Cool backpacks for kids?

May 13, 2009 8:34 AM

I am looking for distinctive, cool, fun, yet functional backpacks for my kids.

The kids are 8, 5, and 2, so pre-school and toddler sizes as well as larger sizes are a plus. I would love it if the backpacks had water bottle holders. Monogrammable is a plus--the kids would enjoy having their names on them, but some decorative backpacks can't be monogrammed, so that's not a deal-breaker. Should be big enough to hold an extra shirt, some action figures, Game Boy, and so on, but do not need to be book or note-book sized or shaped.

I've seen Little Packrats and Four Peas, and those are the kinds of things I'm talking about, but would like to see more.

posted by SomePerlGeek to shopping (6 comments total)

We have always loved LLBean's backpacks. A variety of styles and sizes. Varying pockets for things and monogramable. It is often recommended not to put a child's name on the outside of backpacks or jackets because a stranger can call them by name making them seem "familiar". Therefore we do initials on ours.
posted by maxg94 at 9:43 AM on May 13

Moolka has cool Rocket, Fairy, Ladybug and Dinosaur backpacks with net holders on the side that would work for water bottles. I'd give them Bonus points for matching lunchboxes, luggage, etc.

Then there are smaller backpacks, like this cool Peruvian knitted Monkey one, which may not be as durable as this Dog and Penguin, which are made from neoprene (like wetsuits) instead of PVC. I think those would be good for younger kids.

See all Moolka's backpacks here.

Kids Travel Zone has monogrammed backpacks.

FYI, I'm not sure what your school situation is, but I found that there was a dynamic here that the preschoolers mostly wore small backpacks on their backs, and ALL the elementary school kids (like your 5 yo and 8 yo) would have rolling backpacks that they pulled along behind them, to reduce the strain on their backs.

Once they reached middle school, though, the kids completely shunned the rolling ones again because 1) middle school kids are obsessed with coolness and fashion and 2) the hallways in the schools are much narrower, so they can't pull the backpacks along behind them.

The change from wheeled to non-wheeled is not really much of a concern, though, because kids are really hard on their backpacks (at least in my experience), so you would be buying new ones by then anyway.
posted by misha at 9:45 AM on May 13

We use Lands End backpacks. Probably not too different from your LLBean ones. One problem I found with the small ones (of any type), was that our school required even kindergarteners have a communications binder, and that a standard 1 inch binder didn't fit into the small backpacks. I also had problems with waterbottle holders because I only wanted kids to carry a small waterbottle (water is HEAVY!) and small waterbottles often fell out of big waterbottle holders on the outside of the pack. YMMV. The Lands End ones didn't wear out (eg no holes in the bottom from being dragged occasionally, and the zippers didn't break), and so didn't need replacing as often. Lands End does do monogramming, and has all sized backpacks.
posted by kch at 10:40 AM on May 13

Yoda backpack?
posted by joaquim at 10:52 AM on May 13

Nthing the LLBean backpacks. My kids are now past the backpack stage, but the LLB's were by far the best we ever bought. After the first year, we only replaced them when they wanted a different color. My kids are 17 and 20, and their old monogrammed LLB backpacks are still in their closet, looking practically the same as they did 10 years ago. I just threw them in the washing machine when they got dirty, and I swear they look just like new. No tears, no broken zippers, everything still works. Which is a miracle these days. Kids initials are monogrammed on them. They also have so many different sizes and fabrics, you can customize them to suit any kid.
posted by raisingsand at 11:08 AM on May 13

Sherpani bags are designed for women, but their small size and cute designs would be good for kids, too. The Oli we have is extremely well-made and rugged.
posted by mbrubeck at 2:41 PM on May 13