Best Back Packs for Kindergarten

[buzz1fan]

My son is going to be starting school and I want to get him a nice backpack that will last 2 years or so. I want something with out a kids theme. I was looking at LLBean, the original plus. I am also looking at a wasabi Jansport one at Kohls. Are either of these to big for him? Kohls would be nice because of the 30 % off, but really the pricing is very similar. Any thoughts?

 

[tinkercat]

I think the Original Plus from LL Bean would be WAY too big for a Kindergartner. My oldest DD is going into 1st grade and will be re-using her Junior Original bookpack from LL Bean that we bought for Kindergarten last year. It will be fine for 1st grade, then we'll probably move her up into an Original size for grades 2-4. DS will be on his 2nd year in pre-school with a Junior, and our younger DD just got her 1st Junior for preschool. I plan on both of them using their Juniors until the end of 1st grade as well, which will put 4 years on each of those packs. I think they'll hold up fine, and they really are the perfect size for kids in the pre-school-1st grade range.

At any rate, I LOVE the LL Bean bags, so my vote goes there.

 

[WDWorBUST]

We also got DD the junior original for Pre-K last year and it's still in great shape for kindergarten this year. As good as it has lasted it might even make it through 1st grade.

 

[NYCDiane]

In Kindergarten, they aren't going to be carrying anything in their packs except for a folder and a lunch box.

You can probably get him a small backpack (with a theme) very inexpensively and then wait until 1st grade to get him a better one that will last from 1st to 5th.

The reason I suggest this is because in K, kids tend to spill things in their lunchboxes or backpacks (my daughter one "saved" her ice pop from lunch to take home. Another time, she couldn't finish her yogurt and put the open yogurt back in her lunch box). Also, K to 1st grade is a huge leap in maturity and it would be great for him to have a fun backpack for the start of his school career and a more "serious" one for 1st grade.

 

[hncg57c]

Another vote for an LL Bean backpack. My sister got the little kids version (I am not sure what it is called now) and used it for a couple of years for school. It is still in good shape and I have been using it for quite a few years for vacation (it's a small great size to carry all those bottles of water around as well as other things, especially at WDW).

 

[ChrisinNJ]

I bought DD a Jansport for Kindergarten. DS is going on his 3rd year with his...it has held up very well!

I am not as happy with the Landsend backpack I bought my older DD last year. I keep adjusting the straps for her & they keep losening up.

 

[Dismom+two]

I bought a LL Bean backpack for my daughter two years ago and is going into her third year with it. BTW...she is starting 9th grade...so it has gotten some good heavy duty use!!!

 

[3boymthr]

In Kindergarten, they aren't going to be carrying anything in their packs except for a folder and a lunch box.

You can probably get him a small backpack (with a theme) very inexpensively and then wait until 1st grade to get him a better one that will last from 1st to 5th.

The reason I suggest this is because in K, kids tend to spill things in their lunchboxes or backpacks (my daughter one "saved" her ice pop from lunch to take home. Another time, she couldn't finish her yogurt and put the open yogurt back in her lunch box). Also, K to 1st grade is a huge leap in maturity and it would be great for him to have a fun backpack for the start of his school career and a more "serious" one for 1st grade.

I agree my DSs have all left icky things in their backpacks. I find the backpacks get soooo nasty by the end of the year I just won't invest in an expensive one. I just picked up a nice nike one for my 1st grader for $12 and I won't mind at all when I replace it at the end of the year. We got a Red Sox one last year for the same price. It's lasted all the way through summer camp so I don't mind replacing it at all.

 

[Perditamarie]

My daughter used the LL Bean critter pack for Kindergarten...and needed every bit of room. In addition to a lunchbox, we also needed room for cold weather gear like snow pants, snow gloves and a change of shoes. The pockets on the side are also handy to tuck in an extra bottle of water.

They can also been thrown in the wash....just like lunchboxes that are extra sticky!!

 

[tink_lover]

All 3 kids have Duluth Pack backpacks. They are expensive, but last thru everything! Dh and I have had ours for years. Kids pack them for all our trips and take them as weekend bags as well. I'd rather pay more initially and not have to buy another one than pay $15-20 every year.

 

[SalandJeff]

In Kindergarten, they aren't going to be carrying anything in their packs except for a folder and a lunch box.
You can probably get him a small backpack (with a theme) very inexpensively and then wait until 1st grade to get him a better one that will last from 1st to 5th...

