Best Kid's Backpack – Cool School Backpacks for Kids, Rolling Backpacks and More!

Whether you’re sending your little one off for their first day of school or you’re not so little one is going back for another year of fun and learning, you want them to be setting off with a quality backpack. Choosing one that’s both functional and stylish can be a difficult task. That’s why we’ve taken the time to find five of the best school backpack brands for kids. We picked a wide range of practical backpacks (to please mom) with some pretty cool designs and colors (to please your little prince or princess). There’s something for everyone here!

Because there are so many different backpacks for kids, we couldn’t fit them all in this review. So, you can also check out our gender specific boy’s or girl’s backpack reviews for even more options. For younger children, look at our best toddler backpack review. And for older students, perhaps a rolling backpack or best laptop backpack will be what you need. Heck, there are so many options, we have an entire page devoted to backpack reviews! You can also take a look at the Amazon Best Sellers in Kids' Backpacks list.
TopProducts may earn commissions when you purchase through links on our site. Learn More.
Overview
PROS
CONS
SPECS
Material
Pockets
Capacity
Straps
Protection
Our Top Choice
Under Armour Hustle 3.0 Adjustable Backpack
Under Armour is a renowned brand in the sports apparel industry, manufacturing innovative apparel and accessories including hats, gloves, shoes and backpacks.
Unisex design. Large capacity. Laptop sleeve fits 15” laptop. Water-resistant material. Abrasion-resistant bottom panel. Adjustable HeatGear straps. Front and side pockets.
Some backpacks that arrived looked slightly different to the picture or had a slightly different color.
100% polyester
1 external & 2 side water bottle
29-liters
HeatGear adjustable
Water and abrasion-resistant
Best Value
Vaschy Unisex Classic School Backpack
Vaschy appreciates the timeless and simple design of products. Why ruin a good thing, right? They manufacture bags, backpacks, lunch bags and pencil cases.
Simple, minimalist design. Unisex. 4 interior pockets. Double zippered main compartment. Laptop sleeve fits 14” laptop. Waterproof. Reinforced bottom panel.
Some complaints of a smell when new.
Lightweight polyester
1 external & 4 internal
19.35-liters
Adjustable, padded & reinforced
Waterproof
Tilami 18” Rolling School Backpack
Tilami, founded over 30 years ago, aims to manufacture high-quality luggage items that meet customer expectations such as rolling backpacks, laptop backpacks and lunch bags.
Rolling design for convenience. Tilami armor protection bottom. Multiple exterior pockets. Internal multi-compartment design. 30lbs bearing with aluminum rod.
Some wish there were more girly prints to choose from, other than just hearts.
Not specified
2 external & 2 side mesh
Large internal compartment
Padded with storage pockets
Tilami armor bottom protection
PUMA Boy’s School Backpack
PUMA is a world-renowned brand in the sports apparel industry thanks to over 65 years’ experience. They manufacture sports clothing, shoes, hats, socks, belts and backpacks!
Simple design with the PUMA logo. Matching lunchbox available in a bundle. Adjustable padded straps. 100% polyester exterior and interior. 14-inch shoulder drop.
Quite a small size compared to others available.
100% polyester shell & lining
2 external or no pockets
Ring binder, books & lunch
Padded and adjustable
No protection
BLUEFAIRY Printed School Backpack for Kids
BLUEFAIRY is a brand that focuses all its energy on manufacturing high-quality backpacks, handbags, crossbody bags and uniquely designed bags.
Nylon and polyester construction. Multiple exterior and interior pockets. Large capacity. High quality double zippers. Adjustable straps. Laptop compartment.
Not water-resistant.
Nylon and polyester
Multiple interior & exterior
20 – 35-liters
Adjustable S-shape, padded
Water-resistant

Related Reviews
Best Toddler Backpack
Best Girls’ School Backpack
Best Boys’ School Backpack
Best Backpack

What Is the Best Kid’s Backpack for School? Check Out Our Reviews for Cool Kid’s Backback Ideas!

