Customer Reviews L.L.Bean Kids Bean's Explorer Backpack, 25L

My son can't wait to start 2nd Grade with his new Kelly Green Back Pack from L.L. Bean. I made this purchase because I am familiar with the impeccable quality of the product. The comprehensive design and beautiful color is only a bonus.

My 7 year grandson wanted this bag for school! His face was all smiles when it arrived at his home.

Bought this for my kindergartener who loves orange and blue. I love that it has two water bottle holders and two roomy compartments, so we could use one for lunch and snacks and the other for school supplies. I was debating for a while between the classic one and this one and am happy I went with this one. The colors are vibrant and stands out so nicely.

My son and I love this backpack! I love all the books and crannies for his supplies and he loves the spiffy blue and orange colors. He also loves hanging his keychains on the orange loops in the front. As for the bottle holder, it has stretched out a little bit on the one side we always use, but it still functions as if new. There are no rips or holes in ours. We are ecstatic to start 4th grade this year with this super-reliable backpack!

I bought this backpack for my 3rd grade son and it has held up really well. It fits a lot of books and is comfortable for him to wear. Not to mention the blue and orange is very sharp looking. Will definitely buy another one when we need it!

I bought this for my son in kindergarten and holding up strong! There are lots of compartments for all of his stuff and enough room for his computer. It also washes well.

We have 2 of the Explorer Backpacks (one is on its 4th year of school & the other on its 3rd year)! They are both still in great shape! My only issue is with the water bottle pocket. I wish that it went all the way to the bottom of the bag. It works just fine with a kids size water bottle (16oz), but with any taller water bottles above that, it falls out.

Nice quality, seems a bit little smaller than expectation (compared the standard LL Bean bag and Jansport bags we've also used recently). Kids love the way they look. We just started using them but construction seems great.

Great size for elementary kids. As my kid has more stuff to carry in intermediate school (fifth/sixth) he is out growing it. My biggest complaint about this backpack is the water bottle holder on the side of the backpack. First, it doesn't go to the bottom of the backpack and it's very short so my son's water bottle could not stay in it. He has a large water bottle and was unable to use the water bottle holder at all.

It's a very nice well-made backpack, but was too small for our needs so I returned it. My son is in third grade and needed a school backpack to hold some books, his lunchbox, and the snow clothes he shoves in there at the end of the day. This pack was a good size for his body (he's a tall 9 year-old), but not roomy enough for all his stuff.

We have purchased 3 Explorer Backpacks over the past several years or so and had been really happy with them. They are the perfect size for elementary students - school folder, coats, sports stuff, etc.fits great in them. However, we bought a new one for my 4th grade son this summer as his one that he had used for past 3 years was showing signs of wear. Similar to other reviews, within a month or so of light use the top strap ripped off (similar to other people's photos). I just submitted an exchange in the hopes that maybe they've solved the issue. The two other Explorer backpacks we had were great and have not had this issue. Keeping my fingers crossed.

My 3 sons have been using LL Bean backpacks for years. The Explorer my first grader is now using is the same that my 9th grader used for 6 years prior. This year my 5th grader wanted a different color (from the one he has been using for the past 7 years) and we obliged with a new Explorer. This is our second pack in less than 5 months, after replacing the first due to this same strap malfunction. These bags are rock solid otherwise, but this is a HUGE inconvenience and disappointment from one of our favorite brands. What is happening??

The shoulder strap on the first once we got started to fray and separate from the backpack within the first two weeks of wearing it. I brought it back to the store and they exchanged it for a new one which seems to be doing ok so far. We purchased it for its longevity.

Good backpack except it faded in the sun (kids are required to keep them outside for safety reasons) after a few weeks. We upgraded our child to a larger 24 oz water bottle and I noticed it tends to fall out of the side pocket easily. May be time to get a bigger backpack! Otherwise the multiple pockets and laptop sleeve are really great and functional.

For a $60 backpack, I would expect it to last longer than 3 weeks. Carry loop appears to not have been sewn correctly and now it is fraying after only a few weeks back to school after it was given as a Christmas present. LLBean might replace, but I will have to find the time to go do that in-store. :-(

For being a product from llbean the top handle of the backpack came apart and the thread was fraying. Tried to return it but there was not the same backpack available. We ended up sewing it ourselves because the child really liked and wanted that backpack. Disappointed in the quality.

Purchased this as a school backpack for my son. Within just the first month of use, the top strap used for hanging on hooks began to tear and fray. We have hooks in our closet to hang up the kids backpacks after school and its soo bad now that we can no longer hang it. My son is very gentle with his things and it did not get abused. It is also mostly empty when we hang it, not heavy at all. Disappointed in the quality. To return it under warranty LL Bean requires me to pay to package and ship it. I'm out that cost plus I'll have to find another backpack to use while we wait to see if they will replace it.

My granddaughter very pleased to receive this backpack for school. I was shocked to find out the strap broke after only using it for two weeks. I have bought many backpacks for my children over the years. Never had an issue. After reading the reviews, I see many people are having this issue.

Not for this bag but overall quality drop from LL Bean classic original backpack, when I arrived to pick it up I was very disappointed to find it very flimsy poorly made, honestly nothing like I expected or hoped. We had to default to changing to this bag that seemed to be better quality and made well but it was huge disappointment for kids since they were hoping to get a bigger size but same backpack they had last year. When inquired about quality the sales agent confirmed that their product went some "changes". Unfortunately those changes were not very positive. Anyways this bag is totally fine nothing impressive we got purple and blue and they both seem to work ok

Love the look but faulty construction caused the strap the come apart after 8 days of use. I have initiated a return and purchased a new one. I am hoping the 2nd one lasts longer than 8 days. The 2nd one is costing me almost $10 more than the first one and Customer Service was of no help.

I had the same issue as the other mom who posted. Bought 2022 for my kindergartener and we used last year as well but the side pockets for the water bottle ripped after 1 yr of use. Disappointing!

Used for six weeks by a third-grader who mostly hauls a lunch box in it. Never fully loaded, never used for anything other than back-and-forth to school. The top strap tore off almost immediately, and the other seams are already showing signs of breakdown. The material is also flimsy, stiff, and nowhere near the quality of previous LL Bean backpacks I have owned. I'm going to return it, and if I get one iota of pushback about it, I'll never purchase from LL Bean again. I've been a customer for thirty years, but every purchase I've made in the past three has been a total disappointment. So sad to see an American institution going down the toilet.

Great pack except the top handle ripped after literally two weeks of school. Second time in two years LLbean quality has been substandard (first a kids coat where zipper broke after a couple months and now this). And the "order a new one and send the item back" returns policy is annoying. You should replace defective gear without the hassle.

We have always purchased LL Bean backs for our children, and this was the first time we had issues. The bag is beautiful, but the top handle frayed and fell off within two months. This makes it nonfunctional for school use. My other child has had her bag for 3 years and the top strap shows no indication of issues. Based on the other reviews, this seems like a common defect this year. I'll be returning it.

Bought this backpack for my 8 year old granddaughter for school. She used it one month and the strap broke. Contacted c.s and was told I had to ship it back for evaluation to decide if replacement was warranted. Poor customer service. This will be my girst and last purchase from. LL Bean!