Backpack Statistics [2024]: Shopper, Product & Development Knowledge

Key Backpack Statistics

• From 2010 to 2019, US backpack gross sales elevated over 170%.
• The worldwide backpack market was valued at $15.9 billion in 2022 and is predicted to develop to $31.38 billion by 2030.
• VF, the dad or mum firm that owns JanSport and The North Face accounts for over 55% of backpack gross sales within the US.
• The common carry-on backpack has 38.8 L of quantity, weighs 3.4 lbs, and prices $237.00.
• The common on a regular basis backpack has 22.2 L of quantity, weighs 2.5 lbs, and prices $199.84.
• The common mountain climbing daypack has 22.4 L of quantity, weighs 1.5 lbs, and prices $145.58.
• The common multiday mountain climbing backpack has 51.9 L of quantity, weighs 4.5 lbs, and prices $289.81.
• The most typical materials for journey and on a regular basis backpacks is midweight woven nylon or polyester.
• The most typical materials for mountain climbing and outside backpacks is ripstop nylon.

Backpack Market Statistics

Within the US and globally, the backpack market has seen large progress over the previous many years. Extra individuals are counting on backpacks for his or her day by day lives and for recreation, and that’s driving up backpack gross sales and incentivizing corporations to take a position extra in again design and innovation.

Listed here are the important thing statistics for understanding the backpack market.

US Backpack Retail Gross sales Over Time

The USA has the most important marketplace for backpacks worldwide, and regardless of setbacks as a result of COVID-19, that market is constant to develop steadily.

The chart and desk beneath present the overall retail gross sales for backpacks within the US from 2010 to 2021.

The information above exhibits an incredible progress fee within the US backpack market. From 2010 to 2019, US backpack gross sales elevated by over 170%.

Unsurprisingly, there was a serious drop in backpack gross sales throughout 2020 as COVID-19 put a halt to journey and shut down colleges. By 2021, US backpack gross sales have been already again to 76% of the pre-COVID excessive, and that pattern is simply anticipated to proceed as increasingly more folks within the US are touring or getting exterior.

International Backpack Market Dimension Forecast

In 2022, the worldwide backpack was valued at $15.9 Billion, in accordance with Statista.

The desk beneath exhibits the forecasted progress of the backpack market worldwide, from 2022 to 2030.

Clearly, the backpack trade is poised for large progress over the subsequent a number of years. This may be attributed to a number of components:

• As journey tourism and outside actions turn out to be more and more in style within the US and across the globe, folks want specialised backpacks designed for mountain climbing, tenting, biking, snowboarding, mountaineering, and extra.
• 50 years in the past, should you have been headed into the workplace, you carried a briefcase. Right this moment, as workplaces turn out to be extra informal and fewer structured, backpacks are shortly turning into the norm. Extra manufacturers are growing professional-looking laptop computer backpacks that slot in completely with the fashionable office.
• COVID-19 launched the world to distant work on an enormous scale, and extra folks than ever are selecting “digital nomad” life. A carry-on backpack is the proper instrument for touring the globe whereas staying related to the grid.

International Backpack Google Search Curiosity by Month

The backpack market is very seasonal. Distinct seasonal traits are obvious in each retail gross sales and web search quantity.

The desk beneath exhibits worldwide Google Traits search curiosity within the time period “backpack” by month from January 2021 to December 2023.

Within the chart above, there’s a distinct spike in Google search curiosity for backpacks each July-August. Throughout this spike, searches for the time period “backpack” jumps to over 170% of regular.

Whereas puzzling at first, there’s a quite simple rationalization for this seasonal spike: again to high school.

It’s true that increasingly more individuals are shopping for backpacks for work, journey, and outside actions, however there’s no denying that college students are the most important marketplace for backpacks. From Kindergarten by way of school, college students are those utilizing a backpack all day, each day.

That isn’t more likely to change anytime quickly.

After all, the back-to-school pattern doesn’t maintain for mountain climbing or journey backpacks. These usually tend to be bought in spring (at the beginning of journey and mountain climbing seasons) or nearer to the top of the yr across the holidays and Black Friday.

Backpack Model Statistics

As extra individuals are shopping for backpacks for quite a lot of makes use of, the trade is turning into extra aggressive, with manufacturers vying for market share.

A couple of manufacturers, like JanSport, have turn out to be family names, however many smaller startups are starting to make critical inroads out there.

