Lands' End Ergo Junior

When it was still available, reviewers loved the way the durable Lands' End Ergo Junior backpack adjusted in size to fit kids 4 to 7 years old as they grow. However, this backpack is no longer being manufactured. For 2009, Lands' End offers the ClassMate SmallHaul (*Est. $20) for kids between 5 and 8 years old. For kids 8 and older, Lands' End offers the Featherlight (*Est. $35) backpack, which is recommended by a major consumer testing organization. For kids heading to preschool or kindergarten, we found the best reviews for the L.L.Bean Junior Original (*Est. $25). It's designed for children over 4 years old, and it gets very high marks for durability.

Prevention magazine recommends the Lands' End Ergo Junior backpack based on young children's evaluations of its comfort after wearing it fully loaded for a whole mile. The review tests 30 backpacks and evaluates them for organization. Real Simple tests a larger number of backpacks, and it recommends Lands' End as a brand without specifying any particular models. Good Housekeeping's recent comparison tests cover a different, larger Lands' End backpack for durability, organization and comfort.