These threads pop up every year and seem to attract people who use the same backpack. We get a new one. Our kids were beat, mostly from camp over the dinner.

Anonymous wrote:Ll bean for pre k. Still going for 5th grade. My middle school ll bean wore out after college. Husband still uses college one. These last 10-20 y.

Yes, this. Kid 1 used a small LLBean bag from K-2, then kid 2 used the same bag from K-3. Second bag was used from grades 3-6 by kid 1 and currently still in use for kid 2. Kid 1 is now in HS with his third (& now adult sized) bag that should last him at least through college.

No. I offered, but both backpacks are going strong 3 years in. I also don’t buy “back to school” clothes since my kids wear shorts until October. I just buy clothes when they need them because the ones they have are outgrown.

My high schoolers have used their llbean backpacks since early elementary school. No need for a new one!

I think it’s great when families that can afford it buy new things every school year, as long as they pass on the gently used items to kids who need them. Win win!

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Anonymous wrote:What do you do with the old one? In answer to your question, no. Same backpack until it dies. I try to buy neutral ones so no characters to outgrow.

We donate the old ones.

If it is still usable (assuming you wouldn’t donate something that isn’t), why do you need a new one?

As kids mature, their taste changes. A fourth grader might not want the hearts and unicorns in pink and purple she liked in first grade. A fourth grader might not like the multi-colored dinosaurs he liked in first grade.

That’s why you buy a basic backpack and have them add bling to it. No need to get a whole new bag every time their tastes change which is often. Just change the bling.

You do what works for you. We'll do what works for us.

Of course you will.

Jansport has a Lifetime Warranty on their backpacks. I had one that started to degrade on the inside, sent it back, and received a new one. This has made me a Jansport backpack customer for life. I think L. L. Bean has a similar policy. Note that you will pay a lot upfront for a Jansport, but hopefully, you will only need to buy one. I think I may have replaced my original purchase twice through warranty after high school and after college. I cannot vouch for the warranties of other brands, but Jansport has honored their warranty in the past.

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Anonymous wrote:What do you do with the old one? In answer to your question, no. Same backpack until it dies. I try to buy neutral ones so no characters to outgrow.

We donate the old ones.

If it is still usable (assuming you wouldn’t donate something that isn’t), why do you need a new one?

As kids mature, their taste changes. A fourth grader might not want the hearts and unicorns in pink and purple she liked in first grade. A fourth grader might not like the multi-colored dinosaurs he liked in first grade.

That’s why you buy a basic backpack and have them add bling to it. No need to get a whole new bag every time their tastes change which is often. Just change the bling.

You do what works for you. We'll do what works for us.

Nope. I was a little disappointed that my older kid only got 3 years out of her first jansport. Not sure what happened but the water bottle holder was shredded, it had a weird collection of stains I couldn’t get out, and a sticky spot (sap?). I blame art camps and outdoor camps, and that she carried it everywhere and threw it down wherever. Other than being totally gross, and the water bottle holder, it was going strong though. Since we couldn’t get it clean enough for our own use we threw it away.

We got her another jansport.

My kids will use the same backpacks for years. But a quality backpack that is very basic/plain/solid color and then they can add keychains as decorations to personalize it since tastes change often. So wasteful to get new ones all the time when the old one is perfectly fine.

No. On year 6 of one bag, year 4 of the other, and year 2 on the last. I'll switch when high school comes around or they're no longer functional and no longer look good.

No, only when they’re in such bad shape that they need replacing

I’m still using my college backpack and I’m 50. Why would you buy new backpacks every year??

I don’t get them new backpacks (our LL Bean ones have held up really well for 3 years), but I do get them new insulated lunch boxes. Those things seem to fall apart really easily.

Nope, my kids had 3 and they are in 10 and 12 grade now. Only when it gets really disgusting. We also got north face when they were older and it lasts, probably into college.