The ultimate backpack vacuum cleaner should be lightweight, powerful and comfortable to wear. Rubbermaid accomplishes this with 3 new backpack vacuum cleaners that are thoughtfully designed and well tested in over two years of research and development. Three backpack models are available from Rubbermaid, a 6qt smaller lightweight unit, a ten quart powerhouse, and a ten quart HEPA unit. Overall the BP10Q ten quart unit boasts the most power for the dollar and is extremely comfortable for both commercial and residential applications.
The harness on the BP10Q vacuum cleaner is extremely impressive. The harness system utilizes a backpack backing plate with very comfortable and well made nylon shoulder straps, secured by a wrap round belt that fits snuggly around the users mid section. To prevent the nylon straps from rubbing on the shoulder Rubbermaid has incorporated a nylon mesh wrapping around the backing plate to cushion the users back against the vacuum canister. The harness also doubles as a handy carrying handle that is located at the top of the unit which makes transporting the vacuum an easy task. Vacuum cleaner attachments can be mounted on the wrap around belt and are positioned out of the way so not to hinder vacuuming tasks.
The power system on the unit utilizes heavy duty switches and cords. The power cord is made from fifty feet of heavy duty, three wire cord that boasts and additional fifteen feet of extra cord over most other backpack vacuum cleaners. The on and off switch is located on free hanging pigtail cord. The cord drapes down from the right side of the unit making it easy to power up and power off the vacuum cleaner without reaching behind the unit. A common problem in backpack vacuum cleaners is the failure of the manufacturer to insure a tight connection where the power cord meets the vacuum cleaner. Rubbermaid overcomes this problem by using a hard plastic joint that connects the canister to the power cord. The method of attachment insures that the cord will not rip away from the unit if pulled to far from the outlet.
The main canister debris collector is large in size but its shorter width enables the user to maneuver into tight places. The man suction hose connects to the canister with a ninety degree connector which could be prone to plugging if larger debris is vacuumed up. The canister measures twenty eight inches in height and just thirteen inches in width making it comparable to other larger backpacks in its class. The caster cover is quickly taken of the unit by flipping two securing clips at the top of the unit. The paper filter bag can easily be pulled away from the vacuum cleaner for easy debris removal and disposal. Lining the interior of the vacuum is a replaceable cloth bag that adds secondary filtration the vacuuming process. The cloth bag is manufactured from quality materials that will hold up to the hardest commercial abuse. The top can be quickly replaced once the new paper bag has been installed and fits into place quickly without the timely process of aligning all components exactly. The lower area of the unit hoses a foam filter that has a dual application of muffling the motor and filtering exhaust air from the motor.
The most impressive feature of the new Rubbermaid vacuum cleaner is the monstrous tools that come with the unit. The manufacturer has made a point to oversize the tools making larger vacuuming tasks simple. The unit comes complete with hose, wand and tools incorporating everything needed into one simple package. The Rubbermaid unit is priced fairly in the three hundred dollar range making it a contender in its class. Overall the vacuum is powerful and extremely comfortable to wear both for home and commercial applications.