When my dd went to Kinder last year, the teacher sent home a note saying they needed a regular size backpack. Some days my daughter's came home packed! They do get homework in K (at least they do here). Sometimes the homework would be a large hardcover book. They also had library every week, so that was a book coming back and forth. She would also have a folder, her lunchbox, art projects, etc.

My dd also came home with things spilled in her backpack and lunchbox, so I wouldn't spend a fortune at this point unless your son is really neat. All the kids in my dd's kinder did have themed backpacks.

Also, you can throw them in the washer. Add a couple of towels and let the backpack/lunchbox air dry.

 

[kacaju]

Love the LL Bean back packs!!
My 4th grader is still using her critter back pack that I got for her in K. It still looks new.
I will buy her a new one next year since she moves to a different school and will have more books to bring home.

 

[Ashlander]

Check out Pottery Barn Kids. They have well made backpacks. My son is on his 3rd year using his PBK backpack. We bought one for my daughter as well, but it was a light pink and always looked dirty. It is still in great shape, but I got tired of washing it.

 

[mjkacmom]

Last year my twins went to kindergarten in Lands End junior backpacks - way too small (but I was cheap, and they had them since they were 3, and I wanted them to use them). I had to keep replacing their folders, because they got ripped, and it was hard for them to shove their jackets in them during lice season (which is LONG). I just ordered them the regular LL Bean original backpacks, which I know is the perfect size for 1st grade, since dd8 has one, and ds11 used to use one. Our first graders carry a huge reading book back and forth.

 

[buzz1fan]

Thanks for the advice. My son wants a spot to hold a water bottle. That is why i was looking at the Plus. It looks like the depth is the only difference from the original.

 

[dizneechic]

Another one here for the LL Bean originals, juniors are too small. All 3 of mine have the Original (pre, 1st, 2nd grades). Like the pp said, they tote lunch boxes, projects, journals, extra clothes, etc and in the junior it's just way too crammed. Ours go through the washer as needed and have held up great, we're on year 3 of using them for camp and school. What I liek about LL Bean is if there is any defect at ANY point in time they will replace the backpacks free of charge. So if your zipper breaks, or the backpack wears through, you call and have a new one on your doorstep in a few days. Well worth the initial investment and they won't have the identical backpack as Sandy and Sue who also both love *insert current fad here*.

 

[InkspressYourself]

Check out Pottery Barn Kids. They have well made backpacks. My son is on his 3rd year using his PBK backpack. We bought one for my daughter as well, but it was a light pink and always looked dirty. It is still in great shape, but I got tired of washing it.

Ours is from Pottery Barn Kids too and it has held up great. We've washed it several times and it still looks new.

My dd asked for a new one, but I told her she had to carry this one for one more year. I plan on getting the next one from pottery barn too.

They have different styles on the teen website if you don't like the ones on the kids website. I think ours if from pottery barn teens.

I love school supplies

 

[Ldynred812]

Not sure where you live, but keep in mind weather. I bought a Lands End featherlight backpack for my 1st grader this year (she had a standard character one last year)

During the winter months, she takes a coat, hat, mittens, snowpants, boots ON TOP OF a lunch box, library books, folders, etc.

She rides the bus home 2 days a week and rides a different bus 3 days a week to an afterschool program when I work. She is hauling a LOT of crap to various places (esp during winter) so I spent some money, got her something with functioning pockets and something much more durable then the standard character backpack you can buy at Target!!

 

[kinntj]

I think the original size would be fine. I think it's more important to worry about weight than size. My kids always had the original size due to winter garb and extra shoes. They take books from the library home in those and some are big books and they carry folders and artwork home.

 

[nmrgrl55]

DS was in kinder last year and he had the LL Bean Junior. It worked pretty good but it would get tight when we added in sneakers,snowpants, lunch box, etc. The zipper ended up breaking at the end of the year so I just brought it back and upgraded to the Original Plus. If we didn't need to have all the winter stuff then I think the junior would have been perfect.

The return policy is awsome too. Not only did I get my money back for the backpack but also the monogram. I didn't think or expect to get the monogram refunded but I did! I think DSs new bag will last a few years but if it doesn't then I know I can just hop down to the store and get a new one.