LL Bean backpacks

[pinkxray]

I am looking to buy my son a backpack from LL bean. He is 5 and starts kindergarten in Sept.
Has anyone bought one for their kindergarten
Age kid? I am looking at the original size but wondering if I should get the junior?
I am thinking the original might be a bit big for a year but better than getting too small after a year.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Yes it will last for many years! Make your decision based on that, unless you don’t mind buying another one next year. Love those backpacks!

 

[anniemae]

We have bought many ll bean packs. When my kids were little, I got the jr. one. It was perfect.

 

[QueenIsabella]

They are very sturdy and will last for years. My youngest starts HS this fall, he's miffed because I won't buy him a new LL Bean backpack. But, he doesn't need one, his old one is holding up fine!

I would go a little bigger than you think you need, because they last so long. Not the HS-sized one, of course--we do the Deluxe. A Junior might be better for now, with the understanding that you'll have to upgrade by 5th-6th grade.

A few other thoughts: definitely go for the more colorful prints if they appeal to your son. However, I prefer the single colors--they age better. I also get a monogram, versus their name on the backpack. I get paranoid that some stranger could yell, "Hey! Steven!" and my kid might think they know them. I have also put a colorful patch or two on a monochrome backpack, as a way to quickly identify my child's pack.

 

[AlohaNow]

I would suggest getting the regular sized backpack, as he'll outgrow the junior so quickly. Then he can be like my son who is about to start his senior year of HS and none of his friends believe that he's been using the same backpack since kindergarten! LL Bean backpacks, bags, and luggage last forever.

 

[Tinkerbell58]

FYI -- LLBean backpacks are 20% off and free shipping. Use code PACK20; good until Sunday, July 26.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

They're the best backpacks and the only ones my son has ever used. The junior size one, he used up through about 2nd grade, then I bought the next size up in a red camo pattern. I only replaced that one because he didn't like the pattern, but otherwise it was perfectly fine. He's been using his current black LL Bean backback since 6th grade and he's now going into 10th grade and it looks brand new. Well worth the cost.

 

[RUDisney]

My DD still has her grade school LL Bean backpack. She's getting her Masters now.

We started with the junior because they were cuter for the younger set. Around 2nd grade is when we bought the one that we still have.

 

[easyas123]

And you can toss them in the washing machine!

 

[AppleDumpling]

Agree that Bean backpacks are good quality and durable. However, I’ll throw in another viewpoint. When DS was in elementary school, he preferred a backpack with the latest popular character (Disney or otherwise) or superhero. Much more attractive to a 5 or 6 or 7...year old than a boring solid color. He was excited to pick out a new one each year when we shopped for school supplies and new clothes. It was part of our back to school ritual. Usually an inexpensive one from Target, or a few times from the Disney store. By 4th grade, he wanted his favorite baseball team.

Another thing is, you don’t need a heavy duty pack that will last a long time in the lower grades. Those kids don’t carry much; usually just a folder of papers, maybe one notebook, maybe a bag lunch. We got the LLBean later on in middle school.

 

[PrincesCJM]

Not sure where you are from, but the junior sized backpack is too small to hold their school stuff and snow gear. My son's only lasted through kindergarten, mostly because it was stolen at the end of the year - put at least their initials on it. I would have loved to hand it down to his younger brother.

 

[QueenIsabella]

My kids had no trouble filling up an LL Bean backpack--lunch box, folders and books, maybe spare clothes, etc. But I should also mention that now my DD17 has the Deluxe backpack, and she stuffs it full. Some kids just like having lots of stuff in their packs. She did have a Kindle in there--rarely does she bring in her laptop (we don't like it going to school).

Snow gear is a whole 'nother issue. But keep in mind, it's common to need a spare outfit for a kindergartener. Generally, it's kept in their cubby, but it would get sent home if it was soiled, and you'd have to send back a fresh one.

 

[ZJ5/9D47]

When I used to teach, several of my kindergarteners used the original size Bean backpacks and kept using the same one year after year.

It is really important to have the discussion when selecting color about how many years the backpack is expected to last. 6th grade is a good time to size up with the increase in books needing to be taken home. K vs 5th grade tastes can be very different so a conservative color might be a better choice and then adding on keychains or personalizing with consumables such as pencils instead of embroidered patches that LLBean offers.

Being a girl is worse because that 6th grade backpack follows to college and then becomes a diaper bag.

 

[Swimnoid]

We got my DD a jr size for kindergarten which she used for a couple of years then moved up to a regular sized one. We still use the jr one now, 28 years later!, because sometimes you just don't need a big bag.

She used her second LLBean bag until high school when the zipper broke and she wanted one in school colors so I just threw the old one in the closet and got her the new one. YEARS later I found the broken one and wrote LLBean to see if they could fix the zipper because everything else was fine. They said just send it back and pick out a new one. So I did, in a color that matched a duffle I had. THEN they sent me a check because they said it was on sale at the time. WTH? So I am a great fan of LLBean for life! Oh! I still use that book bag everyday too.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Unfortunately, LL Bean stopped their policy of replacing items that were old and broken. Just broken, yes--my DD had a backpack where the zipper broke repeatedly in the first year. That, they replaced, no problem. They were even able to look at my history and say, "Oh, is this the aqua deluxe bag that was embroidered XYZ?" But, they had too many people returning 20 year old coats, etc., and expecting a full replacement. Which, I get--it's one thing for an item to break too soon, and another to be totally worn out.

The other thing to think about is color--my oldest got a new backpack in college in mint (light green). She's 25, and still brings it everywhere--she's a big traveler. The backpack is holding together fine, but looks pretty dingy. A trip through the washer might help, but she no longer lives here, it's on her to wash her own backpack.But, if you have a kid who likes to get dirty, you might be better with a darker color.

 

[AgentMama]

My kids prefer Under Armour backpacks to LLBean. Although who knows when they'll need to actually carry a backpack again.

 

[monsterkitty]

My kids prefer Under Armour backpacks to LLBean. Although who knows when they'll need to actually carry a backpack again.

We are going 100% in person unless you chose 100% online. The in person students have been asked not to bring backpacks or lunch bags.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

just throwing this out there:

My kids and now my Grandson both liked themed backpacks when they were that young. I waited until about 3 rd grade before I spent the $$ for quality backpacks and then I let them choose color and I got their monogrammed initials.

 

[1GoldenSun]

When I went off to college in 1986 my Grandma took me shopping and bought me a North Face backpack (which I think is pretty similar to LL Bean in terms of quality and style). I used that backpack all through college, then continued using it as a weekend, hiking, and vacation backpack. That backpack has travelled to at least 20 different US states and 20 different countries. We still use it for Disney and Universal. Mine is kind of a dark mauve-pink, which I probably wouldn't choose now, but it helps my kids find me in a crowd.