Abstract: A backpack for carrying bulky, heavy footwear such as inline skates, conventional roller skates, ice skates or ski boots is provided. Preferably, a backpack for carrying inline skates is provided. According to the invention, the backpack includes a left and right opposed footwear compartments. The left and right compartments are angularly joined together at the front base portion of the compartments to form an isosceles triangle there between. The joined right and left compartments define a portion of the front face of the backpack. The compartments have a sufficient height for receipt of the blade portion of a skate and/or of the top portion of a bulky boot, for example, a ski boot. In addition, the compartments have a sufficient depth to receive the blade portion of a skate. In one improvement, the footwear compartments are L-shaped and nested such that the ankle-receiving portion of one compartment is situated above the ankle receiving portion of the other compartment.