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Remember when you could pick out backpacks for your kids, and the only criterion was that they featured their favorite Disney princess or superhero? Now that you’ve got teens — they’ve got lots of opinions on the best backpacks for high school. It's fine, but you’re realistic because you've seen their backpacks shoved into a locker, stomped on in the back of your car, and found days-old lunch boxes just hanging out at the bottom of their bags.
Beyond choosing a bag that looks cool and can hold all of the stuff that teens need to bring to and from school–you want a backpack that is comfortable and won’t put a lot of strain on their back. Dr. Jay Rosania, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT, is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and says that kids carrying poorly constructed bags at school can cause years of pain. “Heavy backpacks can cause a structural shift or imbalance that leads to tight muscles on one side and weak underdevelopment muscles on the other side. It can also cause kyphosis, meaning that they will start to round their shoulders and hunch forward. This can cause long-term deficits and postural issues with pain further down the road in life.”
So before your teen chooses a random back off Amazon or you shell out a ton of money on a new bag, check out the best backpacks for high school so that you can grab them right now before school starts.
The Best Backpacks for High School
- Best Overall: STM Goods Myth Backpack
- Best Budget: Nicole Miller Travel Laptop Backpack
- Best Classic Backpack: JanSport Right Pack Backpack
- Best Eco-Friendly Backpack: Skyway Rainier Deluxe Backpack
- Best Sporty Backpack: lululemon Everywhere Backpack 22L
What to Consider
To choose the best backpacks for high school, we focused on a few key criteria: organizational features, comfort and support, durability, and last but not least — aesthetics.
Organizational features: A backpack for high school students needs an easily accessible and spacious main compartment, additional pockets for smaller school supplies, and a place to stash a water bottle—no matter the size of the bottle. A secure laptop compartment or pocket for their tech is a must-have for most kids as well.
Comfort and support: Features like easy-to-adjust shoulder straps, padded back support, breathable padding on straps and back panels, and adjustable-height sternum straps (these are the horizontal strap that goes across their chest) are all features that can make wearing a backpack more comfortable for your teen. Dr. Rosania adds, “Backpacks made from a thick material are able to disperse the weight more equally, which is optimal. Backpacks that have too many zippers and compartments can change loads and shift weight, causing the child to develop unevenly and also causing pain”
Durability: You’ve seen how teens treat their backpacks. So, they need a durable backpack that can survive daily use and not need to be replaced mid-year. We looked at the materials used, the overall construction, and the types of warranties offered by the bag manufacturer.
Aesthetics: Teens want a bag that matches their style, so we looked at backpacks that really vary in style, color, and fabric so they can find something from our list that works for them.
How We Chose
I enlisted my teenage daughter and son to give me the inside scoop on the types of backpacks they like and what bags they see at school, and then they got to take each of the backpacks we were testing for a spin. And by spin, I mean they loaded the bags up with their stuff and gave me their honest feedback. I also scrolled through a lot of TikToks where teens were sharing some of their favorite bookbags and features they wanted in a bag. All of our picks are durable — you can snag them before school starts, and they look good too because, let’s face it, your teen isn’t about to carry a bag they think is ugly even if it’s a great value or well-made.
Why Trust Us
While I’ve been writing about brands and products that make life a little easier for over ten years, I’m also a mom of three. Two of those kids are very opinionated teens. So I made my choices based on what they said was important to them in a backpack and also what I know is important to caregivers who are shopping for school supplies for the high school students in their lives.
Pros
Padded straps and back support - Extra protection in laptop compartment
- Has a spot to corral air pods and earbuds
- Plenty of pockets to keep kids organized
Cons
- Takes time to break in the bag and straps to rid stiffness
This backpack is our best overall pick because it's like the Swiss Army knife of all backpacks. The storage is insane. There's a pocket for everything. Seriously, I think I found a pocket inside another pocket. The laptop compartment is super fancy – it’s fleece lined and has extra padding so your kid’s laptop travels safely and you don’t end up with a bill for a cracked screen.
Here’s what I liked the most: The padding on the straps and the back panel is top-notch. After loading the bag up with school supplies my teen said the bag was really comfortable to carry. It’s designed to distribute the weight more evenly so you don’t need to worry your kid is hunched over from lugging all their school gear.
I didn’t expect to like this bag as much as I do, but with all the features and extra details to make sure this backpack won’t throw my kid’s back out– it a top contender for best backpacks for high school.
Key Specs
| Size | 25.5” x 37.5” x 3” |
|---|---|
| Material | Polyester |
| Extras | water repellent, suspension and padded compartment for laptop, and lumbar support for even weight distribution. |
2
Best Budget
Nicole Miller Travel Laptop Backpack
Pros
- USB charging port
- Fun vintage design
Cons
- Water Bottle pockets are on the smaller side
Immediately my daughter loved the vintage look of this bag. She said it looked like something I would have carried in the 90s, and she’s not wrong there. The denim and leather strap detailing is retro chic. But the features of this bag are definitely of this decade. Like having a USB charging port in your backpack so your teen never has to worry their phone battery will die during school. Oh the horror!
Even though this is a budget friendly bag, it feels a lot more expensive. The inside of the bag is really roomy and my daughter said there’s plenty of room for all of her school supplies and a lightly padded section for her laptop. She loved the pattern of the interior lining, but felt like the straps could use extra padding. But for the price and with the added features, it’s a great option.
