10 back-to-school backpacks that will survive the full year

For the youngest students, a backpack is less about laptop sleeves and more about showing up on day one with their favorite animated pal on their shoulders. Staples' lineup of kids' character backpack sets covers exactly that, featuring Bluey, Pokémon, Stitch, Spider-Man, Super Mario, Minecraft, and even K-Pop Demon Hunters. Each set typically includes the backpack, a coordinating lunch bag, and accessories. With other Staples’ school supplies as low as $0.25, you can knock out the rest of their list in one easy stop, from pocket folders to crayons and composition notebooks.

If your favorite kid has moved on from cartoon characters but isn't ready for a full-size adult bag, Wildkin's 15-inch pack is ready to serve. Find the pack in dozens of bright prints like dinosaurs, sharks, unicorns, and space motifs. Plus, it's sized just right for elementary shoulders. The padded straps and moisture-resistant lining make it comfortable to carry and easy to wipe down after the inevitable juice-box explosion. There's room inside for folders and a lunch, and a side pocket for a water bottle, thank the lord, because Gen A is the most hydrated generation.

The PBteen Gear-Up backpack is a middle- and high-school hallway staple for a reason: it comes in a huge range of solids and patterns, and it's roomy enough for a full course load without looking bulky. It has a padded laptop sleeve, a fleece-lined pocket for a phone or glasses, and durable recycled fabric that withstands a school year of abuse. Sizes range from small (for younger kids) to large, each designed to carry a teen's entire day so you can match the bag to the student. Even comes in a rolling style.

You can't talk about school backpacks without the JanSport Big Student. It's the roomier, laptop-friendly big sibling of the JanSport our testers named a classic pick in our school backpack roundup, and at 34 liters it swallows textbooks, binders, and a laptop with room to spare. Two large compartments, a front stash pocket, and padded shoulder straps make it a bag a kid can grow into and keep using from middle school through senior year—and with more than 40 colorways, everyone can find their own.

If you hope to buy one bag for your kid's middle school run and be done with it, L.L. Bean's Original Book Pack is the tank of the school-supply aisle. It's the pack generations of students have carried (since 1982), built from tough polyester with a padded back and straps that stay comfortable even under a heavy load. At 24 liters, it's sized for grade-schoolers on up, and L.L. Bean's satisfaction guarantee means it's meant to survive years of daily hauling—not just one semester.

A favorite of design nerds, style-conscious hikers, and Swedish schoolchildren alike, the Fjällräven Kånken is the backpack equivalent of having your cake and eating it, too. Our testers named the Kånken the trendiest pick in our school backpack test for its lightweight yet durable Vinylon F material, roomy main compartment, and minimalist design. It evokes a fresh, youthful vibe without looking like it came from the kids' department, which makes it a middle- and high-school hallway favorite. Available in loads of colors, this pack has purpose, too—it's made to help prevent back problems.

The Herschel Pop Quiz is a standout for high school students and older. Our team tested it for our school backpack guide and enjoyed its springy straps and padded laptop compartment. The signature front organizer pocket features a fleece-lined tech sleeve, a key clip, and slots for pens and small essentials, keeping earbuds and other small items from getting lost in the main compartment. The classic silhouette looks just as at home on campus as it does in the hallway.

Just looking at the sleek design of the Cotopaxi 16L Batac bag from the Del Día collection, you may wonder if it can be both cool-looking and functional. The small, colorful bag has a lot going for it: it's spacious enough for a day's worth of books or gear, made of light material that packs down easily, and it has side pockets tall enough to keep a water bottle from toppling out. Best of all, getting a backpack from Cotopaxi's Del Día collection means no one else will have the same one—every bag is made from leftover materials and assembled by factory employees who choose the color combinations themselves. It's sunshine on a cloudy day.

The North Face Borealis earned our Editors' Choice award as the best dual-purpose backpack in our school backpack testing, and it's equally at home carrying textbooks to class and gear on a weekend hike. Our testers loved its supportive, ventilated back panel and cushioned straps that keep a heavy load from feeling like one, plus a padded laptop sleeve and a front organizer that actually keeps small stuff in place. For a high schooler who needs one bag to do everything, this is the one.

For the high schooler whose bag doubles as a mobile office, the Case Logic Notion is built around a padded compartment that fits laptops up to 16 inches, plus a dedicated tablet pocket and foam-cushioned straps for the long haul. It's a no-frills, hard-wearing pack designed to protect electronics through years of daily commutes—a smart pick for a student loaded down with a large laptop and chargers.