Back-to-school Backpacks
The most expensive and important item on the back-to-school shopping list is your child’s school backpack. Finding the right backpack is as important as finding the right sneakers for gym.
Your child’s back health is at stake when you shop for a back-to-school backpack. For elementary to middle school aged children, the Lands’ End FeatherLight Backpack is light on the back and on the wallet.
JanSport offers the Big Student backpack at a comparable price. The JanSport Big Student backpack holds a lot, is also affordable, and teens love the patterned selections.
A bit out of the ordinary but good for the back is the BackTpack. BackTpack has an endorsement from the American Physical Therapy Association. It is two bags harnessed over each of the wearer’s shoulders. This is for the teen who cares more about their back then what their backpack looks like.
Last year, Consumer Reports ShopSmart magazine recommended that parents stay away from novelty backpacks (character licensed backpacks, more for looks). Novelty backpacks fail durability tests and while the price tag is nice, they typically do not last out the first week or few months of school.
Make sure you have an idea of what your school is looking for in a backpack. They usually stipulate that backpacks with the handles and wheels are not allowed. Some schools may have additional criteria on what you should or shouldn’t buy when it comes to a backpack
The best backpacks are lightweight, include two wide padded shoulder straps, padding between the wearer and the pack and a waist strap to keep the pack stabilized.
In addition to selecting the right backpack, it is important to teach your kids how to properly pack it. A backpack should weigh 10% to 15% of the wearer’s weight. So if your child is 100 pounds, their backpack should weigh between 10 to 15 pounds. How that weight is distributed within the backpack is important as well. Pack heavy items closest to the body and place lighter items further out.
Additional recommended reading when preparing kids for school: