Lands End vs Llbean vs Pottery Barn Backpacks for Kids, Which One Is the Best?

LL Bean. While I can't speak for Land's End backpacks in particular, I feel that in general, the quality of LL Bean products is better.

Pottery Barn is sort of a weird thing for me, they're probably fine, but it seems like you'd pay more and you wouldn't get the quality of service you get with LL Bean.

I have an LL Bean backpack, LOVE it.

LL Bean.
And it is warrantied for life. If it breaks or anything, you send it back and they send you a new replacement.

My daughter, had her LL Bean monogrammed wheelie backpack since she was in Kindergarten. She is in 5th grade now, and it is still good as new. And because we got her a print that would grow with her, it does not look too little kiddie looking.
And my son, has had his since Kindergarten, a monogrammed wheelie backpack, and he is in 1st grade now, and it is good as new. Even if he is a typical rough not gently, little boy.

Lands End and LL Bean are both good, as is Jansport. I wouldn't recommend Pottery Barn, I find their kids' stuff to be overpriced and not the best quality.

I know this isn't one of your choices, but we've used JanSport backpacks for years. They have a lifetime warranty and their customer service is amazing. My stepdad has had the same one for 20 years. I have one that's still in great shape from college. My oldest got his first last year and it looks new (he's so hard on packs).

So there's another option. :-)

I know it's not one of the brands you asked about, but my daughter has had her Jansport for almost 3 years now. It still looks brand new.

LL Bean hands down. Anything happens to it, replaced no questions asked.

We always went with LL Bean because they had a guarantee on them. One time the zippers broke and they replaced them for free (maybe even shipping too) and they lasted for like 10+ years. No experience with Pottery Barn.

We have had both. The Land's End bag held up really well. My daughter had it from kindergarten through 2nd grade, and honestly the only reason I got her a new one was that we had picked a really pale blue color, and it was nasty and stained after several years of use. Otherwise, it was in great shape. We still use it for outings where we might get grubby (zoo, etc).

I got Pottery Barn Kids ones this time (for my daughter and then my son who started school this year) because they had really cute patterns and I thought the bag would stay cleaner looking if the pattern on it was busy. Also, my son was really into sharks, and they had a shark pattern for the backpack, lunchbox, etc. So far they have been great. They are nice and durable, and have stayed pretty clean looking. My only complaint at all is that one of the buckles on the front of my son's backpack keeps sliding off the strap. It isn't a strap that is particularly functional--we use it to hold his jacket on when he isn't wearing it, and doesn't want to carry it. So it isn't a big deal--it isn't a strap that is necessary to the function of the backpack itself.

If you are also looking at lunch boxes, I definitely like Pottery Barn Kids' better. They have that solid molded interior (which Land's End used to have) and it is much easier to keep clean than most other lunch boxes.

Also, if you call Pottery Barn Kids, and ask them for last year's colors, then you can get some awesome deals. I got my daughter's backpack for $9.99!

P.S. FOrgot to add that I had an LL Bean backpack all through highschool, took it with me to college, and when the zipper broke, I called LL Bean and they replaced it! But that was in the 90's. Not sure if the quality is the same now.

They're all awesome. We have Lands End and Pottery Barn backpacks and have nothing bad to say about any of them. The LE ones are lighter than the PB, so I've decided to stick with LE.

they are all good.. I have a ll bean.. the hang up hook broke .. I mailed it back and they sent me a brand new one and refunded my postage to send it back to them.. It is very strong and durable...

My son got a new PB backpack when he started Kindergarten. He is now in 2nd and it still looks brand new! Super happy with PB Kids!!

I've only heard great things about LL Bean backpacks, although I've never owned one.

I do have an Eddie Bauer one that's lasted for years.

LL Bean, I've found.

But...Pottery Barn is having a sale AND Free shipping...
http://www.potterybarnkids.com/shop/sale/backpacks-luggag...

Thinking of getting one for my little guy and saving it for our train trip on Amtrak this October :)

I haven't read the responses, but my daughter has a great backpack and lunch box from Garnet Hill. It has held up beautifully for 2 years so far.

Definitely LL Bean! Last year DD got a cheapo Disney Princess backpack with a matching lunchbox. The lunchbox only lasted a week and the backpack didn't fare much better and only lasted about 2 months. We replaced it with an LL Bean Critter Backpack and it would have still looked brand new at the end of the school year if it wasn't for our dog chewing the handle to bits. I replaced it for this school year and it is still in great shape and doesn't show any wear even though it's been dragged on the ground a few times. It's nice and roomy and has lots of pouches/pockets/compartments. I'm confident that it will last DD several years.

