A good boys' backpack is sized to his grade, has a padded laptop compartment, and is built from durable, water-resistant material that survives daily wear. Print matters too - he has to want to wear it.

Get the size right first

Match the backpack to his body, not just his age: 14 to 16 inches for K-2, 16 to 17 for grades 3-5, and 17 to 18 for middle school. Full breakdown in our size-by-age guide.

Features that matter

• A padded laptop or Chromebook compartment.
• Tough, water-resistant material and strong zippers - boys are hard on bags. A kid-proof warranty helps.
• Wide, padded straps for comfort with a full load.
• Room for a water bottle and lunch.

Prints boys love

The prints they choose themselves are the ones they wear all year. Popular picks include galaxy, shark, dinosaur, and green pixel.

Shop boys' backpacks

See boys' backpacks and matching backpack and lunch box sets. Every purchase gives back to pediatric rare-disease research.