Backpacking as a recreational activity actually dates back to the 1900s. The basic design of a backpack is a canvas bag with shoulder straps attached; a pack that is worn on the back. Simple and elegant, with one downside: if not properly packed, there is no way to prevent the contents from digging into the wearer’s back. Evidently there was a change from that design into what we now know as the modern backpack, but what was it, and who changed it?

The change was simply attaching the bag to a flat board that rested on the back of the wearer, thus separating the contents of the pack from the back. This flat board is called a pack board for obvious reasons. With this ingenious invention, the modern backpack was born. The inventor? Lloyd F. Nelson, an explorer who first came up with the idea for the pack board during a trip to Alaska in the spring of 1920.

The pack board also made it easier to carry the contents of the pack because it distributed weight more evenly, allowing for a more relaxed hiking experience. The design remains basically the same today, with a few variations introduced by users in different professions, such as the military.

Aside from this short little history, the truth is no really knows who first came up with the idea for the first backpack. Now, packs have been carried around on backs for thousands of years all over the world, but what got the backpack started? Obviously the modern backpack could not have been made with the invention of the zipper. Whitcomb Judson is credited with inventing the zipper in 1893. The only hitch is it was not called a zipper! The official name was the “Clasp Locker”, and it was a complicated hook-and-eye assembly.

A Swede designed the modern zipper named Gideon Sundback, who became head of the company founded by Judson to manufacturer Clasp Lockers. The zipper made its first appearance in 1913. So, we know the backpack could not have been put together before 1913 because the zipper had not been officially invented yet. But that doesn’t answer the question of when did the backpack first appear?

The answer is the backpack as we know it today started appearing in the 1920s, complete with zipper and all. Nelson’s invention of the pack board combined with Sundback’s invention with the zipper made an irresistible combination. Backpacks have been a staple of our society ever since, and they have gone on to enjoy wide popularity around the world.

Dyeing leather isn’t just for the craftsman or professional leatherworker. There are many different reasons to dye leather yourself, but the most common is that the leather is dirty or faded and you want to touch it up. An admirable sentiment, but don’t let it carry you away from the reality of dyeing leather. If your leather is vegetable-tanned (meaning it was tanned using plant extract) this will make it easier to dye, for many types of dyes only work with vegetable-tanned leather. Leather that is dyed correctly makes it much more professional looking and desirable to wear. It’s easy to tell when leather is dyed because of the color sometimes used. Also, use common sense: have you ever seen a yellow cow? Or a green or blue one? That should tell you the leather has been dyed.

Before getting into the process of dyeing leather, let’s establish some basic principles. The majority of leather is the by-product of the meat industry, since the skins and hides have less value compared to the meat inside them. The tanning process used to make the leather will determine what kind of dye will work best with it. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, certain dyes only work with vegetable-tanned leather. Different tanning processes result in different colors, which is how you can tell by what process the leather was tanned. The color of vegetable-tanned leather is a light tan, chromium-tanned leather is a pale blue-grey, and aldehyde-tanned leather produces a very light cream or even white color. There are other tanning methods and other colors produced by those methods, of course, but these three are the most common.

You may ask how is leather able to be dyed with all the chemicals it is treated with to make it leather? Simple. Leather is still skin, albeit chemically-altered and chemically-preserved skin. Like human skin, leather is still susceptible to discoloration and staining. Ink blotches can affect leather just as they can affect human skin, except with leather the blotch is more than likely to become permenant. This is why it is possible for leather to be dyed. Unfortunately, because of the tanning process, even water can permenantly damage and discolor leather. Suede is especially vulnerable to this type of damage, which is why you never wear suede leather in the rain. Of course, to some discolored suede leather is still desirable, but for most water discoloration ruins the leather for good.

To dye leather, gently brush the dye into the leather and rub it in thoroughly. You must allow the coat to dry completely before proceeding. Don’t forget to wipe any excess dye off, and go ahead and apply additional coats as needed. Be sure to wear protective gloves when doing this, because the dye will color your skin just as it will the leather, for the reasons outlined above.

That’s really all there is to it. Don’t forget to let the leather dry overnight before using it again.

Why are they so popular? It’s not as if everything is magically glamorized by simply making it out of leather, so what gives? Leather backpacks are popular for the same reason leather jackets, leather briefcases and leather furniture is popular. Leather is a high-class material and people who choose to own leather or who are lucky enough to own leather are seen as ‘being somebody’, as someone a little higher up the class scale than someone who doesn’t own leather. Of course, whether this reflects the kind of person who owns leather is another story, but that doesn’t change the fact that leather carries a certain social perception with it.

The main appeal of leather is that almost unidentifiable feeling that you are now subtly worth just a little bit more than you were without leather. To be sure, your actual self-worth has not changed at all, what changed is how the outside world perceived you. That being said, the stylish vogue of leather deserves to be taken seriously. This vogue stems from a few facts about leather in general, and leather backpacks, briefcases, etc. in particular.

Leather is an incredibly durable and long-lasting material; it doesn’t fray, tear or rip easily; and leather containers afford a degree of protection to their contents. Leather also has the ability to breathe therefore making you a little more comfortable than with a non-leather clothing item. It’s also ideal for layering; and leather also is slightly wind-resistant.

Leather backpacks offer all the attributes listed in the previous paragraph, with a few additional ones that spring from the backpack itself. They carry almost anything, from groceries to laptops to bricks, if they are not too heavy. They can be pressed into service as travel bags or even small briefcases should the need arise. Women use them as purses, men use them as tote bags. Their multi-functionality only hints at the versatility of a leather laptop backpack, a leather computer backpack, or a black leather backpack. If you get an adjustable-size one, that is even better. Not only do you get all the benefits just listed, but you can make it be whatever size you need to, which opens the range of usage options even more.

In short, leather is popular not only because it is fashionable. Leather is popular because it is a option in the world of personal containers for that “just-right” feeling. Leather is durable, protective, wind-resistant, and can breathe. It’s perfect for those who have the money and the time to select the right one.