Customer Reviews L.L.Bean Kids Kids Original Backpack

The font was very small and I had to take it to get embroidered again.

Not impressed - the bag is fine but the monogramming that we paid for was shoddy and not as expected. Disappointed in the quality (or lack there of).

Much more bright orange in person. Not peach as photo shows. Had I not had it monogrammed I would have sent it back.

It was way too big for three year old even though the age group is supposed to include them

Disappointed in this backpack. The zippers do not match the bag color. More importantly they don't work. They get caught on the gasket that is supposed to protect them. And finally, last week, only a month into school, they split open when closed. Sending this back. Very, very disappointed in L.L. Bean quality. The other backpacks that we thought would be lesser quality, from other companies, have been far superior to this backpack.

This is the fourth LL Bean book bag I have gotten and the material for this one is very different. The first thing I noticed was that it was stiff and felt like plastic. Then I put my son's books in and I saw that it was almost see-through (we got the yellow). It feels much flimsier and cheaper than our other book bags and if I hadn't waited until the night before school to open the package, I would have sent it back.

The backpack looks really nice and with the sale, I got it at a great price even with the monogram. However, it didn't take very much time for the first zipper to come off track and then shortly after the other one too. You would think maybe my son was a little rough with it, however that's not the case. This brand was all the rage when I was in school and the quality was better then too. We switched to a backpack purchased at a cheaper competitor and it's still holding up after years of use.

Unfortunately, this bag lasted only 2 weeks for my son. I had bought him a cheaper backpack for elementary school and since he now was going into middle school with no lockers I wanted him to have a better quality pack. This one looked great and he loved the colors, etc. however with opening and closing the pack before and after every class the zipper already broke. The teeth separated and there is a flap that covers the zipper that got caught within the zipper and we cannot get it out. Sending it back. My son is now using his elementary back pack because it is still as good as new and a lot more thicker and sturdier material. The shoulder padded straps of this LLBean bag are extremely stiff. I actually had to bend them and put the bag under something heavy to at least get a bend in them enough for them to not stick straight out. The padding on the back is very thin too. The side pocket is a bit too short for a sports water bottle. Kids are not allowed to bring their water in the original bottle because the crackling is a distraction so he has to have a sports bottle and it keeps falling out. I would say this bag is okay for recreation or for the little kids, definitely not for an everyday bag for middle or high school.

Awkward fit, pack seems wider at the top than the bottom. Straps are too stiff and wide. Bottle pocket is not deep enough. I cannot comment on the durability, haven't used it, will probably return.

I used the LLBean Deluxe Bag all through school and purchased the Original for my first daughter. Now, it's time for my second daughter to start school. I keep coming back to this website hoping they will add better color options in the Original Book Pack. Still no luck, and school starts in a week!!! I guess I'm buying elsewhere this year. :(

My two daughters had the junior original in Pink and were excited to size up to the standard original size. Well the girls are not having those colors and I'm with them. Why is the purple a horrid rotten egg plant? Really? And I don't understand why there is pink in the Junior offerings but not in the standard size. Another reviewer mentioned some more boy colors, well how about some nice girl colors. Neon Pink and Mint Green perhaps? A Normal Purple? Lastly, why do all the colors have a putrid tone to them? I get it you want to be off beat and hip and I get it but you can take a thing to far. I always had a LLBEAN bag growing up and I was looking forward to continuing the tradition with my girls, but unfortunately, it's of to PBK for me.

I never received my order. I received an email stating my order could not be filled.

Stitching is already unraveling. Very disappointing

If I pay $50+ for a backpack with extra for monogram I expect it to be professionally done. But I received my son's new backpack today and this is how it came.. extremely disappointed this is what I got for the price I paid.

I bought two bags. One for my son with a 6 letter name and one for my daughter with a 7 letter name. My son's monogram looks great, but my daughter's is too small. Her name has a L and two Ts so the name does not appear long which makes the monogram worse. I found out after receiving the bag and emailing customer service that 4-6 letter names are 3/4inches tall and 7-10 are 1/2 inches. Even a 10 letter name would likely fit just fine with 3/4inch letters. The monogram on the example page did not clearly state that over 7 letters would be so small and shows a very appropriately sized font for the tote bag that is displayed. The customer service person stated this was a valid point when I sent the photos, but nothing could be done. I would recommend doing your own monogram if the name is longer than 7 letters to avoid disappointment.

I bought this expecting to use it for years and hand it down. It ripped (in two spots!) on the bottom after only one school year. I have no idea how it ripped - my daughter barely carries anything in it, doesn't drag it ton the ground, etc. I really expected more.

My son already had the same bag, he's going into 2nd grade and we bought it when he was in kindergarten. I remember my LLbean backpack I had from middle school to college, that I still have sitting in my garage, didn't have any problems. Since we had his last year, the zippers broke (kept getting stuck in the lining over the zipper) and then I'd get it fixed and it's come home snagged in the middle of the zipper on the lining, again. So- I cut the lining off. One of the cup holders on the side also ripped not long after getting it. Pretty disappointed, but here I am buying another, hoping that it won't do the same.. and that it was a fluke that the last bag had so many problems. Seems the quality of the bags isn't as good as they were 20+ years ago.

I purchased this backpack for both of my kids. One for my infant to take her things to and from daycare. One of the straps broke within the few first months. An infant's backpack! It still looked and felt like brand new condition. I was able to return for a full refund, which I do appreciate. My son's backpack lasted only a few months longer before one of the zippers broke. I haven't tried to return it yet. I grew up with LL Bean backpacks and they used to last forever. It's really a shame to see how poor the quality is now. I will not be purchasing again. Most LL Bean products are outsourced now and it shows in the product quality. They were a great, high quality American company and that's just not the case anymore. I no longer feel like I can trust this brand.

LOVE the backpack, but the monogram is awful. If I would have known it was gonna be that bad I would have waited and had my friend do it.

It's way too soon to evaluate how sturdy this will be over time. I will say it seems to have good quality materials and stitching and I expect great things. However, my niece will have to say for sure.

I have been buying these for 30 years (yes, i'm old) but I will no longer buy them. They used to last for years, literally! It was Great ! But the last 2 I bought - they haven't lasted more than a year. The material is weaker - holes have developed where they never did and this last one which I started using about 9 months ago - the strap is tearing away. So, it used to be a great purchase but now I'm done with it. Thanks for being good for so long, all good things come to an end I guess.

I have bought 2 of these backpacks for my son. The first one I bought him in 2022 and the zipper broke 6 months into him using it. I bought the second backpack in 2023 and both of the zippers broke.- now the backpack is not usable I really like the style and durability of this backpack but VERY disappointed in the zipper. will not be purchasing again- should have learned my lesson after the zipper broke on the first bag

When I was a kid I had the same one most of grade school. I bought one for my kid and it lasted a year and a half. Both zippers have busted and one seam has come undone. Unfortunately, it is over a year from purchase when it first happened, so no warranty. If I wanted to repair I had to ship back and pay for repairs. By the time you pay for shipping and repair just better off buying a new backpack.

The name was so small you could barely read it and it just looked weird in the space. The threads were also awful. I reached out to customer service about my issue I have no had any response I went ahead and returned it before it was too late but now the green is sold out so that is very disappointing.

I ordered for my daughter. Color is good. Backpack is ok. It is very uncomfortable, too. My kid tried on. And immediately she could tell. She owns so many backpacks so far. This backpack is only one she complained. embroidery is really awful. It barely shows name. It is not even 1 inch. So disappointing. I ordered name embroidery from the other place for covering the name