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" Parents are always on the lookout for spacious, comfortable, safe, durable and stylish backpacks for their kids to tote their supplies around. Children, of course, always want what&amp;#039;s &amp;quot;cool&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;in&amp;quot;! The scientists at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute evaluated dozens of backpacks to find the safest, most comfortable, and durable packs, and then had 37 kids weigh in on style &amp;amp;amp; design.  What We Looked for When Testing Backpacks The Good Housekeeping Research Institute (GHRI) evaluated backpacks for:  Comfort  Portability  Weight when empty  Appearance  Weight when filled  Space Capacity  Design Features  Abrasion  Water Repellency  Sturdiness and Durability  Fabric Strength  Spot Staining  Appearance  How The Good Housekeeping Research Institute Tested Backpacks  The backpacks were evaluated with lab tests and consumer testing. The lab tested them for durability and performance. Kids tested the bags for ease of use and appearance.  Abrasion was tested on the Wysenbeek machine. Two swatches of fabric cut from each of the fabrics on the backpacks were subjected to 15,000 rubs and a visual standard was used to average the results.  To test water repellency, a swatch from each backpack fabric was subjected to a water spray test and a photographic visual standard was used to score the results.  The strength of the fabrics from each backpack was tested on the Instron machine. Samples were pulled and the number of pounds of force it took to rip the fabric was recorded. The results were then averaged for an overall score.  To test stain resistance, the fabrics from each bag were stained with cola, grass, and ink. The stains were removed using dish liquid soap and water.  To test for physical damage from dropping, the backpack was filled with weights and dropped three times from a three-foot height.  To test capacity, each backpack was packed with an assortment of appropriate spiral notebooks, hardcover textbooks, pencil boxes, rulers, binders, and water bottles based on the age range claimed on the backpack.  The children were asked to rate the appearance and ease of use of the backpacks.  What to Look For When Shopping for a Backpack  Look for backpacks made from ballistic nylon (looks like luggage fabric) or ripstop nylon. These will hold up to the beating your child is likely going to give the bag.  Check for zipper pulls that can be easily used by your child. Zipper pulls can help your child open the backpack, reducing the stress on the zipper and thus reducing the chances of a broken one.  Make sure your child can see inside the various compartments of the bag\u2014no parent wants to hear the constant complaint, &amp;quot;I can&amp;#039;t find anything in this pack!&amp;quot;  Make sure the backpack fits your child correctly. Put the backpack on your child and tighten the shoulder straps. The bag should then rest comfortably on your child&amp;#039;s lower back. If there is a sternum strap, clip that together and if there is a waist strap, clip that together also. When all this is done, the bag should be comfortable on your child. Nothing should be hanging below their back.  Shoulder straps should be curved and have some padding for greater comfort.   Backpacks for 8- to 12-Year-Olds Columbia Half Track Backpack ($59) A little on the expensive side for a stripped-down basic pack, this bag is easy to carry and comfortable even when packed full of school supplies. Available in five colors: Black Plaid, Cilantro Camo, Medallion, Bark Plaid, and Black. columbia.com. Pros:  Good water repellency  Fits 10 pounds of school materials with room for more  1.8 pounds empty  Very good padded straps  Children thought the pack was fairly comfortable and very easy to carry  Cons:  Fabric won&amp;#039;t withstand lots of wear and tear  Stripped-down basic pack  Columbia Manifest Backpack ($79) A bag with good design features but the children thought it was uncomfortable to carry. Available in six colors: Verde Lines, Zinc, Salsa Lines, Vert, Black, and Cilantro Camo. columbia.com. Pros:  Excellent padded shoulder straps  Holds 10-pound assortment of school supplies  Has many design features  Weighs 1.8 pounds when empty  Good abrasion results\u2014won&amp;#039;t get pilled up too quickly  Cons:  Fabric isn&amp;#039;t the most durable and could tear if