When it comes to back-to-school shopping, everyone loves a new backpack! My kids don’t get a new backpack every year — we make sure to buy durable backpacks that last many years — but when it’s time to buy one, everyone gets excited!
Over the years, I’ve found a few key techniques to choosing a great backpack. Given the vast menu of brands and styles out there, it’s useful to have an idea of what matters most to me and my kids at the outset. Some of the things we look for are:
- appropriate size based on the age and size of the child
- designs that are fun and that the kids will like for a few years
- materials that are sturdy and won’t rip or tear
- lots of pockets and compartments
- chest straps that can give extra support
After some trial and error, I’ve found a few backpack brands that everyone in my house agrees are the best. There’s plenty to choose from out there, but I’ve narrowed it down to my three favorite brands, plus a bonus brand I’ve heard great things about!
1. Bixbee
Bixbee is one of my favorite brands of backpacks even though my kids no longer use them. I came across this brand when my youngest was starting preschool, and I recommend it to anyone and everyone. These backpacks are ergonomically designed, taking into account children’s sizes and developing bodies. They offer a small, medium, and large size option with a size guide to help you decide the best one for your kid.
On top of the very cool patented horizontal design (meant to help carry weight at the waist level), Bixbee has a great variety of cute, fun, and even funny designs — something for every kid! My daughter had a beautiful pink metallic unicorn pack in the smallest size for her preschool years, and my son had the next size up in a zombie design.
Oh, and this company has a great mission, too! For every backpack purchase they donate a school bag with supplies to a child in need. That’s right — one for one!
2. Land’s End
My next favorite pick — and the backpack I buy my kids most years now that they’re older — is the ClassMate backpacks from Land’s End. I’ve found Land’s End to offer quality products for a reasonable price. These are definitely still in rotation at my house after a couple of years, even if I’ve let my kids get new ones. They use them for everything, from sleepovers to camp, and the bags have stood the test of time.
The ClassMate backpacks come in countless beautiful designs and a bunch of sizes — small, medium, large, extra large, and “TechPack,” which is for older kids who might be bringing laptops or other heavier devices to and from school.
Land’s End also offers customized embroidery with your kid’s name, monogram, or something else for an additional fee.
3. Target
Next up is Target, which sells a number of great backpacks by some of its own brands, like Cat & Jack, Embark, Open Story, Wild Fable, and All in Motion. We have really loved the Cat & Jack backpacks, which are similar in size and durability to the medium/large options from Land’s End. The prices can’t be beat!
And bonus, if you or your kids like choosing backpacks in person, Target makes it easy. (Just beware that shopping in person means you may come home with countless other items you didn’t know you needed!)
4. Pottery Barn Kids
For a slightly higher-end option, there’s Pottery Barn Kids backpacks. I haven’t purchased this brand for my kids, but I’ve seen countless children sporting them, and they seem to be really nice, durable, and stylish.
These backpacks can also be monogrammed or embroidered for an additional fee, and their website states they use recycled materials, which is a great bonus. In terms of sizing, they offer mini, small, large, x-large, rolling, and, my favorite… adaptive! I absolutely love that they offer an adaptive backpack option for children who use a wheelchair or might have other mobility or health-related needs. The different types of straps are easy to hang on a chair or more comfortable to grasp, and the backpacks include an insulated compartment for medication, to name a few of the features.
