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

Love Bean backpacks BUT when kids get upper elementary and middle school they need a larger size like this . Zipper is awesome, material great BUT please redesign this so you can add a water bottle pouch that is usable. The stretchy mesh is not substantial and the pocket is not even tall enough to hold the bottle in there. Why not make the pack longer and the water pouch about twice as tall and sane material as the backpack. Afraid we're going to have to look elsewhere if this is the best you can do.

Bought to replace the exact same style of backpack that lasted around 1 1/4 years. Very generously sized -- the only style of backpack in which my high schooler can actually fit all of her books. Unfortunately, the strap is coming apart from the backpack after less than a month of use.

I'm happy with this product overall, and I've made purchases from LL Bean multiple times, but there's a couple issues I'm having with this product. I've only had it 3-4 months and the zippers, specifically ones that are barely used, are becoming frayed and falling apart. One other issue I'm having is that this is supposed to be a heavy duty bag, but it can't sustain much weight because one of the straps is also starting to fray and tear away from the bag.

Disappointed as LL Bean is known for quality. The loop in the backpack for hanging it on a hook broke pretty quickly.

Bought for my middle schooler. Started ripping the first week of school at the straps. They sent me a new one. The bag lasted all year but just realized the straps are ripping again. I also find it annoying that water bottles fall out of the pocket all the time. The pocket needs to be taller. We've been using these bags for years but this one does not fit the bill. Too expensive to be ripping and not working properly.

Bought this backpack for my son in the beginning of the year. He carries all his books because he doesn't use a locker. The straps were tearing off before the end of the school year. Nice bag if you don't have much weight to carry around.

I bought this bag less than two years ago, currently on it's second school year. I love the space but when I originally bought it, the fabric separating the two large pockets wasn't sewed together and it was fraying and with time it's only gotten worse. The bottom of the bag is also starting to peel up on the inside which is disappointing for such an expensive product. The paint on the zippers also chips off very very quickly. The fabric on the zippers also came fraying at the end and it had to be burned with a lighter to keep them from falling apart.

LL Bean's quality is definitely dropping... yet again. First, it was poor quality sheets pilling and tearing. Now it's a torn handle on the backpack we just ordered. Broke the very first time my child used it. Colors and/or patterns are also awful. Definitely not worth the price and hassle of exchanging.

We purchased this backpack for our daughter in fourth grade who weighs about 70 pounds and only has to haul her lunch, LL Bean outdoor clothing and a couple of paper-back books. The top loop tore out of the backpack after about 1.5 months of use. It doesn't appear that it is secured by much more than a single row of stitches similar to inexpensive $15 backpacks from big box retailers. At $70+ delivered I expect higher quality similar to other LL Bean products we own. Upon calling customer service for help we were told that we would need to purchase another backpack from them up front and then we would be credited for the defective unit once processed on their end. Since my daughter still needs a backpack for school it puts us in a difficult spot. I've spent about $1,000 with LL Bean over the past year or so, and much more over the past 20+ years. When both the product quality and customer service are lacking what else is there to retain my loyalty as a customer?

I have been buying L.L.Bean backpacks for my 3 children for over 20 years. They have been handed down to friends and family as my children grew and needed larger sizes or used for camping and vacations and we never had any problems. I would always recommend L.L. Bean's backpacks to anyone when backpacks came up in conversation and know for a fact several people ended up making backpack purchases through L.L. Bean. What I thought would be my last backpack purchase for our youngest son ended up being a disappointment. We purchased the L.L.Bean Super Deluxe Book Pack in December of 2019. The shoulder strap started to rip shortly after it was purchased, my son told me, I said I would see about contacting L.L. Bean and ended up forgetting to do so. This ended up putting us outside the window for returning (totally my fault) though I'll blame my son for not nagging me about it ;0) The shoulder strap still isn't ripped enough to make it unusable so no worries. Anyway he texted me today to let me know it was starting to tear along the seam (which will make it unusable) so I contacted L .L. Bean and was told sorry it's outside the 1 year return window. It is what it is. When I got off the phone my husband pointed out to me that he didn't even use the backpack from March of 2020 - August of 2021 (fully remote) so it really isn't as old as it seems, which is what prompted me to sit down and write this review. Not very unhappy with this purchase. My daughter on the other hand got the Super Deluxe Book Pack her freshman year of high school and is still using it in college 6 years later. I totally understand needing to set limits on returns when people are taking advantage of a generous policy, but I feel there should be a way to evaluate a customer's return/exchange history and make decisions accordingly. The actions of a few affect the many. we tried to add photos but they would not let us.

