Anonymous wrote:Just make sure to get one that holds a full sized notebook and other stuff. Dont' get one of the wee ones designed for pre school.

We just bought the PBK Madison in the Pre-K size. It is ridiculously sized. The lunch box is almost bigger than the backpack! Wish I had just bought the K size.

Garnet Hill has great backpacks.

I have this question as well. We are leaning towards the LLBean Discovery backpack. For the PPs that have that: Is it big enough?

'Full Size' back packs (like the LLBean Deluxe) seem huge for a tiny kid, but I don't want it to big too small to stuff in a sweatshirt and gear come winter.

We've been washing out lands end back packs and lunch boxes in the washing machine for years now. They are still going strong and look great!

Anonymous wrote:Can you wash LLBean packs? DD's smells awful after being piled up with other kids' at camp this summer! The tag says spot clean only but I was wondering what would happen if I threw it in the washer....?

I throw my son's in the washer on the delicate cycle, then air dry. No problems here. I've done the same with the lunchbox.

Can you wash LLBean packs? DD's smells awful after being piled up with other kids' at camp this summer! The tag says spot clean only but I was wondering what would happen if I threw it in the washer....?