snagged  Fabric doesn&amp;#039;t resist water very well  Eagle Creek Wit ($70) This pack is extra comfy and has a &amp;quot;secret&amp;quot; pocket in the top rear\u2014perfect for stashing keys, money, or a cell phone. The fabric is resilient to wear but may tear if snagged. Available in three colors: Port Stratus, Night Sky Stratus, Pacific Blue Stratus. eaglecreek.com. Pros:  Fabric is resistant to abrasion  Fabric is water repellent  Can easily hold 10 pounds of school items with room to spare  Weighs only 1.05 pounds when empty  The kid testers liked the cool fabric design and the horizontal front zippered compartment  Cons:  Fabric tears easily  There aren&amp;#039;t organizer pockets, or  electronic ports, or  drink pouches   L.L. Bean Super Deluxe Book Pack ($50) Many pockets and a large capacity ensure your child can find a spot for everything. The extra-tough bottom will withstand even the roughest schoolyard dragging. And the extra-padded straps are easy on the shoulders. Available in seven colors: Black, Beechnut, Brown, Mountain Red, Mid-Blue, Night and Orange Pekoe, and Sketchy Blue Plaid. llbean.com. Pros:  Has thick straps, which the children felt made it more comfortable  Weighs only 1.5 pounds while empty so it is easy to carry around  Has many pockets and sections  Withstood abrasion, water repellency, and survived drop tests  Extra durable fabric on the bottom  Cons:  Stains show and are difficult to remove  Fabric can tear if caught  LL Bean Apex Pack ($50) This durable pack keeps it simple with one big compartment, a separate zippered section for sneakers or a jacket, and a front pocket for organizing supplies. A cushy back and thick straps make it comfy for carrying. In five colors. llbean.com. Pros:  Sturdy and water-repellant Fit 10 pounds of supplies Weighs less than 2 pounds empty  Cons:  Fabric tears relatively easily Ink stains don&amp;#039;t come out of fabric Stripped-down basic bag without extras  L.L. Bean Critter Pack ($38) Weighing in at only a pound when empty, this pack is extra-light for a smaller child. It will withstand being left out in a rainstorm and many drags across the pavement. However, with its embroidered &amp;quot;critter,&amp;quot; only your young ones may find it cool enough for school. Available in four colors: Colonial Red/Snake, Mariner/Shark, Pink/Butterfly, Sail Orange/Gecko. llbean.com. Pros:  Held 10 pounds of supplies with room for more  Weighs only 1 pound empty  Durable fabric that will hold up to wear and tear  Good water repellency  Cons:  Children did not find it as comfortable as others  Not a lot of padding in the straps  There&amp;#039;s only one large section and one front pouch  Lands&amp;#039; End FeatherLight 200 Backpack ($34.50) Holding true to its name, children found this bag very comfortable and portable. It will withstand a rainstorm and only weighs 1 pound. It&amp;#039;s a good choice if you don&amp;#039;t care about having many extras, plus the fabric will wear down after some time. Available in three colors: Chili Pepper, Amethyst, and Pink Blook. landsend.com. Pros:  Weighs only 1 pound when empty  Fabric has excellent water repellency  Comfortable and portable  Cons:  Fabric shows wear and tear over time  Fabric can tear easily  Spots leave a slight stain after cleaning   Osprey Axis ($69) Testers found this bag comfortable and easy to carry around, probably due to its lightweight and nicely padded straps. It will resist wear and tear, but won&amp;#039;t withstand a rainstorm very well. Available in three colors: Ember, Carbon, and Limestone. ospreypacks.com. Pros  Held 10 pounds with room to spare  Weighs 1.4 pounds when empty  Excellent abrasion results  Nicely padded straps  Cons:  Poor tear strength  Only fair water repellency  Ink did not come out of fabric  Osprey Jet ($45) This pack will easily withstand a rainy day. Children found it comfortable to wear and easy to carry. The straps could use a little more padding, however, and it is a pretty simple design with no extra pockets. Available in two colors: Lime Squeeze and Cherry Shake. ospreypacks.com. Pros:  Very water repellent  Fits 10 pounds of school supplies with room to spare  Children found it comfortable  Weighs 1.15 pounds when empty  Cons:  Fabric will not hold up to a lot of wear and tear  Straps could use more padding  Beeposh ($25-$30) Weighing in just under a pound, children found this pack comfortable and easy to carry\u2014even when packed full