28 THE QUEENS COURIER • CATHOLIC SCHOOLS • AUGUST 19, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Catholic Schools
Top backpacks for kids this school year
BY DONNA DUARTE-LADD
& ERIN YOON
editorial@.com
@QNS
A new school year is almost
upon us, and this year the kids
are truly going BTS. And while
much doesn’t change in what our
kids need each school year —
this September, when it comes
to backpacks, we need to make
room for masks and hand sanitizer.
So we have 10 of the best
backpacks that are perfect for
your city kids. We even have a
pick that is $5! And extra credit
if the backpack is easy to clean.
Best backpack for
nursery school: 7 AM
MINI Backpack
Th e MINI backpack takes
pride in its top-tier reviews and
ratings. It is a small and light bag,
but undoubtedly one of the most
reliable places to store school
supplies. It has handles that are
easy to grab and padded shoulder
straps that can be adjusted to
the user’s liking, zippered pockets
in and out, a waterproof outer
shell and a machine-washable
nature. Th e backpack comes in
eight diff erent colors and is discounted
signifi cantly upon bundling.
7amenfant.com, $40.
Best personalized
backpack for
preschoolers: Rainbow
Little Critters Backpack
Perfect for children ages 2-4,
the backpack comes in cute pastel
shades with a smiling rainbow.
Th e backpack is durable
and washable, making it a great
fi nd for schools during the pandemic.
It can also be personalized
to be special for your child,
as Pottery Barn Kids sew names
onto their bags upon receiving
such orders. Pottery Barn Kids,
$22.50
Best compact backpack:
Mini Kane Travel
State backpacks are the sort
of bags that make perfect handme
downs. One of its most popular
especially for city kids is
the Mini Kane Travel backpack.
Everything that is loved about
State’s products is included in
this mini version of the company’s
backpack. It is extremely
durable, colorful and diverse.
Looking for another reason to
buy this backpack? It can be
personalized! State was one of
the fi rst brands to give back; for
every State product purchased,
they support American children
and families in need by donating
backpacks (fully packed!) at their
bag drop rallies. Plus, State funds
special projects with supporting
partner schools and organizations.
Statebags.com, $60-80.
Best middle school
backpack: 19” Jartop
Backpack – Embark™
Th ere is a signifi cant shift in
middle school regarding the
style of backpack a child may
need. Many NYC schools do not
have lockers, and while kids may
or not be moving from class this
year (COVID), many are expected
to carry about everything in
their bags. Th e main compartment
has a ton of room that will
hold your kids’ books for the
day; a 17-inch front pocket can
hold a laptop; and side pockets
can take the water bottle and
hand sanitizer. Target, $39.99.
Best for elementary
school: Bixbee 10” Kids’
Animal Backpack
A fun (and a wee fi erce) bag
for your preschooler to secondgrader
that is designed with an
ergonomic fi t — which means
it will not hang too low on your
child’s back. Roomy in the main
compartment, the bag also features
two side pockets for a
water bottle or pencil case. A
big plus is that Bixbee donates
a schoolbag (with supplies) to a
child in need for every backpack
purchased. Target, $29.99.
Best classic backpack:
Jansport Recycled
Superbreak
Th is backpack brand may
have been the brand you sported
when you were in school.
Jansport backpacks come with a
lifetime warranty and are durable
to withstand the wear and
tear kids oft en do to their bags
meaning perfect for our city
kids. Th is style is pretty much
the classic Superbreak but is
made of 100% recycled nylon
webbing and cording and polyester
labels. Jansport.com, $50.
Best budget backpack:
Wonder Nation Boys &
Girls Galaxy 16”Backpack
Th ere is a bit of a shell shock
every summer when the school
supply list is in the inbox. And
this is usually before you have
even started the back-to-school
wardrobe shopping. So whether
on a tight budget or buying
for a few kids, this stylish option
is worth considering. Th is bag
is perfect for elementary school
kids and is available in a few fun
prints with a height of 16 inches
and adjustable shoulder straps.
Walmart.com, $5.
Best weatherproof
backpack: L.L.Bean
Original Book Pack
Th e L.L.Bean Original is built
to endure. It features extrastrong
stitching and weatherproof
material and is guaranteed
to weather through your
child’s school year. Designed
for children older than 6 years,
the backpack comes in a variety
of diff erent colors for your
child to choose from. llbean.
com, $36.95.
Best high school and
beyond backpack:
Herschel Little
America Backpack
Herschel is known for designing
durable, well-made backpacks
and is a great choice when
Photo via Getty Images
looking for a forever backpack.
Timeless, not trendy, these backpacks
are high quality and perfect
for your high schooler.
Ideal for the student who carries
everything in their bag –
the contoured shoulder straps
will provide support when being
lugged around throughout the
day. Designed with a padded and
fl eece-lined 15” laptop sleeve,
drawcord closure, and magnet
fastener straps with metal pin
buckles. Herschel.com, $130.
Best medium size
backpack: Lonecone
Backpacks
Both playful and aff ordable,
the Lonecone backpack is an
excellent choice for children of
all ages. Its large zippers allow
children to open and close them
easily, and it has U-shaped openings
for trouble-free access to
contents. Additionally, the backpack
has padded shoulder straps
that can be adjusted using slide
buckles to fi t your child best. It is
machine-washable and has been
tested to endure 100 hours of use
without being damaged. $12.99
– $34.99, Amazon.com.
/Jansport.com
/WWW.QNS.COM
/7amenfant.com
/Statebags.com
link
/Walmart.com
/Herschel.com
/Amazon.com
