Space tool bag tracker

Regardless of what profession you are in, whether you are a carpenter, electrician, or plumber, having a good tool backpack will be beneficial. It provides a solution to keep your tools organized while also carrying them easily. If you are still undecided on whether you really need one, here are some of the reasons why you should go for it. Ensures that your tools stay organized — The best tool backpacks are the ones that have the greatest number of compartments, allowing you to arrange your tools the way you like so you will always know where everything is.

You can choose to keep the same kinds of tools together, or you can place the tools that you usually use in your work in pockets that are the easiest to access.

Most traditional bags often have just one large storage compartment in the main body and then a couple of pockets outside. Although you can theoretically keep your tools inside the bag, keeping them organized is next to impossible.

You will be wasting a lot of time rummaging inside your bag just to look for a tool. When you have a tool backpack, this will never be a problem because you know where each tool is located. Easier to transport your tools — As the name implies, tool backpacks are meant to be worn across the shoulders and on your back. This makes it easier for you to carry a lot of tools without straining your body. Using a backpack is infinitely better than carrying the bag around with one hand. Also, it is better than just slinging the bag over one shoulder.

With a backpack, the weight is distributed evenly over your shoulders and across your back. If you have a chronic back pain problem, using one can help because it keeps your back straight while you are walking, unlike a shoulder-slung tool bag where your spine is bent awkwardly. Your tools will be protected against damage — The problem with putting all your tools inside one pouch is that there is nothing that will keep them from knocking against each other.

When you are transporting your tools from one job site to another, the shaking motion will cause your tools to bang and hit each other, thus potentially causing damage. In addition, the annoying clanging sounds when you walk with your tools will be gone.

A good tool backpack provides you with separate compartments for every piece of hardware that you have, thus preventing them from moving about and knocking against each other when you are moving between job sites.

They are waterproof — A good tool backpack should also be waterproof, or at the very least water-resistant. They will surely be worth the initial investment because they can protect your tools against rust and corrosion. With a waterproof tool backpack, you do not have to worry about your tools getting wet when you need to work in an environment where it is wet, like during heavy rain or if you need to work in a flooded room. You will have the peace of mind to put down your bag anywhere you want and not have to deal with wet tools later.

Your spine will thank you later — When you are carrying a heavy tool bag, you may not notice it but your spine is bent in an awkward pose. This is because all the weight you are carrying is on just one side. Backpacks are specifically designed so that all of the weight is equally distributed on your shoulders and back, thereby helping you maintain a natural standing position.

Other bags cause you to slouch or bend to one side, which, in the process, can put a lot of unnecessary pressure on your lower spine, leading to lower back pain. However, not all tool backpacks are designed the same. Some provide additional lower back support compared to the others. Always choose the former instead of the latter. It helps keep your balance — When you are working in an active construction site, you need to make sure that you are on your toes, literally and figuratively, because there are dozens of accidents that are just waiting to happen.

One of the most common is tripping and falling because you lost your balance while carrying a heavy tool bag. When you are using a tool backpack, your center of gravity is still in the center of your mass. This means it will be easier to keep your balance when walking.

It will be much easier for you to get inside when you are using a tool backpack instead of a traditional shoulder slung tool bag or toolbox. Most tool backpacks are designed to be compact, which means you can squeeze into tight places easily.

In addition, you can attach a hiking flashlight on the shoulder straps so you can work with both of your hands. So, you are in the market for a new tool backpack, are you? One of the biggest mistakes that you will regret later is buying the first tool backpack that you see.

Not only might you miss out on other, much better backpacks, you might also get a backpack that you cannot really use. To guide you in making the right purchase, here are some considerations that you need to keep in mind:. The Size of the Bag — The size of the bag you need to get will depend on how many tools you usually carry with you at work. The bigger backpacks typically measure 15 inches long, sometimes longer, and they are around 12 inches thick.

The thicker backpacks will have extra space for power tools aside from your usual hand tools. If you do not really carry that many tools on site and you usually do most of your heavy work in your shop or garage, a small tool backpack will suffice.

There are some backpacks that look large but the main reason why they look that way is that they are heavily reinforced. These bags are heavily padded and have reinforcing plates along the sides and bottom to allow them to carry large loads without any of the seams popping or ripping.

Your particular profession will also play a great role in choosing the size of your tool backpack. Some professions require the use of larger tools as compared to others, which is why a mason will need a bigger tool bag compared to an electrician. The Number of Compartments — A good tool backpack is one that has more pockets and compartments than you have use for.

The more pockets and loops the bag has, the easier it is to organize your tools. As mentioned earlier, depending on your particular profession, you might not need that many compartments at all. However, if your work requires you to carry a lot of tools, like for instance, if you are a general contractor, then you will need a large bag with plenty of compartments to spare. Regarding loops, they need to be elastic and tight. If you will be placing tools inside the loops, like wrenches, then the loops need to restrain the tools from moving around too much and hitting each other.

Again, depending on your particular job, you may or may not need pouches that have covers on them. Some professions that need this feature include carpenters pouches for different sizes of nails and screws , mechanics different sizes of nuts and bolts and others.

Materials Used — The materials that were used in creating the backpack will have an effect on its overall durability. It is because some materials are more durable than others. Regardless of the nature of your work, getting a sturdy tool backpack should always be a priority to prevent it from ripping apart all of a sudden while you are in the middle of a job. Aside from using tough materials canvas, polyester, and even denim , the bag that you get should be built tough as well.

