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You’ve picked up all the school supplies on their list. Now your young scholar can’t wait to show off their new stuff to their classmates. Send them back to school with a comfortable pack for their gear, lunch and textbooks. Here are the three Rs of a good school bag:
1. Right Carrying System
When well designed, a classic backpack-style bag with two shoulder straps does the best job of distributing weight evenly across small shoulders. Since it also rides close to their back, your child won’t have to adopt a tiring forward lean to stay balanced.
Look for wide, well-padded shoulder straps rather than narrow bare webbing, which can rub against their skin. The back panel should also be padded to prevent jabs from books or other angular cargo. Breathable mesh on all the places the bag comes in contact with their body adds an extra touch of comfort.
While a backpack slung nonchalantly over one shoulder might look cool, it’s a recipe for back trouble. Backpacks have two shoulder straps for a reason; encourage your child use them both. For the same reason, save the courier-style messenger bags for big kids and light loads.
2. Right Fit
The space where the straps attach to the pack should be wide enough sit comfortably on either side of your child’s neck without pinching, but not so wide that the straps slide off their shoulders.
Kids outgrow things fast, so it’s tempting to go big on packs as you might with clothes. But don’t get crazy. Aside from fit problems, if the bag is too big, young minds will find something to fill it with, and it’s not healthy for children to be toting more than 10 to 12 percent of their body weight. For more advice on fitting, read our packs for kids article.
A well-made pack can last long enough to be passed down to a smaller sibling or resold, which can ease the pain of buying a pack that fits your child properly now.
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3. Right Construction
Dragged across the playground. Dropped on the sidewalk while waiting for the big yellow bus. Tossed into a cubby hole on the race to recess. It’s all just another day in the life of a school bag. So look for:
- Rugged fabric and features like reinforced bottom panels.
- Solid sewing, including tightly stitched seams and extra stitching at stress points.
- Strong-looking zippers.
- Adjustable shoulder straps.
Check out user reviews of kids’ school bags to see which packs get top marks from parents for durability.