We bought our then 2 year old daughter a Jr. Original when she first entered preschool. Besides school it's trekked along on camping trips, hiking, trips to the zoo, aquarium, across the country etc etc. Before kindergarten I considered getting her a new, girlier one (the original was black...all they had in stock at time of ordering) but couldn't justify it. It was in THAT good of shape. We jazzed it up with some pins and patches promising her a new one for First grade. NOw that First grade has rolled around we're making her use it for ONE more year, promising her a larger, girlier bag next fall. Now that we have a son entering Pre K we're ordering him one knowing he'll outgrow it looooong before school work will force us into a full size bag.
I would COMPLETELY and WHOLEHEARTEDLY recommend this backpack to anyone who is looking for a basic pack. I originally bought this pack for my daughter 4 years ago (along with the matching lunchbox) when she started preschool. She has used this pack nearly everyday for the past 4 years. She is now entering the 3rd grade and the pack is still bright, colorful and all zippers/pulls are in perfect working order. I am purchasing another one for the upcoming school year ONLY because I think she'd like a new one to start school this year. The pack is actually very appropriate for any age child who only needs one large storage compartment and 2 smaller zippered pouches. My daughter actually prefers the smaller size and the simplicity that this pack offers.
Great overall quality and features, however way too small to fit the folder and lunch bag my son will have to carry to kindergarten this fall, let alone any crafts or projects. It also looks like a mini-pack when worn. I'm depending on LL Bean's easy return/exchange policy to get the larger size pack.
I ordered two of the original book packs (flower prints) for my 5-year-old twin daughters who will go to kindergarten this fall. These backpacks are very light and easy to open zippers. Also it seems very sturdy.
One problem was the choice of thread for monogram (dark purple) was on the same color flower print. It was very hard to read. I called the customer service for asking whether they can use other color. They said they'll use white color on a new backpack and send it to us immediately. I appreciate their speedy customer service!