Let’s take a look at each of our fantastic products in detail to see what they have to offer. Remember, if the color or design of one of our featured backpacks isn’t for you, all these brands offer plenty of other design options – same great features and all!

Related: Best Sports for Kids to Play & Their Benefits
Our Top Choice
The Under Armour Hustle LDWR Backpack features a water-resistant material, abrasion-resistant bottom and HeatGear adjustable straps. Your child into sports? Take a look at the Under Armour Hustle II Kids Baseball Softball Bat Backpack Equipment Bag, There's enough room for bats, balls and gear!

Under Armour Hustle 3.0 Backpack – Mid-Size Schoool Backpack for Kids, Teens and Adults, Available in 18olors


Features

Under Armour is a well-known and well-respected global brand. It was founded by a former football player with the aim to manufacture sports apparel that regulates temperature and doesn’t absorb perspiration, expels it. Their line of products for men, women and children are intricately designed using the latest technologies and innovation, however, this complicated process is not reflected in the shopping experience. Choose from HeatGear, ColdGear or AllSeasonGear to get your ideal apparel. UA also manufacture a range of accessories including hats, socks, gloves and backpacks.

Today we’re featuring the Hustle LDWR Backpack, thanks to its rugged and durable design. We all know what kids and teens are like with their bags, so you want to make sure you get them a backpack that’s going to survive at least one school year! Using UA Storm technology, this pack is highly water-resistant and up to battle any of the elements.

That’s not all though. Let’s check out some more awesome features:

  • Abrasion-resistant bottom panel reduces scuffs and damage
  • Constructed with 100% polyester
  • Holds up to a 15” laptop in the soft lined sleeve
  • HeatGear shoulder straps are adjustable for your comfort
  • Front pocket and side water bottle pockets give you plenty of extra storage spaces
  • Large 29-liter capacity, ideal for school books and pencil cases
  • Measures 18 x 12 x 8-inches

This backpack has all the essentials you need in a school backpack and its unisex design means it’ll be great for your son or daughter. Just choose from the 10 awesome colors available and you’re good to go. You can choose from black, blue, graphite, grey, purple, red and more.

Best Value
The Vaschy Unisex Classic School Backpack has a minimalist design, with one exterior zippered pocket and reinforced, padded straps. Have a little one? Then check out the highly rated Vaschy Little Kid Preschool Backpack with chest strap.

Vaschy Unisex Classic Water-Resistant School Rucksack – Kids Backpack with Laptop Sleeve, Multiple Color Options


Features

Vaschy is all about keeping things simple and neat. But that doesn’t mean their products aren’t functional. They’re a lifestyle brand and their backpacks, messenger bags, lunch bags, sling bags and even pencil cases all feature high-end features and excellent durability. They appreciate timeless designs, while maintaining the highest quality.

The Vaschy Unisex Classic School Backpack is a fantastic backpack with a clean, minimalist design. With multiple colors to choose from, including black, blue, gray, tangerine and red, you can get a pack that really shows off your style, even with a simple design. From the front, you see the classic rucksack shape, with an exterior zippered pocket and reinforced bottom panel in brown, no matter the color of the backpack. After all, brown does go with everything!

Here’s some more great features to look out for:

  • Constructed with lightweight polyester
  • Completely waterproof so no need to worry about damaging your books etc.
  • Main compartment has a double zipper closure
  • 19.35-liter capacity is large enough for a few books
  • Built-in laptop sleeve for a 14” laptop
  • Padded, adjustable and reinforced straps
  • Includes four interior pockets for ultimate organization
  • Measures 16.9 x 11.8 x 5.9-inches
The Tilami 18” Rolling School Backpack is ideal for kids who have to carry around a lot of heavy books because it takes the weight from their back and puts it in an easy-to-roll pull-along backpack! Need something smaller? Tilami has a variety of 16" rolling backpack designs that kids and teens will love to take to school. They have larger 19" ones too!

