Expandable backpacks give you more space when you need it. This blog covers how expandable backpacks can streamline your dynamic schedule, and the features we added to Knack Packs to make them the most versatile on the market.
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What bag do you use for the office, hitting the gym, happy hours with friends, and weekend travel? Chances are, you use more than one, because most bags are designed for one purpose only. But if you’re tired of juggling multiple bags for different activities throughout your day, we have a game-changing solution that can simplify your life and adapt to your dynamic needs - the expandable backpack.
An expandable backpack is a type of backpack that can be adjusted to increase its storage capacity, giving you more space when you need it. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the concept of expandable backpacks, and showcase how we designed the Knack Pack to be the most versatile expandable backpack on the market.
Why you need an expandable backpack
These days, people wear lots of hats. Their days consist of navigating various roles and responsibilities that require, well, lots of stuff. From being a parent-entrepreneur-restaurateur to a businessperson with three side hustles who also likes to travel on weekends, anybody who has a wide-ranging list of interests and commitments needs the versatility to carry everything they need for the day.
And it’s especially important that your bag - the item that makes or breaks your ability to bring all of that stuff with you - can handle your dynamic lifestyle. An expandable backpack can do just that, because when extra space is an option, you don’t have to haul multiple bags around with you.
Traditional backpacks are limiting
Key features of an expandable backpack
Traditional Backpacks Are Limiting
Traditional backpacks fall short in keeping up with us because of…
Fixed storage capacity: Traditional backpacks have limited storage space and fixed capacity, which means that when you need to carry extra items, you could find yourself either cramming, or having to carry an extra bag.
Limited organization: Traditional backpacks often lack specialized compartments and pockets, leading to major internal chaos that does you no favors when it comes to retrieving what you need and keeping your valuables safe.
Unrefined aesthetic: Traditional backpacks can have a bulky or shapeless appearance that gives off a casual or college-student vibe, rather than exuding professionalism or sophistication. Dangling straps and external water bottles add to the disheveled aesthetic.
The Knack Pack: Redefining Everyday and Travel Use
The Knack team works remotely, and we all live truly multifaceted lifestyles where no two of our on-the-go days look the same. So we designed our expandable Knack Packs to address every pain point that we’ve observed in traditional backpacks. And while generic expandable backpacks solve the space issue, they don’t ensure that all of your stuff stays safe and organized. Knack Packs have features that streamline the way you carry your belongings from work, to the gym, to the airport, and everywhere in between.
>>MORE: What to Look For in an Everyday Carry Backpack
Key Features of the Knack Pack Expandable Backpack
Expandable Travel Compartment
The Knack Pack’s expandable travel compartment is entirely hidden until you effortlessly zip it open, meaning that you can carry your streamlined Knack Pack to the office without any of your coworkers knowing that your bag essentially doubles as a suitcase. Here’s how much extra space the expandable compartment adds to each size of Knack Pack: Size Chart
We also designed the expandable travel compartment to open like a suitcase, so you can easily access the contents without having to rummage through the contents. If you use the compartment for your neatly-folded clothes, you don’t have to displace all of them to find that one specific item you packed.
Of course, the expandable travel compartment can also be used for groceries, work documents, extra laptops, shoes… you name it. The space gives you the leeway to carry the essentials, and all of the extras.
Abundance of Interior Pockets and Organization
Bid farewell to the chaos and anxiety of rummaging the dark hole of a disorganized backpack. The Knack Pack offers a multitude of interior pockets and organizational features, ensuring that every item has its designated place, and that every item stays safe in that place. Here are a few of the pockets:
- A padded laptop pocket with a false bottom to protect your precious tech from sudden drops.
- A microfleece-lined tablet pocket
- Zippered and unzippered mesh pockets that allow you to see what is inside each pocket. We use fine mesh, so it is strong, lightweight, and won’t snag.
- A microfleece-lined sunglasses pocket
- An easy-access, RFID-blocking pocket to protect items like credit cards and passports from skimming.
- A sleek zippered water bottle pocket that ensures the contents of your bag don’t get wet in the case of a leak.
- A hidden passport pocket.
Also important is the fact that these pockets help you optimize the weight distribution of your belongings. For example, they allow you to keep heavier items, like your laptop, securely at your center of gravity.
>>MORE: What to put in each Knack Pack Pocket
Water-Resistant Fabric for All-Weather Adventures
Don't let unexpected rain showers dampen your spirits or belongings. Knack Packs have water-resistant exterior fabric, keeping your essentials dry and protected even in inclement weather conditions. The reverse double-coil zippers also ensure that water doesn’t leak through.
