I recently bought two Rolling Deluxe Bookpacks. The one for me is perfect in every way you could think of as a book bag. The other one is for my 5 feet 11 tall husband. He loves LL Bean book bags because the old one he had lasts 8 years, and it is still in fine condition. The reason I want to get him a rolling one because his book bag gets heavier, and I think using a rolling one would be a relief for his back. He loves the rolling one as much as the old one. However, the only thing is a huge pity is the handle's length. This rolling bookpack is 36 inches tall when it is fully extended. My husband's legs are 41 inches long, and 36 inches rolling bookpack is clearly not long enough for him. So he has to lower one of his shoulders when he rolls the bookpack. He has to bend down to roll the bag. He couldn't walk tall!! My legs are 36 inches long, and this rolling bookpack is perfect for me when I walk. So, my recommendation for anyone who wants to get the bag is to measure your legs. If they are 36 inches or shorter, then it is a perfect book bag. If you are lucky enough to have longer legs, then, you probably don't want to get this rolling bookpack because you couldn't walk tall when you roll it.
I had the smaller version of this and it was much loved and used, both as a backpack and as a rolling pack. I expected to love this larger version just as much. However, it is so large and heavy that it is best used as a rolling pack only, which is not convenient if you use public transport or ride a bike or scooter. Even with nothing in it, it is bulky and a bit heavy strapped on your back. But pack all you will need for the day and it is just too heavy, especially since there is no waist or chest strap and the frame makes it stand out from your back too far for good balance and ease of movement. Also, switching from backpack to rolling pack means straps must be tucked in or else they will be in the way and trip you up or get messed up by the wheels or pavement. This is bad if you are switching gears quickly to catch a bus or make a connection. This is especially a problem for someone who is tall and has the straps adjusted longer. Although the pack works well as a rolling pack, I needed something that could be carried on the back as well, and this pack is just not as versatile and easy to use as I had hoped. For someone who is just going to use it as a rolling pack, I would recommend it, as the wheels roll smoothly and it carries a lot. But if you plan on wearing it as a backpack (especially while riding a bike or scooter), there are better choices. Since this was too bulky and off balance for an adult, I would not recommend it for a child, unless it is being rolled exclusively!
When my eldest daughter was in Third grade and my youngest was in Kindergarten we went through 8 backpacks in one year between the two of them. When I added the cost of that up, I could have easily bought two of these packs and been done with it. Four years later, and they are still being used (and abused) by my children, but are still in good enough condition to be handed down to younger cousins. I will never buy another backpack from anyone but LL Bean. What ultimately sold me on these packs was the replacement guarantee. If it breaks you get a new one. How could that ever be bad? A company willing to stand behind it's product is nearly unheard of these days. When shopping for these packs, I read all the reviews. I remember one mom saying that her son's zipper got stuck and she had to cut the pack open with a pair of scissors...and LL Bean STILL replaced it. We have had a couple of zipper malfunctions. I have never had to cut the pack open with scissors, but I remember what she wrote and that LL Bean stands behind their products. Any other backpack and I wouldn't have needed scissors to open it. I probably could have just ripped it open. When I look at those backpacks, I see all the money I saved by buying my kids a quality product. Lets just add it up. If they averaged 4 packs each year each so that's 8 packs a year over the last 4 years at about 20$ each per pack. #8 packs x 4 years x $20 = $640# The lunch boxes are just as durable. I throw ours in the washing machine to clean them. You know how when you do that to cheap lunchboxes the inner plastic lining falls apart and comes out and then the box is ruined....not with these. The only reason I am on this site today looking for another backpack is because I bought the smaller one for my youngest daughter and she needs a bigger one now. Her backpack will be passed down to a younger cousin still in great condition...and this is the child who can break anything. I know it's a lot of money to lay out on a backpack for a child, but it is SO worth it. My husband even said, "a hundred bucks for a backpack, you must be crazy," but even he has admitted now when he looks at the math and the abuse these packs take that they are worth every penny. The only sort of negative that I can see is that LL Bean offers these backpacks is such a variety of colors and patterns it's SO hard to pick just one. Finding a color or pattern that will grow with your child #since the packs last forever# is quite hard. We are in the process now of thinking about what color or pattern we want for next year, since I fully expect that my daughter will still be using this same pack when she's a senior.
I tried every rolling briefcase I could find and none worked well for me. My laptop is a larger size (macbook air 15) and it fits perfectly in this bag inside of its laptop case. I use this bag for work since my parking lot on campus is pretty far from my office and I was straining my back carrying all of my stuff every day. I use it for a carryon for air travel, too. I bought one for my 9-year-old daughter for air travel and it is really a perfect size. It fits in the overhead bin easily. The only little tweak I would make would be to have an exterior water bottle pocket or two and also sell a rain cover for it. It repels water well, but I would love something that protects it from the splash from puddles and dirt, too. It is totally worth the price.
