Kids use backpacks so much, they almost become another appendage. It’s hard to think of a more important piece of school equipment. And with the weight of books and technology kids carry to and from school, a poorly fitting backpack can lead to pain and misery down the road.
School backpacks are a necessary everyday staple for many students, and the best packs allow students to carry their necessities to school comfortably while still being fashionable.
When purchasing a book bag for school, there are a few considerations. The size of the pack is important; the bag should not overwhelm the wearer but should still have enough room for books and more. Extra pockets make organization simple and dedicated laptop and tablet pockets offer a safe way to transport electronics. Durability and quality construction are necessary if the bag is going to last. Finally, the bag’s appearance is important for many students. Cool colors and patterns and a stylish design add to the appeal of any bag.
Best School Backpacks For Kids
Vaschy Little Kid Backpacks For Boys And Girls | Check price at | |
Skip Hop Toddler Backpack 12″ School Bag Lowest Price | Check price at | |
Wildkin Kids 15 Inch Backpack | Check price at | |
Le Vasty Sequin School Backpack | Check price at | |
Bluefairy Bookbag For Boys | Check price at | |
JanSport SuperBreak One BackPack | Check price at | |
JanSport Big Student Backpack | Check price at | |
Bronze Times (TM) Premium Shockproof Canvas Laptop Backpack | Check price at | |
High Sierra Swerve Backpack | Check price at |
Best Preschool Backpack: Vaschy Little Kid Backpacks For Boys And Girls
Dinosaurs, unicorns, or astronauts, the Vaschy Little Kid Backpacks have a pattern design for your preschool boy or girl. The artwork captures the childlike sense of wonder in bright colors and themes.
These playful backpacks are easy to organize so that your kiddo can easily find their favorite toy. The main zippered pocket is spacious to hold toys, clothes, and a pencil pouch; the elastic pocket keeps exercise books and folders tidy; the inner divider can also hold a tablet.
Toddlers can easily open and close their backpacks with the SBS zipper tags. Two side pockets store a water bottle and another beverage like milk or juice. The top loops feature an alternative carry option or additional storage. The front zip pocket keeps treasures and smaller items organized.
Designed for pre-schoolers, the polyester material is tough with sturdy stitching for extra durability; the backpack will outlast preschool. The waterproof material and polyester lining keep content safe and dry from accidental spillage.
The shoulder straps and sternum strap adjust for comfort as your child grows; it also helps disperse weight across kids’ shoulders. A nametag inside the main compartment ensures easy identification of who the backpack belongs to. The chest strap stabilizes the load for maximum comfort. The school backpack is a perfect gift for boys and girls ages 2-years and up. A matching lunch bag, bought separately, forms a cute set.
Best Backpacks For Toddlers: Skip Hop Toddler Backpack 12″ School Bag
The cute Skip Hop Toddler Backpack is the perfect backpack for Pre-K to kindergarten children. The fun Darby Dog backpack has all the details to delight your toddler, from the floppy ears to the face details and colorful material.
Unzipping the book bag, you find there is ample space for your toddler’s essentials for school. The main compartment and multi-use front zippered pocket come with a zipper pull designed for little hands. A durable internal lining is easy to clean, and it features a nametag to identify the backpack as your toddler’s.
Stash snacks in the front pocket and school supplies in the inner mesh pocket. An adjustable side mesh pocket holds most Sippy cups, water bottles, and juice boxes. Comfortable padded shoulder straps won’t chafe your little one’s shoulders.
Suppose Darby dog doesn’t appeal to your child. In that case, the Skip Hop zoo and animal series offer various themes, including a llama, unicorn, dinosaur, butterfly, fox, bee, giraffe, and dalmatian.
Best Backpacks For Elementary School: Wildkin Kids 15 Inch Backpack
The 15-inch Wildkin Kids Backpack is perfect for elementary school and playground. With vibrant patterns in playful fun designs, your child will want to wear the backpack back to school, to grandma’s, and on family travel adventures. Patterns coordinate with other Wildkin gear; add a lunch box or lunch bags (purchased separately), creating a matching set.
Designed for young kids, the backpack is the perfect size for ages groups 3-10 years. Contoured shoulder straps adjust as your child grows so that the bag sits comfortably on the back and shoulders. With dimensions measuring 15 x11 x7 inches, the backpack capacity features spacious compartments for packing all essentials for a fun day at school. The side water bottle compartment keeps the liquid away from the content. An interior utility pocket organizes everything so that your child can easily find their crayons or any other item.
