Backpacks

[brooklyn615]

Does anyone know when back packs go on sale for land's End or L.L.Bean? I bought my kids lunchboxes and backpacks a few years ago and I know that I got them onsale. The stuff is still in great condition but they are asking for new ones. I feel like they should be allowed to pick something new every three years or so. I have the lands end stuff, but have heard that ll bean is great also.
I feel like it might be July but all of you savvy shoppers might know!
Thanks

 

[Patience]

I bought an LL Bean backpack and lunch box in February for my rising Kindergartner because the sale prices were so good, I didn't want to wait. The backpack was $14.99, I think, and the lunch box was around $11, plus free shipping. The backpack was shipped immediately but I received a notice that the lunch box wouldn't ship until June 2. I received it a couple of weeks ago.

Sign up for their emails. They will send you $10 off coupons.

 

[thebeesknees]

I also purchased a backpack for my son on Sunday from Lands' End. There was a sale over the weekend for 20% off everything plus free shipping, and he needed to upgrade to the largest pack they had, so I bit the bullet and got it for him. I think it came to $45 after the sale (but I had it monogrammed, so that added $6 to the total). His old one from two years ago is still in great shape, so his little brother will inherit that one when he starts school. IIRC, the last time I bought backpacks a couple of years ago, it was when they ran a sale mid-to-late Julyish? DS is pickier now about the pattern of his stuff, so I ordered early to make sure he got exactly what he wanted. I expect this one to last him at least through middle school and hopefully into high school.

 

[brooklyn615]

I am hoping for a July sale, with the two boys, it gets expensive! But the quality is superior. My friend went through two bags this past year, so I figure price equals out. A LL Bean catalog came in the mail today and had some great backpacks in that, maybe they will also go on sale!

Thanks again! I will post if I see them on sale, maybe someone else will be looking.

 

[sritter78]

I got an LL Bean catalog in the mail the other day and it had a $10 gift card in it. DD found a backpack for $16.99 on their website. I had it personalized, so the grand total was. 14.99.

 

[pugtails66]

Hold out for the Lands End backpack for a couple more weeks. Last year I bought my son's in July and if I remember right, I got a code for 40% off one item of your choice. If that doesn't come through, they will have a 30% off coupon come out soon. I am thinking last year they had a one day deal on the 4th of the July???

My kids have had both Lands End and LL BEan backpacks and they have both been FANTASTIC. I wish LL BEAN would put a little pouch for water bottles on the outside of all of their backpacks.

 

[Msmit002]

We are an LL Bean only family. I love, LOVE their backpacks! I teach at the University and I carry all of my stuff in an LL Bean backpack like a student . Anyway, I LOVE their back packs because LL Bean's guarantee is if you are unsatisfied, for any reason (if the straps break, zipper breaks etc.) they will replace it. FREE! Yep, they are pretty spendy, but they are sooo worth it!

I had a backpack from my freshman year in college that lasted me until two years ago when the strap finally gave out (I'm hard on backpacks.) I didn't expect LL Bean to replace it, but THEY DID!

So, last year was DS7's first year of having a backpack for school and I took him to LL Bean. I told him to pick a color he would be happy to carry around for YEARS because I told him I'm not buying a new one. He will have this one forever!

I'm not all that big on enthusiastically endorsing a product, but this one I gladly do so. The LL Bean bags have held up so much better than anything I have ever had. And as I said, I'm hard on backpacks.

Nope. Never worked for them, and I don't get paid to speak my opinion about them.

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

I also purchased a backpack for my son on Sunday from Lands' End. There was a sale over the weekend for 20% off everything plus free shipping, and he needed to upgrade to the largest pack they had, so I bit the bullet and got it for him. I think it came to $45 after the sale (but I had it monogrammed, so that added $6 to the total). His old one from two years ago is still in great shape, so his little brother will inherit that one when he starts school. IIRC, the last time I bought backpacks a couple of years ago, it was when they ran a sale mid-to-late Julyish? DS is pickier now about the pattern of his stuff, so I ordered early to make sure he got exactly what he wanted. I expect this one to last him at least through middle school and hopefully into high school.

Double check your Lands End invoice.. I placed a huge order with a messenger bag and lunch bag and the 25% didn't come off. I called and they said it wasn't valid on kids luggage. After reading them my email several times and the restrictions (only said not good on embroidery) they adjusted the price.

As for LLBean, last year they had a % off everything sale around 4th of July (sometimes the % is higher for Bean Visa customers). If you want a bean bag I would get it in early July, they ran out of many patterns fast!

 

[thebeesknees]

Double check your Lands End invoice.. I placed a huge order with a messenger bag and lunch bag and the 25% didn't come off. I called and they said it wasn't valid on kids luggage. After reading them my email several times and the restrictions (only said not good on embroidery) they adjusted the price.

As for LLBean, last year they had a % off everything sale around 4th of July (sometimes the % is higher for Bean Visa customers). If you want a bean bag I would get it in early July, they ran out of many patterns fast!