I know that some people think LL Bean's backpacks are expensive, but I paid around $40 for DD's backpack and I expect it to last several years. $40 spread out over 5 or 6 years isn't too bad when I would probably have to get her 2-3 cheapie $15-$20 backpacks each year because they fall apart so quickly. In the end, the LL Bean backpack ends up being less expensive.

I've also heard that LL Bean's replacement policy is awesome if there is any defect in the quality. I paid for the new/second backpack and I didn't ask them to simply replace it because there was nothing wrong with the quality of the first backpack. It was our fault for not keeping it away from our dog. Luckily, our dog knows better now. :-)

We've found that the surf backpacks are rugged and last forever. Our daughter has this one and has for two years. Still in perfect shape.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CUTE-NWT-WOMENS-BILLABONG-PASSION...

My son has an Llbean backpack, it's cute and has held up fine. Both LE and Llbean have guaranteed warranty and are easy companies to work with, llbeans customer service however is top notch. I know little about pottery barn except that I think it's way over priced.

My daughter goes through 3 backpacks a year , this year we got them ll bean backpacks, we are 8 months into the school year and their backpacks still look brand new.
LL Bean backpacks come with a lifetime warranty.

I graduated from high school in 2000, and I still use the Jansport backpack my mom bought me my freshman year of high school (was about $45 back when she bought it).

My husband has a Swiss Army backpack that he used throughout college and med school, and it comes on every vacation with us. I think that one was about $100.

This year I bought my kindergartener a Lands' End one and it has held up beautifully so far. (Was $39 last fall)

They are all great!!! Take your pick and I think you'll be happy either way.

My 5th grader has been using the same LL Bean backpack since Kindergarten. My 7th grader used his from K-6, and then we bought a new one, also from LL Bean. There was nothing wrong with the original, but he needed a larger backpack to accommodate the books and such.

Jansport. They last forever and IF anything breaks/rips/wears out they will fix it for free. I still have the leather-bottom canvas Jansport backpack my mom got me when I went into Junior High (1993). The zipper has broken once and the leather bottom wore through. They replaced both, no questions asked, though I did have to pay for shipping to get it to the shop.

I have a Lands End adult backpack...Ranger series (or something like that) black canvas material with leather straps and bottom, I got almost 10 yrs ago and it still looks good with no tears or rips. That thing has traveled all over the country with me, has been on countless camping/boating/hiking trips. It is rugged and sturdy and still looks good!

I haven't had any experiences with Lands End or Pottery Barn but I love love love LL Bean bags!!
I don't carry a traditional purse, I carry their "healthy backpack" as my day to day bag. In the last 12 years I have only been through 3 of them. I beat them until they look ratty and they get a lot of hard use. I also have a messenger bag I've had for a good 20 years maybe and it still looks fantastic. I used to use it every day, now I use it for activities when we need a second bag for things. I'm eyeing their diaper bag right now because our diaper bag is dying but we still need something for our toddler to hold the foldable potty seat, a change of clothes, wipes and the other assorted things a toddler still needs for a long day out.
Their bags are a little pricey but when you look at how long they last it isn't as much per year.
They've got a fantastic return policy as well.

O ordered O. through LL Bean online a d it was if poor quality.
Zipper broke within a month of starting school.
They were happy to credit me with what I paid and I added MORE to get a nicer O. there (since I already had fifty bucks invested.
The pricier, bigger, heavier ones are "OK."
I'll try LE next time.
Pottery Barn things are cheap--would avoid.
Bottom line: spend $100 now and it will last a LONG time!

They're both great. I also bought my son a new one for Christmas because his crappy Target one fell apart between the beginning of school and Christmas break. I bought one from Lands End it's so nice. Had his initials embroidered on it too. He loves it.

I would skip them all and get a Jansport. They last forever. She will want a new one way before she "needs" it, just becasue kids get tired of having the same thing after a while. So in a few years, you get to have hers. Keep that in mind when choosinga color/pattern :)

For what it's worth, I have heard from my classmates that Eddie Bauer offers life-time warranty. They basically get a new bag each year or so, for no $$ out of pocket.

Now, I don't know if it's for a specific line of bags, & I'm sure they don't come with Dora the Explorer on them =-) But something to consider if you are looking for durability & value after the intial expense.

T.

I also had an LLBean pack that had a zipper break right away. They were happy to replace it, however, I'd bought it for my daughter and she didn't have a store near her to make the exchange.

I have 3 Jansport backpacks that have lasted for years.

The best school backpacks I've gotten were the "ful" brand packs from Costco. My 2 boys are using theirs for the 3rd year. They pack those bags over full with books, laptop, food, water, ceramics projects. I can't believe they've held up this long. They were on sale for $30 at the beginning of the school year and are probably no longer in the stores but may be available on their website.