UCB Parents Recommendations

Backpacks for Kids

Advice and recommendations from the UCB Parents mailing list. This page is brought to you by UC Berkeley Parents Network
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related page: Baby Backpacks
Can anyone recommend a good place to buy cute child size backpacks without Disney characters or Pokemon or any other character? I want to take my daughter to pick one out for kindergarten with options that don't include Barbie and Arthur, if possible! Thanks again for all your help! Allison
You may want to check out the Sweet Potatoes store on 4th street for kids' backpacks. My mother-in-law found a very cute selection there. LL Bean also has some for kids, but you can't touch them and try them on. Good luck! - Hilary
I like you would rather my children not have any "Pokemon, Barbie, Nascar, etc." backpacks for school.aa Eddie Bauer has some real nice child size backpacks that have great colors andacan be monogrammed.a Check out their website @ ebbiebauer.com.a In addition, I just received the Lands End catalog and they have some child size backpacks as well.aa What I am going to suggest to my kids is that they can hang key chains of their favorite "subject" on their nice colorful backpacks with their initials on.a This should look cool - don't you think!! Sarah
For a plain sturdy backpack for kids I recommend Jansport. (About $25.00) They come with a lifetime guaranatee! You child will lose it before a seam ever breaks. I regularly use one also. On mine the Zipper broke. I mailed it in and withing four weeks it came back reparied. Amanda
For cute child size backpacks without Disney characters or Pokemon or any other characters try REI (Eagle's Creek makes a nice one that comes in fun colors including purple. They have multiple pockets) or Lands' End. Sternhickey
REI makes a great kids backpack, the little Teton, that is perfectly designed for small peoples' needs. It has a large outer pocket that has a quick-release snap for easy entry, and it's made partly of cloth mesh so you can see what's inside. It's bright yellow (only comes in the one color). In my opinion, REI backpacks are by far the sturdiest and best designed packs on the market. We've tried many. Spohr
Kid-sized backpacks are available at both REI and Copeland's -- they resemble adult-sized backpacks waterproof vinyl in various colors. The ones at Copeland's are less expensive but the ones at REI are better quality. Eileen
We found a nice, child-size backpack, sans cartoon characters at REI. I think it was around $20. We've had it for about a year now, it seems to be very sturdy. We just throw it in the washing machine when it gets dirty, and it seems to be holding up well. Colleen
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