10 Best Kids Backpacks 2024, Tested & Reviewed by Experts

Oct 16, 2024

Top-tested backpacks that also bring the 'cool' factor for kids.

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It's officially back-to-school shopping season, and that means it's also time to ensure your child has the best backpack to match their age, grade and personal style. A good kids' backpack should be spacious to hold everything they need and durable to last throughout the school year and beyond. Not to mention, it should look cool so that your child enjoys wearing it every day.

As a fiber scientist in the Good Housekeeping Institute, I've been testing kids' backpacks for over a decade in our Textiles Lab. We've evaluated everything from durability and comfort to the design and ease of packing. I also have two kids in elementary school and have been trying out a variety of backpacks with them to get a sense of how these bags perform during a typical school day. The 10 backpacks featured ahead are top-tested styles along with popular models that have rave reviews online — and we're showing them to you on real kids so you can see how they look in real life. After reading through our recommendations, you can find more information about how we test backpacks and what to look for when you shop for your own child.

L.L.Bean's backpacks have stood the test of time. They're consistently top performers in our tests and this timeless style in particular has been popular for over 40 years. It stands out for being durable, lightweight and kid-friendly thanks to the variety of fun prints and solid colors. It's also a fairly basic, no-frills model that's versatile for a wide age range. Beyond that, its fabric has held up to our abrasion and water resistance tests, so you can expect it to last for years.

There's good padding in the back and on the shoulder straps, plus reflective strips for safety. It's machine washable so you can keep it clean, which is especially important if you want to reuse it for years. My main callouts are that there aren't straps at the waist and chest for added support, and there's no laptop sleeve, though you can purchase one separately (along with a matching lunch box). Inside, the bag has one main compartment, plus front pockets for organization.

This version is the brand's most popular (and most basic) model with a 24-liter capacity. While this size is designed for ages 6 and up, there's a 17-liter Junior size (available in prints and solid colors) and a 30-liter expandable size.

For just about $20, you can snag this spacious and well-made backpack that's one of the most popular styles on Amazon. It has a large main compartment with a padded laptop sleeve and three smaller front compartments to help children stay organized. I also love that the shoulder straps are curved for an ergonomic fit and that it's made of nylon, so you can expect it to be durable against wear and tear. Plus, it includes two water bottle pockets, which the brand notes can be useful to carry both a water bottle and a small umbrella as needed.

This style comes in two sizes: Small for kindergarten and early elementary and large (pictured here) for ages 8 and up. Regardless of the size, it has padding against the back for comfort, though it doesn't have chest or waist clips to add support for heavy loads. And while it comes in a range of colors, it's only available in this geometric print and most options contain pink.

This backpack perfectly combines fun and function for children. In fact, it's the one my elementary-age kids prefer, especially for its comfort compared to other backpacks. From the fun standpoint, it comes in nearly 100 designs for every preference — from sparkly fabrics to rainbow colors to dinosaur prints, sport themes and a variety of characters (including Disney).

On top of looking cute, it was a top performer in our Textiles Lab's evaluations thanks to its strong and water-resistant fabric, wide and curved shoulder straps for support, padding at the shoulders and back and organizational pockets. It also aced our Lab's packing tests, holding our standard load with room to spare.

Another thing to note: This one has the most inclusive size range. It comes in four sizes (pictured here is the large), plus a rolling backpack and an adaptive backpack with straps that can attach to a child's wheelchair or walker. Not to mention, there are tons of coordinating accessories (like lunch boxes, water bottles and pencil cases). You can also monogram the backpack for an extra $15.

Columbia's day packs have earned high scores for 13- to 18-year-olds in our Textiles Lab's tests thanks to the smart design features that make them versatile to use from middle school and high school through college and beyond. This one has a higher capacity that can carry more than backpacks designed for younger kids. Plus, it uses durable fabric (including a reinforced bottom) and has good padding in the straps for comfort.

One of the best features of this bag is that has lots of compartments to keep students organized, including a padded and fleece-lined sleeve for laptops. It's available in a range of colors so teenagers can choose which option they like best while avoiding childish prints. Even the water bottle pockets are more spacious than other kids backpacks, meaning they can carry their favorite Stanley or Yeti with ease. The only downside is that it's missing extra support straps around the chest and waist.

Bentgo's kids' lunch boxes and bento boxes are parent favorites, and now the brand offers an innovative backpack that can make packing a school lunch even more convenient. It has a separate insulated zippered compartment at the base of the backpack that frees up hands from carrying an extra lunch bag.

The bag also checks off the boxes for a good backpack, with features like curved and padded shoulder straps, a chest clip for support and plenty of spacious compartments. It comes in lots of cute prints that match Bentgo's collections and are geared toward younger children. In fact, my 6-year-old daughter said this one was her favorite because of the colors and prints.

