Our twins are starting another year of preschool at the beginning of September this fall because they just miss the cut-off age for kindergarten. One thing I had noticed about our youngest son last year, who is slightly smaller than his twin sister, was that he always complained about his backpack being too heavy. He did this whether it only contained a 2-pocket folder or his snow boots. So I concluded that he just did not like to carry the bag on his back. The look on my son's face when he saw his new Camouflage ClassMate Wheeled StudyHaul Backpack from Lands' End proved that my conclusion was valid. He was grinning from ear to ear and could not wait to take his new rolling backpack for a test drive.
This 17"H backpack is the perfect size for a child in preschool or kindergarten. It is large enough to hold the required 2-pocket folder, any artwork that comes home, plus snow pants and winter boots during the colder months. Our preschool requires that each child's name be easily visible somewhere on the outside of the backpack, so I chose to have our son's name monogrammed on the front, something LandsEnd.com offers for a $6 fee. If you opt not to add an initial or name to your bag, there is a place inside the main compartment to write your child's name with a fabric or permanent marker.
There is much more organizational storage in this Lands' End backpack than in our son's previous backpack. There is another large pocket in the front that has a wide open pocket plus a detachable zippered pouch. I absolutely love the elasticized mesh pockets on each side of the backpack. We will be able to tuck a winter hat into one pocket and a pair of gloves or mittens into the other.
This rolling backpack has feet to help keep the bag upright. I did find that, when the bag was empty, it was very easy to make the bag tip backwards by bumping it. I think the handles makes the bag a little top heavy, but there are no problems when the bag is not empty. I also love that the handle has two positions . . . a medium height for our son to roll the bag and a tall one for when an adult needs to roll it. This bag even has a bumper because Lands' End must know that preschoolers are not always the most careful drivers.
Inside a hidden compartment are the padded adjustable shoulder straps for wearing the bag on the child's back. As I predicted, my son did not care for wearing the bag on his back at all. It is a little large for him and is heavier than a standard backpack because of the extra weight of the handles, wheels, and feet. A nice feature is that the shoulder straps have reflective stripes for better visibility on gloomy days or when it starts to get dark out. The trim on the front of the backpack has the same reflective quality.
To view their full selection of backpacks and lunch boxes, visit LandsEnd.com and the Lands' End Shop inside your local Sears store. Through August 23rd, you can receive 20% off plus Free Shipping on your purchase of $50 or more when you checkout using Code: SUMMERSEND and Pin: 1710 on LandsEnd.com.
Thank you to Lands' End for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.