Thank you, I will go back and take a look!

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

Thank you, I will go back and take a look!

I am curious to know if you got the % off... They gave me a really hard time and I spend a lot with them!

 

[thebeesknees]

Thank you, I will go back and take a look!

Nope, they didn't take it off and when I called to ask about it they were very firm about it NOT being covered, despite it not saying anything in the email. They said it was very clear on the web page that it was not covered (I don't recall seeing this, but oh well). Guess I need to look my invoices over better before I order! I had a bunch of stuff on there and didn't think about to total being too high at the time. Glad a previous poster was able to get a price adjustment, though.

 

[kirstenb1]

Look on their website. I just got a small sale catalog in the mail today. It had one or two backpacks listed in it. Otherwise, I've waited till October. I noticed there was a large selection on sale after Back to School.

 

[ErinC]

Double check your Lands End invoice.. I placed a huge order with a messenger bag and lunch bag and the 25% didn't come off. I called and they said it wasn't valid on kids luggage. After reading them my email several times and the restrictions (only said not good on embroidery) they adjusted the price.

As for LLBean, last year they had a % off everything sale around 4th of July (sometimes the % is higher for Bean Visa customers). If you want a bean bag I would get it in early July, they ran out of many patterns fast!

I ran into this issue yesterday. My email didn't say anything either. I called and asked why it wasn't taking the 25% off and she told me that the kids luggage wasn't included. I bit the bullet and made the purchase anyway, which was frustrating because I already told my DD I was ordering it. She needs it for school mid august and I was afraid if I waited that that would be on back order or something. Aggravating. We ordered the wheeled backpack so it was $79 plus monogramming. Total was like $91. Way more than I wanted to spend.

 

[sritter78]

FYI~A lot of schools don't allow backpacks with wheels. I have taught at 2 different ones and they weren't allowed at either of them.

 

[ErinC]

FYI~A lot of schools don't allow backpacks with wheels. I have taught at 2 different ones and they weren't allowed at either of them.

I teach at my kids school. Only our 4th and 5th graders are allowed to have them. Too many parents complained about the weights of the books they were carrying, so we allowed it in those grades.

 

[brooklyn615]

Pugtails66, thanks for the advise, I will be watching and waiting. The boys found a few styles that they like from lands end, now we watch and wait.

Here is a parent question, do you let your kids carry the backpacks that only go over one shoulder? Not sure if there is a specific name for them. I don't want them to have one of those, I feel like it would be bad for the back/shoulders. When I was picking my kids up from school, I did see a lot of kids with this type of bag. What do you think??

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

Just an update, my DD's Lands End messenger bag came today and it is HORRIBLE! It is flimsy, no zippers and everything is going to fall out even when clipped shut. I just reviewed it and gave it 2 stars. I am torn on if we should keep it b/c she is only in the first grade and doesn't have a lot of stuff to carry. I am just so annoyed b/c this is not a $39 bag, this is a $19 bag at the most. My DH got her a Justice messenger at TJMaxx when I wasn't there for $19 (oh my... it is tacky looking- lol) but honestly it is a better designed bag! I had her convinced to use the good one for school and the Justice one for going to friend's houses, etc... Looks like I was wrong!

http://www.landsend.com/pp/girls-so...F84&CM_MERCH=search-_-messenger&origin=search

 

[Celidh]

Pugtails66, thanks for the advise, I will be watching and waiting. The boys found a few styles that they like from lands end, now we watch and wait.

Here is a parent question, do you let your kids carry the backpacks that only go over one shoulder? Not sure if there is a specific name for them. I don't want them to have one of those, I feel like it would be bad for the back/shoulders. When I was picking my kids up from school, I did see a lot of kids with this type of bag. What do you think??

I don't think it matters if it is the one shoulder style or not. both my boys have regular backpacks but only carry them on one shoulder anyway. No point arguing with them to put them on right, they will only change it once they are out of my view.

 

[pugtails66]

As far as bag styles go, my son will be in 5th grade this year. Last year was the first year he really had (somewhat) frequent heavy loads and on those days, he would use both straps on his backpack. On days when he didn't have many books to carry, he used only one strap. He started the beginning of the year last year with a messenger style bag and he didn't like it at all. It was too hard on his back when he had his books in there and he is a solid kid.


****Right now, until Tuesday, LandsEnd has 30% off everything!!! PERFECT time to order a backpack!

 

[elaine amj]

Anywhere else folks go to shop for backpacks? My kids want backpacks with wheels and those are much harder to find (especially at a reasonable price).

For those who bought Lands End backpacks, how long do they usually last? Ours have gone through 2 school years and they are ready for the trash. The mesh water bottle holders ripped a long time ago (we stitched them up). I still don't get why the water bottle holders aren't made of sturdy nylon like the rest of the bag - sigh....ours ALWAYS rips - particularly on wheelies which are close to the ground and easier to snag. A zipper has gone and there are rips on the bottom. Still 2 yrs is GOOD. In the past we bought cheap character bags and they lasted about 6 months.

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