Understated and Stylish Aesthetic
The Knack Pack combines functionality with a sleek and sophisticated aesthetic. Unlike traditional backpacks that scream "college student” or “hiker”, the Knack Pack exudes a sense of refinement and style. Its streamlined design and clean lines make it a versatile companion for both professional and casual settings, elevating your overall look.
Your Knack Pack will also continue to look good, even after it’s been put through the wringer. On the Series 1, the exterior, suiting-inspired fabric is made from 1200 denier two-tone polyester fabric, and on the Series 2, the fabric is made from a modern 420D hi-twist nylon. Both of these fabrics are abrasion resistant, so your Knack Pack won’t tear, fade, or puncture. Even after coffee spills, getting left on the floor of the airport, getting tossed around during your daily commute, it won’t look like it.
Made For Travel
Knackpackers are travelers, whether that’s for a weekend getaway or a longer business trip. So we made sure that Knack Packs perform at the airport. All Knack Packs are totally carry-on friendly, which means that you won’t have to spend time and money checking a bag. Each size of Knack Packs fits under the airplane seat when unexpanded, and the Small and Medium fit under the seat when expanded. And you won’t have to worry about the backpack straps dangling into the aisle, because they totally tuck away.
In the off-chance that you do need to carry a traditional roller suitcase, Knack Packs have trolley sleeves. Even if One Bag Life isn’t an option, your Knack Pack will make two bags easier to handle.
Furthermore, Knack Packs are equipped with safety features that keep your belongings safe from crime, including a locking zippered main compartment, a hidden passport pocket, and the previously mentioned RFID-blocking pocket that protects your ID and credit cards from digital theft.
>>MORE: Find the Right Backpack for Travel
A Few Examples: From Work to the Gym and Beyond
Let's explore some scenarios where the Knack Pack truly shines, demonstrating its versatility and convenience in real-life situations.
Work to Gym
Picture this: you have a busy day ahead, starting with a morning meeting, a lunchtime workout session, and after-work drinks with friends. With the Knack Pack, you can effortlessly transition from one activity to another.
The expandable compartment allows you to pack a change of clothes for the gym, while a separate water bottle pocket means that you can carry your water bottle in the same bag, without worrying that it’ll spill on your laptop. And the interior, which is lined with an antimicrobial fabric, will make sure that your bag smells fresh, no matter how much of a sweat you worked up.
Your laptop remains secure in the laptop pocket, while your wallet, keys, phone, and anything else you need for work has a dedicated pocket. You no longer need to lug your gym duffel and compromise on style, because the Knack Pack seamlessly accommodates both your fitness and your work essentials.
>>MORE: The Best Backpack for Gym & Work Life
Business Travel
Even if you can write off the cost of checking a bag for business travel, you certainly don’t want to spend extra time in lines dropping off and picking up your bag. Nor do you want to worry about lost luggage before an important conference. Because the expandable suitcase compartment gives you space for up to four days of travel, you can carry all of your clothes right onto the plane with you. And yes, you can even pack a suit in the expandable travel compartment.
When you arrive at your hotel, the suitcase opening makes unpacking a breeze. It’s even easier if you use Knack Packing cubes, which are like drawers for your Knack Pack. With the travel compartment empty, you can zip it away and have a sleek, professional, meeting-ready backpack.
Day Trips During Travel
Exploring new destinations often involves day trips to nearby attractions or excursions. Your Knack Pack can easily transform from a travel bag to an everyday carry bag, so you don’t need to stuff a separate travel daypack into your travel bag. Knack Pack’s features means that you can confidently store your valuables while exploring busy street markets, crowded subway cars, and unfamiliar surroundings.
And on those long days of sightseeing, your Knack Pack’s ergonomic, padded S-curve straps and comfort-cool back panel will keep you comfortable (even when your bag is weighed down with souvenirs).
Which Expandable Knack Pack is Right for You?
With a Knack Pack, you don’t have to compromise or struggle with multiple bags for different activities, because its expandable compartment, abundance of pockets, laptop protection, water-resistant fabric, and refined aesthetic, make it versatile enough to keep up with your dynamic lifestyle. While all Knack Packs make for an elevated carry experience, you have to decide on which size and style is best for you, so check out this chart to compare them all.
How will you use your expandable backpack? We love to hear how you plan to use - or have used - your Knack Pack for work, travel, and everyday life. So share your stories and adventures with us on social media: tag @KnackBags and use the #KnackBags when you take your Knack on journeys.