However, should your child accidentally spills liquid on the backpack, the 600 Denier Polyester fabric, with the moisture-resistant interior lining and zip compartment, will keep your kid’s stuff dry. The durable backpack is rigorously tested to ensure all pieces are lead-safe, BPA-free, phthalate-free, and conform to all Consumer Products Safety Commission rules and regulations.
The Walden kid’s backpack is a splendid gift for school kids; it will withstand rough handling inside and outside and is easy to clean afterward.
Best Backpacks For Girls: Le Vasty Sequin School Backpack
The Le Vasty Sequin School Backpack, with its glitter and sparkling star design, will draw the attention of any little girl; the shimmering material flips colors with the swipe of a hand. Be creative and write your name or change the exterior design. This cute backpack is perfect for your princess daughter from Pre-K, kindergarten to elementary school.
Your princess will stay cool wearing the backpack with its breathable mesh shoulder straps and airflow provided by the padded back panel stitching. Foam padded back and shoulder straps ensure comfort to the body when carrying the backpack and its content. The foam-padded bottom protects your stuff when placing the bag on hard or dirty surfaces. The cross and double stitching ensure the shoulder straps won’t rip off when carrying heavier loads.
The padded laptop sleeve in the main compartment holds a tablet or 14-inch laptop. An inner zipper pocket keeps cards, phones, lip balm, and smaller things organized and easily accessible. The front zipper pocket is perfect for snacks and girly accessories, and two side water bottle pockets hold beverages within reach. She can also use slip pockets to store her umbrella. Stash your books, binders, files, and magazines in the main compartment that securely closes with a colorful zipper.
The cool design with 2way Sparkly sequin patterns, roomy compartments, and breathable, adjustable shoulder straps makes this an excellent, fashionable gift for your princess.
Best Backpacks For Boys: Bluefairy Bookbag For Boys
These lovely camouflage print Bluefairy bookbags are ideal for boys; the colorful patterns should also appeal to girls. Four separate sized compartments and two meshed side pockets will comfortably hold all the school supplies and boy’s stuff for everyday use.
The easily accessible water bottle holders can hold an umbrella for rainy days or your son’s favorite beverage. Each zip pocket is a different size storage compartment to accommodate a variety of things. Your child won’t be lugging a 15-inch laptop to school yet, but the 17 x 12 x 6-inch dimensions are large enough for everyday essentials. The main zip pocket comfortably fits a tablet, A4- binders, folders, or magazines.
Each pocket comes with zip closure; the high-quality zippers will withstand the rough handling of little boys. The polyester and nylon materials are tough, water-resistant, and easy to clean. The backpack comes with a padded handle and a padded strap as an alternative for carrying the bag. The adjustable shoulder straps are S-shaped for comfort across the shoulders and back.
With its padded straps, the Bluefairy School bag, tons of storage capacity, various size zip pockets, and delightful camouflage design in different color options, it is an excellent birthday or back-to-school gift for boys. The Bluefairy insulated lunch box (purchased separately) matches the backpack’s stylish camouflage design.
Best Backpacks For Middle School: JanSport SuperBreak One BackPack
The JanSport SuperBreak BackPack is one of the best back-to-school backpacks for elementary and middle school students. The brand has been making reliable packs since the 60s, and the iconic style is still a popular backpack in schools today.
It is a simple design but highly effective for daily use, and with a variety of colors, it is an excellent backpack for young children. The lightweight backpack features a roomy main compartment for larger items, a smaller front utility pocket with an organizer for smaller essential supplies, and a side water bottle pocket. With a capacity of 25L, it is not too small and neither too big for the school season.
The 600 denier polyester fabric is abrasion and water-resistant; the water-resistant material is three times the industry standard to ensure durability and a durable backpack. With a coated interior, zippers, and durable fabric, the bag will keep content safe and dry.
Padded shoulder straps and a two-thirds of padded back panel create a comfortable backpack for young kids to carry. It comes with a web haul handle if the student prefers carrying the backpack by hand. JanSport products can be your best friend for school essentials and recreational day hikes with friends and family.
The JanSport SuperBreak Backpack comes with a lifetime warranty; the company repairs any breaks or replaces the pack if they can’t fix it.
Best Backpacks For High School: JanSport Big Student Backpack
If your child liked their JanSport backpack through middle school, then the JanSport Big Student Backpack is the perfect school backpack for high school. It comes in tons of colors with extra storage space, ergonomic shoulder straps and is as sturdy and practical as all the JanSport backpacks for every age group.
Large roomy pockets offer sufficient space for the school essentials and irregular items a high school student needs to cart around. S-curve shoulder straps and a padded back panel provide a comfortable experience to shoulders and back bearing the weight. The shoulder strap length is 17 inches high, has a 14.5-inch shoulder drop and 13.25 inches width for maximum weight distribution and comfort.