Key Specs
| Size | 6” x 12” x 7” |
|---|---|
| Material | Polyester |
| Extras | Charging port, two water bottle pockets, and external zippered pockets |
3
Best Classic Backpack
JanSport Right Pack Backpack
Pros
- Incredibly durable
- Tons of color options
Cons
- No separate compartment for laptop
Got a kid that shoves every paper and random piece of garbage from their lunch into their backpack? Yeah, me too, and this is the bag that works best for her. It's got big front pockets and a spacious main compartment that is perfect for when she neatly places items inside or when she’s jamming stuff in. Not only is it super durable, but we’ve tossed it into the washing machine when it gets gross or smells a little funky, and it’s still in great shape, making it easily one of the best backpacks for high school.
You’ve got a whole rainbow of colors to choose from with this bag, and it even comes in a mushroom pattern if mushrooms are your jam.
Best part: Jansport offers a limited lifetime warranty. So for as long as your kid has this backpack, Jansport will repair or replace it after the bag has seen “normal wear and tear.” No that’s not a challenge to your teen – just a friendly reminder when their bag looks a little beat up.
Key Specs
| Size | 8.5” x 13” x 18” |
|---|---|
| Material | Cordura® and suede |
| Extras | limited lifetime warranty, padded back panel, and a side water bottle pocket |
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4
Best Eco-Friendly Bookbag
Skyway Rainier Deluxe Backpack
Pros
- Made from a more sustainable material
- Plenty of storage options to keep kids organized
Cons
- Rectangular shape won’t allow kids to overfill the bag
For eco-conscious kids who prioritize sustainability, meet the Skyway Rainier Deluxe. It’s made from PET, which is a fancy way of saying recycled plastic. This bag grabbed my son’s attention because it’s made from recycled water bottles, but it’s become his go-to backpack because it has pockets, pockets, and, yes, you guessed it, more pockets.
Seriously, this bag has a spot for just about anything my kid needs for school. It’s got an extra large front pocket and a roomy main compartment with a padded divider, a zippered mesh pouch, and you guessed it–more pockets. It even has a third compartment with a padded spot for their laptops and a side access zipper that comes in handy when kids are rushing to get their gear out for class.
This backpack has been tossed into the back of my car and stepped on quite a few times in the process but still looks great.
Key Specs
| Size | 6” x 11.5” x 16” |
|---|---|
| Material | rPET: recycled polyethylene terephthalate |
| Extras | magnetic closure phone pocket, side water bottle slot, and a front pocket has a key leash and card holder |
Pros
- Sleek design that comes in great colors
- Waterproof fabric that cleans up nicely
Cons
- Besides the front zipper pocket and interior laptop pocket–it doesn’t have extra organization pockets
We have it on good authority that his is the best backpack for high school kids this year. If your kid is already a fan of the Lululemon Everywhere belt bag, they’re going to love this backpack. While it doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles like other bags on this list–it makes up for it with a sleek style and that it has plenty of room to hold everything your kid needs for school and their after school activities. And yes, that includes a 15-inch tech sleeve.
This one is a fan favorite of my teen daughter who switches between using it for school and a carry-all during her dance practices and competitions. It’s seen its fair share of water bottle spills and makeup explosions, but somehow it all magically wipes away and still looks great. My daughter also loves the monochromatic material, coordinating zipper, and straps and of course the logo. It really is a great looking backpack and I sort of want one for myself when I see her carry it.
Key Specs
| Size | 11.4" x 5.9'" x 16.9" |
|---|---|
| Material | Nylon |
| Extras | water repellent fabric, interior padded pocket fits a 16" laptop, and side water bottle pocket |
Pros
- Comes in tons of colors
- Durable enough to make it though all 4 years of high school
Cons
- Straps aren’t padded
The Fjallraven Kanken isn’t just fun to say, it’s a backpack that teens love, and for good reason. This thing is built to last. It’s durable, water-resistant fabric means it can survive everything from hallway stampedes to unexpected rain showers during morning drop-off.
My kids said the main compartment was really spacious, and there’s plenty of room for books, tech, lunch, and even a secret candy stash. My daughter even shoved a hoodie into the bag with her other stuff. Their only complaint–the shoulder straps were not as padded as the other bags they tried.
The best part of this bag for me? This is the type of backpack kids will actually want to reuse year after year making it an easy choice for best backpacks for high school Stylish, fun colors, really durable, and saving me money in the long run– I’m a fan of that.
Key Specs
| Size | 5.12” x 10.63” x 15.35” |
|---|---|
| Material | Vinylon F |
| Extras | top handle, lightweight, water bottle pocket |
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7
Best Comfort Straps
Chrome Industries Hondo 18L Pack
Now 20% Off
Pros
- Extremely plush straps
- Tons of organizational space
Cons
- Roomy, but if you need to pack sports gear as well, you'll need to size up.
One of our senior editors at Best, Cat Bowen, has two wily teens of her own, and her oldest just recently started using the Chrome 16-liter backpack for summer camp and school.
He is autistic with sensitivities to fabrics and the feel of bags, and he loves this one not only for the ultra-plush padded straps, but also the overall feel of the bag.
It holds all of his tech — from his 15-inch gaming laptop to his iPhone 15 plus. It easily accommodates his water bottle, myriad notebooks, and collection of gel pens. There's a ton of organization happening here, with a spot for everything, and that alone helps streamline his day.
He's not easy on his bags, says Bowen, preferring to chuck them in the car or in the corner of his room, often getting it quite messy in the process, but it has taken its licks and come out swinging.
Key Specs
| Size | 17.25" x 9.5" x 5" |
|---|---|
| Material | 400D recycled crinkle nylon with a 150D recycled polyester liner |
| Extras | Front-zip pocket, easy access laptop pocket |
