Late last year Samsonite added something a little bit different to its RED range... a backpack with a kind of in-built 'air con'. Obviously we had to give it a go.

I've travelled for work for the last 15 years or so. In that time, I have road tested a lot of backpacks. For the last month or so, I've been carrying the Belkin Active Pro Backpack as my go-to bag on a few overnight trips and countless commutes between offices. Here's how it stacked up.

Every once in a while, you just need to pack as much technology into your bag as humanly possible. Case in point, reader Ben Dereeper's bag, which has just about everything you'd possibly need.

Whether you're headed out in support or dissent, you should know what you're getting into before you go and join a protest. Even if you think the event is purely peaceful, someone else, another protest group, or the police may all have different ideas. Here are some tips to prepare before you go out to have your voice heard.

Osprey's Farpoint 55 backpack is really two bags in one. You get a large compartment to keep clothes and shoes in, plus a removable daypack that lightens your load once you set up base somewhere. Plus, the whole thing is small enough to count as a single carry-on bag.

Whether you're buying a new backpack for your kid, or getting one for your own studies, these are the key features it should it have.