Tilami 18-Inch Rolling Backpack for School or Travel – Kids Rolling Backpack with Laptop Sleeve, Available in 5 Colors


Features

Tilami has been around for over 30 years manufacturing high-quality luggage items including rolling backpacks, laptop backpacks and lunch bags. Their focus is on quality and meeting the expectations of their customers. Shipping products to over 20 countries, Tilami has made a name for themselves, and it’s one you can trust.

We’ve opted to feature the Tilami 18” Rolling School Backpack thanks to its unique design. When you first think about buying a backpack, you wouldn’t automatically think of a rolling one, however it has many benefits. The most prominent of which, of course, is the fact that your kid won’t have to lug around a heavy rucksack full of books on their back, they can simply pull along a backpack on wheels instead!

Let’s look at some more cool features of this pack:

  • Tilami armor bottom protection
  • 30lbs bearing with aluminum alloy rod
  • Also has shoulder straps for multifunctional usage
  • 2 exterior pockets and 2 side mesh pockets
  • Multi-compartment design for organized storage
  • Large main compartment
  • Straps pack away in concealed back pockets when not in use
  • Measures 18.92 x 12.87 x 8.27-inches

There’s also multiple designs to choose from when it comes to this rolling backpack. Choose from black square, blue camouflage, blue star, classic camouflage and red heart!

The PUMA Boy’s School Backpack has a simple design with the recognizable PUMA logo and also comes with a matching lunch bag. If you’re looking for a backpack for your daughter, you might want to check out the PUMA Girls’ Backpacks and Lunch Boxes which come in some girlier colors.

PUMA Boy’s School Backpack, Available with Matching Lunch Box – Kids Backpack in Multiple Colors


Features

PUMA was founded over 65 years ago, and since then they’ve grown to be one of the world’s leading sports products brands. Striving to always be brave, confident, determined and joyful, the famous PUMA brand has even been seen on the legendary Usain Bolt. Asides from sports apparel, PUMA also produces shoes, hats, belts, socks and backpacks.

The PUMA Boy’s School Backpack features a simple design with the well-known PUMA logo printed on the front. What’s more, you can opt to purchase this backpack with a matching lunch bag too, so your son or daughter will have everything they need to tackle any day at school. If you decide you love the look of the lunch bag but not so much the backpack, you can also purchase that separately too. The options are endless.

Let’s take a look at some of the features of this PUMA backpack:

  • Constructed with 100% polyester shell and lining
  • Double zipper closure
  • 14-inch shoulder drop
  • Adjustable padded straps
  • Measures 15.5 x 12.5 x 3-inches
  • Lunchbox measures 10.5 x 10.2 x 2.6-inches
  • Mesh back material to help regulate temperature

This awesome backpack is available in loads of designs/colors including black/blue, black/yellow, gray/green, black/red, camo/blue and many more! The backpacks that are sold individually come with 2 external pockets but the backpacks in the bundle don’t come with any external pockets.

The BLUEFAIRY Printed School Backpack comes with four compartments and multiple interior and exterior pockets for all your storage needs. BLUEFAIRY also had a large selection of boy's school backpacks as well as unisex designs for kids of all ages!

BLUEFAIRY Printed School Backpack for Girls with Laptop Compartment - Available in Multiple Styles & Colors


Features

BLUEFAIRY manufactures a wide range of high-quality luggage products. Their range includes backpacks, handbags, crossbody bags, rattan bags and more. They’ve even got some quirky pearl and apple shaped bags.

Today we’re going to feature the BLUEFAIRY Printed School Backpack comes in multiple designs to choose from. Some of the designs have more external pockets, or they’re just differently placed, but all the backpacks have more than enough storage for a school kid and their books.

