I've spent a lot of time hiking and backpacking. I've also had to walk five miles home (that's about 8km for those not in insane countries that start with "United") when buses or trains were cancelled due to weather.

I absolutely refuse to buy a backpack without a hip belt of some sort, because while you might not really need it for the five-minute walk from the bus stop or train station to the office, that changes when you're carrying it for a two-hour walk in the snow.

Yep, a hip belt on a backpack makes a world of difference when you can put most of the weight on your hips instead of your shoulders.

As a child I remember doing 45min + a day with them

Thank you for the tip btw I am soon in the market for a backpack and will take care to get a good chest strap