of books and binders. However, it won&amp;#039;t keep contents dry in a rainstorm. The available patterns will likely only appeal to girls. Available in two designs: Fergie and Sasha. beeposh.com. Pros:  Fabric has excellent abrasion resistance  Ink was the only stain that couldn&amp;#039;t be removed easily  Held 10 pounds of supplies with room to spare  It&amp;#039;s lightweight at only 0.9 pounds when empty  Children thought it was comfortable and easy to carry  Cons:  Fabric has poor water repellency  Handle broke in the drop test  Fabric tore easily in strength test  Basic bag with only one large section and one small section  Lacks padding on the straps   For 13- to 18-Year-Olds Kelty Connection ($80) Two big sections, a pouch for electronics, a porthole, and an organizing pocket will ensure everything has its place in this pricey pack. Children found it comfortable and easy to carry, thanks to its thickly padded curved straps. The fabric is not very durable; scoring poorly in the abrasion, water repellency, and stain resistance tests. Available in four colors: Black, Blue, Orange, and Brown. kelty.com. Pros:  Held 15 pounds of school supplies with room for more  Has an electronics pouch with porthole  Has thick padded curved straps with a padded mesh inset back  Has a rubberized bottom  Children found the bag comfortable and easy to carry  Cons:  Fabric does not resist abrasion  Fabric isn&amp;#039;t water repellent  Fabric does not resist stains well  Weighs 2.6 pounds when empty  Teenagers did not think the front straps were large enough to hold their jackets  Kelty Platform ($100) Teens found this expensive pack fairly comfortable and easy to carry, even though it weighed in at three pounds when empty\u2014heavy for a backpack. The strong fabric will withstand tearing and its ample design features will help keep your kid organized. Available in five colors: Black, Blue, Red, Green, and Cream. kelty.com. Pros:  Held 15 pounds of school supplies  Has front pocket with spandex insets for coats or sneakers  Has padded inset for laptop, and an electronics pouch for your MP3 player  Has big middle section with organizer pocket  Fabric will withstand tearing  Had a durable rubberized bottom  Has thickly padded straps and back with mesh insets  Children thought the pack was fairly comfortable and easy to carry  Cons:  It&amp;#039;s a heavy bag, weighing 3 pounds when empty  Fabric will not resist abrasion  Fabric isn&amp;#039;t water repellent  Fabric doesn&amp;#039;t resist stains well  L.L. Bean Turbo Transit Pack Book Pack ($70) Teens raved that this pack comfortable and portable, on account of its excellent padded straps and its light weight. There are lots of pockets to stash electronics and a separate bottom pouch that is perfect for stinky sports gear such as sneakers and a jacket. Its rubberized bottom will withstand endless schoolyard dragging. Available in six colors: Black, Brown, Mid-Blue, Mountain Red, Graffiti, and Skater Plaid. llbean.com. Pros:  Has excellent padded and curved straps that the children found comfortable  Weighs only 1.95 pounds when empty  Has one large section and one smaller with an organizer  Fit all 15 pounds of school supplies  Fabric is very durable  Has a reinforced bottom  Has a top back pouch with a porthole for headphones cord  Has a Mesh cell phone holder on one of the straps  Has front bungee cords which the testers liked for their jackets  The bottom has a separate zipper pouch that keeps contents separate from the rest of the items in the pack  Cons:  Ink was the only stain we could remove   Eagle Creek Iver ($90) Children found this pricey backpack fairly comfortable and easy to carry. Holding up to 15 pounds of school supplies, the pack distributed the weight well, adding to its carrying comfort. It did well in abrasion testing, but the fabric is not water repellent and it will take lots of scrubbing to get stains out, so you may want to choose a darker color. Available in four colors: Fossil Stratus, Port Stratus, Night Sky Stratus, Pacific Blue Stratus. eaglecreek.com. Pros:  Fabric resists abrasion  Fabric resists tearing  Children found the pack fairly comfortable and easy to carry  Children thought the pack distributed weight well when full  Held 15 pounds of school supplies  Weighs 1.75 pounds when empty  Cons:  Fabric is not very water repellent  Stains couldn&amp;#039;t be easily removed  Straps could use more padding  No front pocket \u2013 this the teen testers did not like  Burton Metalhead Pack ($50) Teenage testers loved the appearance of this bag. It has a strap in front for holding a skateboard and a cooler pocket at the bottom that is perfect for stashing lunch or a water bottle. Testers found it fairly comfortable and portable but felt it could use a little more padding in the straps. Available in seventeen designs/colors: Purple Label Population Print, Gold Medal Panhandle Print, 3D Monkey Print, Dot Com Print, Royal Flush Print, Acid Wash Print, Vain Gamo Print, True Black Bobber Plaid, Gypsy Plaid, Estate Plaid, Astro Buffade Plaid, Mocha, Blue 23, Astro Turf, Rastablock, Cardinal, True Black. burton.com. Pros:  Has a cooler pocket at bottom for cold items  Has skateboard straps in front  Held 15 pounds of school supplies  Weighs 1.65 pounds when empty  Teenagers found it fairly comfortable and portable  Cons:  Fabric does not resist abrasion well  Fabric is not water repellent  Fabric could tear easily  Straps could use more padding  Osprey Comet ($89) With thick, padded, curved straps and an even weight distribution of up to 15 pounds, this pricey pack is pretty comfortable for any student. Its fabric will withstand abrasion and a rainstorm, but may tear easily if it gets caught on a locker. Available in three colors: Mango, Blueberry, and Moss/Black. ospreypacks.com. Pros:  Has thick, padded curved straps  Teenagers thought the bag held and distributed the weight of the 15 pounds well  Fabric had good abrasion resistance  Held 15 pounds of school supplies  Weighs 1.55 pounds when empty  Cons:  The compression straps got in the way of making this a very comfortable bag for the testers  Fabric will tear easily if snagged   Gregory Vibe ($119) This expensive bag did very well in abrasion and water repellency tests, and its straps are thickly padded and curved. However, the fabric will likely rip if it gets caught on something, and testers rated it only average in comfort and portability. Available in three colors: Orange/White, Navy/Beige, and Black. moosejaw.com. Pros:  Fabric resists abrasion  Fabric is water repellent  Has thick padded curved straps  Cons  Weighs 2.4 pounds when empty  Fabric rips easily if caught on something  Did not fit all of the 15-pound assortment of school supplies  High Sierra Fat Boy ($30) A well priced, well made pack with lots of pockets. It also fits more than 15 pounds of school supplies. Probably better for the smaller child, as teenage testers didn&amp;#039;t find it that comfortable on their backs. Available in twenty-two colors: Black, Pink Square Plaid/White/Ash, White/Black Trees/Black, Cosmic Girl/Black, Black/Yellow Bolts, Grunge Checker/Black, Zebra/White/Black, Whimsy Plaid/Amethyst/Black, Birds on a Wire/Blueprint, Garden/White/Charcoal, Black Vertical Plaid/Black, Mad for Plaid/Black, Blue Velvet/Charcoal, Blueprint Cartoon Clouds/Blueprint/Charcoal, Blue/Black Crosshatch/Black, Blue Wash/White/Black, Blue Bolts/Amethyst, Wildflowers/Bouquet/Plum, Amazon/Ash, Carmine Red/Charcoal, and Flannel Plaid/Navy. hssc.com.  Pros:  Fabric resisted abrasion  Fabric is water repellant  Fit 15 pounds of school supplies with room for more  Two large compartments \u2013 one with an organizer inset, plus a small front zippered pouch for small items.  One of the lightest bags empty at 1.5 pounds  Cons:  Ink was not removable in the spot test  Teenage testers did not find it as comfortable, wishing it had more back padding  Testers complained the side compression straps got in the way  Only has a cell phone holder on a strap with no pouch or outlet for small electronic devices  High Sierra Swerve ($45) This pack has great design features: breathable mesh padded back, electronics pouch with porthole, duo drink mesh pouches, and extra durable fabric on the bottom. It will withstand abrasion and has well-padded straps. The only thing that got in the way of it being a very comfortable bag is the compression strap. Available in twenty colors: Black, Cerise/Zebra/Black, Multi Crosshatch/Black, Cosmic Girl/Black, Yellow Bolts/Black, Black/Black Vertical Plaid, Flint/Oyster/Flint, Ash/City Map, Black/Mad for Plaid, Navy/Charcoal/Black, Blueprint/Blueprint Cartoon Clouds, Blueprint/Birds on a Wire/Ash, Blue Wash/Black, Blue Bolts/White/Ash, Amethyst/Purple Argyle/Charcoal, Plum/Whimsy Plaid, Amazon/Ash/Black, Leaf Green/White/leaf Green Cartoon Clouds/Ash, Leaf Green/Birds on a Wire/Ash, and