Choosing the Right High School Backpack: Reviews & Guide

Depending on how you choose to see it, going back to school can be a beautiful and rewarding experience. It provides the opportunity to connect with new (and old) friends.

However, for resumption, you have to be well prepared. This is where things can get tricky. Especially if you’re a parent/guardian, you have to take proper consideration of several factors, even the little ones.

One of such factors is the backpack. High School students carry it around most of the time, and it contains a huge majority of their academic (and social) life. Considering those, you cannot spare any effort in getting the best high school backpack. For that reason, we’ve put together this guide. Here, we’ll point you in the direction of the best backpacks for high school in 2020 and even later. Additionally, we’ll give a few useful tidbits along the way. Hang tight!

Our top pick

Our top pick among several high school backpacks is the Matein Travel Laptop Backpack. From the USB cable to the handy laptop compartment, it has many features that support the high school student lifestyle.

What backpacks are good for high school?

There is no definitive rule book that states the exact backpack that’s perfect for high school. However, if a backpack is to be considered good for high school, it must be simple. Unlike other types of backpacks with multiple compartments and wildly elaborate designs, a backpack meant for school should have a straightforward design. This is so, because most students only need to carry around books and laptops.

They don’t need too many pockets for passports as they’re not travelling. They don’t need too many compartments for holding pots and utensils since they’re not hiking. So, again, a backpack for school should be simple.

How to choose the right backpack for school?

As someone in the market for a new school backpack, it’s not abnormal for questions to pop into your head occasionally. One of the most common is, “how do I choose the right backpack?” Thankfully, this isn’t an excessively hard question to answer. Here are a few factors to consider if you’re looking for a high school backpack:

Comfortable Design: If the backpack is uncomfortable, it can make the whole experience of using it very unnerving. As such, you must always look for a backpack with a comfortable design.

For starters, the back panel and shoulder straps should be well-padded and breathable. Padded shoulder straps make it much easier to carry the backpack around without the tough sting of rough fabric biting into the skin. A breathable back panel means that your ward is less likely to accumulate heat in that area and sweat excessively while using the backpack.

Alongside that, the backpack should have S-shaped shoulder straps. That is, they should curve outward at the neck and back inward at the chest. This removes unnecessary pressure/discomfort from the neck during use.

Functionality: This is another important thing your backpack should have. Indeed, we emphasized on simplicity earlier. However, it doesn’t hinder functionality.

To begin with, your backpack should have just the right amount of compartments and pockets. This will help your ward to distribute his/her belongings properly within the backpack. Besides the main compartment, you need the following:

  • Laptop compartment for the laptop.
  • Water bottle pocket if your ward prefers to carry his/her water.
  • Small compartment for keys, pens, erasers, etc.

Size: This part is largely subjective as it differs from one person to another. However, it is still important. In this regard, you’ll want to find something that works based on the age and size of the user. Getting a humongous backpack for a petite little girl just wouldn’t work. Even we wouldn’t want to carry that around.

So, apart from considering the size as it concerns the user, you should consider how much the user needs to carry. For example, if you’ll be needing the backpack to carry more textbooks and notes than usual, you’ll want to get something with a larger capacity. Regardless, however, we doubt you’ll have to go any higher than 45L.

What are the Best Backpacks for High School?

Here are a few backpacks that oughtta give you a bang for your buck:

Matein Travel Laptop Backpack

Despite the name, this backpack is actually one of the best backpacks for high school students. This is so because while it doubles as a travel backpack, it comes with numerous features that a high school student can find useful.

To begin with, this backpack provides optimal levels of comfort. This fact is evident in its adjustable, padded shoulder straps as well as its breathable back panel. Alongside that, it has just the right amount of compartments to make the backpack just as functional as it is sleek.

Among others, you have a spacious main compartment, a laptop compartment, key and pen pockets, water bottle holder, etc. To cap it all, the backpack has a USB charging port which makes it much easier to keep your mobile device charged up.

Product Specifications

  • Dimensions: 18 x 12 x 7.8 inches
  • Weight: 1.56 pounds

Pros

  • It is multi-functional.
  • It has enough compartments to accommodate extra belongings.

Cons

  • It is a bit of a tight squeeze for a 15.6-inch laptop.

