Customer Reviews L.L.Bean Kids Super Deluxe Bookpack (Little Kids/Big Kids)

This is super unfortunate, because I still use my LLBean bag I've had since I was 10 years old. But I bought my son his first delux bag last year, when he was in Kindergarten, to help toat his snow gear to and from school. Unfortunately, we didn't get the opportunity to use this often, as it ripped during his second week of school. I'll unfortunately be calling LLBean to see how we can fix or replace the item. I truly love this company and their customer service, so I have no concerns there. But this is the first product we have had that's ever had any issuesand we've been consumers for over 30 years! I did notice the material for this bag is a lot thinner and lighter weight than the same model from 1999 that I still use. Great for the back, but apparently that can come with a downside for durability. :/

I have bought this deluxe backpack many years. I'm buying a new one for my daughter. Is anybody else having problems where the zipper gets stuck on the front compartment on the reflector strips? I ordered one and maybe thought it was just a defected one and I ordered another one and that one The reflective strips are now sticking out a little bit and a little sharp and the zipper still gets stuck on them. Is anybody else having this problem?

My son has been using this backpack for 2 years. It is very sturdy and fits everything that he needs to carry back and forth. However, the side mesh pockets are way too short. Water bottles of every size constantly fall out, I have had to buy multiple bottles because they have been broken or dented. This is a DAILY occurrence. I am on this site looking for a new bag only for this reason. Unfortunately, LLBean has not improved or changed the side pockets. Very disappointing, this could be fixed very easily by making the pockets deeper or adding an elastic strap to hold taller bottles. My son has repeatedly given up on the side pockets and decided to not carry water, that is not healthy and he has become dehydrated several times. Post Covid they don't have water fountains in his school so he has no other source of water. PLEASE FIX THIS ISSUE ASAP!

Used by middle school aged daughter and it lasted almost 4 months of the school year before the strap came unstitched at the top and the mesh side pockets did not hold up to daily use.

upon use while traveling a few times, My aluminum water bottle falls out whenever I pick up the bag or try to put it on. The only bottle it holds securely is a 16.9 plastic store bought bottle of water. I also had to fortify the bottom with stiff cardboard to give it the support I needed for items not to weqr through the bottom.

BOTH water bottle pockets tore in the first week. Now, we are packing the water bottle inside the backpack. It's not ideal. Given the LL Bean reputation, this is highly disappointing. The size of the backpack is good for a high school student.

The water bottle holders on the side are too low for most of our bottles.

I bought this backpack for my child for high school about 4 years ago. She never used it in high school, but she uses it now in college. It is roomy and has a place for everything. Couldn't be happier. She treats the backpack with care, so I was surprised to see the zipper material come off the backpack fabric recently. I have attached a picture. I hope LLBean improves the zipper on this great product.

My niece loved everything about this backpack but it started to come apart near the zippers. Will be returning it unfortunately.

This backpack storage works well for our Middle School student. Ample (& impressive amount of pockets). However, I would not buy it again due to the water bottle pocket. It will NOT hold a water bottle (24 oz). They fall out every time he puts it on and now all the new $$ bottles are dented. It needs a strap above the pocket to hold it in. Definitely a design flaw. Disappointing surprise as my first L.L. Bean backpack purchase. Now looking to pay someone with an industrial sewing machine to sew a strap on the bag. At the price of the backpack this shouldn't be necessary.

This backpack is really cute and we were prepared to love it. However, only a couple of months of use, and the handle on top snapped off. Bag was not overloaded. We will return for refund.

Replacement for the same backpack where the straps ripped off. New color is nice. Can't speak to quality yet. Agent chose monogram color poorly.

Disappointed!! This backpack is roomy, but the material is thin and stretchier than our older LL Bean backpacks. It did not survive 1 1/2 year of high school - a seam ripped! I am very surprised because our older LL Bean backpacks lasted through both elementary and middle schools. Whatever happened to LL Bean's lifetime guarantee? Also, the water bottle pockets should be redesigned to accommodate taller water bottles, my kids' water bottles fall out. This review will not allow me to add photos of the backpack.

