What backpack to get my son for college?

[disney5]

Any reccomendations for a college backpack..my son starts college this fall so will need one that also holds a laptop
Thanks!

 

[Sadie22]

You could suggest that he shop at LL Bean, REI, or another place that sells sturdy backpacks with laptop pockets. This needs to be his choice so that it will be a good fit for him.

 

[julieanddanny]

Any reccomendations for a college backpack..my son starts college this fall so will need one that also holds a laptop
Thanks!

Deal alert!!

Lands End - in the clearance section (for home) They have Back packs from last season called a 'Dash Pack' They had 1 boy and 2 girly prints and they were marked down from $44 to $14! You can use a coupon code on top of that. They are large and have a laptop/tablet sleeve inside them.

My son got the red checked one and we are very pleased.

 

[JandJ]

When I went back for my doctorate I bought a Ful backpack (there's a line over the "u") at Target. It holds my laptop in a separate compartment in the back that is extra padded, plus it holds tons and tons of books, and there's a place for pens/pencils, and compartments for an ipod, plus sections for personal items (cell phone, keys, flashcards, water bottle). I love it and it's holding up great to all the wear and tear I've thrown it's way. I expect it to last through the next 4 years

 

[SC Minnie]

We got DD a High Sierra backpack that has a separate compartment for her computer. It has a lot of compartments and has held up very well.

 

[DisDance]

We got DD a High Sierra backpack that has a separate compartment for her computer. It has a lot of compartments and has held up very well.

I was gonna post this, they are $20 at costco you can not beat it

 

[verleniahall]

did the school provide the laptop? if so, they should provide some kind of backpack for them

 

[carra]

Deal alert!!

Lands End - in the clearance section (for home) They have Back packs from last season called a 'Dash Pack' They had 1 boy and 2 girly prints and they were marked down from $44 to $14! You can use a coupon code on top of that. They are large and have a laptop/tablet sleeve inside them.

My son got the red checked one and we are very pleased.

Thanks.

 

[java]

did the school provide the laptop? if so, they should provide some kind of backpack for them

My son got his from the school, no backpack though. My son ended up Using a Patagonia one that was clearanced. But it was a messenger bag style

 

[luvmy3]

did the school provide the laptop? if so, they should provide some kind of backpack for them

The OP's ds is going into college.

I'd recommend LL Bean but since your ds is going into college, I'd just take him out and let him find the one that fits his needs.

 

[PlutoPony]

North Face makes some nice packs with padded slots for laptops, and they are known for holding up well. If you have a 15 inch laptop, check and make sure it fits well in the pack though. My son has a 13 inch and it fit perfectly in pretty much all the packs, but we wondered how a 15" would do in some of them.

 

[JoBird]

I was going to say North Face too. Yes they are a little higher priced, but the shop we got my DD's in said that there is a lifetime warranty on it, so if anything happens at all, just to bring it back and she can get a new one.

The guy who sold it to her (this was on her college campus) said that he had gotten his before his sophomore year of High school and he will be a Senior at the University this year. He went into the back and brought it out and it was beat up but still full of his stuff and going strong almost 7 years later!!

Made a believer out of me and I returned the next day and bought my Freshman HS Son one as well. He saw his sisters, and, well.... that was that!

 

[carobear]

I was going to say North Face as well. I purchased one prior to college and it's still in great condition. Love the quality of it. Used it all the time including at Disney. Now that I've graduated I don't use it every day but still keep it for trips. Yes, they are pricey but well worth the investment imo. Mine had a pocket for my laptop... I'm pretty sure that they all had those. North Face was really popular on campus as well.

 

[GadgetTheInventor]

I use a High Sierra backpack these days when I haul my computer around at work and when I travel. I like how I can keep my water bottle outside and away from my computer plus it fits comfortably with a heavy load. The pockets match my style of organization.

My fiancee used a backpack in college that had a very thin waterproof cover that stored in a small compartment when not in use. It was the same size and looked like a regular campus backpack, but I am assuming it was sold as a day-hike bag. It was great though because it rained almost every day where she went to school for most of the year and so the rain cover protected her computer and other items.

 

[chocolatemint]

Ogio makes excellent laptop backpacks. They're pricey but you can often find them on sale (Amazon, eBags, etc). They will last all 4 yrs of college and beyond. A lot of guys in corporate (IT etc) use them - my DH has been using his for 10 yrs and it's seen a ton of travel and abuse and is still going strong.

 

[disney5]

So he has heard that high Sierra and Swiss gear are sturdy.
Is looking at the high Sierra access or the Swiss gear Pegasus..anybody have these??

 

[crisi]

So he has heard that high Sierra and Swiss gear are sturdy.
Is looking at the high Sierra access or the Swiss gear Pegasus..anybody have these??

I have an older Swiss Gear that held up great for years of office use, including travel. I got bored with it and moved to a leather messenger bag - but I didn't move on because it didn't hold up.

 

[pryncess527]

I'd opt for a messenger bag over a traditional backpack. My H used a leather messenger bag, I carry a Vera Bradley messenger bag for school and I love it (not very manly!)

 

[MrsPete]

He absolutely does need a backpack for college, but chances are very good that his old high school backpack will be suitable.

He's not likely to tote his laptop around campus. My college daughter reports that after the first few weeks of class, no one does that. She says that she uses her laptop intensely in her room, and she carries it out to the commons area in her dorm, but other than that, it's very rare that the laptop goes . . . anywhere.

We did buy her a nice laptop bag -- it's a messenger style, and I forget the name brand but it starts with a T. She does use it when she brings her laptop home for weekends, but that's all the use it's getting.

Stories I've heard about kids ruining their laptops include 1) a bowl of cereal being spilled on a laptop . . . 2) a laptop falling off a top bunk when the kid positioned it too close to the edge and jumped down. I've not heard of anyone damaging a laptop by carrying it.

 

[yellowjacketfan]

My dd got a Northface last year. On her campus, it's what you see almost every student carry, and it looks brand new after daily use. She does carry her laptop in it- home, to the library and other common areas for studying