I bought this bag for my daughter last Fall. It was too big for her locker, so I saved it until this year (it was monogrammed so I could not return it).
Within the first week the strap broke and the wheel broke. When you spend a hundred bucks on a backpack, you just don't expect it to fall apart in a week.
I ordered the purple plaid and blue wheeled backpacks for my 2nd and 5th grader. Its only been a week, but the kids tell me that the wheels on these packs roll smoother than their previous ones. They can fit a large 2" inch binder, several textbooks, and a pencil box with room to spare. The only problem we've encountered was the shoulder straps got tangled up in the wheel on the first day my son used it. If you aren't planning to use the back straps, just unhook the bottom, and shove the straps into the Velcro pocket to prevent them from snagging on the wheels or just shorten the black dangling straps.
I bought this backpack for my daughter when she was going into 4th grade because she was walking to school and had a significant increase in homework. This backpack was walked (and bounced) full of books over curbs to school and back for two years and still looks great and works great. The moving parts -- handle and wheels -- are still going strong. So happy that I invested in this rolling backpack. My younger daughter will start using it this year.
I have been carrying an over-the-shoulder bag for years, and unfortunately my shoulder is now feeling the effects (I'm 47). While looking for a rolling bag, I was concerned about the reviews of this bag & how short the handle length was for anyone beyond 5' tall. With the free return policy (I'm an LL Bean cardholder), I appreciate the LL Bean quality & thought I'd give it a try. Ignore the reviews about the handle height! I'm not tall by any means (5'10"), but pulling this bag is not a problem at all! Might be a problem for someone over say 6'2", but don't be discouraged from buying if you're under 6' or under. Only gave it 4 stars as I'm not sure how the nylon zippers will hold up, but with the satisfaction guarantee, I've got nothing to lose.