Listed here are the important thing backpack model statistics from our analysis.

Prime Backpack Manufacturers by Google Search Quantity

One method to examine the highest backpack manufacturers is by search quantity. Whereas this isn’t an ideal metric for income or variety of backpacks offered, it’s an correct method to gauge the curiosity and model consciousness in a selected model.

I did in-depth Google search evaluation to search out the manufacturers with the best search quantity on Google. As a result of lots of the manufacturers promote extra merchandise than simply backpacks (like Nike, for whom backpacks are merely an adjunct product), I used search phrases that embody the phrase “backpack” or “backpacks” (whichever ranked greater).

The desk beneath exhibits the highest 20 backpack manufacturers rated by Google search quantity.

Curiously, of the highest 10 manufacturers by search quantity, solely 3 specialize particularly in backpacks. Most of the high manufacturers are attire corporations which have constructed out backpack product traces (Nike, Lululemon, and Adidas).

Inside this high 20 listing, there may be a variety of journey, city, and outside manufacturers.

The undisputed chief of the pack is JanSport, which has greater than double the search quantity of Nike backpacks in second place. This is smart should you’ve spent a lot time in a faculty or school campus and paid consideration to the backpack manufacturers. That little JanSport patch is all over the place.

Prime Backpack Manufacturers by Class

Backpacks might be divided into three broad classes: on a regular basis backpacks (which incorporates college, laptop computer, and commuting luggage), journey backpacks, and outside backpacks. The desk beneath exhibits the 5 hottest manufacturers in every class.

Notice that The North Face seems in each the on a regular basis and outside backpack lists. Whereas The North Face initially began as an outside gear firm, it has broadened its product vary to incorporate quite a lot of day by day carry backpacks for varsity, commuting, journey, and laptop computer carry. This introduced the model extra into the mainstream.

It’s additionally value noticing that JanSport and The North Face are each owned by the identical dad or mum firm: VF, which additionally controls Timberland and Eastpak. Between its assorted manufacturers, VF accounts for 55% of backpack gross sales within the US, in accordance with the New York Occasions.

Backpack Model Manufacturing facility Areas

I analyzed 82 of the world’s hottest backpack manufacturers to search out their manufacturing facility places and see how backpack manufacturing is distributed across the globe. Some manufacturers personal a single manufacturing facility and carry out all product meeting underneath one roof. Others contract out to dozens and even a whole lot of factories around the globe to make their merchandise.

The chart beneath exhibits the proportion of manufacturers that depend on factories in every area.

Unsurprisingly, Asia has the best focus of backpack manufacturing by far, with 82.9% of manufacturers utilizing manufacturing amenities in Asian nations. China, Vietnam, and the Philippines account for almost all of backpack manufacturing in Asia.

28% of manufacturers have some manufacturing in america, whereas solely 9.8% manufacture solely within the US. For a lot of of those manufacturers (like GORUCK and Hyperlite Mountain Gear), “made within the USA” is one in all their main advertising and marketing claims.

Journey backpacks embody packs which are designed to hold clothes and equipment on journeys by airplane, prepare, bus, and automotive. Whereas some journey backpacks are designed with snug harnesses for trekking, additionally they concentrate on options optimized for extra city journey.

Journey backpacks are used to exchange extra conventional baggage and are bigger than daypacks. Whereas many individuals use daypacks throughout journey, it’s usually along with a bigger bag.

Journey backpacks vary from slim 30L personal-item-size luggage to cavernous packs you’d must verify on a flight. As a result of our dataset has a low variety of checked luggage-sized journey backpacks, I centered this evaluation on carry-on backpacks, that are rather more widespread.

Carry-On Journey Backpack Quantity

The overall consensus is {that a} journey backpack should have over 30 L of quantity. Lower than that, and it’s a daypack.

The common carry-on backpack quantity is 38.8 L, and 68% of carry-on backpacks are between 33.6 L and 44.0 L. The truth that the median is greater than the typical signifies that journey backpack quantity is barely left-skewed, that means that there’s a excessive focus of backpacks barely above the typical weight. This is smart since 40L is a reasonably commonplace carry-on backpack dimension.

At TravelFreak, we typically suggest 35-45L as a superb dimension vary for a carry-on backpack for most individuals. These knowledge outcomes present that backpack producers additionally observe the same guideline.

