These Unique Patches Let Kids Customize Their Backpacks Every Day (2024)

L.L.Bean's backpacks are consistently top performers in our tests and stand out in particular for being durable, functional and kid-friendly thanks to the variety of fun prints and solid colors. The fabric holds up to our abrasion and water resistance tests, so you can expect it to last for years. This version in particular is the brand's most popular (and most basic). While this size is designed for ages 6 and up, there's a smaller "Junior" size available in prints and solid colors for kids as young as 4.

There's also good padding in the back and on the shoulder straps, plus reflective strips for safety. It's machine washable so you can keep it clean and reuse it for years. The main callouts are that there aren't straps at the waist and chest for added support and there's no laptop sleeve. Inside, the bag has one main compartment, plus front pockets for organization.

For just around $20, you can snag this spacious and well-designed backpack that has nearly 6,000 reviews and an average 4.6-star rating on Amazon. It has a large main compartment with a padded laptop sleeve and three smaller front compartments to stay organized. We also love that it's made of nylon, which means you can expect it to be durable against wear and tear. Plus, it includes two water bottle pockets, which the brand notes can be useful to carry both a water bottle and an umbrella as needed.

This style comes in two sizes: Small for kindergarten and early elementary and large for ages 8 and up. Regardless of the size, it has padding against the back for comfort, though it doesn't have chest or waist clips to add support for heavy loads. And while it comes in a range of colors for boys and girls, it's only available in this geometric print.

This backpack perfectly combines fun and function for younger kids. For starters, it has colors and prints for every design preference — from rainbows and mermaids to dinosaurs, sports and Disney themes. Plus, it comes in lots of variations, including multiple sizes for every age, a rolling backpack version and matching lunch bags. You can also monogram the backpack for $10 to make it feel extra personal.

On top of looking cute, the bag impressed our experts with its strong and water-resistant fabric, padding at the shoulders and back, organizing pockets and straps on the outside. Beyond that, it aced our Lab's packing tests. In fact, this is the bag one of our textile experts uses for their own child in elementary school.

Columbia's day packs earn high scores for 13- to 18-year-olds in our Lab's tests thanks to their design features that make them versatile to use from middle school and high school through college and beyond. For starters, it has a high capacity that can hold more than other styles. Plus, it uses durable fabric and has good padding in the straps.

We especially love that it has lots of compartments to keep students organized, including a padded sleeve for laptops. It's available in a range of colors so teenagers can choose which option they like best while avoiding childish prints. The only downside is that it's missing extra support straps around the chest and waist.

Bentgo's kids lunch boxes and bento boxes are favorites among both parents and Good Housekeeping product experts, and the brand offers an innovative backpack that can make bringing lunch to school even more convenient. It has a separate insulated zippered compartment at the base of the backpack that frees up hands from carrying an extra lunch bag.

The bag also checks off the boxes for a good backpack, with features like curved and padded shoulder straps, a chest clip for support and plenty of spacious compartments. It comes in over 10 fun designs that match Bentgo's collections and are geared toward younger children.

If you're looking for a simple design, Herschel's popular backpack for kids has one main roomy compartment with a smaller section in the front. It comes in three youth sizes to fit children of all ages plus lots of colors that keep it kid-friendly. We also love that it has a chest clip for added support and a side bottle holder for convenience.

One GH Institute expert used the "youth" size for her 1st-grade child and loved that the size wasn't too bulky for a small frame. The large main compartment makes it easier for a younger kid to find their belongings. She also noted that it has washed well throughout the school year.

JanSport is an Amazon bestseller and one of the most searched-for kids backpack brands on the Internet. Though this style is a no-frills design with only one main compartment and no laptop sleeve, water bottle pocket or chest strap, users love that it's roomy, lightweight and versatile to use for years.

One of our favorite aspects about this bag is that it comes in dozens of colors and prints so there's something for every design preference. And though there aren't as many compartments as other bags, the small pocket in front has an organizer to conveniently store smaller items like pens, keys and a phone.

Whether your kid loves metallics, colorful sparkles, camo prints, sports designs or something else entirely, State stands out for having a wide assortment of truly unique styles for any preference. Besides the fun factor for boys and girls, it's also well-made with a large compartment for supplies, organizational pockets and padded straps for comfort. Plus, it comes in various sizes designed for preschools, kindergarteners and elementary-aged students.

The brand has a give-back model and donates money to charities supporting children for every bag sold. Just note that certain styles may feel heavier with the addition of metallics and embellishments. It also doesn't come with a built-in chest strap, but you can buy it separately and attach it yourself.

Unlike most backpacks with permanent customization, this one has a unique construction that lets your child stick on patches however they like. The patches work like an extra-strong Velcro; in fact, we were surprised by how securely they attached to the soft outer material. The brand offers a wide variety of colors for the backpack and styles for the patches, including initials, trendy chenille shapes, dinosaurs, sports and space themes.

