Big,comfort and Good Bookbags for My Kids

If only the books just weighed 15% of their body weight...
Try Lands End or LL Bean.
My kids used the rolling backpacks until middle school - when they wouldn't fit in the lockers... The lockers at the high school are even smaller! Now they use the messenger type and wear them across their bodies.
Good luck!
LBC

Hi~
Proper backpack wearing is a passion of mine. There are some important facts to keep in mind no matter what back pack you choose. Such as (http://www.aota.org/DocumentVault/Backpack/44404.aspx)
1) there were more than 23,000 backpack‐related injuries were treated at hospital emergency rooms, doctor’s offices, and clinics in 2007
2) It is recommended that a loaded backpack should never weigh more than 15 percent of the student’s total body weight (for a student weighing 100 pounds, this means that the backpack should weigh no more than 15 pounds).
3) The way backpacks are worn affects your health. The height of the backpack should extend from approximately 2 inches below the shoulder blades to waist level or slightly above the waist. It is recommended that individuals always wear the backpack on both shoulders so the weight is evenly distributed

Here are some tips on backpack loading and wearing (http://www.aota.org/DocumentVault/Backpack/44388.aspx) :

Loading a backpack:
1) Load heaviest items closest to the child's back (the back of the pack). Arrange books and materials so they won't slide around in the backpack
2) If the backpack is too heavy or tightly packed, your child can hand carry a book or other item outside the pack
3) if the backpack is too heavy on a regular basis, consider using a book bag on wheels if your child's school allows it
Wearing a backpack:
1) Distribute weight evenly by using both straps. Wearing a pack slung over one shoulder can cause a child to lean to one side, curving the spine and causing pain or discomfort. (* I knew someone in high school who had to get his jackets specially made because one shoulder was higher than the other)
2) Select a pack with well‐padded shoulder straps. Shoulders and necks have many blood vessels and nerves that can cause pain and tingling in the neck, arms, and hands when too much pressure is applied
3) Adjust the shoulder straps so that the pack fits snugly on the child's back. A pack that hangs loosely from the back can pull the child backwards and strain muscles.
4) Wear the waist belt if the backpack has one. This helps distribute the pack's weight more evenly
5) The bottom of the pack should rest in the curve of the lower back. It should never rest more than four inches below the child's waistline
6) School backpacks come in different sizes for different ages. Choose the right size pack for your child's back as well as one with enough room for necessary school items.

That being said LLbean has a great return policy so if you are unable to try one in the store and get one from them you should be able to exchange it if it does not fit your child. there are also several choices with waist belts. On a side note I had an LL bean back pack that has lasted me 10 years!

:) Good luck!!!

LL Bean.
Here is the link:
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/816?nav=gnro

Their backpacks or rolling backpacks are TOP quality.
AND if for any reason you need to return it, they will replace it for FREE.
And their bags are warrantied for life.
It is WELL worth the price... because it will last for years. AND it is warrantied.

My daughter has one (a rolling backpack)... since 1st grade she is now going on to 3rd grade... and we have NOT had to get a new one since then. It still looks good as new. Not even worn. VERY good quality.
I have seen some older kids in 5th grade have them too.
And you can have it monogrammed.

I highly recommend it.
I would NOT buy any other.

all the best,
Susan

My brothers always got their kids the LLBEan. When my daughter went to first grade I thought it was too expensive. I took a long time to decide and finally took the plunge, they say its sturdy, so I would try it out. A friend bought her an inexpensive one from a local store like walmart. So for Kindergarten, she used both. The inexpensive one lasted about 6 monthsm it wore out on the bottom corner. THe LLBean lasted 2 YEARS and still going strong.

I'm sure LLBean is the same.. they are very similar in a lot of ways... but I bought my son's from Land's End. I got a clearance one at the end of the school year in 2009 (May) and he used it all last school year. He is using it over the summer as his overnight bag and bag to take when we go on day trips. It is still in perfect condition and I expect, unless he has a ton more books to carry this year than last, that he will be using it again this year.

I got my daughter a Swiss Army one, and hers has lasted pretty well... but it is showing signs of wear. It cost almost as much as a Land's end one, so when I get her another, I will be getting Land'sEnd or LLBean for her as well.

Hello,

From personal experience, if you are hauling heavy books or a lot of books, the best way to go is a backpack with wheels. That's what I used when I was in nursing school and it sure saved my back. They come with cute characters on them or just plain. If the school allows them, I would definitely get them.

Good Luck,

J.

Jansport- has lifetime warranty. So if they rip, send them back to manufactor for repairs. They have alot of styles and always comfortable. I still has mine from10 years ago.

Lands End makes an excellent bookbag/backpack. You can see their products on their website. www.landsend.com

I read the responses to your question, and LL Bean seems to very popular. Just thought I would add my opinion and offer another suggestion. Growing up throughout my school years, I always had JanSport bags. I had many different styles over the years - my mom was usually willing to get me a new one every few years because she wasn't having to buy a new one every year, or replace them mid-year because it broke. We learned that the hard way - thru trial and error - by buying the cute, but very cheap, backbacks at Wal-mart, or the like. These bags ALWAYS broke before the year was out. Finally after seeing the lifetime warranty tag on a JanSport bag and showing it to my mom, I was able to get her to shell out the extra $$ for a JanSport - the best decision that we ever made. They last forever, and if by chance, they do wear out, they are covered by the warranty. I still have some that I used in school - I am now 31 - and that is all I will buy for my daughter who is going into second grade this fall and is still on her first and only backpack. No complaints at all. Good luck with whatever you choose!