Carry-On Journey Backpack Weight

Backpack weight can also be an necessary issue when shopping for a journey pack. Heavier luggage are extra tiring to hold and make it more durable to remain underneath weight restrictions. That mentioned, we expect consolation and sturdiness are extra necessary than weight.

Our knowledge exhibits that the typical carry-on journey backpack weight is 3.5 lbs and that 68% of journey backpacks are between 2.7 lbs and 4.1 lbs.

Carry-On Journey Backpack Costs

Journey backpacks are costlier than most backpack classes at $237.00 on common. This greater value is smart as a result of carry-on backpacks are competing within the baggage market greater than different forms of backpacks.

Carry-On Journey Backpack Supplies

Carry-on backpacks are made from a variety of supplies, from easy ripstop nylon to laminated sailcloth materials. A majority of carry-on backpacks are made with medium weight (400D-800D nylon or polyester). These supplies are extensively obtainable and stability sturdiness, weight, and ease of producing.

On a regular basis Backpack Statistics

On a regular basis backpacks are daypacks which are designed for commuting, work, college, and another day-to-day actions. Many on a regular basis luggage are designed primarily as laptop computer backpacks, as that may be a commonplace requirement within the fashionable world.

On a regular basis Backpack Quantity

The overwhelming majority of on a regular basis luggage have lower than 30 L of quantity. Any greater than that’s beginning to encroach into journey backpack territory.

The common on a regular basis backpack quantity is 22.2 L, and 68% of on a regular basis backpacks are between 16.0 L and 27.6 L.

On a regular basis Backpack Weight

Most individuals don’t pay a lot consideration to weight when selecting an on a regular basis backpack. Only a few on a regular basis luggage are overly heavy. Design and options are extra necessary for on a regular basis use than low weight.

The common weight for on a regular basis backpacks is sort of a full pound lighter than journey backpacks: 2.5 lbs. That is primarily as a result of smaller dimension, however on a regular basis backpacks additionally usually use lighter supplies and have much less construction and padding since they gained’t be carrying as a lot weight.

On a regular basis Backpack Costs

On a regular basis backpacks are considerably cheaper than journey backpacks, with a median value of $199.84 and a median value of $199.00. 68% of on a regular basis packs are priced between $110.55 and $281.03. The costliest daypack in our database is the Mission Workshop Rhake, which prices $545 within the X-Pac model.

On a regular basis Backpack Supplies

Like journey backpacks, on a regular basis backpacks are most frequently constructed from mid-weight nylon. There are additionally extra on a regular basis backpacks produced from nylon or polyester with a thick TPU or PVC coating, which provides spectacular water resistance and energy.

Mountaineering & Outside Backpack Statistics

Mountaineering and outside backpacks are technical items of drugs which are designed to carry out throughout a variety of outside actions together with mountain climbing, operating, backpacking, snowboarding, biking, and extra. These packs are sometimes very specialised to a particular use case and vary from ultralight vest packs for path operating to large gear haulers for multi week excursions within the backcountry.

Mountaineering & Outside Backpack Quantity

Since they’re designed for thus many alternative use instances, outside backpacks are available in an enormous vary of volumes. It makes extra sense to divide outside backpacks into two subcategories: daypacks and multi day packs.

Daypacks have a median of twenty-two.6 L of quantity, whereas multi-day backpacks are usually greater than twice the scale, with a median of 51.9 L of quantity.

Mountaineering & Outside Backpack Weight

Weight is a precedence within the design of outside backpacks, which are sometimes worn all day underneath demanding circumstances. Many individuals search for the lightest pack doable that doesn’t compromise fundamental capabilities.

Outside daypacks are usually the lightest of any backpack class. The common outside daypack weight is 1.5 lbs—that’s over a full pound lighter than on a regular basis daypacks. Mountaineering daypacks are designed to be minimal and streamlined and often don’t have options like padded laptop computer sleeves or a great deal of group pockets.

Due to their dimension, multi-day packs are considerably heavier—4.5 lbs on common. Nonetheless, there may be a whole area of interest of “ultralight” backpacking backs, that are underneath 2.5 lbs all the best way right down to a mere 14 oz. For instance, the Z-Packs Arc Haul Extremely is a full-featured 50 L backpack that weighs a scant 1.3 lbs.

