Best Backpacks for School – Elementary, Middle & High School Backpacks

I am a HUGE fan of Land’s End backpacks and they hold up so well that my oldest daughter carried the same Land’s End backpack for 4 years in elementary school! You can add monograms for an extra special touch. Plus now they come in all kinds of fun prints Their most durable backpacks are from the Classmate line, which comes in a messenger, rolling, extra-large, large, medium, and small sizes. I love that on the Land’s End website you can see the backpacks modeled and it’s easy enough to figure out what size you will need for school. They have great backpacks from preschool to high school.

The Classmate backpacks boast reinforced bottoms to withstand boys that tend to be rough on their gear, plus reflective strips so that kids can be easily seen if they are walking home. Check out the sternum strap that helps to provide extra support and comfort, especially if your child tends to carry heavy items. For girls, check out all of the cute, cute prints and if your girls are hard on their gear, then the classmate will fit the bill. Plus these backpacks are guaranteed. Period. Washed, worn, even embroidered, you can return it at any time for an exchange or full refund. Now that is a great guarantee! If you are looking for a kids’ backpack sale, you will want to click through. Many of the backpacks we recommend are already on sale!

Land’s End often runs great specials and coupons for back-to-school.

Shop Land’s End Back Packs 

Pottery Barn Kids has so many sizes, such as mini, small, large and rolling. We bought a backpack from Pottery Barn Kids a previous year and it worked for multiple years and was in great shape. If your kids love character backpacks and you don’t like the quality of most character packs at local stores, Pottery Barn Kids is known for high-quality character backpacks. Choose from characters your kids love such as Marvel, Star Wars or mermaids, solar system and more. I love that if you pay a little extra, you can get your backpacks personalized. They come in every size to fit your child’s needs and right now, they ship to your doorstep for free. Current Pottery Barn Coupon Codes are on the website.

If you are looking for a quality, junior-sized backpack for preschool, kindergarten or first grade, these L.L. Bean Junior backpacks come in so many fun prints. I love the bright floral and the dinosaur print. When your kids outgrow this smaller backpack, it will work great for packing games and fun things when you travel.

This year’s Vera Bradley backpacks are just absolutely stunning and you will love their new durable backpack fabric. Teens and tweens are sometimes hard to please and it’s better to get one nice backpack they will use vs. lots of gear that you know will be thrown in the back of the closet. Vera Bradley can be pricey, but they often have sales and deals. This year’s bright prints for fall will be a head-turner for your tweens and teens and there are even matching lunch bags! .Both my girls carried Vera Bradley as their middle school backpack.

If you have tweens or teens, they will love these deluxe-sized backpacks included in best backpacks for back to school. They are also great for kids that need to pack winter snow items as they hold so much more. This backpack has dual main compartments and holds up to 32 liters! L.L. Bean is great for standing behind their product. They have the motto “Guaranteed to Last” on the home page of their website. Instead of driving from store-to-store shopping for backpacks, save on gas and have your quality backpack arrive at your doorstep!

This is a durable, water-resistant, backpack that is perfect for school. It has plenty of pockets, including one on the bottom of the backpack, which is perfect for bringing gym shoes and clothes to and from school.

Fjallraven Kankens are popular among teens and preteens for their style and functionality. This backpack is big enough to hold everything middle schoolers need and is a classic style.

This sleek backpack has plenty of space for all of the books middle schoolers need to carry as well as a fleece-lined laptop sleeve to protect any gadgets. It comes in a wide variety of colors for middle schoolers to choose from.

This backpack from Nike is durable and has a large main compartment and side pockets, that provide storage for school supplies. It is also padded on the back for middle schoolers' comfort while carrying their backpack to and from school.

This backpack has a protective laptop compartment, a large main compartment perfect for all of the binders and books middle schoolers carry. Both the women's and men's Recon backpacks have a suspension system that is certified by the American Chiropractic Association, which is great for middle schoolers bringing heavy books from home to school.

This backpack has two main compartments for books and binders. It also has a laptop sleeve and internal zippered pockets to keep all of middle schoolers' supplies organized.