This bag is smaller and designed for ages 3-8, though we found that it wasn't tall enough to hold a standard-size folder. The brand also carries a large size that's designed for ages 8 and up. Besides school, this style is great for activities and travel.

This super popular style from The North Face was a top performer in our tests more than 10 years ago and still continues to impress both our experts and real users. It stood out specifically for holding up during our Lab’s abrasion, water-resistance and durability drop testing. It also has tons of padding for comfort, a separate laptop compartment and reflective features for safety. Plus, it comes in plenty of colors.

It's a larger size that can be worn by adults and older kids, so it's better suited for high school and college rather than younger grades. And though it's expensive, its technical features are top-notch with ventilation for increased breathability, straps at both the waist and sternum (with a safety whistle attached) and fleece-lined protection in its compartments to keep contents safe.

A backpack’s load can get heavy enough, so students don’t need the bag itself weighing them down. This one from Lands’ End was among the lightest in our test, but it still held our entire load for 7- to 12-year-olds with room to spare. It comes in other colors and prints as well as larger sizes. Plus, you can choose to personalize it for an extra $8.

The style has been around for years but has since undergone some updates, with the addition of an extra pocket for folders in the main compartment and a chest clip for more support. The main downside during our testing was that the fabric wasn't as resistant to abrasion or water as others, but it was still an overall top contender and worth buying if you're worried about weight.

Designed for toddlers and kindergarteners, this themed backpack comes in tons of animal and character options. It’s smaller than other backpacks so it’ll fit little bodies, yet it still has compartments for snacks and supplies, plus a loop on top so kids can hang it on their hooks.

Some of our product experts used this one at home with their young children and saw just how much the toddlers loved showing off the characters at school or on outings. They also noted that it's comfortable for small children to carry on their own and the zipper tabs make it easier for little hands to open and close the compartments. It also held up as a hand-me-down through multiple children.

First, we separate the backpacks by their intended age groups to account for differences in size, capacity and other features. Our analysts then put the backpacks through the wringer to check for durability, performance and ease of use. Here's how the backpacks are evaluated:

• Design features: The bags are thoroughly inspected and scored on whether or not they have padding for the shoulders and back, pockets for water bottles and electronics, straps for the shoulders and waist and compartments for organization.
• Strap padding: We measure the thickness of the shoulder straps to make sure there is adequate padding to alleviate stress on the upper body.
• Weight: Analysts record the empty weight of the backpack to make sure the bag itself won't weigh kids down.
• Packing test: Using a standard load for each age group, our analysts pack each bag and note whether it can fit the entire assortment.
  
• Fabric strength: Our specialized machine, called an Instron, pulls apart swatches of backpack fabric to see how much force is needed to break the material.
• Abrasion resistance: Swatches of the bag are loaded into our abrasion machine (pictured above), then rubbed against a rough material 15,000 times and visually scored for signs of damage.
• Water resistance: Lab pros use a spray test method, which means water is poured onto the fabric from a device that controls the amount and flow rate. It's then assessed against a visual standard to check whether water has seeped into the fabric.
• Drop test: The backpack is filled with a standard weight to mimic a real load, then mechanically dropped from a 3-foot height. It's then inspected and scored based on signs of damage and repeated for a total of three drops.

There's no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to backpack buying, so it's essential to consider your own kids' needs based on their size and grade level. Here's what to keep in mind as you shop:

• Size: Check the chart or listing to ensure the bag is the right size for your child. Some brands offer multiple sizes for each style, while other backpacks are intended only for certain age groups. If your child is in between sizes, you may have to size down to avoid them carrying a bag that's too bulky for their frame. Just make sure that it can hold relevant school supplies; a notebook and folder may be necessary for kindergarten, but they don't always fit in backpacks designed for 5-6-year-olds.
• Materials: Nylon is the strongest backpack fabric, but polyester has also held up well in our tests. For a kid who is rough on their bag, consider one with a reinforced bottom.
• Organizational compartments: This will vary by age, but consider whether your child needs a laptop sleeve, multiple zippered compartments, interior pouches and side pockets for water bottles.
• Shoulder straps: Shoulder straps should be curved
  for a proper fit and padded to reduce stress on the upper body. Check to ensure the straps are adjustable and can be tightened so the bag doesn’t sit below the lower back.
  
• Chest and waist straps: These can help take stress off the upper body. Some bags will have none, some will have one strap and others will have both.
  
• Zippers: Attached pulls — rather than zippers alone — make it easier to open and close the bag, especially for younger kids.
  
• Price: While there's no rule for how much you should spend, the sweet spot tends to be in the $30-$60 price range. Some cheaper bags under $30 may not last for multiple years, but an expensive bag close to $100 doesn't mean it'll be more durable than one half its price.
• Care instructions: Backpacks go through a lot, so it's a good idea to launder them when they're dirty. Some bags are machine washable, but always check the instructions before you clean them.
• Design: Last but not least, make sure your child approves of the style and will be happy to wear the backpack every day.