We’re featuring the rose red 3 backpack, so let’s check out its features:

  • Constructed with nylon
  • Features a polyester and nylon interior lining
  • Large 20 – 35-liter capacity
  • Adjustable S-shape shoulder straps
  • High quality double zippers
  • Has 4 compartments; 1 main, 2 medium and 1 small front compartment
  • Also has built-in laptop compartment and zippered pouch
  • 2 mesh side pockets for water bottles
  • Measures approximately 17 x 12 x 6-inches and weighs just 1.35lbs

With so many colors and designs to choose from your daughter is bound to find the ideal backpack for her. The different colors include; blue hearts, pink hearts, black and blue, purple, orange, black and purple and blue, to name a few!

Best Kid’s School Backpack Buying Guide — Should You Get a Traditional or Kid’s Rolling Backpack?

School season has begun, and you know what that means – back to school shopping! Yeah, we know. It’s that time of year when your kids want you to buy everything that has nothing to do with school. Whether it’s smartphones, fidget spinners, or video game consoles, your little ones want it! While you stock your cart with all that, don’t forget the most important item of them all – the school backpack. Wondering why it’s the most important?

Well for starters, they use it to carry books and other school items.  Unlike a toddler's backpack, the best kids’ school backpacks are spacious enough to carry tons of their things. This will save you the headache of having to replace books and lunch boxes every now and then. They are also quite durable and last a quite a few months (that is, before someone decides to practice their surgical skills on the bag). Get one today and help your kids organize their lives better!

With so many brands to choose from and hundreds of awesome backpacks for boys and girls, it can be hard to narrow down your options (which is one of the reasons we decided to create a totally separate review for toddler backpacks). One amazing brand that we didn’t have room to feature, is Lily & Drew, who have a huge range of backpacks. Some have a simple, plain design like the Nylon Casual Travel Daypack, whereas others have a printed design. The Lily & Drew Canvas School Backpack comes in various designs including elephants, cats, stars and more!

Vbiger is another awesome brand that manufactures high-quality backpacks, hats, gloves and other accessories. The Vbiger Unisex School Backpack comes in a huge range of colors and is made from a waterproof, durable material.

When it comes to backpack brands, you can’t ignore The North Face. They’re a renowned and trusted brand in the industry and produce backpacks in all designs, sizes and colors. The North Face Unisex Mini Berkeley Backpack is a classic design with all the necessary space and compartments that your school child could need.

Now you’ve had time to see some of the options on the market, it’s time to take a look at some consideration factors before delving into our reviews.

Video: What to Put in your Backpack During COVID-19

Back to School Cleaning Tips | Courtesy of CBC Kids News
Price

For a product that helps your child organize their lives and save you from constantly replacing pens and pencils, kids school backpacks are relatively inexpensive. They go for anywhere between $15 and $200. Now there is a large price gap between the low and high end of this scale and that’s based on a number of things. The branding, design, material, size and extra accessories can all bump up the price of a school backpack.

There are cheap kids school backpacks out there, even cheaper than our lowest end options, however, they’re likely not very good quality and won’t last the wear and tear they’re bound to succumb to at school.

Features

Though your child’s convenience is what’s driving you to buy a backpack, there are several features you should look out for before making the purchase.

Here are a few factors you should consider:

  • Design – Does your kid like sci-fi movies? Does he need space for a laptop? With a diverse array of designs, there’s something for everyone
  • Materials – Kids backpacks are made of different materials like suede, leather, and polyester
  • Color – They come in a large variety of colors
  • Size – Depending on how old your child is and what they need to carry, you can find the right sized backpack for them.
  • Pockets – They have different types of pockets like internal/external pockets, mesh pockets, and front pockets. They also range in size.
  • Extras – Some backpacks come with handles and wheels, some with extra pockets, and others with MP3 pockets and name tags
Construction and Design

The construction and design of your kid’s backpack is very important. Firstly, the design will be what your child notices first and probably the thing that’s the most important to them. Luckily, you can get pretty much any design on a backpack nowadays so whether your little one is into Batman, Disney, Lego, Star Wars, Princesses, Toy Story, Frozen or anything else, you’re bound to find a backpack that appeals to them. Alternatively, they might not want a backpack with a specific movie or TV theme, and there’s plenty of those too! There’s tons of simple, plain backpacks in a variety of colors too, so they can simply pick their favorite color!

