They seem to be looking at the bag with shoulder straps that is what most of us carried in school. Other than Patagonia I see no outdoor brands in their list--probably because what makes an optimal pack for carrying isn't what makes an optimal pack for school. I consider my Osprey packs (I have a range of sizes) vastly superior at carrying vs anything on that list--but none of them would be practical to toss under my desk in class.