Alan Lee is a writer who specializes in baby and children’s products. To write the story, she crushed Cheerios and milk and placed them in about 50 diaper bags to ferment.
Most of the solid colors of the original LL Bean book packaging are sold out. We have replaced the link with a printed backpack.
A good school bag should hold everything your child might need for the day. It should also be comfortable to carry, durable enough to last for years to come, and a stylish addition to the person’s wardrobe when they’re out and about (and waiting in line for lunch).
Since 2015, we’ve tested 37 popular kids’ school backpack designs, and in some cases, we send these backpacks to summer camps and schools with our kids every year.
The backpacks we recommend are suitable for kids of all ages, from preschoolers to middle schoolers. Whether you’re looking for an affordable, durable classic, a fun backpack in a variety of sizes and designs (including wheels), a large backpack with a laptop compartment for older students, or a trendy, organized backpack for all ages, these backpacks will win over kids and parents alike.
We look for backpacks with features like adjustable padded shoulder straps and padded backs to help lighten loads that may be too heavy.
A school backpack should be the right size for your child, but still have enough room for lunch, homework, and supplies.
Since backpacks give kids the opportunity to express themselves, we wanted to find models that came in a variety of colors and designs.
Since we first published this guide in 2015, we’ve conducted eight rounds of testing. We’ve spent a lot of time researching to determine which backpack is best for your child. We’ve spent years watching our backpacks perform in the wild, including when our own kids took them to school, as well as to summer camps, vacations, and sleepovers.
Sungja Hyun, Dan Frakes, and Michael Burke wrote an earlier version of this guide. I started working as a writer in 2020. I have three kids, ages 8, 14, and 15, who constantly test our competing products and share their opinions. I also wrote Wirecutter guides to the best diaper bags and water bottles for kids.
This guide focuses on backpacks for preschoolers and middle schoolers, but some of the backpacks we recommend may also work for older teens and adults. We specialize in backpacks designed for everyday schooling, with plenty of room and organization to comfortably fit school supplies, books, lunch, water bottles, other lightweight items, and in some cases, laptops, smartphones, or other tech.
For older kids or those ready for a larger backpack with a more mature style, check out our guides to laptop backpacks and backpacks designed for college and high school students. If you’re looking for a kids’ backpack specifically for hiking, camping, and outdoor travel, we also have a guide to kids’ backpacks for camping and hiking.
This classic backpack has a nostalgic look, is well made, roomy and durable.
It’s the same backpack, but with a smaller main compartment and a back and shoulder straps designed for narrow backs and arms.
Recommended for: Larger original set of books for children aged 6 and up; Original children’s book set for children aged 4 and up.
Pros: The Original Book Pack 24L and Junior Original Book Pack 17L from LLBean are the highest-quality kids’ backpacks we’ve ever tested, and they’ve been our favorites for nine years running. In 1982, LLBean introduced the now-classic Book Pack series. Today, the Book Pack remains largely unchanged, exuding a nostalgic charm that’s said to have a loyal following. It’s worth noting that this backpack has held up well over the years.
Unlike many other kids’ backpacks, these backpacks feature a durable water bottle pocket. The Original and Junior backpacks feature an external water bottle pocket made from the same durable nylon as the backpack. After years of testing, we’ve found this water bottle bag to be much stronger than mesh bags that often rip or snag. The thick elastic at the top of the LLBean pocket keeps your child’s water bottle securely in place.
They feature a variety of pockets to keep things organized. Both LL Bean backpacks feature a spacious main compartment, a zippered middle compartment, and an external water bottle pocket. The middle compartment is zipped. There’s a zippered pocket on the front that’s large enough to hold a pencil case or hardcover book.
Both sizes feature a heavy-duty zip and reflective strips. The backpack features heavy-duty zippers, a storm flap to protect the main zip, and thick 3M Scotchlite reflective strips on the front and shoulder straps to keep kids safe while walking, biking, or scootering to school.
They’re a great value for the money. The LLBean backpack is one of the most affordable kids’ backpacks we’ve tested in years, and it’s also the most durable. “For the first time, we won’t have to throw out backpacks at the end of the school year,” said Lauren Sullivan, editorial director at Wirecutter. They offer a generous one-year satisfaction guarantee. Returns after the year are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, but in our experience, the company honored its warranty quickly and easily, with minimal questions asked.
The LLBean backpack does not have a sternum strap. The sternum strap is worn across the chest to prevent the shoulder straps from sliding back and off the shoulders.
There is no mesh panel on the back. The back of each LLBean backpack is padded for added comfort. However, some of the other backpacks we recommend also have mesh, which can provide ventilation and prevent your child’s back from sweating excessively (although the effectiveness of this method is debatable).
These backpacks do not come with laptop sleeves. If your child brings a laptop or tablet to school, you may want to consider purchasing a laptop sleeve separately.
This durable backpack comes in a variety of styles, including one we found best for little kids, and even has a cartoon theme. It’s the only rolling backpack on our list that’s sized for elementary schoolers.
Fits: Mini Backpack for preschoolers (36″ to 42″) Small Backpack for ages 4 to 6 (43″ to 49″) Large, XL, and Roller are for ages 6 to 12 (48″ and up). Pottery Barn also designs an adaptive backpack specifically for children with disabilities.
Why we like it: For kids who want to pick the perfect pattern for their backpack or who have a specific character or TV show in mind (think Disney princess, Hello Kitty, or Paw Patrol), the Pottery Barn Kids Mackenzie Backpack is the perfect choice. These well-made backpacks come in dozens of styles, including glow-in-the-dark dinosaur bone patterns, glittery rainbow gradients, and camouflage patterns.
