Backpack with side access

1. A backpack comprising:

a generally flexible and pliable backpack body formed primarily of a flexible material defining an inner cavity and having at least one shoulder strap coupled thereto, said body having a back panel and a pair of opposed sides;

a releasable fastener on a side of said body, said releasable fastener being configured such that when said releasable fastener is opened, a generally triangular flap is formed in said side of said body, said flap being pivotable away from said body to provide access to said inner cavity, and pivots about a base spaced from the back panel; and

a supplemental releasable fastener on the other side of said body, said supplemental releasable fastener being configured such that when said supplemental releasable fastener is opened, a supplemental flap is formed in said other side of said body, said supplemental flap being pivotable away from said body to provide access to said inner cavity,

wherein said releasable fastener and said supplemental releasable fastener each have a first portion extending generally upward and away from said back panel to an outward position distanced from the back panel, from which outward position the releasable fastener continues as a second portion that extends from the outward position upward and toward said back panel wherein said releasable fastener has a third portion that extends over a top of said body which, when opened, provides access to said inner cavity.

2. A backpack comprising:

a backpack body defining an inner cavity and having at least one shoulder strap coupled thereto, said body having a back surface, a front surface, a bottom surface, and a pair of opposed sides; and

a releasable fastener on a side of said body, said releasable fastener being configured such that when said releasable fastener is opened, a generally triangular flap is formed in said side of said body, said flap being pivotable away from said body to provide access to said inner cavity, wherein said flap is flexible and pliable and pivots about a base spaced from the back panel,

wherein said releasable fastener has a first portion extending generally upward and away from said bottom surface to an upper-most position distanced from the bottom surface, and a second portion that extends from the upper-most position downwardly and toward said bottom surface; wherein said releasable fastener has a third portion that extends over a top of said body which, when opened, provides access to said inner cavity; and

wherein said backpack is configured to be worn by a wearer such that said at least one shoulder strap is positioned over a shoulder of the wearer, said back surface is positioned generally flat against a back of the wearer.

3. The backpack of claim 2 further comprising a releasable fastener at the top of said body which, when opened, provides access to said inner cavity.

4. The backpack of claim 3 wherein the releasable fastener at the top of said body is not connected to the releasable fastener on the side of the body.

5. The backpack of claim 2 wherein said releasable fastener is positioned substantially entirely on said side of said body and does not extend from said side of the body to the other side of the body.

6. The backpack of claim 2 wherein said flap defined by said releasable fastener covers at least 60 percent of said side of said body.

7. The backpack of claim 2 wherein said flap defined by said releasable fastener covers at least 80 percent of said side of said body.

8. A backpack comprising:

a backpack body defining an inner cavity and having at least one shoulder strap coupled thereto, said body having a back panel, a pair of opposed sides, and a top; and

a releasable fastener on a side of said body, said releasable fastener being configured such that when said releasable fastener is opened, a generally triangular flap is formed in said side of said body, said flap having a base about which said flap is foldable, said base being adjacent to but spaced away from said back panel, said flap being pivotable away from said body about an axis generally parallel to said side of said body to provide access to said inner cavity,

wherein said releasable fastener has a first portion extending generally upward and away from an end location adjacent to said back panel to an outward position distanced away from the back panel, from which outward position the releasable fastener continues as a second portion that extends from the outward position upward and toward said back panel to an intermediate position generally adjacent to said back panel to define said flap; and

wherein said releasable fastener has a third portion that extends over said top of said body which, when opened, provides access to said inner cavity;

wherein said backpack is configured to be worn by a wearer such that said at least one shoulder strap is positioned over a shoulder of the wearer, said back panel is positioned generally flat against a back of the wearer, and said opposed sides are oriented generally vertically.

9. The backpack of claim 8 further comprising a carrying handle.

10. The backpack of claim 9 wherein said carrying handle is positioned on one or more sides of the body.

11. The backpack of claim 9 wherein said carrying handle is positioned on the top of said body.

12. The backpack of claim 8 further comprising one or more additional releasable fasteners on either side of the body.

13. The backpack of claim 12 wherein the releasable fastener at the top of said body is connected to at least one of the releasable fasteners on the side or sides of the body.

14. The backpack of claim 8 wherein said releasable fastener forms a generally “S” shape on said side of said body.

15. The backpack of claim 8 wherein said releasable fastener forms a generally serpentine shape on both sides of said body.

16. The backpack of claim 8 further comprising a supplemental releasable fastener on the other side of said body, said supplemental releasable fastener being configured such that when said supplemental releasable fastener is opened, a supplemental flap is formed in said other side of said body, said supplemental flap being pivotable away from said body to provide access to said inner cavity.

17. The backpack of claim 8 comprising two or more shoulder straps.

18. The backpack of claim 8 comprising a shoulder strap having a messenger bag configuration.

19. The backpack of claim 8 wherein said sides are oriented generally perpendicular to said back panel.

20. The backpack of claim 8 wherein said flap has a height, and wherein said base of said flap has a length that is no more than about four times as long as said height of said flap.

21. The backpack of claim 8 wherein the first and second portions form an angle therebetween of less than about eighty degrees.

22. The backpack of claim 8 wherein said back panel, pair of opposed sides, and top of the body are flexible.