Mom Q - Best College Backpack?

[Maddie2]

Hi all. Mom here. Hope it's okay to invade your space, , but I when you need to know, you go to people who DO know.

DS is a high school senior and needs a new backpack. Zippers are shot (been replaced/fixed) and it's time for a new one. Hoping that a new one will last him at least through his first year of college next year.

Looking for recommendations. Needs to be big to lug lots of books and a laptop across campus and back. Needs to be very durable. DS is hard on his stuff. Not looking for cute. Looking for utility, but can't be too dorky looking either.

I came across this North Face Jester and thought this was the one ... but even though it's supposed to be "Best Overall", the con is smaller capacity.

http://www.consumersearch.com/backpacks/the-north-face-jester

Your thoughts? Suggestions?

This Mom would greatly appreciate some guidance. Things have changed a bit since I was in college 25 years ago. TIA!

 

[DISshopkeeper]

You cannot go wrong with an LL Bean bookpack. My kids are 24 and 26 and they are STILL using their bookpacks that I bought them in HIGH SCHOOL. DD used hers 4 years at college, too. They are still in GREAT shape!

 

[Finally DVC]

You cannot go wrong with an LL Bean bookpack. My kids are 24 and 26 and they are STILL using their bookpacks that I bought them in HIGH SCHOOL. DD used hers 4 years at college, too. They are still in GREAT shape!

I will second this. DD got hers at the start of freshman year in HS and stuffed it so full that it was often a wrestling match just to get the zipper closed. But the zippers and seams are still in great shape and she's a college sophomore. DS has only had his for 3 years but I expect it will be the last backpack I ever need to buy him.

 

[PirateSnowmen]

I use a North Face Jester. I bought it my sophomore year of high school and it's still going strong 6 years later (I'm a senior in college)! I'm not particularly hard on my stuff, but the longest I could make a Jansport backpack last was about 2 years before it completely ripped. Never had a problem with the Jester though!

 

[lucyem]

We have a LLBean outlet near here so a lot of our backpacks come from there. They last forever. Much to the disappointment of my 8 yr old DS who has a panda on his (Though we only use the panda one for traveling now. I am not mean enough to make him take it to school)

We did have one split on a seam, remember this was an outlet bag and when I looked at it you could see how the sewing was too close to the edge of the material. I took it back and they gave me credit for the full purchase price I had paid the year before. We would not buy a backpack from anyone else.