The extra storage space is divided into two large zippered pockets for bulkier items, a front utility pocket with an organizer for smaller items, a pleated exterior pocket, and a zippered stash pocket to organize your gear, and a side water bottle holder. With five interiors and four exterior pouches, including a 15-inch padded laptop compartment, the JanSport Big Student unisex backpack is the perfect backpack for high school and college students.
With the range of colors, students can express their taste and style; the selection comprises over 35 attractive colors, prints, and patterns for boys and girls. The unisex design also comes in solid black for high school students who don’t want to draw attention to themselves.
Like all JanSport backpacks, the Big Student Backpack also comes with a lifetime warranty; not all brands offer lifetime warranties. The 2100 cubic inch/34L capacity, adjustable shoulder straps, 15-inch laptop sleeve, and durable material, at an affordable price, make this one of the best high school and college backpacks options.
Best Shockproof Schoolbag: Bronze Times (TM) Premium Shockproof Canvas Laptop Backpack
The Bronze Times (TM) Premium Shockproof Canvas Laptop Backpack is a uniquely stylish backpack that will keep your student’s laptop safe and transport their other gear. Several pockets, including a padded laptop sleeve, a sizeable second compartment for books, and front zipper pockets for smaller items, make this an excellent pack for organization.
It’s constructed of durable, water-resistant fabric. The water repellency and shockproof Oxford fabric will keep laptops, textbooks, and essentials dry if accidentally caught in the rain. Several color choices and two size choices mean that you’ll be able to find a size and color to fit the wearer perfectly.
Best Laptop Backpack For High School: High Sierra Swerve Backpack
The High Sierra Swerve Backpack is well-designed and comes in lots of fun colors and patterns. If it looks cool, your child or teen is going to love to carry it to school. It has several compartments to keep students organized, including a padded laptop sleeve and a padded tablet compartment; the laptop compartment can fit up to the 17-inch laptops. There are front pockets designed for smaller items, and the media pocket has a dedicated headphone port.
Swivel clip strap closures prevent twisting, and the non-slip shoulder pads stop the backpack, loaded with textbooks, from slipping. The school bag is an excellent choice for various age groups and student life needs, carrying textbooks to the classroom in style or transporting your gaming laptop to a friend’s house.
Best Schoolbag On Wheels: J World New York Sunrise Rolling Backpack
Because of all of those books, school backpacks can become too heavy to carry comfortably. With the J World New York Sunrise Rolling Backpack, this never needs to be a concern. Soft and noiseless wheels make this rolling backpack easy to pull. There’s a large compartment for books and notebooks and a dedicated organizer compartment. The front pockets offer easy access, and side mesh pockets are great for drinks and small items.
This backpack comes in forty colors and unique patterns, so there should be a design to please everyone. The backpack is an excellent pick for middle school and older where textbooks and binders are bulky and you want space for lunch.
Best Laptop Backpack For College Student: High Sierra Freewheel Wheeled Book Bag Backpack
The High Sierra Freewheel Wheeled Book Bag Backpack has everything a student needs in a wheeled book bag. It rolls smoothly on corner-mounted wheels but is still comfortable to carry with the padded straps. A cushioned laptop sleeve safely transports a 15-inch laptop, and there’s a media pocket with a headphone port. The multiple pouches organize pens, keys, phones, and other smaller items separately from textbooks, binders, and bulky classroom essentials.
This versatile bag is designed in ripstop fabric for extra durability and would be an excellent fit for student life at college or grad school who need to travel. When not in use, the telescopic handle stores inside the zip pouch, giving the option to wear it as a backpack or a travel suitcase. The dedicated laptop sleep padding protects laptops during travel or moving between classes.
School backpacks offer students a convenient way to carry books and electronics, but are also stylish accessories. Tell us about your favorite school backpacks in the comments below!
Feature image courtesy of Flickr, PersonalCreations.com.
Check Sears. I just saw several jansport backpacks at the one near me clearanced $10-$15, almost got my daughter a hot pink one but already bought her a backpack
Thanks for the nice article!
From what I know the blue anodized frame was from when JanSport was making the frames in Seattle, so that pack is probably from the very early days. Also, the black pocket was an attempt to prevent a water bottle from freezing in it, with the black color picking up the UV rays better to keep it warm. I own 4 different D2’s {tan, light blue, and navy blue} from the mid-1970s to early 80’s. And a rare blue Cascade from the early 1970’s with the label being “Jan Sport”. I have some other JanSport pack models from the 1970’s which is my favorite decade for them. It is a fun hobby and I would collect more but I am out of room in small apartment!