When it comes to the construction element of the backpack, the first thing to consider is the size. What does your child need to carry around? Is it just a book and their lunch? Perhaps it’s several books, their lunch and a toy? Or maybe they need a tablet, books, gym kit, lunch and a pencil case? Depending on what your kid needs to carry in their backpack, you’ll be able to get the right sized pack. Some also come with multiple compartments to organize their belongings too.

Finally, the material the backpack is made from is very important. You want something that is durable and will hopefully last them an entire school year. The most common material for kids’ backpacks is polyester as it’s cheap, durable and slightly waterproof. If you’ve got a bit of spare cash though and you want to go for ultimate durability, you might want to consider a leather backpack that will last for years to come, guaranteed.

 

Video: Clean a Backpack & Lunch Bag: Back To School Cleaning Tips 1/3 (Clean My Space)

Back to School Cleaning Tips | Courtesy of Clean My Space
Performance and Ease of Use

When it comes to the performance of your kid’s backpack, it really depends on how easily they can access their things, whether they’re well organized and easily accessible and whether the backpack lasts. We’ve already spoken about how material effects durability so now we’ll discuss how many pockets your backpack should have. The number of pockets you decide on should be determined by the needs of your child. If your child carries around lots of small items that might easily get lost, go for one with front pockets for pens/pencils and exterior mesh pockets for other stationary. On the other hand, if your child only needs to carry important school items like books and a laptop, buy one with only internal pockets. Otherwise, one with external pockets will work just fine for ordinary stuff like lunchboxes.

Other extras that would be useful to have are pockets to easily access a mobile phone, a headphone pouch, laptop sleeve or water bottle holder. Also, if your kid is going to be lugging around multiple heavy books then you might want to get a bag with wheels and a pull along handle. This will hopefully ensure your child doesn’t hurt his or her back when going to school.

Last but not least, you should consider how easy the pack is to clean. If you’ve got a young child, you can expect a fair few scuffs, scrapes and spillages throughout the backpacks lifespan. Some backpacks will be made of materials that can just be wiped clean, others might be able to be put in the washing machine! Consider all these things as you look through the choices for a great school backpack for your kid.


Get the Best Kids Backpack of 2023!

Being a parent is hard work. With Back to School season upon us and everyone frantically trying to get everything ready, we hope we’ve given you a moment of relaxation. It’s calming when you no longer have to worry about your child’s backpack. Any of these brands offer fantastic bags that should last the school year. (Although, this does depend on what your little one gets up to!) Take your pick from these 5 renowned brands and get the year started.

Our Top Choice
Under Armour Hustle 3.0 Adjustable Backpack
Best Value
Vaschy Unisex Classic School Backpack
Tilami 18” Rolling School Backpack
PUMA Boy’s School Backpack
BLUEFAIRY Printed School Backpack for Kids

Kids Backpack FAQs

What is the best size for a kid’s backpack?
The best size for a kid’s backpack is one that isn’t longer or wider than the child’s back. So, you can measure the length and width of the child’s back and use the information to buy the right backpack. When calculating the size, consider the distance between the waist and the shoulder line. Usually, a bag fits four inches under the shoulders and two inches below the waistline. That means you can add two inches to the height of the child’s back to get the right backpack size. On the other hand, the width is the distance between the shoulder blades. You may add two inches as well.
How to clean the kid’s school backpack?
You can clean a kid’s backpack by pre-heating to remove difficult stains ahead of time. Since most kid’s backpacks are colored, avoid using bleaching agents for the job. You may want to soak the bag in a cleaning solution for up to two hours before washing. Alternatively, you could wash in a machine on a gentle cycle and with a mild detergent. When you finish, hang the backpack to dry.
Backpack for kids, what age?
The right age for a kid’s school backpack is three years. That’s the age when kids are ready for pre-kindergarten. So, that means children above the age of three years can use their backpacks to school.