One thing to note is that because of the lunch compartment at the bottom, the packing space is shorter in the main compartment. I was able to fit in folders and notebooks, but it was a tighter fit than with other backpacks.

If you're looking for a simple yet cool design, Herschel's popular backpack has one main roomy compartment with a smaller section in the front. It comes in two youth sizes to fit children ages 3–12, plus several colors and prints that keep it kid-friendly.

My daughter used the "youth" size when she was in first grade (6 to 7 years old) since the "kids" size seemed too small despite the recommended age range. Its roomy main compartment made it easier for her to access her belongings as a younger kid, though it may not be as useful for those who prefer backpacks with several compartments. Also worth noting: I repeatedly washed it throughout the school year and it held up well to laundering.

JanSport is an Amazon bestseller and one of the most searched-for backpack brands on the Internet. Though this style is a simple design with only one main compartment and no laptop sleeve, water bottle pocket or chest strap, online reviewers love that it's roomy, lightweight and versatile enough to use for years.

One of the best aspects of this bag is that it comes in plenty of colors and prints so there's something for every design preference. And though there aren't as many compartments as other bags, the small pocket in front has an organizer to conveniently store smaller items like pens, keys and a phone. Just note that the fabric wasn't quite as durable as other backpack materials we tested in the Textiles Lab and the zipper wasn't as smooth, but it's a great value for under $40.

Most personalized book bags consist of a monogram or subtle touch, but this one lets kids fully design their backpacks with an assortment of patches to choose from. The design process is kid-friendly for a true DIY feel, and patches are professionally applied to ensure they stay put. I started shopping from this brand last year and have been so impressed with its garments. All of the bags and patches coordinate so the style won't clash regardless of how creative kids get with their designs. And even if you don't want to add your kids name, it can still feel personalized with patches that reflect their favorite hobbies, interests and shapes.

While this one focuses more on the cool factor, it still has some features you'd expect to find in a quality backpack, including padded straps and water bottle holders. Unlike other backpacks, its front compartment can be fully opened to help kids organize their supplies, though it's a little harder to dig in from the top this way. The downside is that it doesn't have a chest strap and only comes in one size.

If your child has a trendy style or prefers a fashion-forward backpack, State stands out for having the best assortment of unique designs. Besides having the cool factor for boys and girls, it also has a large compartment for supplies, organizational pockets and padded straps for comfort. Plus, it comes in various sizes for preschoolers, kindergarteners, elementary-aged students and more. And though it's expensive, the brand has a give-back model and donates money to charities supporting children for every bag sold.

Though the brand says it's designed for school, travel and beyond, I recommend it more for travel than school use. Not only does it have travel-friendly features (like a luggage sleeve on the back), but it also coordinates with matching suitcases. My kids both tried this style for school and found that the straps loosened easily with the weight of their daily load, but they still love using it outside of school. Also note that it feels heavier than other backpacks when empty and it doesn't come with a chest strap. You can buy one separately, but it wasn't as supportive as styles with built-in straps.

This super popular style from The North Face was a top performer in our tests over a decade ago and it still continues to impress both our experts and real users. It stood out specifically for holding up during our Lab’s abrasion, water-resistance and durability drop testing. It also has tons of padding for comfort, a separate laptop compartment and reflective features for safety. Plus, it comes in a variety of colors.

It's a larger size that can be worn by adults and older kids, so it's better suited for high school and college. And though it's on the pricey side, its technical features are top-notch with ventilation for increased breathability, straps at both the waist and sternum and fleece-lined protection in its compartments to keep contents safe. It also has better padding against the backpack than other models.

To choose the best backpacks for kids, analysts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab and I have put them through the wringer to check for durability, performance and ease of use. We separate the backpacks by their intended age groups to account for differences in size, capacity and other features. Here's how the backpacks are evaluated:

There's no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to backpack buying, so it's essential to consider your own kids' needs based on their size and grade level. Here's what to keep in mind as you shop:

Lexie Sachs is the executive director of strategy & operations at the Good Housekeeping Institute. She has been extensively testing a wide range of bags for over a decade — including backpacks, diaper bags, luggage and more — using specialized lab equipment and with the help of hundreds of consumer testers. Lexie is also the mom of two children and has personally tried out most of these styles with her own kids.

Lexie Sachs (she/her) is the executive director of strategy and operations at the Good Housekeeping Institute and a lead reviewer of products in the bedding, travel, lifestyle, home furnishings and apparel spaces. She has over 15 years of experience in the consumer products industry and a degree in fiber science from Cornell University. Lexie serves as an expert source both within Good Housekeeping and other media outlets, regularly appearing on national broadcast TV segments. Prior to joining GH in 2013, Lexie worked in merchandising and product development in the fashion and home industries.

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