How long did your kid's LL Bean backpack last?

[Tiffylv]

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[Ladygoldenhair]

Not a kid but I got my bag about 15 years ago when I went back to school to have one on wheels. Still going strong and I use it for work and travel. I have a healthy back sling bag from LLBean and the strap was hanging by threads. They didn't make it anymore but offered to replace it or repair I opted for the repair and all well since then.

 

[figmentedfollies]

Not a kid, but my parents bought me an LL Bean backpack when I was in middle school, either 7th or 8th grade. I used it mostly through high school (switching to a canvas bag once I realized I didn't have to bring books home if I did my homework ahead of time at school) and during college. It was my go to for when I went abroad my junior year. It lasted me a good seven years before the coating on the inside began to flake off. It was definitely worth my parents' money.

 

[Iowajes]

My Mom bought us JanSport backpacks which also had a lifetime warranty. I had one that I got in middle school (7th grade) and carried the 'same' backpack through the end of high school. I actually still have it and use it for camping trips, etc now 20 years later. We did have to send it off to 'summer camp' most years. Sometimes just the zipper broke. They'd fix it and send it back. I started off with one with a leather bottom and at some point they stopped producing those and when it wore out the last time my replacement did not have a leather bottom. One thing I always remember was that while your backpack was gone you'd get postcards about the summer camp from your bag. It was really cool.

The Jansport warranty actually doesn't include the tiny holes that form at the bottom of the bags (which the OP seems to be complaining about with LL Bean) with canvas bottoms. I know because I've sent mine back for zipper replacements twice, and it always comes with a note explaining that those are not covered. (One time they did replace the shoulder straps without me asking though.)

But I have had mine in heavy use for 22 years (middle school, high school, college, and then an ice skate bag that is carried and thrown about 4x a week), so I guess that's pretty darn good

 

[DawnM]

Oh boy. Thought of this thread today. My 10th grader started school today at a small charter school. There are no lockers. He took his backpack from last year (LLBean) and it is too smalL!

He needs the Super Deluxe huge one. And, of course, it is NOT on sale right now, but we need it now.

ARGH!

 

[MrsPete]

I bought an original LL Bean Book Pack with some of my high school graduation money. I carried that pack:

- through two college degrees, a total of seven years.
- in the summers, when I worked as a camp counselor.
- occasionally as an extra-large diaper bag (the handles drop over an umbrella stroller perfectly).

Admittedly, I wasn't as rough on it as a kid, but the seams and zippers were still in condition, and it was hole-free when I replaced it. It was looking somewhat old and sad (i.e., faded), but functionally it was still in good condition.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

OP here -
Based on the advice on this thread, I did call LL Bean. They told me to send the old backpack back with the receipt (thankfully I still had it). The new back pack arrived today!!!

 

[winniedapooh]

We got each of our five cherubs one when oldest was in 7th grade...he is 26 now and it is still in perfect condition, the others are as well. Youngest was in kindergarten when she got hers and she starts college in a week. The only one we ever had to return was youngest and that was when she was a sophmore. The bottom tore open on a seam. Called LL Bean...they had us send it back and sent us a replacement...different color because they did not make that color any longer. They allowed her to pick out the new color! We just purchased one for our 8 year old foster cherub who is going into 3rd grade! I love the back packs and the LL Bean service!

 

[aprilgail]

My kids (12 and 13) only WANT the lower end Jansport backpack. They will not carry a L.L.Bean or similar backpack. My older boys (21 and 23) were the same way starting in middle school. My son won't even carry the digital style Jansport, it has to be the very basic solid black jansport. DD also wanted black this year, usually I can get her to go with a different color. So I finally talked her into the black with the hot pink zipper and a pink monogram. We will see... I am use to kids just wanting the basics and we have spare backpacks around the house for when a strap breaks, etc. In fact, I bought DS13 two of the basic black already because he did have a strap break last year before heading to the bus.
I guess it's a regional thing where middle school kids just like what they like. We are in Tampa area and that is about all the kids carry in middle and high school here.

I usually bought just a cheap type each year for my daughter, when she was in grade school it was always a different "theme" each year, princesses in kindergarten, Power Puff Girls in 1st grade etc. Once she hit 7th grade it was a different type, one year they all carried messenger bags, next year string backpacks, this year its like an oversized beach bag. They usually last out the school year so that is all I am looking for.

 

[crisi]

My kids got bored of any backpack by the end of the year. Cheap ones wore out halfway through the year, LLBeans lasted long enough that they wanted a new backpack. The bag my daughter is now carrying is a Swiss Army laptop bag - something like this - http://www.ebags.com/product/swissg...OuNsuof_nzEsKY2tk9SbM_8cuWSIZHVMtsaApa18P8HAQ Either my husband or I carried a laptop in it for a few years, she now has a laptop plus all her books for school in it, those things wear like iron. But they are also really heavy.

