If you want an attractive elementary school backpack with a zipper that doesn’t catch, and you don’t mind a lack of interior compartments: Crate & Kids offers kids backpacks in three sizes: a small backpack for preschoolers, a medium backpack for early elementary school kids, and a large backpack for older elementary school kids. This line features nearly two dozen colorful designs — including cats, dinosaurs, and sharks — that should appeal to younger kids. The zippers on the Crate & Kids packs also have wider metal teeth than those on any of the other backpacks we tested, so they’re potentially less likely to get caught on, say, a child’s sweater. The Crate & Kids backpacks, however, don’t offer much in the way of internal organization. Monogramming is available for $14 (up to 10 letters).
If you’re looking for a roomy but affordable elementary school pack with a sternum strap: We previously recommended the Lands’ End Kids ClassMate Small Backpack and the Lands’ End Kids ClassMate Medium Backpack because they have plenty of space for essentials, an adjustable sternum strap (in the medium, large, and extra large sizes), and daisy chains for attaching trinkets. But compared with our current picks, the interior organization is not as usable. And we’ve found that the all-mesh water bottle pockets are likely to tear within the first year of use. Monogramming is available for $10 (up to seven letters; you can also have a symbol embroidered).
If you’re looking for a rugged backpack that’s suitable for hikes or walks to elementary school: The 18-liter REI Co-op Tarn 18 is our top pick in our guide to the best hiking and camping backpacks for kids. Durable and lightweight, it has both a sternum strap and a waist belt, as well as padded shoulder straps for comfort. It also comes with plenty of pockets and storage, including a small zippered pouch in the waist belt. Many of our younger testers preferred this backpack over our picks, finding it comfortable to carry.
If you like an old-school hiking aesthetic and are seeking an elementary school pack that can do double-duty on outdoor adventures: You may like the 18-liter Deuter Junior, which we tested for our guide to the best hiking and camping backpacks for kids. Although the Deuter Junior isn’t the most functional hiking pack, editor Kalee Thompson’s older son used this pack for three school years, as well as for stints at summer camp, and it held up well to daily abuse. With its nicely padded shoulder straps, ergonomically padded back, and adjustable sternum strap, it was comfortable to wear for daily half-mile walks to his after-school program. She later purchased the exact same pack for her younger son, who also used it for multiple school years. Note that the main compartment has a buckle-down top covering a drawstring opening rather than the zipper typically found on a school bag, a drawback if your priority is quickly accessing items throughout the day.
If you want a popular, trusty backpack with plenty of color options for older elementary or middle school: The roomy 28-liter Jansport Right Pack Backpack comes in about 20 patterns and has a distinctive suede leather bottom to help support heavy loads. Our 11-year-old tester, who used it for a year of 5th grade, praised the variety of pockets (including for a water bottle, laptop, and pens and pencils), which helped her keep her belongings organized. But the straight, lightly padded straps were uncomfortable and over time, became significantly compressed in the shoulder area, and would slip from her shoulders. It does not come with a sternum strap.
If you like the L.L.Bean Original Book Pack but need something larger for middle school: The L.L.Bean Comfort Carry Laptop Pack is a durable, no-nonsense backpack that works well for tweens and up and comes in 24-liter, 30-liter, 36-liter, and 42-liter options (we recommend the two smaller sizes for middle schoolers). A padded back with mesh lining, contoured padded straps, an adjustable sternum strap, and a tuckaway waist belt all help to make it comfortable to carry. The roomy main pocket includes a padded sleeve that can fit a 15-inch laptop; the water bottle pockets on each side of the pack are made with the same 420-denier nylon as the body of the backpack and cinched with elastic. The design of the front pocket, however, is a bit frustrating: Though it includes an organizational panel, the pocket is deep but zips open only partway, so accessing it can be annoying. The 30-liter Comfort Carry Laptop Pack comes in five solid colors.