Mountaineering & Outside Backpack Costs

Outside backpacks additionally differ extensively in value. Due to their simplicity, mountain climbing daypacks are the least costly class we analyzed, with a median value of $145.58. On the opposite finish of the spectrum, multi-day packs are the costliest.

Mountaineering & Outside Backpack Supplies

Mountaineering and outside backpacks are extra uniform within the supplies used than another class. The overwhelming majority use some type of ripstop nylon. The primary purpose for that is weight: ripstop nylon might be extremely light-weight whereas sustaining good sturdiness.

Some technical outside backpacks additionally incorporate extra superior supplies like HMWPE (often known as Dyneema), which is stronger than metal and provides spectacular sturdiness. These luggage include a value penalty, although.

Backpack Statistics by Area

Backpack use and curiosity aren’t uniform across the globe. In some areas, backpacks are seen as day by day requirements, whereas in different areas, they’re pointless luxuries.

Listed here are crucial regional backpack statistics.

Google Search Curiosity in Backpacks by Area

Breaking down Google search quantity for backpacks by area is an attention-grabbing method to examine the curiosity in backpacks between areas. This isn’t an ideal metric, nevertheless it exhibits how a lot individuals are looking for backpacks on-line.

Utilizing Google Traits, I ranked the nations with the best and lowest search curiosity for the time period “backpack” in 2023.

Google charges search curiosity as a proportion of all searches. The area with the best search curiosity will get a rating of 100, and each different area’s rating is a proportion of that (a rating of fifty means half the search curiosity of the best rating). I excluded areas with low search quantity for this research; that leaves 58 areas to contemplate.

The desk beneath exhibits the ten areas with the best search curiosity for the time period “backpack.”

The desk beneath exhibits the ten areas with the bottom search curiosity for the time period “backpack.”

The broad pattern within the tables above is that extra prosperous nations have greater search curiosity in backpacks whereas growing nations have decrease curiosity. This clearly isn’t a tough and quick rule, although. Jamaica is a less-developed nation that ranks fifth for probably the most backpack search curiosity. Japan and France are each very prosperous, developed nations that rank within the lowest 10.

The general pattern is smart, as folks in wealthier nations have greater shopper spending total and spend extra on backpacks. Nonetheless, there isn’t a clear rationalization for the exceptions. Why does Jamaica have a excessive curiosity in backpacks whereas Japan doesn’t? This query requires additional analysis.

Google Search Curiosity in Backpacks by State

There may be additionally vital variance in curiosity in backpacks by state throughout the US. The map and desk beneath present the rating of the 50 states by backpack search curiosity.

The Western US states have greater total search curiosity in backpacks than the remainder of the nation, whereas the Midwest Area has the bottom curiosity.

It’s also notable that within the high 10 states for backpack search curiosity, there are a number of states which are well-known for outside recreation: California, Hawaii, Washington, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and Oregon.

It additionally is smart that there’s a excessive focus of backpack and outside gear corporations with headquarters in these states. Areas like Boulder, Portland, and Salt Lake Metropolis are hotspots for outside gear design.

Sources and Methodology

The information used on this report is split into three classes: market knowledge, search knowledge, and product knowledge.

The market knowledge contains annual gross sales, international market dimension, and market progress forecasts. I collected this knowledge from a number of sources, together with Statista, IndustryArc, and The New York Occasions. I mixed these particular person knowledge factors and units to get a extra full image of the worldwide backpack market.

Search knowledge was collected utilizing Google Traits. I used this instrument to gather Google search statistics for the 2023 calendar yr. I analyzed search outcomes for the search time period “backpack” and segmented out searches by nation, state, and month. These search outcomes function a proxy for public curiosity in backpacks, and are helpful for measuring traits geographically or over time.

To gather product knowledge, I used TravelFreak’s backpack ranking database, which shops the metrics we use for reviewing and scoring backpacks. We retailer 44 distinct knowledge factors for each backpack in our database, which supplies a wealth of knowledge to attract from. The small print in our product database come from our many years of in-depth analysis and testing.

I used this knowledge to extract averages and statistical distributions for weight, quantity, MSRP, and supplies used throughout the totally different backpack classes.

Changelog

We periodically assessment this report, verify for errors or inconsistencies, and replace it with the latest knowledge. Right here is the change historical past for this report.

• February 26, 2024—first revealed