Recommendation for kids backpack

[britfish]

I purchased DD a backpack and lunchbox from Gymboree for this school year and its already tearing on the inside. I really liked it because it had two big zippered areas, a small zippered area and a lunch box that clipped to the outside. She needs a decent size one to hold snow pants, boots, hat/gloves, lunch box, homework and library books. Any suggestions on a backpack? We had a LL Bean one a few years ago but DD prefered having one with a side mesh poket for her water bottle.

 

[Swimalie]

I highly recommend you check out Land's End backpacks. My son is on his 4th year with his Land's End one and people are amazing when I tell them that. It looks brand new still. No ripping, tearing or wear. It does have 2 water bottle mesh pockets. They put them on great sales at times, too.

 

[3boymthr]

The LL bean ones can have mesh pockets too. They are just more money than the standard bookpack. The Super Deluxe, Quad, Ridge Runner and Escape all have the mesh pockets. The big drawback is they are more money. We have the Quad for youngest DS - I got it on sale for $29 - and I have to say it's a great pack.

Middle DS has a Jansport and oldest has a Wenger Swiss Army Gear (but this one was pricey - $80). We got 2 years out of the Jansport (it's starting to wear thru on the bottom from him rubbing it on the ground) and the Swiss Gear is still going strong after 3 years and LOTs of abuse - DS carries around about 40 lbs of books in it every day.

 

[pigletto]

We bought one from Pottery Barn Kids last year along with a matching thermos and lunch bag. Not cheap by any stretch. I think for all three I paid close to a hundred dollars.
The thermos heats wonderfully and stays hot. The lunch bag is roomy and well made. The backpack fits all of his things perfectly, has tons of useful pockets and straps, and fits everything he needs to bring. Also padded in the right places to be comfortable to wear.
We bought a design he could use for a few years so that it wouldn't look too babyish as he got older.

After a year of use it all looks BRAND NEW. I could not be happier with the quality of these items!

ETA) My son is hard on backpacks. I finally went with this one because he was going through two every year between rips and zippers breaking.

 

[britfish]

Thanks for the recommendations. I agree, I'd rather pay a little more and have it wear well. I was very disappointed with the Gymbo set and just want something durable.

 

[lisaross]

DEFINITLY LL BEAN - look form it on sale on their website!! or landsend

I purchased DD a backpack and lunchbox from Gymboree for this school year and its already tearing on the inside. I really liked it because it had two big zippered areas, a small zippered area and a lunch box that clipped to the outside. She needs a decent size one to hold snow pants, boots, hat/gloves, lunch box, homework and library books. Any suggestions on a backpack? We had a LL Bean one a few years ago but DD prefered having one with a side mesh poket for her water bottle.

 

[HelenePA]

We bought one from Pottery Barn Kids last year along with a matching thermos and lunch bag. Not cheap by any stretch. I think for all three I paid close to a hundred dollars.
The thermos heats wonderfully and stays hot. The lunch bag is roomy and well made. The backpack fits all of his things perfectly, has tons of useful pockets and straps, and fits everything he needs to bring. Also padded in the right places to be comfortable to wear.
We bought a design he could use for a few years so that it wouldn't look too babyish as he got older.

After a year of use it all looks BRAND NEW. I could not be happier with the quality of these items!

ETA) My son is hard on backpacks. I finally went with this one because he was going through two every year between rips and zippers breaking.

Pottery Barn Teen just had a MAJOR sale on backpacks/lunch bags for 60$ I got 2 messenger bags, 2 reg. backpacks, 1 beach tote and 3 matching lunch cans..on the second day my dd used one of her new messenger bags the "pad" ripped off the shoulder area.. not a huge deal... I bought them to replace lands ends ones.. the zipper kept getting caught on the part that covers the zipper. PITA after a year I was done with them, my middle dd's backpack didn't have that stupid flap and held up really well! I'm washing it now in fact. http://www.pbteen.com/shop/sale/sale-backpacks-luggage/?cm_type=gnav they still have some for 10$ i'd look around for a coupon to use on top of it also...

