We bought this for my son when he entered first grade. He is now entering _seventh_ grade with the SAME BOOK BAG! I cannot believe that this thing is still intact, let alone in good shape, yet despite having been dragged through the mud, washed multiple times, sent to camp, thrown through cargo holds on multiple flights, not to mention running back and forth to school every day, rain or shine or snow, it still is in good shape. I wish that I could attach a photo of this thing, it's that amazing.
It was an easy choice to buy a second bag for my middle child two years later.
For several years I have done a 'walking school bus' from my children's school. I've had over 45 kids participate, so I'm quite familiar with the packs that children use. Most kids' book bags last 5 months. Occasionally I'll see a kid using the same pack for the entire school year. I have NEVER seen kids use the same book bag for multiple years, other than my own children with their LL Bean bags.
I'm now going to purchase our third "original" book bag for my youngest who is entering 1st grade this fall. I learned my lesson and am not buying it with a gecko embroidered on the back (it's a bit babyish when the kid hits Middle School!), nor the child's name embroidered in block letters (for the same reason). I have no doubt that we'll get years of use from it.
This will be the third year my daughter has used her backpack. It still looks great. We use it everywhere: school, dance, swimming lessons, sleepovers, etc. I may order her a new one this year just so we can have a different color and so she can switch them out.
I purchased the book pack for my daughter when she started kindergarten - now she's starting sixth grade and the book pack is still in perfect condition. No rips, splits or broken zippers. My daughter is rough on everything and this is one tough book pack!
This pack came with me on a 9-month trip to Africa. During that time, it was overstuffed, thrown around, dragged through the dirt, and had pretty much every awful thing done to it that you can imagine, over and over again. To this day, the pack works and looks like new (or it would if I washed it). No holes, no frayed seams, no broken zippers, nothing. Excellent pack. Exceeded all my expectations.