Final Thoughts

This backpack comes with a significant number of features as well as a durable and comfortable design. If you are looking for either of those qualities, then the Maiten Travel Laptop Backpack is for you.

Della Gao Travel Laptop Backpack

This is another backpack with an excellent combination of useful features. It works well for travel, work, and most importantly, high school.

It is designed in such a way that it is soft and comfortable to carry around. However, it is still tear-resistant and durable. Alongside that, it protects from water as its surface repels liquids.

It has elastic mesh pockets on both sides for water and a laptop compartment that can occupy a 17-inch computer. It is a great fit for boys and girls alike.

Product Specifications

  • Dimensions: 12.5 x 7.8 x 17.6 inches
  • Weight: 1.63 pounds
  • Material: Polyester

Pros

  • It is water repellant.
  • It is durable.

Cons

  • It might be a bit too large for smaller teens.

Final Thoughts

When you combine its size with its extra features, this backpack is clearly one of the best backpacks for school. Although, if you’re getting it for a petite teenager, you might wanna reconsider as the size might seem a tad awkward.

Yorepek Backpack

The third on our list is arguably the best backpack for a high school freshman. It seamlessly blends comfort, looks and functionality to create one great backpack.

Among its other admirable features, it has a padded laptop compartment. The extra padding helps to protect the computer. Alongside that, it has a USB port on the outside which makes it easier to charge your mobile phone on the go.

Finally, the backpack comes with just enough pockets, including one on each side of the backpack to keep water bottles.

Product Specification

  • Dimensions: 17.29 x 14.57 x 10.24 inches
  • Weight: 2.5 pounds.

Pros

  • The backpack is spacious.
  • It is durable and comfortable.

Cons

  • It could be awkward for smaller teens.

Final Thoughts

Yorepek put in just the right amount of effort into this one. Considering all it has to offer, including the size, multifunctionality, and organizational potential, it is an excellent backpack.

Sosoon Backpack

This backpack can contain a 15.6-inch laptop and still have ample space for several other high school supplies. It helps you to organize your belongings properly such that not one note or pen is out of place.

Additionally, the backpack has a unique pair of shoulder straps with shoulder mats. These help to relieve stress on your shoulders. If this doesn’t spell comfort, what does?

Product Specifications

  • Dimensions: 10 x 4.5 x 6 inches
  • Weight: 2.5 pounds

Pros

  • It is durable and comfortable.
  • It is water repellant.

Cons

  • It’s limited to 15.6-inch laptops.

Final Thoughts

Its design is sleek, as well as efficient. Also, it combines high school backpack features with travel features. This makes it an excellent choice because you can always pick it up whether you’re going to school or going on a road trip.

ProEtrade Backpack for School

The last on our list is the ProEtrade backpack. It is a great high school backpack for more reasons than one.

It has a great and functional design as well as a durable exterior. Alongside that, it comes with a useful USB port on the outside to keep your phone charging and antitheft features. To cap it all, the ProEtrade backpack is useful for many other things besides using it for high school.

Product Specifications

  • Dimensions: 19 x 12.5 x 8 inches
  • Weight: 1.5 pounds

Pros

  • It has a sleek and appealing design.
  • It has antitheft features to protect your belongings.

Cons

  • Its mesh-style water bottle pockets aren’t quite as durable as they could be.
    Final Thoughts

Even though it’s coming at the bottom of the list, it’s nothing short of an excellent high school backpack.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: How often should you wash a high school backpack?

A high school backpack, like regular backpacks, should be washed around three times a year. However, you might need to do more if the bag is heavily used during the year.

Q2: What are the things to keep in your backpack for school?

A few backpack essentials for school are your pens and pencils, your notebooks, a scientific calculator, laptop and phone charger, etc.

Q3: How big should my backpack be for high school?

Your backpack size is dependent on how much you need to carry. However, it should not have a larger capacity than 45L. This is so because anything larger might tempt you to pack more than the required 10%-20% of your total weight. So, if the question “how do I go about packing my backpack for school?” has ever popped in your head, remember to keep it light. When your backpack is too heavy, it could have dangerous effects on your health.

In conclusion

Picking the right high school backpack doesn’t have to be quite as hard as it seems. With our guide, we’re sure you have what you need now to make a decision and a purchase.


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