What is the best brand backpack your kids have had?

[cspigner28]

We bought Swiss Army backpacks about 2 years ago, they were about $50 ea. but they are still in great condition.

[sbp]

I got the kids extreme backpacks from Staples last year during the BTS sales. I spent a little more than I wanted to.. retail price was $29.95 and I can't remember what the sale price was, but they both held up very well all year and now they're using them to carry their stuff back and forth from day camp.

We looked at Walmart, Target, and JCPenney last year before we went to Staples and all the character ones were so cheesy looking they didn't look like they'd last a month, much less the whole school year, not to mention they didn't look nearly big enough to carry everything they needed to carry...

The ones we bought had plenty of room, even in the winter when they'd bring their snowpants to wear at recess and a pair of sneakers since they couldn't wear their boots all day long. (They carry their snowpants to school vs wearing them, because it doesn't make sense for me to make them wear them to walk 10 steps to our van, drive 5 minutes and then have to walk 20 steps into the school....)

[sccoupnrookie]

I have to agree with LL Bean. All my children have finshed school. When the last two were in high school I decided to invest in LL Bean book bags and get them Monogrammed. I wish I had done this Way before I did. Before buying these I had to buy a new one every year and sometimes in the middle of the year it needed replacing. LL Bean is WELL worth the Money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cecaic0609]

I have always been a fan of Jansport. I STILL have mine from highschool and it's in good condition.

[enginerd]

I've had really good luck with Jansport. Every other brand backpack my son has had hasn't lasted beyond one school year and some were ruined before that. He still has the three Jansport backpacks that he has had over the years and all 3 still look almost brand new.

[Spanelli8706]

I got a Jansport backpack in 8th grade...then used it all four years of highschool, dual enrollment in college and 2 years in college after I graduated highschool. It still looks new! I bought it at an Outlet mall for a great price and it has a lifetime warranty as well.

[MrsAlias]

Ugh.. backpacks!

We live in Buffalo, so my kids drag their backpacks through the "shmud" the nasty brown muddy slusie half melted snow crap!

There for, we really wanted backs with a rubber bottom!

We went through TONS of cheap-o bags, none lasted.

Then we bought them Targus laptop backpacks (my computer nerd husbands idea) with a formed rubber bottom and they have lasted 2 years and will be going back to school this year for a 3rd time!

We paid 59.99 each, but if you figure they will work for at least 3 years, thats only 19.99 a year, which is not so bad! And if they make it a 4th year... even better!

They only come in boring black, so I went to Joanns and let the girls pick a fabric, bought a yard and tacked it on the front panels to make it look "pretty" and each year they can pick a new fabric.

[beth119]

I'll add to the list of LL Bean!

I'm buying my oldest one this year (my 2 younger still want charecters). When I was in school, LL Bean held up for YEARS...

[RosieG]

LL Bean all the way. I bought them for my grands and they all used them for years until they got really tired of the same backpack.