The Best Kids Backpacks

My 8-year-old loves this backpack, which he has been using for camp all summer. That's not surprising, as this bag is optimized for hiking, not for carrying standard-sized folders to school. It fits better than most of the other backpacks here, being narrow enough to sit comfortably between his shoulders and short enough to fit his back. It has a chest strap and a waist belt so that it doesn't swing wildly around when he starts sprinting randomly around. The waist belt even has a pocket big enough to fit a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.

The pack’s 18 liters isn't quite big enough for a weekend trip, but it's plenty big for a sweatshirt, Omie lunch box, and Nalgene for camp. There are six exterior pockets (which are all inexplicably filled with rocks right now) and a mesh back panel to keep his back cool. He can also crucially manage all the buckles and adjust the straps himself. The shell is DWR-treated to repel water, but it's still best to not throw it into a lake with an iPad inside.

Gear from The North Face may have faded from the arsenal of technical mountaineers and hardcore backpackers, but as a brand it’s still alive and well in the suburbs, which includes my son’s middle school. We’re about to enter our second school year with the no-frills Vault backpack. Somehow, despite 10 months of being stuffed into a locker and thrown on the ground for after-school sports practices, it still looks no worse for wear. It’s a bit on the small side and doesn't have much in the way of reinforcements, so I wouldn’t recommend it for high school or college students. However, it’s got two handy pockets on the side, MOLLE webbing on the front, and a secondary compartment inside (which we use for a Chromebook), so once it has been deemed too dirty or uncool for school use, it will likely live out the rest of its lifespan as a lightweight hiking pack. —Kat Merck

We also like the North Face Jester ($75), which is in our guide to the Best Laptop Backpacks.

There's a reason Herschel's heritage backpacks are featured in the WIRED 101 of top-rated products. It's hard to find a more durable backpack, especially at this price. Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano used this pack all through college. It fits a 15-inch laptop in a dedicated laptop sleeve and only began to show signs of wear after years of use. It doesn’t have many organizational pockets, however, and it has no water bottle pocket.

I would classify the Fjällräven Kånken as the backpack that most parents wish their kids would love. I bought a Kånken for my daughter when she started kindergarten; however, she quickly rejected it because the straps were too thin and cut into her tiny shoulders. Nevertheless, it is probably the most stylish option here for older kids, especially if your kid wants to customize the colors and straps. Former reviewer Medea Giordano fit a 13-inch laptop in the padded laptop pocket, along with a Kindle, planner, notebook, and change of clothes. It also comes in a 17-inch version.

Matching sets are amazing, especially if you have multiple kids. My daughter's things are purple, and my son's are green, and it helps me to never mix up who likes turkey sandwiches and peaches versus who likes PB&J and plums. (It also helps teachers sort out which lunch box belongs to which kid, if you've forgotten to label it.) If you like the idea of matching sets but are looking for a more affordable version than the State pack, Calpak offers a kid essentials bundle that also includes a lunch box, pencil case, and ice packs.

It's not quite as nice as the State bag above. The fabric is noticeably a coarser weave, and the patterns are not as striking. There are fewer features, like no internal pen pockets (it has a big mesh pocket instead), no AirTag pocket, and no exterior key-holder chain. Overall, the bag is just a little less sleek and appealing. However, it does have the separated laptop compartment. Also, my 10-year-old has carried it to day camp for a few weeks this summer without complaint and without it showing visible signs of wear.

When my first kid entered kindergarten, there was only one option for kid backpacks, and it was this one from Pottery Barn Kids. (My kids have the glow-in-the-dark medium dinosaur version, and so did everyone in their class.) Like most of the backpacks here, it comes in a wide range of sizes, price points, and patterns. My kids were particularly enthralled by the glow-in-the-dark versions.

My one complaint is that these backpacks are not nearly as durable as some of the other backpacks listed above. The exterior straps shredded after a year, and I cut them off with a razor. The glow-in-the-dark paint fades after a few months of weathering. The side pockets stretched out almost immediately and let water bottles land on exposed toes. Still, a lot of people really love the patterns, optional monograms, and size range!