Rated 4.9 out of 5 by parents across 306 reviews.

Watch the backpacks come off a school bus sometime: dragged by one strap, kicked down the aisle, dropped on the sidewalk. Now picture the school’s Chromebook riding inside each one. That’s why we pad the laptop pocket on every side, not just the panel against your kid’s back, and why the zippers and everything else carry a full 2-year warranty. Backpacks here run $29.99 to $34.99 at the back-to-school price, down from $39.99, with free shipping.

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In a hurry? Four quick picks:

• Best for most kids: Galaxy Backpack, Blue 17” - $34.99 (reg. $39.99)
• Biggest capacity: Galaxy Backpack, Purple 18” - $34.99 (reg. $39.99)
• Best price, and teen-approved: Cool Pink Backpack, 17” - $29.99 (reg. $39.99)
• Matching set: Pastel Tie Dye backpack + lunch box - from $47.99

What size backpack does my child need?

• 17 inch: the everyday pick for most elementary and middle schoolers. Five or six compartments depending on the style, a deep mesh bottle pocket, fits a laptop, binders, and a lunch.
• 18 inch: for older kids or anyone carrying a lot. Ten compartments, two bottle pockets, extra room for heavy books and a charger.

Not sure? Get the 17-inch. It fits most kids from kindergarten through middle school.

How to tell real laptop protection from a thin sleeve

• Padding on every side. Plenty of backpacks put foam on the back panel and call it a laptop sleeve. Ours pad the laptop or iPad on every side, 360 degrees, so it’s protected when the bag lands on its face too.
• Fabric that takes the abuse. 900-denier recycled polyester, the thick, scuff-proof kind, heavier-duty than the 600-denier most national brands use.
• Zippers that survive the year. Quality-tested, durable zippers, the part every school bag usually dies by. One parent put it best: “The zippers don’t get stuck on the fabric, they glide smoothly.”
• Water resistance, stated honestly. The fabric shrugs off rain and spills. It’s water-resistant, not waterproof, so for a real downpour a laptop sleeve inside is smart.
• A warranty that means it. If it doesn’t survive your kid, we replace it. Register your purchase and the 2-year kid-proof warranty covers the zippers and everything else.

The backpacks to start with

Galaxy Backpack, Purple - 18” - $34.99 (reg. $39.99). Our biggest: ten compartments, two deep water bottle pockets, and 360-degree laptop protection. From a parent’s review: “Big sturdy bag with wide handles which are comfortable for my child’s shoulders. Big enough to contain many heavy books and devices.” Get the Galaxy 18” - $34.99 →

Galaxy Backpack, Blue - 17” - $34.99 (reg. $39.99). The same best-selling galaxy print in the everyday 17-inch size, with the padded laptop sleeve, six compartments, and a deep bottle pocket. Get the Galaxy 17” - $34.99 →

Pastel Tie Dye Backpack - 17” - $34.99 (reg. $39.99). The swirly pastels are what your kid will point at. The six compartments are what you’ll be glad of by week two: the Chromebook rides in its own padded pocket, folders and snacks get their own spots, and the water bottle stays in the mesh pocket outside instead of leaking next to the homework. If this is the print, the matching lunch box set settles the whole first day in one order and saves about $11. Get the Pastel Tie Dye - $34.99 →

Cool Pink Backpack - 17” - $29.99 (reg. $39.99). For the kid who has announced that prints are for little kids. Cool Pink is a plain, grown-up pink in the classic school-bag shape, and at $29.99 it is the least expensive backpack we make. Five compartments, a padded laptop sleeve inside the main pocket, and a deep mesh bottle pocket on the side. It weighs one pound empty and carries up to thirteen, which starts to matter around the time the textbooks come home. Get the Cool Pink - $29.99 →

Cheetah Print Backpack - 17” - $34.99 (reg. $39.99). For the kid who has recently announced they’re too old for cute. Cheetah gets past the middle-school taste police, and the bag under the print is the same one we build in every style: 900-denier fabric, a sleeve that pads the laptop on every side, and our 2-year warranty in case a zipper ever quits. Get the Cheetah - $34.99 →

Every backpack gives back

We put “A Brand That Gives Back” on everything because it’s the part of this company we’re proudest of. A portion of every purchase, whether it’s one backpack or the whole matching set, goes to nonprofit organizations and families in need. You were going to buy a backpack anyway. This way it counts twice: once for your kid, and once for a family you’ll probably never meet.

School starts in a few weeks. One parent wrote: “I just received back pack for my 1st grader and she is so happy to have it.” That first-morning smile is the whole point.

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Free shipping, no minimum. 2-year kid-proof warranty. Rated 4.9/5 across 306 parent reviews. Prefer to check out with your Amazon account? Look for the Buy with Prime button on the product page.

Frequently asked questions

Does it really fit a laptop? Yes. Each backpack has a dedicated padded sleeve sized for a laptop or iPad.

What size should I get? 17-inch for most kids, 18-inch for older kids or heavier loads. When in doubt, 17.

Is it water resistant? Yes, water-resistant, not waterproof. It shrugs off rain and spills; for a real downpour, add a laptop sleeve.

How many pockets does it have? Most 17-inch styles have six compartments and a deep mesh bottle pocket. The Cool Pink classic has five. The 18-inch has ten compartments and two bottle pockets.

Is there a warranty? Yes. Register your purchase, and if your backpack doesn’t stand up, we replace it. That’s the 2-year kid-proof warranty.

What does shipping cost? Nothing. Free shipping on every order, no minimum.

More guides: The Best Insulated Kids’ Lunch Boxes for School · Backpack and Lunch Box Sets: The Easy Back-to-School Combo