Backpacks & Sacks: Dimensions & Carrying Capacity:
Let me begin by saying that 1st THERE is a MAJOR difference between a Backpack and a Sack, A Backpack is WORN on the back, A Sack is either carried in HAND, Over the SHOULDER or Possibly Tied to the WAIST dependent upon length of the Sack. 2nd Backpacks would be made of Leather(better durability than canvas or cotton), Sacks would have been made from either canvas or cotton with the weave being important as well.(Tighter weave able to hold sugar or flour, less weave better suited for potatoes or vegetables. 3rd Throughout the game from its beginning to the latest versions, there is only one place that gives dimensions & capacity for a backpack and for a sack at least from what I can find(YES looking at the difference between 2e and 5e descriptions of a backpack we see more info in 2e and change of amount carried in 5e 30 lbs compared to 2e 50 lbs WHY change???). Why hasn't a lot of Information been brought from the Old to the New? I chalk it up to Plain Laziness of Wotc and its Researchers, maybe POSSIBLY they wanted to save US players MONEY less pages less cost(personally doubt this reason though). Major Personal Note This Game from the onset was made for the using of a person's mind in bringing the Reality of an object's size to be brought into the Game by the Player’s and DM’s minds and then discussing whether to use it or not. Say “backpack or wagon” and a picture of what you are talking about forms in your mind. It was up to US, to bring the capacities and sizes into the Game which WE as Players and DM’s Did LONG LONG before the 2e came out(Please remember this when looking for other things as well).
Now where did I find the Information about a backpack & a sack? Well the 2e Player’s Handbook pg. 78 which states for a backpack: It can Hold 50 lbs and is 3 ft by 2 ft by 1 foot. Now in the SAME book it states on page 67, that a backpack costs 2gp and it weighs 2 lbs. Now using the same book same pages we can find the information about a sack which there are 2 sizes: Lg: 30 lb capacity, 2 ft by 2 ft by 1 foot, cost 2sp and ½ lb weight, Sm: 15 lb capacity, 1 foot by 1 foot by 8 in, cost 5cp and negligible weight(I would count it as ¼ lb).So with this Information in mind YOU can continue by making or using different sizes for different purposes with different weights as well. Example: Today the US Marines have a Backpack that is rated to hold 120 lbs the size of which is 27 in by 17 in by 10 in, weight 11 lbs,(yes there are different sizes stated I went with what was close to the 2e description) compare it to what we find in 2e and we see 2e stats are larger in size but lower in weight able to carry( made of less durable materials able to handle the weight so cheaper in cost) for the 120 lb capacity I would of course make it more expensive. This can be done with all the different size Backpacks we have in the world just bring them into the Game. Now backpacks being made of what they are they will tend to not be ripped or torn AS fast as a sack, but it still happens(unless magically or non magically made not to). This is of course going to influence the Price.
Now let me touch on Sacks, as stated previously they can be carried different ways. The first 2 being that one of your hands is used to hold it either in hand or on shoulder. With that said if you carry a sack in hand at your side the LENGTH will determine if it's dragged on the ground or not. The third being Tied to the waist this one is much dependent on the length of the Sack. Now Sacks being made of what they generally are we see that YES putting something sharp into them will put a hole or rip it(unless magically or non magically made not to).This is of course going to influence the Price.
Now I would like to Talk about a Magical Item in use by MOST of us. The Bag of Holding 2 ft wide opening by 4 ft length, Now for this description there are only 6 ways(I see) for it to be carried 1: Over the Shoulder, 2: Cart, 3: Wagon, 4: Reasonably Sized Animal or Creature, 5: Magically, 6: Someway I haven’t thought of.
I have seen in Posts as well heard in Games that it's carried in hand or tied to the waist. This I say, try doing that with a 30 gallon trash bag with 2 water filled milk jugs in it(roughly 16.68 lbs) and it's not even 4 ft long. (for this statement I am using size as the reference, being that Giant’s could, but a human or elf or goblin to name but a few go to the 6 and pick which way it will be transported). I am not saying that carrying in hand by one's side can’t be done just that over periods of travel the weight will slowly pull the hand and arm down till it starts to drag, then we tend to pull it back up, but by that slight drag we begin damage to the Bag, AND THERE is NOTHING in ANY of the BOOKS that says IT CAN’T BE DAMAGED THAT WAY.
In closing this, I Hope that it helps to give you the Information needed as well as maybe other things to think about.
Let me begin by saying that 1st THERE is a MAJOR difference between a Backpack and a Sack, A Backpack is WORN on the back, A Sack is either carried in HAND, Over the SHOULDER or Possibly Tied to the WAIST dependent upon length of the Sack. 2nd Backpacks would be made of Leather(better durability than canvas or cotton), Sacks would have been made from either canvas or cotton with the weave being important as well.(Tighter weave able to hold sugar or flour, less weave better suited for potatoes or vegetables. 3rd Throughout the game from its beginning to the latest versions, there is only one place that gives dimensions & capacity for a backpack and for a sack at least from what I can find(YES looking at the difference between 2e and 5e descriptions of a backpack we see more info in 2e and change of amount carried in 5e 30 lbs compared to 2e 50 lbs WHY change???). Why hasn't a lot of Information been brought from the Old to the New? I chalk it up to Plain Laziness of Wotc and its Researchers, maybe POSSIBLY they wanted to save US players MONEY less pages less cost(personally doubt this reason though). Major Personal Note This Game from the onset was made for the using of a person's mind in bringing the Reality of an object's size to be brought into the Game by the Player’s and DM’s minds and then discussing whether to use it or not. Say “backpack or wagon” and a picture of what you are talking about forms in your mind. It was up to US, to bring the capacities and sizes into the Game which WE as Players and DM’s Did LONG LONG before the 2e came out(Please remember this when looking for other things as well).
Now where did I find the Information about a backpack & a sack? Well the 2e Player’s Handbook pg. 78 which states for a backpack: It can Hold 50 lbs and is 3 ft by 2 ft by 1 foot. Now in the SAME book it states on page 67, that a backpack costs 2gp and it weighs 2 lbs. Now using the same book same pages we can find the information about a sack which there are 2 sizes: Lg: 30 lb capacity, 2 ft by 2 ft by 1 foot, cost 2sp and ½ lb weight, Sm: 15 lb capacity, 1 foot by 1 foot by 8 in, cost 5cp and negligible weight(I would count it as ¼ lb).So with this Information in mind YOU can continue by making or using different sizes for different purposes with different weights as well. Example: Today the US Marines have a Backpack that is rated to hold 120 lbs the size of which is 27 in by 17 in by 10 in, weight 11 lbs,(yes there are different sizes stated I went with what was close to the 2e description) compare it to what we find in 2e and we see 2e stats are larger in size but lower in weight able to carry( made of less durable materials able to handle the weight so cheaper in cost) for the 120 lb capacity I would of course make it more expensive. This can be done with all the different size Backpacks we have in the world just bring them into the Game. Now backpacks being made of what they are they will tend to not be ripped or torn AS fast as a sack, but it still happens(unless magically or non magically made not to). This is of course going to influence the Price.
Now let me touch on Sacks, as stated previously they can be carried different ways. The first 2 being that one of your hands is used to hold it either in hand or on shoulder. With that said if you carry a sack in hand at your side the LENGTH will determine if it's dragged on the ground or not. The third being Tied to the waist this one is much dependent on the length of the Sack. Now Sacks being made of what they generally are we see that YES putting something sharp into them will put a hole or rip it(unless magically or non magically made not to).This is of course going to influence the Price.
Now I would like to Talk about a Magical Item in use by MOST of us. The Bag of Holding 2 ft wide opening by 4 ft length, Now for this description there are only 6 ways(I see) for it to be carried 1: Over the Shoulder, 2: Cart, 3: Wagon, 4: Reasonably Sized Animal or Creature, 5: Magically, 6: Someway I haven’t thought of.
I have seen in Posts as well heard in Games that it's carried in hand or tied to the waist. This I say, try doing that with a 30 gallon trash bag with 2 water filled milk jugs in it(roughly 16.68 lbs) and it's not even 4 ft long. (for this statement I am using size as the reference, being that Giant’s could, but a human or elf or goblin to name but a few go to the 6 and pick which way it will be transported). I am not saying that carrying in hand by one's side can’t be done just that over periods of travel the weight will slowly pull the hand and arm down till it starts to drag, then we tend to pull it back up, but by that slight drag we begin damage to the Bag, AND THERE is NOTHING in ANY of the BOOKS that says IT CAN’T BE DAMAGED THAT WAY.
In closing this, I Hope that it helps to give you the Information needed as well as maybe other things to think about.