Over the past year, Tutorful have received hundreds recommendations from students and parents across the country for a range of backpacks they feel deserve our recognition. We compiled their thoughts with one key aim: to find the most comfortable, stylish, and totally awesome best school backpacks of 2018.
Whether you’re traipsing around the internet for a cute bag for a tot, or looking to up your cool with our top picks for teens - we’ve got you covered with backpacks for kids, backpacks for teens and even backpacks for adults. Plus, with our Tutorful review system, we’re confident you’ll find everything you need from a new backpack below.
We've organised our Best School Backpacks list from toddlers to teens, so check out our quick links to find something suitable for you!
Best Backpacks for Teens and Adults
Best School Backpacks for Toddlers (2-5 years)
Green Frog Toddler Rucksack - CKB, £24.95
This adorable 3D frog rucksack is perfect for toddlers starting school for the first time. A toy and a bag in one, it’s the ideal companion for every journey. In fact, we love it that much, we only wish we could find one big enough to fit!
Leeroy Toddlepak Backpack - Trunki, £19.99 ⭐️
Meet Leeroy, the friendly lion who’ll have your toddler's back every step of the way! Great for kids with buckets of energy and style. The Trunki Toddlepak Backpack range caters for every animal-loving, alliteration-adoring child.
If Leeroy isn't the one, maybe your toddler will prefer Trunkis other adorable designs: from Bert the Bear to Tipu the Tiger.
Alpine 4 Kids Backpack - LittleLife, £16.99 ⭐️
This is our best school backpack for a little person with big adventures! Twin side stretch pockets are perfect for food and drinks so your little one can stay full and hydrated on the go. And what would a great toddler backpack be without a loop to attach toys to?!
Jojo Toddler Rucksack - Jojo Maman Bebe, £14.00
Rave reviews really speak for themselves with this top toddler pick.
“Great toddler rucksack. Perfect size for nursery. Fits a few changes of clothes in and not to big for 18 month old to carry,” Kirsty.
Gee, thanks Kirsty, that’s just what I was going to say.
This bestselling small rucksack from JoJo Bebe Maman is available in a variety of fun prints, and big enough for every mini adventure!
Best School Backpacks for Kids (6-12 years)
Personalised Fox Backpack - The Little Picture Company, £22 ⭐️
This fox print backpack is super cool, and the pop of colour is bound to brighten the school days of your little one!
This best school backpack features adjustable padded shoulder pads and a carry handle. What's more, The Little Picture Company's children's backpacks can be personalised, so they'll no more confusion over who's is who!
Madpax Don’t Burst My Bubble - Madpax, £70.00 ⭐️
Disney’s “Up” balloon masterpiece, a rainbow, or possibly the enthusiasm of a small child surely fed the inspiration for this fab bag.
Although this backpack may not be able to take you to space, or lead you to a pot of gold, it’s a sure fire way to secure your place as coolest kid on the playground. Of course, there’s style and substance in equal measure with plenty of compartments for pens, exercise books, and everything else a student needs for a brilliant school year!
Osprey Youth Pogo 24 - £50.00 ⭐️
A mini-me of the adult Osprey backpacks we know and love. This backpack may be smaller, but Osprey haven't compromised their renowned high-quality. Packed with features including an LED attachment point, internal tablet sleeve and Internal document sleeve, and a removable webbing hip-belt.
With a flat base, the bag will stay upright and in tiptop condition to endure the busy school year. With plenty of compartments, this backpack is perfect for organising notebooks, pens, and roomy enough for a P.E kit - our best school backpack for all round hobby lovers!
Galaxy Backpack - Hot Tuna, £12.99
You’ll find yourself getting lost in this magical print every time you look at it, so don't be surprised if you find people staring! This is the perfect statement backpack and the ideal camouflage for nighttime galavants around Icelandic mountains. The pencil case is an added bonus. For the price, this backpack is an ultimate win.
We love the print the print so much that we can't help but find it a shame that this bag is made to be worn on your back.