 

[mom2lns]

The Swiss Gear brand is very good. I've found at OfficeMax and Target, probably available other places too. Durable, 2 outside water bottle pockets, several different size pockets, earphone holes.

 

[puffkin]

I spent about $50 on DS's backpack and matching lunchbag from Lands End. He is very hard on it and it still looks brand new. Very pleased with it. I did get the back backpack monogrammed through them and then I bought 2 sports patches at the craft store that I sewed on myself (baseball on lunchbag and football on backpack).

When I drop him off at his before school care in the morning and see all the battered and beat up bags hanging on the hooks, I am glad I spent the little extra money on his. I also love that the lunch bag clips to his backpack.

 

[An_Island_Girl]

We love Garnet Hill's backpacks & lunchboxes!
http://www.garnethill.com/kids-clothing/backpack-collection/

 

[tiggger1]

lands end. If you can wait a few more months, there back packs will be on sale.. I got my kids their backpacks during their sale in July. I got my son the small haul and the small haul lunch box and my dd8 the studyhaul and the study haul lunch tote and water bottle ( all embroidered, except the water bottle) for about $90 with free shipping...

 

[Straycat]

We love the LL Bean backpacks. We got two of the Junior Backpacks this year and they still look brand new. My kids are rough with them and I have sent them through the washer a couple times. Plus, they have a lifetime warranty.

They also have lunchboxes, which have held up just as well.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/search?init=1&cache=1&freeText=backpack

 

[cari12]

Love the Lands End backpacks. Excellent quality and I agree with PP keep checking back for sales/clearance and sign up for their email list so that they can send you discount codes. Sometimes they are for 25 or 30% off.
Just before Christmas I got 2 that were regular $35 for $12.99 minus 25% so for under $10.00 each and there was no minimum on free shipping so that was free too.

 

[SoonerSarah]

My oldest is a 2nd grader, for K I bought her a backpack and lunchbox, washed it multiple times and it was in such good condition that she used them for 1st grade as well. Towards the end of 1st grade, the lunch box was having some zipper issues. I bought her a new one this year, in addition to the preschool backpack, and the backpack has two spots where it is already ripping. I'm not exactly pleased with it, and even though I got them on sale, it is a lot of money to have spent for it to be having issues already.

My middle daughter is in preschool and needs a backpack that could hold a binder so I was looking for one at the last minute and found one at The Children's place. It was much cheaper and has held up fantastically, so I may just go with them for next year.

 

[TosaTrio]

DD has the cutest LL Bean backpack bur it does not have an outside pocket for a waterbottle. If we would have realized that we would not have bought it! As PP said they do have some with them, just make sure you double check. In terms of quality, her backpack looks brand new!

 

[momof3ds]

Lands end or ll bean. Both have great warranties if anything happens. I had a tear in the mesh of my daughter's year old land's end backpack. I was able to order a new one and return the old one. After they received the old one, my card was credited the purchase price of the new one.

 

[DisneyCrazyX5]

I highly recommend you check out Land's End backpacks. My son is on his 4th year with his Land's End one and people are amazing when I tell them that. It looks brand new still. No ripping, tearing or wear. It does have 2 water bottle mesh pockets. They put them on great sales at times, too.

These are my favorite too. My twins have tried a few different backpack during the past years, but always end up using the LandsEnd one I bought for them in Kindergarten.

 

[grafxgirl]

We ordered our daughter a Northface backpack 3 years ago, and it still looks brand new.

 

[Lilola]

Land's End here. Wait for the sales. The packs are great and hold very well.

 

[clh2]

DD got a Jansport in middle school. She will be graduating with it in June.

I would assume that it will head off to college with her in the fall. She just happens to like the pattern (kind of a pink and brown plaid.)

We've had Lands End in the past, and loved those two. As a matter of fact - I think I have only purchased 3 or 4 backpacks since she started Kindergarten.

I have heard Jansport has a nice warranty as well...if something happened to DD's backpack - we have gotten our money's worth (got it on clearance) so no issues from me.