Tips for Choosing School Backpacks
for Elementary and College Kids

Every year millions of young children go to school lugging a heavy load, school backpacks are a necessity for carrying books, binders and gym clothes, but too often the strain is too much.

How much attention do you pay to comfort and quality when picking out a new school pack?

It is difficult to sort through all the options, some bags are made with flimsy materials and others target trendy characters; however, there's a wide range of quality backpacks to choose from too.

The market combines school backpacks that cater to all levels of education, so make sure you separate out the best packs for elementary, high school or college students.

That way you get the right pack for the right age group and don't overspend or get too large a pack for growing bodies.

And with so much variety available, the reliablility of reviews for school backpacks is hard to decipher for your particular use.

Keep the following selection criteria and tips in mind so your daily school or college backpack is perfect, not a problem.

School Backpacks: Factors For Selection

Cost Factor - Everyday school or campus life is tough on a backpack. Some buyers prefer to purchase cheaper quality packs that only last a few months, then replace them with a new one. Others prefer to find a higher quality pack that lasts the entire school year or throughout your college days. It depends on your budget and whether the pack remains in fashion too, especially in trend conscious school circles.

Child Sizes - Most student backpacks are overloaded and weigh kids down way past the recommended limit of 10%-15% of their body weight. The temptation to buy an oversized pack to fit school contents burdens young bodies with back, neck and shoulder problems. Search for the most approprite size for your child and make sure the bag fits tight to the back without hanging too far below the waistline or causing a child to droop over to compensate for heavy loads.

Ergonomic Design - A good school backpack should include features that provide a comfortable and stable fit. Check shoulder straps for padding and lag to reduce strain and an attached chest strap that stabilizes heavy pack loads on the front for better weight distribution. Thick materials provide longtime, durable wear, while cheaper packs feel flimsy and have less waterproof protection. For safety, reflective strips or patches also help to increase visibility by motorists when crossing streets.

Warning Signs - If you find yourself bending over forward, unable to walk upright or feeling pain in your shoulders, then it's time to take action and get a different pack. For parents, spend a few minutes watching your child's backpack behavior for a few days and see if you can spot some problem signs like nerve pinching, back curvature or struggling to lift the pack. Then work together to find a solution.

Fashion Statement - Young kids may choose fashion over function, luckily, there are lots of colorful designs and patterns to match your perferences and personality. Most students tend to survey the popular brands and then choose their own color variation or go the opposite direction with another brand choice. The range of fashion spans from sporty to flowers and plaids to surfer and solids, to satisfy students and parents alike.

School Backpacks: Tips For Buyer Satisfaction

Organization - Not all school backpacks are the same when it comes to organizational order. The best packs make it easy to carry large and small items with plenty of zippered mesh pockets and compartments to store binders, books, gym gear, cell phones, keys, sunglasses, pens and pencils, and anything else without sinking into a backpack black hole, where nothing can be found.

Wash and Wear - Using a school pack every day causes abuse even to the best quality bags. Darker colors and patterns hide the dirt better than lighter shades that show marks and splotches. Determine if the fabrics and materials are suitable for washing without spoiling the pack with harsh chemical sprays. Don't ruin a fashionable look with a dirty looking bag.

Pack Strategy - Organizing options and extra compartments allow you to pack your gear the right way. A child's back is a good placement position for heavy stuff or use the bottom as an alternative. Lighter weight things like clothing should be tucked away on the top end and in external pockets away from the pack. That way the sway of the pack moves with the child instead of against the natural flow.

Wheels - Taking the load of a child's back is one option, but rolling backpacks also come with their own flaws. Some schools view rollers with extended handles as hazards for tripping, especially when unbalanced packs fall over. Another problem is navigation, with narrow aisles and crowded hallways making it difficult to find a clear path. And don't forget about the embarrassment factor if wheels are not cool.

School Backpacks: Popular Brands and Models

There are plenty of choices and confusion when trying to decide on the right school pack for school age children or for a university student. Ratings from various sources that solicit consumer reviews or track bestselling models provide a good start for your search.

The backpack review sources include Consumer Search, Good Housekeeping, Amazon.com, eBags.com, but be sure to do your own homework because only you know your child's preferences and habits.

	North Face Backpacks - Among the leaders in providing a number of quality packs for high school and university age students, North Face models such as the Surge, Borealis and Recon are rated high by consumers. Other models such as the Paige and Slingshot are also among the more popular packs.
	JanSport Backpacks - Long established as the leader in school backpacks, JanSport has a wide variety of packs suitable for any age group. For young students, the Big Student and Superbreak models top the list for capacity and consumer satisfaction. College students may prefer the recommended choices of the Right Pack and Wasabi models.
	Sports Backpacks - For students needing to combine both school work and play, there are specialized packs for ball sports or skateboarders and surfers from Adidas, Burton, Billabong, Nike, DaKine, Quiksilver, Puma and Element. Check out these cool and functional packs to satisfy both classroom and physical education requirements.
	High Sierra Backpacks - Gaining ground on the leaders with quality products, High Sierra packs are getting good marks from many satisfied consumers seeking alternative choices. Check out their variety of models from the Crunch Pack, Swell, Loop and Boost.
	LL Bean Backpacks - Recognized for quality gear that lasts and offered at reasonalbe prices, LL Bean may not have a wide variety of backpacks, but a few models stand out for satisfaction. Check out the Original Plus Book Pack, Deluxe Book Pack, Quad Pack and Original Book Pack that rank well with some consumers.

Discounts on School Backpacks and College Backpacks