Pomodoro/Charcoal. hssc.com. Pros:  Fabric had very good abrasion results  Held 15 pounds of school supplies  Has a breathable mesh padded back  Has electronics pouch with porthole  Two mesh pouches for water bottles on either side of the pack  Extra durable fabric on bottom  Excellent padded curved straps  Teens found the bag fairly comfortable and easy to carry  Cons:  Bag is heavy at 2.5 pounds when empty   CalPak Sky Forest ($80) A good pack for your uber-organized student, this bag has lots of well-thought-out pockets and pouches that easily accommodate binders, books, pens and pencils. Available in five colors: Brown, Camo, Red, Whirlwind, and Temptation. ebags.com. Pros:  Fabric has very good abrasion resistance  Held 15 pounds of school supplies with room to spare  Has extra back padding  Has bungee cords on the front for jackets or sports clothing  Has electronic pouch with porthole and organizer pockets  Weighs 1.45 pounds when empty  Has extra padding on curved straps  Teenage testers found it extremely comfortable and easy to carry  Cons:  Ink stain was not easily removed  Lands&amp;#039; End MultiTask Backpack ($39.50) This is a great pack for your busy high school student that is always on the go. It has lots of pockets, is lightweight, and has the capacity for over 15 pounds of school gear. However, some of the teenagers found the bag a little too bulky and clumsy to carry. Available in one color: Light Brown. landsend.com. Pros:  Testers liked the outer pouch with the mesh insets and bungee cords  Weighs only 1.25 pounds empty  Held more than the 15 pounds of school gear with room for more  Fabric is abrasion resistant  Fabric is water repellent  Cons  Teenage testers did not like the design of the bag finding it cumbersome and difficult to use  Testers thought it needed more padding on the straps  Ink was not easily removed  Overland Equipment Acadia ($100) The fabric of this expensive bag is very durable and the double-layered fabric bottom should hold up to drops and drags. There is extra-thick padding on the straps as well. The pack is light, weighing less than 2 pounds empty. Teenagers found it only average in comfort and portability and it did not hold the full 15 pounds of school supplies. Available in three colors: Black, Wheat, and Peacock. overlandequipment.com. Pros:  Has excellent padded curved shoulder straps  Has very durable fabric  Has extra durable fabric on the bottom  Weighs 1.8 pounds when empty  Cons:  The grab handle pulled out during drop test  Did not hold the full 15 pounds  Limited design features   The North Face Jaunt ($65) Testers found this pack easy to carry, but tricky to get on, because of the waist and sternum straps were difficult to maneuver. It easily held 15 pounds of supplies and has padded and curved straps, adding to its comfort. It will resist abrasion but may not fair well in the rain or if the fabric gets caught on a locker door. Available in four colors: Blue Plaid (green and yellow accents), Blue, Red, and Black. thenorthface.com. Pros:  Held 15 pounds of supplies with room to spare  Weighs 1.85 pounds when empty  Has padded and curved straps  The testers found it easy to carry  Good abrasion resistance  Cons:  Teenagers thought the sternum and waist straps were cumbersome and awkward to use  Fabric was not very water repellent  Fabric had poor tear strength  The North Face Recon ($89) The fabric of this pricey pack will withstand lots of abrasion and the heaviest of rainstorms. The bag has excellent padded straps and fits up to 15 pounds of school supplies and books. It&amp;#039;s a bit heavy at 2.55 pounds empty, however, and the fabric may rip if it gets caught (the handle too!). North Face Men&amp;#039;s Recon is available in eight colors: Deep Water Blue, Red, Grey, English Green, Black, Blitz Blue, Grass Green, and Purple. North Face Women&amp;#039;s Recon is available in five colors: Fuschia, Blue, Viridian Green, Grey, and Black. thenorthface.com. Pros:  Fit 15 pounds of school supplies  Fabric has excellent abrasion resistance  Fabric is water repellent  Has excellent padded shoulder straps  Cons:  Heavy at 2.55 pounds when empty  Fabric has poor tear strength  The grab handles ripped out in drop test  Teenagers didn&amp;#039;t find it comfortable or portable, complaining the compression straps got in the way  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/childrens-products/kids-backpack-reviews/a18788/backpack-reviews/>