I have two boys, entering 6th and 4th grades. They have each had one of these backpacks since kindergarten. So 6 and 4 years in, they are still going strong. It is very durable and they love them.
Last year, just for a change (not because anything was wrong with the one he had), I bought an off-the-rack backpack and it tore within a few months. So he was back to using his trusty LL Bean pack. Now my oldest is entering middle school and I'm looking at the bigger backpacks available. He is 11, but given they last for years, you really have to consider the lifetime of the backpack and the age/stage he will need down the road.
The only negative of this backpack is that it doesn't have water bottle pockets.
Positives: water resistant, reflective, lightweight, durable.
We bought our daughter the book bag when she entered 3rd grade in 2011, I really loved the bag and it worked well for her. My only complain is that it is now 2014 and the straps are coming apart. I was expecting this bag to last longer.
This backpack is becoming a rite of passage in our house. All three of my school age children receive one when they go to kindergarten and my eldest is going into 2nd grade. They are all boy and these backpacks have stood the test of time. Three years going and it still looks like new, even though it has transported as many "cool" rocks to school as it has books and homework. Definitely worth the money and it will last far longer from a design and durability perspective then a cheaper character pack.
Purchased this backpack for my son when he started Kindergarten. He used this all through second grade and is just now outgrowing it. The backpack is in EXCELLENT condition! And this is after 3 year of use by a boy and toting to afters school daycare as well. We are moving up to the bigger backpack and know that it will also last several years. Well worth the money and saves having to buy a backpack every school year.