My son received this backpack on August 2020. He was diagnosed with cancer in October 2020 and didn't use the backpack at all until he was able to return to school on August 2021. The top handle of the backpack broke about 3 weeks ago. I spoke to someone in customer service and they said that they no longer have the lifetime warranty and I could send it in to be evaluated to see if there's a defect. Of course there is a defect. Seems like they should have heard the special circumstances I was speaking of and just replace it for us.

My son battled cancer last year and did not attend school. He started using this backpack in August 2021. The top handle broke today. Disappointed. I thought it would have lasted longer especially since he didn't use it last year. I read that LL Bean no longer has the lifetime guarantee but I wonder if they would make an exception for my son who is a cancer warrior. He is 7 months cancer free! Hooray!

Bought two bags. One of the bags had a rip where the strap meets the bag, I had to order new one and wait on delivery until I send other one back and get refund so he could have a school bag. Hopefully I don't have to pay the return shipping of $6.50. Called customer service and they reordered the bag and monogramming at the original price as I had purchased it on sale. They indicated it could take 4 weeks for delivery.

The back pack was huge, very roomy but the monogram was way too small for the money paid. Was not happy wit the monogram @all.

I have purchase LL Bean backpacks for more than 3 years and you cannot beat them for quality. In today's world most people carry large water bottles with them. It is beyond me why LL Bean has yet to increase the height of their water bottle pockets. Nearly every reusable water bottle is too tall to safely stay in the pocket. This may seem like a silly reason to give 3 stars, when I would otherwise give 5, but I have contact LL Bean about this issue numerous times over the past five years. It just doesn't make sense. Good water bottles are expensive and we have lost quite a few because of this single, easily fixable, issue.

FLIMSY. STRAPS DO NOT STAY IN PLACE. INFERIOR QUALITY. MONOGRAM WORK IS EXCELLENT.

I make 4-8 mission trips a year and use an LLBean backpack as my carry on. I had a backpack for many years and was very happy with it but it was getting dirty and wouldn't come clean when I washed it. I upgraded to the super deluxe book pack because I wanted a fresh start and I liked the idea of the water bottle pockets and a padded place for my laptop. After only about 6 trips it developed 2 large holes in the top. Probably after I washed it. I called LLBean but was told you aren't supposed to wash them! It doesn't say that in the description or anywhere on the backpack and they often get dirty so.... Beware because LLBean did not stand behind this product.

The netting pocket on the strap was not sewn properly. I was given two options. 1. Return the bag to the company for weeks so the company could look at it for themselves - after school had begun. 2. Buy a second bag so my son would have a bag while they looked at the seam. Not a great experience after purchasing a $70.00 backpack.

The comfort and fit is fine, however, after only 3 days of normal use by my highschooler, there is evidence of the shoulder straps separating from the bag. Generally he is not hard on his items and many items last much longer than intended (5 yrs from previous, smaller l.l.bean bag, over 4 yrs and going strong without repairs for phone etc)

We have purchased this backpack the past couple years for our son who is starting his junior year of high school soon. It's the only bag we've found that is wide enough to accommodate all his binders since the kids won't use lockers as they don't have time to get from class to class anymore. The past 2 years, the haul loop and at least one shoulder strap have completely or partially ripped away from the bag at the top, and one of the metal zipper pulls broke off very early in the year. Why can't this bag be better made? For the price, it should at least last a whole school year if not longer. Very disappointing.

My three kids went through middle school and high school with this backpack. One is in college with it now. In 2018, I wrote a review to say that the water bottle pockets are too short. Any normal sized water bottle falls out when the kid bends over, so my kids carry their water bottle around in their hand. It's such a shame because it's a perfect pack otherwise. I would buy a new one for each kid if LLBean would just make the water bottle pockets taller! I can't even count the number of reviews asking for this. LLBean, are you listening to your customers?

My 7th grader has been using this bag all year, and by mid-year, one strap was pulling away from the bag. By year-end, the second strap began to pull away. In addition, the stripes on the front pocket are worn down.