Best Backpacks for Teens and Adults (13 years +)
Kånken - Fjällräven, £75.00 ⭐️
With a name that translates to "carry," this backpack is perfectly crafted to do just that. A loyal bag with the ability to whisk you to every destination with your belongings comfortably in tow with timeless, retro, elegance.
All in all - an absolute classic.
Tribal Backpack with Matching Pencil Case - Quicksilver, £29.99
Australian born Quicksilver have been designing and churning out uber cool stuff for coming up to 50 years now, and their designs continue to smash the style stakes.
This Quicksilver backpack features 29 litre capacity, a main zip-up compartment with laptop sleeve, secondary compartment with organiser, 2 side zip-up pockets and a padded back panel for extra comfort.
Trakke Fingal - Trakke, £95.00 ⭐️
An award-winning brand with a golden ethos to match. All of Trakke's backpacks, including the Fingal, are handcrafted in the UK. Both elegance and durability are intwined in the raw waxed canvas, making it the perfect go-to backpack for urban expeditions.
In their own, eloquent words: "Our simple, understated designs use materials and components that are time-tested and reliable to create bags that thrive out in the wild – wherever your wilderness may be."
Jan Sport High Stakes Backpack - Ebags, £36.00 ⭐️
We haven't scrimped on backpacks with personality for this years' list and JanSport have nailed it with their collection of High Stakes Backpacks.
With a range of prints whisking you across the globe, you'll have to pick from snowy mountains, lush meadows and of course desert highways (see above.) However, we wouldn't judge if you just had to invest in all 12. The bag isn't short on features either, including a utility pocket with organiser and full padded back pannel.
Hype Silver Backpack - Hype, £30.00
Statement backpacks don't get much bolder than this Hype Backpack, flaunting a sassy silver holographic effect profile. This 1950's astronaut-esque bag will earn you serious retro style points with an authentic branded badge.
Smudge Spot Duffle Backpack - Cath Kidston, £45.00
There's word on the street that spots are the new must-have print, so whether it's for work or school, this best school backpack is a style win. The rucksack is large enough to fit an A4 folder inside, and has potential to be a quirky laptop bag. It comes with two zipped pockets on the front, as well as zip and slip pockets inside. Use alone or match with the travel range in the same print!
Wolffepack Escape - Wolffepack, £124.99 ⭐️
The Wolffepack Escape backpack marries revolutionary design with patent-pending technology. The world's only backpack that swings to the front but stays strapped to your back. This all means easier access, more comfort (less bumping on transport) and much greater security (keep your pack in view) - a great backpack for school trips!
A multi-award winning product with German style influences, it is the bag for every day, time, activity, and workload and our best backpack for travelling.
Tie Dye Penny Pouch Backpack - £37.00
Tie Dye Penny Pouch backpack has ample space for all your belongings, and the padded internal sleeves will keep your laptop or tablet cushioned whilst you tear up the sidewalk.
The straps at the front of the Penny Pouch Skateboard Backpack are an exciting feature, and aren't restricted to skateboards. Penny's innovative design enables you to carry hockey sticks, umbrellas, and *inserted anything annoyingly long you don't want to carry here*, for the ultimate hands-free trip.
Everyday Backpack - Peak Design, £230.00 ⭐️
Winner of not one, not two, but three international awards, Peak Design's Everyday Backpack is our top luxe pick. With innumerable snazzy features and a killer design, this backpack will take you to every destination with an uncanny sense of accomplishment - you'll feel like the most organised you ever!
There you have it! We hope you've found your new school/travel/playground companion that ticks some, if not all your boxes, when looking for the best backpack to keep you organised for many years to come.
Reckon you have one of this year's best school backpacks? Leave us a comment below!
Top Education Review:
Not only is the Fox backpack the perfect size for children heading into KS2, but its fabulous fabric and personalised design will ensure that it doesn't get lost in the melee of the cloakroom! Cherry Newby, Former Primary School Teacher and Mother @ thenewbytribe.comAXDSD
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