Backpacks

[cjnix29]

Where have you found is the best place to get a good backpack for a great price? DS is going into 5th grade, and I want a sturdy bag, but don't want to pay $50 for it!!

 

[SEA333]

Believe it or not, both DD and DS got theirs at Five Below last year. I was fully expecting to use them as a "just to get by" item, but both of theirs lasted the entire year and DD used hers the whole summer for toting her stuff to the babysitters house. She is going into 4th grade, so she is a year younger than your son. I would actually consider going back for new ones this year - and probably will.

 

[ZoeBell]

Where have you found is the best place to get a good backpack for a great price? DS is going into 5th grade, and I want a sturdy bag, but don't want to pay $50 for it!!

I will only buy LLBean book bags. Yes they cost about $40 and an additional $8 for embroidering.Free shipping. But that book bag I bought when she was going into 5th grade lasted all the way through 8th grade. It finally had a small hole in the bottom so she through it away after the school year. I just bought her a new one for high school that will without a doubt last for her whole 4 years. My last daughter's lasted all through.

 

[LaurLaur04]

LL Bean replaces their bags if they rip/zipper breaks/etc. , I've only ever had them since junior high and now my kindergartener has one too! Several different models and colors. Worth the price!

 

[Nina1]

Third vote for LLBean! They are indestructible. Also love Land's End - and theirs are 30% off right now. They have a $50.00 min. for free shipping, but if you have a Land's End in your local Sears, you can order at the computer in the store and they will ship free to your house. You can't go wrong with either company, IMO.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

Another vote for LL Bean!!!!

My DS16 is still using the same one he got in 6th grade. He will be a junior this year. They really are indestructible.
And totally worth the money. If I had to buy him one every year since it would have cost well over $100. I only paid $45.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[heartsy77]

LL bean, Lands End or Jansport. I scored 6 Jansport back packs for 2.22 each at Kohls last year so, we are all set!

 

[maggiew]

I bought my girls LL Bean bags maybe in middle school. They are still using them and they are both in college.

Maggie

 

[jperrot1]

LLBean

 

[Alexle2007]

I just got DS6 going into 2nd grade an LL Bean backpack in a solid color so hopefully it would "last" longer, style wise and went with a lunch box with a design. I had a 20% coupon which made it much more reasonable. And if you go through Discover to LL Bean site you get 5% cash back bonus. Hope it lasts like everyone says since wee have quite a collection from preschool and elementary.

 

[kirstenb1]

We used LL bean all through elementary school. However, in MS and HS, a lot of kids carry North Face here. So I went to 6pm.com and ordered dd one; I think it was on sale for $37.00, orig $60+.

 

[Zandy595]

I was buying inexpensive backpacks for DS every year. They would fall apart before the school year was over. Finally, I bit the bullet and bought him one from LL Bean. He used it for four years before one of the straps started ripping (he carried at least 20 lbs of books everyday). And even then they would have replaced it for a new one, but some Disers made me feel guilty about sending it back after four years. So, I bought him another LL Bean backpack and it has held up great the last two years. It actually saved me money in the long run.

 

[MSSANDRA]

The LL Beam we bought DS21 in middle school has one more year of college to go! It still looks great! DS6 got his last year and it will last until he needs a bigger one, 8-9th grade. 40-50.00 but we only buy two bags each though out the entire school career!

 

[jodifla]

My son is going on his 5th year of his Land's End backpack.

It probably originally cost more than $50, but I got it on sale for $20ish. I got lucky, he loves green and since it's offbeat they put it on sale in August.

You could walk into Target and spend 30 bucks on a backpack that won't last you through the year.

But sometimes, it's SMART to spend MONEY upfront on QUALITY.

 

[writersblock42]

Another vote for LL Bean. However, if you really can't afford that right now check out a Totes outlet if you have one near you. The online store does not offer them but the outlet stores have bookbags and lunch bags.

 

[CammelleandBre]

Pottery Barn Kids.

 

[Mickey527]

I am lucky enough to have an LL Bean outlet about 1/2 hour away from me. I bought the $49.95 backpacks for $29.95 for my grandson great neices and nephew. They had someone else's name embroidered on them but I used my seam ripper and took the names off without a problem. (there are some styles of embroidery that I wouldn't touch, too intricate and small) I was going to sew on an embroidery patch but the names came off cleanly and you can't see that they were ever there.
I asked the lady if buying them would void the warranty on the zippers and she told me that LL Bean wants everyone to be happy so if I ripped them while removing the embroidery I could bring them back for a credit, and if the zippers broke they can be returned.
One thing that she did say is that they can look up the name of the person who purchased the bag and a credit will be given for the amount paid, they will not give you a new $49.95 bag for a bag you pay $29.95. I personally have no problem with that since they had so many more in the store that were returned with embroidery.

 

[3boymthr]

LL Bean is great. Oldest DS has a Swiss Gear pack that has held up for over 4 years now and is still going strong. Considering the weight he puts in that thing every day that's saying something. Both are on the pricey side but they just last longer. I can't say anything bad about them.

My boys are in Boy Scouts and also have some hiking day packs which could easily double as backpack for school. The scout packs take a LOT of abuse (butt slides down the side of a mountain, and more) and sometimes come home filthy and full of critters (yes, indeed, a snake came slithering out of one after a trip to Maine ) which is why we have separate packs for scouts and school. Our favorite packs for Scouts have been the Kelty packs. They hold up amazingly well. They also have more pockets and belly bands for support and slits for hydration packs which makes them a little more pricey, but again, worth every penny.

 

[GadgetTheInventor]

I found an Eagle Creek backpack at a military surplus store an paid $5 for it. It's held up great over the years.

 

[Katy Belle]

I bought Lands End backpacks 6 or 7 years ago. Still going strong! My oldest had a Jansport backpack forever... probably carried it 8 or more years. It did have a hole in the top Senior year and a girl friend sewed it up for him! He's off to college this year and I insisted on getting him a new backpack, he insisted on Jansport!