, or a braid pulled forward over my shoulder.
I once had my hair braided, put the backpack on, and flipped my braid back over the backpack..... It promptly caught a zipper pull, and I couldn't turn my head! I had to take the bag off reeeaaally carefully and pull it around front to get the braid off the zipper and detach my head. Not something I care to repeat.

[Synester]

not a back pack but my big purse always snags my hair and if my hairs on my shoulder and i just put my purse on really quick...oh boy no fun.

[Dendra]

I wear a back pack every day too! A mini one. I also wear my hair up every day now, before I did that my bag straps (whether handbag or back pack) always trapped and pulled my hair :mad:

[LadyCelestina]

I wear backpacks quite often with loose hair. I just move it away whenever I'm putting on the backpack and wear it draped over my shoulders in the front :) And I don't see any mechanical damage from that so far... .... scarves, on the other hand... :/

eta: but my hair is curly so it doesn't fly around my head, it stays put over the shoulders because the curls are too clumpy and heavy... I can imagine somebody with straight hair having issues even if they drape their hair to the front.

[lisamt]

I wear backpacks everyday for school. I usually just pull my hair out of the way (if it's down) when I put my backpack on and make sure it doesn't get caught on any part of it, or since I usually only wear it on my right shoulder, I'll just pull my hair onto my left.

[AutobotsAttack]

I'm in college and there's the rare occasion I'm in a rush and I just slap on my backpack, and sometimes a few stands will get snatched and snagged. Most times I slow down enough and pick up my hair so it won't have to wrestle with my backpack if I have it down occasionally. Otherwise it's up in a bun.

[MusicalSpoons]

I always had a large, heavy backpack for school, and my hair was usually in a ponytail or braid. I honestly thought my hair wouldn't grow longer than hip/tbl :rolleyes: ... I currently use a smaller, lighter backpack for work but now my hair is almost always up, or very occasionally in a braid. Up is much preferable though!


Yes, if my hair isn't up when I wear a backpack, it's braided. Either a side braid, or a braid pulled forward over my shoulder.
I once had my hair braided, put the backpack on, and flipped my braid back over the backpack..... It promptly caught a zipper pull, and I couldn't turn my head! I had to take the bag off reeeaaally carefully and pull it around front to get the braid off the zipper and detach my head. Not something I care to repeat.

Oh my goodness , I've had that happen SO many times! I'm now a lot more careful if I have my hair in a braid, but still it catches on the zip - and on the velcro on my coat too. If I remember, I put my coat on over my braid and keep it under my coat, although that doesn't help in summer when I'm not wearing one. Buns have the occasional problem if you're trying to put something on over your head, but they're far safer than having braids down!

[Wavybrunetteuk]

I already have to wrestle my hair with my bag and my hair isn't even what I classify "long" yet

[Jo Ann]

Oh, Lordy! I haven't carried a purse regularly since high school--that's what jean pockets are for :p The only time I've carried something resembling a backpack was a diaper bag when my boys were small. I kept snagging my hair on them, so I started carrying the diaper bag in my hand, like an old lady's purse.

Usually, backpacks have a top center loop--couldn't you carry them by that? Swap sides, so you're not carrying the weight on one side of your body all of the time. Others, like my Youngest Dear Son (who's still in high school) carries his backpack on one shoulder (in all fairness, he has a plate on one collarbone, and it irritates him to wear his backpack using both shoulders). Maybe that's an option--using one shoulder, that is.

[MusicalSpoons]

:scissors:
Usually, backpacks have a top center loop--couldn't you carry them by that? Swap sides, so you're not carrying the weight on one side of your body all of the time. Others, like my Youngest Dear Son (who's still in high school) carries his backpack on one shoulder (in all fairness, he has a plate on one collarbone, and it irritates him to wear his backpack using both shoulders). Maybe that's an option--using one shoulder, that is.

OP said her backpack is very heavy, so carrying it on one shoulder would be very unwise! Heavy bag + one shoulder = guaranteed back problems (which may not become evident until years later). It's one thing having back problems and long hair, but quite another to have back problems because of one's long hair :-\

[Wavybrunetteuk]

OP said her backpack is very heavy, so carrying it on one shoulder would be very unwise! Heavy bag + one shoulder = guaranteed back problems (which may not become evident until years later). It's one thing having back problems and long hair, but quite another to have back problems because of one's long hair :-\

You have a good point about me carrying a heavy backpack all the time; I am a study freak so I carry my textbooks EVERYWHERE. Maybe that's a habit I should change avoid back problems, regardless of how it affects my hair :)

[Garnetgem]

Have used them in the past and hair got stuck often..the ones with velcro fastenings are the worst as once it gets caught there is rips as you remove it no matter how gentle..i too have had the misfortune of getting caught on a passer by with a back pack,as they walked by my hair got caught in a buckle..hurt lol am sure i lost quite a few strands in the process!

[Wavybrunetteuk]

Have used them in the past and hair got stuck often..the ones with velcro fastenings are the worst as once it gets caught there is rips as you remove it no matter how gentle..i too have had the misfortune of getting caught on a passer by with a back pack,as they walked by my hair got caught in a buckle..hurt lol am sure i lost quite a few strands in the process!

Oh gosh! I didn't even imagine that could happen!

[AZDesertRose]

You have a good point about me carrying a heavy backpack all the time; I am a study freak so I carry my textbooks EVERYWHERE. Maybe that's a habit I should change avoid back problems, regardless of how it affects my hair :)

I majored in English (it's been a while since I got my degree, though), and almost every class I took (after a certain point) required a massive heavy textbook (and I bought hardbacks even when paperbacks were available, because at the time I thought I'd eventually go on to graduate school and pursue at least a master's, but life); I got to where I'd carry only what I needed for the classes on any given day, unless I really needed a textbook for a class that didn't meet on that day before I would be able to get home.

But yeah. Spinal problems HURT. Like, a LOT. If you can avoid straining your back to excess now and possibly prevent spinal issues later, it's probably a good idea. :flower:

[ShahMat]

I always wear a backpack and my hair is past hip now, so I keep it bunned or braided, since if I let it loose it wraps all around the straps and it's quite difficult to wrestle free from that grip without causing some strands to break :rolleyes: