The Best Kids’ Backpacks for the 2026 School Year
As an adult gear tester, I have one major problem with looking for the best kids’ backpacks: Ultimately, the decision is not up to me
As an adult gear tester, I have one major problem with looking for the best kids’ backpacks: Ultimately, the decision is not up to me. My 8-year-old and 10-year-old are the ones who have to carry their backpacks to school, camp, and beyond. The bag has to protect iPads and Chromebooks; fit lunch boxes and water bottles; and endure getting kicked around cars, bikes, and school gyms.
Most importantly, it has to be comfortable. Less important but still crucial, it has to be a good fashion accessory. And you have to be able to find it quickly when you hang it on a hook next to 50 virtually identical backpacks. To find the best kids’ backpacks, children of WIRED’s Reviews team tested the following for weeks, if not years, by stuffing them into lockers and under plane seats.
Don’t forget to check out the rest of our parenting coverage, which includes the Best Laptops for College Students, the Best Paper Planners, and the Best Subscription Boxes for Kids. Updated August 2026: I’ve added new backpacks from The North Face, Simple Modern, Kindred Bravely, and Go Ruck, and ensured up-to-date links and prices.
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