The backpack was great for a year, but then developed a tear at one of the seams up top at the handle. Contacted customer service to get a replacement and the return window closed 4 days ago. My only option would be to buy a new one. Backpack is too expensive to only get a year out of it. In the past, we were able to get several years out of ll bean backpacks. Very disappointed in the new warranty.

I have used L.L. Bean backpacks since I was a student many years ago, primarily because my parents like myself knew the quality far exceeded anything purchased from a store. Unfortunately 12 days into the school year the top handle on my daughters backpack broke. I reached out to L.L. Bean with no response. Very disappointed.

This is a great backpack aside from the fact that the side pockets cannot hold a water bottle. We bought it for our middle school son, and he is really frustrated that the side pockets aren't high enough to hold a water bottle. We even went out and bought him a smaller bottle, but it still isn't deep enough. Putting the water bottle inside the bag doesn't work well either, especially after one leaked. After dealing with it for awhile, we decided to return it. Hoping LL Bean figures out that they need to fix this important feature because it is otherwise the perfect bag, but for us, it misses the mark!

The shoulder straps are coming apart where it's sewed to the backpack in the first month of use. We spend the extra money on LLBean backpacks and lunch bags because they are normally high quality but after our experience with this one I don't think I will be ordering again.

I purchased a backpack for my son when he was in preschool and it lasted until high school when the zipper finally failed. When I needed a backpack, I immediately went to L L Bean. The water bottle pocket is too short and the water bottles fall out. I put my water bottle in the pocket and put my backpack in the car. When I get to work, I do not have my water bottle. It fell out in the car. When I pick up the backpack, the water bottle falls out.

This is the 3rd bag we've purchased since 4th grade (8th grade now). While nice and large they all eventually have zippers get stuck at worst time possible and I'm stuck trying to scramble and replace. Definitely not the bags we had in the 90s.

Daughter used for 6th and 7th grade and the strap on the one side the seam is giving out at the top of the back pack. Says only warranty for 1 year well it's almost 2 years old. Says it's supposed to be a college backpack and it can't hold up for middle school with a Chromebook in it and for paying $75 not worth it.

I purchased this backpack for my ninth grader. He carries an Owala water bottle to school. He hates this LL Bean backpack and asked me to replace it with another backpack. The water Bottle holder on the side of the backpack is way too short. He usually takes either a 24oz, 32oz, or 40oz Owala water bottle everyday to school, and it keeps falling out. My son has always had some sort of L.L. Bean backpack since he was a Kindergartener. This backpack will be his last LL Bean backpack.

It seemed very sturdy until the side pocket nearly ripped off. And LL Bean says I need to ship it back for "evaluation." What's my son supposed to use for a backpack while his is being "evaluated"? And LL Bean won't allow me to simply send a photo of the ripped pocket. This return policy is a joke and it's the last time I buy a backpack from LLBean. Poor quality plus poor system for replacing items.

Great quality, they were a gift for grandkids however I have purchased these before and they last for a long time.

I would never buy this backpack again. My metal water bottle is constantly falling out.

I've carried LL Bean backpacks my whole life. I got one for sixth grade in 1986 and carried it through middle school, high school, college, and law school. It's a little beat up, but still in good shape after almost 40 years. My wife bought one of their backpacks in the late 1990s that's still going strong after almost 30 years. These bags are nowhere near that quality. I bought two of them last August for my daughters, who were starting 9th grade. They carried them for one school year. They didn't abuse them they take care of their stuff. The bags are falling apart. One of them is losing one of its shoulder strap. The other has stitching coming unraveled, and the water bottle pocket failed. I just did an online chat with customer support. They told me that the bags were one year and 11 days old ELEVEN DAYS OUT OF WARRANTY and that they wouldn't help me. Does anybody know of a manufacturer that makes quality products in 2024? Because Bean ain't it anymore.

Horrible!! Like wearing a saggy cube on your back! Water bottle holder was worthless! The straps are so stiff they cut into your arm! I wore it one time and that was it! Only good thing about it was the return policy, super simple. Do yourself a favor and keep looking!

Zippers passing over other white corded areas of front pockets catch in the fabric and jam. It requires trying to free zipper teeth by pressing down and trying to stretch out fabric surrounding it to tug free. Not easy. Happened every time I opened or them. This is the first time I've had problems with this model but looks like the design changed.

Handle lasted about two weeks before snapping off. Straps are already fraying. Quality is terrible and I would not expect this bag to last one school year. Buyer beware.