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Head of the ClassBackpacks you and your first-grader will love.

By Jennifer Howard
Posted Thursday, Aug. 30, 2007, at 3:52 PM ET

(Continued from page 1)

The Be Right came up a little short on comfort and shorter on durability. The back has no padding, and the straps don't have much; that's not a problem if all you stow in there is a lunchbox, and for very young kids, the light weight might even be an advantage, but add a heavy storybook or two and the game changes. Although the grape juice and dirt scrubbed off easily and didn't stain, the straps began to fray and pull away from the body of the pack during the tug-of-war test. And the light-colored bottom looks like it would get grubby pretty fast. Pretty and smart don't always go hand in hand.

Design: A- (90)
Comfort: B (84)
Durability: C (72)
Final grade: B- (82)

The Children's Place Best in Class All-Season Performance Gear Backpack, $15.50
I grabbed this pack off the rack during a rare trip to the mall, and it turned out to be my 5-year-old daughter's favorite, probably because it's so unabashedly pink. (It comes in other colors, as well.) But it had more to offer than a big burst of color. It scored high on capacity, with room to spare in its two large zippered compartments, even after we loaded it up. The outside organizer pocket holds more than most of the other packs, and one of the straps features a small mesh pocket—perfect for keeping bus fare within easy reach. The main compartments unzip almost all the way to the bottom of the pack, offering great access when it's time to load it or search for AWOL items. The straps are comfortably wide (maybe too wide for some), and a waist belt helps take the load off the shoulders if you need it. Juice didn't stain or leak through the seams, and dirt came off easily with some scrubbing. Water soaked into the fabric fast, though; this isn't the pack that will stand up to a steady rain. And during the tug-of-war test, we heard the unmistakable sound of fabric tearing after a few yanks. I'd be surprised if this one makes it to next year.

Design: A- (92)
Comfort: B+ (87)
Durability: C (73)
Final grade: B (84)

High Sierra Old School Backpack, $50
Rounder and plumper than most of our models, the Old School looks like a space-age bug, which I liked. Some of the grown-ups thought it was too big, but the kids were unfazed by the size, happily strapping it on. Our boy testers seemed especially taken, maybe because of the orange/gray/black color scheme. It has more than enough room for the basics, with one large zippered compartment and two smaller ones, along with a mesh pocket on one strap like the Children's Place model. It handled the juice-and-dirt cleanup easily, without staining, and repelled water better than several of the other models. Some cons: There's no organizer compartment for pens, etc., but you could stow all that stuff in the smallest zip pocket. And the straps were hefty and thick—too wide for some kids' shoulders. This backpack is meant for all ages but would do just fine for an elementary-school kid, especially one who's on the taller side, and it would also make a good companion on family trips.

Design: B (86)
Comfort: B- (80)
Durability: A- (96)
Final grade: B+ (87.3)

L.L. Bean Junior Original Backpack, $19
This backpack has one of the simplest designs we encountered—one large zippered compartment with one external organizer pocket—but it worked well for our needs. A smaller zippered outside pocket has a reflective safety strip, too, for parental peace of mind. The straps could be wider and the back's a little thin; I worried that the fabric seemed flimsy, but another mother argued that the light weight made it easier for the youngest kids to work with. (It's billed as a "starter" book pack.) And it turned out to be a tough little number: It passed the tug-of-war test with flying colors and cleaned up nicely after its encounters with grape juice and dirt. The pink/green/blue motif also caught our girl testers' eyes, easily beating the competing Hanna Andersson floral. It comes in a multitude of colors and patterns, too, if your kid prefers something less girly.

Design: A- (92)
Comfort: B (86)
Durability: A- (92)
Final Grade: A- (90)

Lands' End Classmate Junior, $26.50
Two large zippered sections make for a winning design; you can stash a leaky lunchbox in one and still keep papers safe and dry in the other. It also has an organizer pocket inside one of the compartments, so you have fewer places to look for things—a good idea, from a parent's perspective. There are some baffling design touches, like the flimsy slots (in the organizer section) reminiscent of Netflix DVD envelopes. And the cord port and MP3/CD player pocket seem a little advanced for this age group, too, but maybe I'm old-fashioned. (The Children's Place and High Sierra models also have cord ports. Please tell me that parents aren't giving their 6-year-olds iPods.) Such questionable flourishes are outweighed by good ones, however. The boxy shape and bold color appeal to grown-ups and kids. (It also comes in a variety of solid colors and at least one floral print.) The strip of reflective material around the edge of the biggest compartment adds some flair as well as extra visibility. The straps are just right—padded but not enormous—and the back is cushy, too. Even the pull tabs on the zippers have a fun railroad-track effect as well as being thick and easy to grip. The Classmate Junior sailed through all our tests, with no fabric tears or stains. If only school itself could be so easy.

Design: B+ (89)
Comfort: A (93)
Durability: A- (91)
Final grade: A- (91)

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Jennifer Howard is a writer living in Washington, D.C., and a contributor to the anthology D.C. Noir.
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