Best school bags Malaysia 2023

 

• A ergonomic school bag can encourage lifelong good standing posture
• There are so many brands, each with their own shape, sizes, and claims of ergonomics. Look for ones that will be durable and last a minimum of 3 years
• Our top pick for lower primary is the tried and true Impact IPEG055, and the SPI Icononic Bag for secondary students  for a durable bag that is appropriate for children

 

Each year at the end or start of the year, we talk to many parents who are interested in getting their children a new bag, and we’ve seen bags in all sorts of conditions due to our unique trade in policy, where parents can get a discount for their next ergonomic bag purchase.

A trend we seem to notice is that the parents will try and ask the child if they like it, and the child just shrugs, asking if there is any cartoon designs instead. Children don’t understand ergonomics, and how the school bag functions, so its up to the parent to find a suitably functional bag for them. School has changed drastically since we were children, with an increasingly heavier textbook load, and the current restriction of keeping books in lockers due to COVID. If you want to read more about the case for an ergonomic school bag and its influence on children growing up, you can read more here.

And I’m sure you as a parent want nothing more than a comfortable school bag that can last the child for several years, and can take the punishment of children’s playing and running in normal times. Here at Ergoland, here are the tips for picking the right school bags.

Tips for picking the right school bag:

• Safety: When bags can weigh up to 10kg at a time, you want to find a bag that has elastic compartments that keep the books close to the back, and being able to evenly distribute the weight so the child wont suffer
• Comfort:The school bag should have a thick but breathable padding on the back care and the shoulder straps, to ensure it doesn’t bruise the child and contours to the spine
• Material: Look for bags that have clean and reinforced sew to it, using material that is water proof, and resistant to tears and scratches. If its water proof, you can also have an easier time cleaning the bag if spills occur. 
• Size: The school bag must absolutely not be lower than the child’s hips, because it can disrupt their center of gravity, and cause them to fall over if the backpack is too heavy

Because we have had so many years of experience in retailing school bags and understanding the market, we are publishing a list of school bags you can find here in Malaysia, and the pros and cons of each.

Here are the best backpacks for students: 

• Best overall: IPEG321 by Impact
• Best for kindergarten: Comfpro Ergonomic Backpack
• Best for primary school: IPEG055 by Impact
• Best for secondary school: SPI Icononic 
• Best for college: Roam by Terminus

 

 

The best overall bag SPI Icononic 

 

The SPI Icononic is suitable for the widest age range for children

Though a new entry in Malaysia, this bag has been selling for many years in Hong Kong & China, with glowing reviews of having lasted over 5 years. 

Malaysian parents & children absolutely love this bag, especially the black variant. Its big enough for them to continue using from primary into secondary school, it has a breathable back care that is soft and spongy, and can take a lot of punishment a child who handles their belongings roughly can come to expect. 

The SPI Icononic is very light weight, and children don’t feel the burden of books with its patented Spinal Improvement System.

This school bag apart from being the most durable, is great for younger kids and secondary kids alike, which is one of the reasons it's our top overall pick.

Pros: Ergonomically comfortable with its spongy back care, spacious, durable, water resistant

Cons: Can’t be used if shorter than 140cm, generally not suitable for children under Primary 3.

 

The best for kindergarten SPI Unicorn

 

 

 

The SPI Unicorn is one of the lightest and smallest bags, great for kindergarten

Our feedback from parents is that the SPI Unicorn has a very light weight and a wide range of sizes, so its great for children in kindergarten, since there can be such a wide range of sizes for the children at that age.

But most importantly, the SPI range has a ton of designs with even things like collectable patches and a hard back to maintain its shape. 

Pros: Huge range of designs for both boys and girls, comes with customizable patches

Cons: The cute designs can be outdated when the children no longer like unicorns/dinosaurs, can sometimes be too big for smaller kindergarteners 

 

The best for primary IPEG055 from Impact

 

 

 

The IPEG-055 has a unique OSPS system that really helps encourage good posture

This model is almost an icon in schools, having been sold in Malaysia since 2006. Made in Taiwan, these blocky bags can hold a deceptive amount of books while being easy to carry, to the surprise of the child itself. Water resistant, comfortable, durable, it would only lose out size wise as children enter secondary school.

 

The unique patented Orthopaedic Spinal Protection System (OSPS), the flexi S shaped back care, is similar to an ergonomic chair, in which it contours towards the spine of the child, while distributing weight evenly to the shoulder, back, and waist, ensuring an unburdened school experience. This is also the bag recommended by the Singaporean Chiropractic and Physiotherapist Association for effective back care for children.

There have been huge amount of reviews for them online who love the bags in comparison to other brands, as its wildly popular as well in Singapore and Taiwan, commonly found in department stores. Unfortunately there is a lack of design diversity with them, only coming in a few colours. But its very common for children to be using only this bag throughout their primary school without spoiling. A battle hardened bag for sure.

Pros: Ergonomically comfortable with its straightening back care, spacious enough for primary school kids books, durable, water resistant

Cons: There are only limited colours, with no cartoon designs on them, does not have capacity for secondary students

 

The best for secondary school Yzea Pro from Yzea

 

 

 

Yzea Pro: Made in Germany, one of the largest ergonomic bags on the market

The Yzea Pro can quite often be confused as a hiking bag, and honestly? It really could double as a hiking/travel backpack for anyone. With 3 full compartments, ability to fasten and compress the bag to ensure a tight distribution of weight, giant waist belt, and its rugged rope handles, this bag was meant to handle anything school can throw at the children.

Made with tear and water resistant polyester, its light for its size, as well as having thick back and shoulder paddings to ensure a comfortable carrying experience. It could also probably fit a week’s worth of books as well, though please be mindful the recommended weight for children to bear before stuffing the bag (more can be found here). I wouldn’t be surprised if these bags even last until a child’s college years.

Pros: Largest size for school bags, water resistant, adjustable ergonomic straps

Cons: Can be too large for kids who are on the smaller side, not many bright colour palettes.

 

The best for college Roam from Terminus

 

 

 

A local brand, but it’s quality is not something to be scoffed at

I was very surprised to find out the Terminus is a local brand, because the material and the design mimics the style of the American Tourister. The Terminus Roam is a bag designed for the young adults, its got compartments for laptops, iPads, external USB chargers for phone users on the go, and plush high density foam for its straps and back care.

Pros: Many separate specialty compartments for electronics, modern fashion

Cons: Will struggle if college requires very thick textbooks, competing spaces for electronics, not 100% ergonomic

 
Conclusion

At the end of the day, while our overall winner is the Impact IPEG321, choosing a school bag should be a collaborative experience between parent and children, especially considering the sheer amount of options and different price points there are available at. You always want to look for a backpack that will last a minimum of 2-3 years, resistant to water and tears, feels ergonomically comfortable, and the right size for them.

 

If you still have any questions and want to learn more about school bags, or ergonomics in general, please feel free to reach out to us on FB Messenger, give us a call at 03 7732 7671, or drop us an email here.