 

[MickeyMinnie1971]

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[GotLabradors]

All of my kids got LL Bean backpacks when they started pre-school at age 3. My boys have both used theirs through 5th grade. When they got to middle school, I got them new LL Bean backpacks. There was nothing wrong with the original backpacks. The boys wanted more grown up looking backpacks. I think they are well worth the money.

 

[DawnM]

I actually love ebags brand name stuff.

I really thought this backpack was cool:

http://www.ebags.com/product/ebags/tls-workstation-laptop-backpack/143143?productid=10126287

All those cubbies and pockets and transforming areas of the pack are awesome!

But my high schooler didn't think it was cool enough.

We need the backpack ASAP as he has to start carrying everything Monday, and the LL Bean will take a week or more, so we have opted to get an Adidas one for now and if he needs a different one later, we will deal with that.

We ordered this one, but from Amazon, it will get here Monday sometime:

http://www.ebags.com/product/adidas/prime-backpack/293286?productid=10360398

And it also comes with a lifetime guarantee.

My kids got bored of any backpack by the end of the year. Cheap ones wore out halfway through the year, LLBeans lasted long enough that they wanted a new backpack. The bag my daughter is now carrying is a Swiss Army laptop bag - something like this - http://www.ebags.com/product/swissg...OuNsuof_nzEsKY2tk9SbM_8cuWSIZHVMtsaApa18P8HAQ Either my husband or I carried a laptop in it for a few years, she now has a laptop plus all her books for school in it, those things wear like iron. But they are also really heavy.

 

[Jake&IzzyLand]

I bought my son's when he started kindergarten, he is now in the 3rd grade, absolutely nothing wrong with it. Buying a larger one next year and he will carry it as long as it lasts. These are a really good deal, also you can find free shipping and 20% codes.

 

[englishteacha]

As a long time teacher, I can attest that LL Bean backpacks generally hold up the longest. I will say, however, that some of the backpacks really take a beating at school. My old school had very narrow lockers. Kids would push, shove, and kick their bags to get them to go in, rather than empty the bags out. I saw more bags get ripped and damaged from that than anything else. Those little holes on the bottom come from that and being slid around on the pavement. The kids had a tendency to drop their bags in a heap and go hang out with friends while waiting for buses to arrive, and lots of times they got tossed around quite a bit, if not by their owner, than by one of the other kids looking for their stuff in the pile.

When my daughter starts school, she likely will have an LL Bean backpack. DH's lasted all through middle and high school and he got a new one for college, which is still going strong. My boat totes for my school stuff have lasted years. I only replaced my first one because it was looking so dingy after 9 years of daily use. My dd's "day trip bag" is an LL Bean backpack I got at a yard sale for $1. It looked brand new. It's what we take when we go to the park or whatnot.

 

[monorailsilver]

First kid had a light pink one. It lasted but could never come clean. She used it k-4th and in 5 th she wanted a messenger bag and hated it but used it. She got a new one for Christmas I think in 7th grade and the front tie things fell apart so I called and she got a new one. She is entering 9th grade Thai week.

My son, the only boy of the 3, aka not neat, clean, aka a boy, used his from K-6 and he could still easily use it but I just got him a new one with out a lizard on it for 7th grade. The same one my older dtr has.

My youngest is entering 4th grade and still using her back pack with out issues.

 

[plummer925]

Some have said they have a "lifetime warranty" - they do NOT - they have a SATISFACTION GUARANTEE. Are you satisfied with how long it has lasted? If so then you should NOT replace it. Are you unsatisfied? Then you should. Just don't take advantage of a company and expect something for nothing A backpack should last a couple years...if you have had it for several years then you really got your money's worth out of it

 

[Mshheaddoc]

Mine is 20 years old and while I haven't used it in the last 10 I still have it and pulled it out to see if it was too big for my kiddos (it was). But I bought them their first LLBeans and probably will stick with them. Better than the same price almost for crappy ones that last 2 months at target/walmart/etc.

 

[eld329]

I'm no longer a child but I want to contribute that I've had my L.L. Bean backpack for more than seven years now, in the spring I will have had it for all of high school and college. I've hiked, skiied, and gone to school with it, I took it abroad to five different countries. It is still flawless, as strong and water-resistant and comfortable as the day I bought it. It is stained, which is 100% my fault, but it's a dark fabric so you can't tell.

Honestly this backpack is the most stable part of my life and I can't recommend it enough.

 

[robinb]

It's now year FOUR for my DD's Northface backpack. It's still going strong and has no issues. It shows a little bit of rubbing but really no wear. No holes, all the zippers still work great, etc.

I thought about buying her a LL bean years ago but I am so happy with the Northface! $100 backpack that lasts 4 years? $25 per year and it doesn't go out of style? Freaking awesome!