Check the seams if they are double stitched. Also, check the shoulder straps if they are wide enough and generously padded for extra comfort. Most of the best tool backpacks also have hard-molded bases. This will allow you to place the bag on any surface without tipping. Most tool bags have rubberized bases so you can even place it on any surface that you want to clean.

Ease of Use and Comfort — If your line of work requires that you take your tools everywhere, and it is always full of heavy tools, then you want your backpack to be as comfortable as it can be. If it is easy to carry and comfortable, you will forget about all the weight that you are carrying.

You can tell if a backpack is comfortable to carry just by the amount of visible padding it has. The straps should be wide and heavily padded so that they will not dig into your shoulders. The back of the backpack needs to have, aside from padding, reinforcement so that the weight of the tools are evenly distributed. There should not be a tool digging into your back while you are wearing and using the backpack.

Lastly, there should be lumbar support to prevent lower back strain. It should also be capable of distributing the total weight of the tools. There will not be a side that is heavier than the other. You will notice this when both shoulder straps have equal amounts of weight bearing down on them.

If possible, get a backpack with a sternum strap and hip strap. Both will help keep the bag securely fastened on your body. Budget — If you are like most people then you already have a budget set aside for your new tool backpack. However, if you want to get the best backpack, your budget needs to be a bit flexible.

A good one will almost always be more expensive than regular ones but the price is not the only barometer of its quality. It is not necessarily the most expensive backpack that has the highest quality. There are also some options with the same quality that are reasonably priced. When shopping around for a tool backpack, do not just focus on the price tag. It is also crucial to check if it is worth the price. To make sure that your tool backpack lasts for many years as the manufacturer intended, you need to take absolute care of it.

First of all, do not go over the prescribed weight limit of the bag. Yes, the manufacturer must have put a bit of leeway regarding the weight limit, but you should avoid going over the limit as it will affect its longevity.

Also, before you attempt to lift the tool backpack to wear it over your shoulder, make sure that all your tools are secured. This will prevent loose tools from damaging the bag and its contents. This is also a safe practice as any loose tools can fall out of the bag and potentially injure someone.

If they are, lubricate them using a light spraying of silicone spray or rub some paraffin wax over them. Also, take some time to clean the Velcro fasteners. Brush both sides using a toothbrush to remove any dirt and dust that might have been captured. When cleaning the bag, do not use strong detergents. Only use a bit of warm soapy water. You just need to soak the bag in some warm soapy water then using a soft bristled brush, scrub at the visible dirt that accumulated on the surface of the bag.

Afterward, rinse the bag thoroughly under the tap and hang it outside to dry but be careful not to expose the bag too long to the sun as this will weaken the fibers. Move the bag to a shady part of your yard when the sun gets too intense. Also, keep in mind that waterproof tool backpacks are not waterproof forever. They need additional proofing every year or so. You can do this yourself by melting equal parts paraffin and beeswax over a double boiler then brushing the resulting mixture onto your bag using a wide brush.

Once the paraffin and wax dried, put the bag into an old pillowcase and throw it in the clothes dryer set on high for about half an hour or so. This will make your bag look and feel like it is brand new. With the recognized benefits of owning a tool backpack, it is no longer surprising to see several companies and brands offering and marketing their items in this field to the public.

Some items offered by the mentioned brands have similar features. Others, however, have unique and more useful features, so it would be best to compare them to determine which one is truly appropriate for you. There are some that are marketed as waterproof but most of the ones that you will see that are for sale are water-resistant at best.

So it is advisable that you do not submerge your tool backpack in water. Yes, but it is advisable not to store any fragile electronic devices along with your heavy tools. Just the pressure of the weight of the tools will be enough to crack most LCD screens. Most tool backpacks are designed to stand straight when placed on the floor. Some backpacks even have reinforced and stiff bases so they will be easy to stand.

Others even have a kind of rubber base so water and any other liquids cannot seep into the bag. This depends on the manufacturer, but most of them have so much pride in their product that they are willing to provide almost lifetime guarantees on their bags.

However, this guarantee only covers normal wear and tear, not damages caused by user error. The first criteria when choosing the size of your tool backpack is the number of tools that you are thinking of putting in there. It is also crucial to study the sizes of the tools. Agrease gun leaked inside the bag, which apparently wasn? Then I realized that it would just make everything worse and then we'd have twofloating objects, one of which would be me," Stefanyshyn-Piper said in atelevised Nov.

Stefanyshyn-Piper,an active captain in the U. Navy, retired from NASA? Spacedebris, in general, has been a growing concern for NASA and otherspaceflight operators due to the unprecedented crash of a Russian and Americansatellite earlier this year. The Feb. The networkis currently tracking more than 19, pieces of space junk larger than fourinches 10 cm across, but an estimated , total objects bigger than ahalf-inch 1 cm are thought to be in Earth orbit today, space debris officialshave said.

The tool bag, for example,circled Earth for more than eight months before finally destroying itself inEarth? If a pieceof space debris is expected to come close to satellites or manned spacecraftlike NASA? As the reentry date draws nearer, a more accurateprediction can be made.

And heexpects the entire tool bag will burn up upon reentry. The tool bagis not the only piece of spacetrash from the station. Other junk includes an unmanned Russian cargo shipand a massive ammonia coolant tank the size of a refrigerator. The coolant tankwas intentionally tossed from the space station in , and it burned up inEarth's atmosphere earlier this month.

The cargo ship undocked on Nov. Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more!