This backpack with a fun floral print is so cute and functional. It has a laptop sleeve, a large main compartment, and a small front pocket for any smaller items middle schoolers bring with them to school.

This durable, water-resistant backpack has many storage compartments for carrying everything middle schoolers need. It has an interior laptop sleeve to protect any electronics middle schoolers carry in their backpack. It comes in many different fun prints for middle schoolers to show their personal style.

This large backpack comes in a lot of fun and stylish colors for middle schoolers to choose from. It is made with recycled cotton, has a padded laptop compartment and comfortable shoulder straps.

This classic backpack is great for middle school. It is water-resistant, durable, and comfortable. It has a laptop sleeve and a front pocket with an organizer for all of the middle school essentials.

The SuperMax features an internal 15” laptop sleeve, two main compartments and a front zip pocket with an organizer to keep your essentials handy. This pack has a fully padded back panel, S-Curve softly padded shoulder straps and one side water bottle pocket. With 2200 cubic inches of space, the SuperMax can hold everything you need. Built to last and backed by our lifetime guarantee.

• Made from high-grade water resistant, lightweight, durable nylon material (Please note: this backpack is not waterproof, can’t be use in heavy rain);
• Large multi-compartment design, with dedicated laptop compartment that holds laptops up to 16 inches; Airflow back & shoulder straps system, Ergonomic design offers maximum back support and comfort;
• Structure: 4 main pockets & 6 smaller inner pockets, 2 pen pockets, 2 mesh side pockets, provides a separated space for your laptop, iPhone, iPad, pen, keys, wallet, books, clothes, bottles and more;
• Perfect for use for: school, college, casual, travel, work, a great gift for friends and children;
• Warranty: All of our backpacks have 1-YEAR WARRANTY. 

• ICONIC: Classic Kanken with a twist. Same design, updated size. Stash your 15″ laptop in its own padded compartment and still have the main compartment and 3 extra pockets for everything else.
• PRACTICAL: Meet the material: Vinylon F. It has a weird name but it’s dirt-resistant, water-resistant, and wipes clean.
• FUNCTIONAL: 2-way zipper with rain flap for more protection. Padded, ergonomic shoulder straps for the long haul. Dual top snap handles for quick carry.
• ROOMY: 18 L of storage space for everything you need and some things you don’t. Measures 15.7″ (40 cm) x 11″ (28 cm) x 6.3″ (16 cm). Weighs 1.0 lb.
• HERITAGE: Durable, timeless, functional. Since 1960.

Vans The Realm Classic Backpack is a 100% polyester two-pocket backpack featuring a zippered main compartment with an interior laptop sleeve, a front organization pocket, adjustable padded straps, and debossed lining at the interior back panel. Measuring 16.75 L x 12.75 W x 4.75 D inches, it has a 22-liter capacity.

Protect what’s important to you with the JanSport Digital Student. With a removable 15 in laptop sleeve, side water bottle pocket, and organizational storage throughout, this backpack is made to go everywhere.

• Dedicated external cord storage pocket
• Easy access external tablet pocket fits up to a 10″ tablet
• Ergonomic S-curve shoulder straps
• Fully padded back panel
• Removable 15″ laptop sleeve fits into a dedicated laptop compartment
• Side water bottle pocket
• Two large main compartments
• Web haul handle

This backpack is great for students who value comfort and practicality. It has a large pocket for your books and binders, a laptop sleeve that will protect your laptop, a padded back, and an internal organization system in the front pocket. It even comes in a  version with a women-specific fit with a back panel and shoulder straps designed to fit a woman’s torso. My oldest daughter used a similar backpack her senior year in high school and is still using it in college.

A popular mountaineering silhouette, the Herschel Little America™ backpack elevates an iconic style with modern functionality. This backpack is in style for high school. My youngest daughter got this backpack in ninth grade and is still using it as a twelfth grader. It includes

• Custom striped fabric liner
• Padded and fleece lined 15″ laptop sleeve
• Adjustable drawstring closure
• Magnetic strap closures with metal pin clips
• Front pocket with hidden zipper and key clip
• Internal media pocket with headphone port
• Contoured shoulder straps and air mesh back padding
• Classic woven label