These backpacks are roomy, durable, and feature a sternum strap. They also feature some useful extras, such as a height-adjustable sternum strap, a laptop or tablet slot (the only padded backpack is the extra large), a padded mesh-lined back panel, shoulder straps that follow the contours of the body, a carrier for attaching a lunch box, and a garland for displaying keychains or trinkets (a feature many kids will want to see).
They have plenty of pockets to keep your belongings organized. Most Mackenzie backpacks have a medium-sized zippered compartment on the front, an open pocket organizer on the inside (some backpacks have special pencil pockets), and a lanyard with a carabiner for keys or small accessories.
They also feature easy-to-carry handles. One parent in our testing noted that the handles on low-quality backpacks tend to break first. In contrast, the Mackenzie backpack’s handles are reinforced with double stitching and are the only padded handles on any of our recommended backpacks (like the Pottery Barn Teen Gear-Up backpack), making the backpack easier to lift and carry.
The Mackenzie bag isn’t as durable as the original LLBean Book bag. Parents Wirecutter spoke with said the bags typically last at least two school years. And as kids’ interests evolve, they may decide that these styles no longer work for them; my own kids outgrew their chosen styles long before their backpacks began to show any noticeable wear.
Some Pottery Barn backpacks have water bottle pockets that are not very secure. Depending on the specific style of backpack, the two outer water bottle pockets are usually made of a mix of polyester, mesh, and stretch. Mesh can easily snag, catch, or tear.
The lining is unlined and very thin. The Extra Large model is the only backpack in the Mackenzie line that has a padded laptop pocket. If your child needs to carry a laptop, you may want to consider the extra protection.
Some styles have fewer pockets or features than others. Some newer styles, like the Mackenzie Minecraft Enderman Critter Backpack, have no interior pockets in the main compartment, fewer or no interior pockets in the front zippered compartment, or no key clip.
This backpack is larger and roomier than other Pottery Barn backpacks we recommend, and has additional organizational features like a padded laptop compartment. And its design is mature but fun.
Pros: The Pottery Barn Teen Gear-Up Backpack is a lot like the Pottery Barn Kids’ Mackenzie Backpack for Teens, but this backpack is larger than some of the smaller Mackenzie models, holds more stuff, and comes in a variety of colors and patterns appropriate for teens.
Gear-Up backpacks come in a variety of sizes and options. It comes in several sizes to make it easier for older students to pack, carry, and organize their gear: 15L (small), 28L (adaptive, large, duffel, and wheeled), and 30L (extra large). The duffel has a separate zippered pocket on the bottom for shoes.
It has enough pockets for teens to store and organize their belongings. This 28-liter backpack has three layers of pockets, which was enough to fit our then-sixth-grade tester’s lunch, three notebooks, and a school-issued 11.6-inch Chromebook.
Some water bottle pockets are made of wide-mesh mesh, which is vulnerable. Even though the bottom of the bag is reinforced, the mesh can still catch on something and tear, or simply break under the weight of a water bottle.
Some styles have fewer features than others. Some sizes and models, like the Rifle Paper Co. Brambles Fields Cream Backpack, don’t have elastic cords.
No Chest Strap: Unlike the Pottery Barn Mackenzie Kids Backpack, the Gear-Up Backpack does not have a sternum strap to help balance the weight of the backpack; this may seem counterintuitive, since older children tend to carry heavier loads.
This backpack stands out for its style, many attractive designs, interesting details and special finishes, as well as excellent organizational features.
Suitable for kids: The 9.2-liter Kane Mini Backpack is suitable for kids aged 2-4 years; The 14.69-liter Kane Backpack is suitable for kids aged 4-8 years; The 23.6-liter Kane Double Pocket Backpack is suitable for kids aged 7 years and up; The 29-liter Kane Double Pocket Large Backpack is suitable for kids aged 9 years and up.
Pros: From the pink metallic sequin bag covered in large sequins to the simple but unique strawberry plaid print, the Kane backpack from State Bags is more sophisticated and stylish than the average kids backpack. They also come in a variety of unique colors (like a blue-black gradient) and textures (like a fuzzy lightning bolt pattern).
They feature a chain for connection and a laptop compartment. Most models feature chains on padded straps for attaching decorative charms or trinkets. The Kane Large Backpack also features reinforced stitching at the top of the padded laptop compartment, as opposed to the thin compartments in the Pottery Barn Kids Mackenzie collection.
The dual water bottle pockets are very durable. Like our recommended LL Bean series water bottle pockets, the external water bottle pockets on these State Bags are mostly made of the same durable material as the rest of the pack, rather than a mesh material that rips easily. The new Kane backpack also features an elastic strap at the top to keep your water bottle securely in place.
Multiple interior pockets help keep your belongings organized. The organization panels are more thoughtful than those on the Pottery Barn Kids Mackenzie and LLBean backpacks, and include open compartments for loose papers, a zippered pocket, a mesh pocket for small items, four pencil/pencil compartments, and a lanyard with a keychain. Additionally, the Dual Pocket and Large Dual Pocket versions have two main compartments: the first compartment has a padded laptop compartment that can hold one or two notebooks, while the second compartment can hold a student’s lunch and most folders and books.
The Kane backpack doesn’t have a sternum strap to balance the weight and keep the shoulder straps from slipping. However, the company does sell a separate sternum strap ($18 at the time of writing) in a variety of cute colors.
They may not be durable enough for older students who carry a lot of gear. Our Kane backpack lasted two years when we tested it in elementary school, but once my 13-year-old son started middle school in 2023, the interior pockets started to rip. State Bags said it was a manufacturing defect, which has now been fixed.
Backpack needs vary from child to child. If the backpacks we recommend don’t meet your child’s needs, here are some other options that performed well in our testing.