Rated 4 out of 5 by Nausiica Great bag but too big for a 7 year old
This is a very handy bag, my son likes the outside water bottle pockets and the front "just shove it in" pocket (for mitts, hat, thermos, name it). School binders and books fit in the main section, even with a lunch bag in it.
Two reasons why I gave it 4 stars and not 5:
1. It is advertised as "7 and over", yet it is too big for a 7 year old. 10 years and above would be better.
2. The main pocket can be tough to fill up because the zipper doesn't open all the way down (only at the top) so it is quite a challenge for a young guy to remember to put the lunch bag first, then the binder/exercise books, then the crayons... Although I suspect that makes the bag stronger, so I can't complain too much.
Great bag for the older kids.
April 20, 2013
Rated 2 out of 5 by HawaiiWalker only middling for a child's pack
I'm a petite woman (5') in need of a backpack small enough to fit my torso. I couldn't decide between the Explorer and the Carryall II Day Pack which is considerably more expensive; I decided to keep the Carryall Day Pack because it's much better quality though slightly smaller in capacity.
This pack is about what I would expect for a $20. child's backpack (indeed, this is designed for children but the price is more than $20.): the material seems thin and the zippers are not nearly as sturdy as the ones on the Carryall. I second other comments about the inconvenience of a zipper that doesn't go all the way down.
It fit my 13" MacBook Air and several books (large and small) comfortably, but the lack of a chest strap, waist strap or lumbar padding made carrying heavy loads uncomfortable.
Overall, I was not impressed. Returning.
February 25, 2013
Rated 3 out of 5 by Nausiica Not for ages 7 and up
This backpack looks sturdy and nice but is advertised for 7 and up and it definitely isn't. It is WAY too big for that age group. My son is 7 and it falls below his bum on the tightest setting. The shoulder straps are also too spread apart for him, they slide off. It is barely the right size for my 9 year old, and even for him I would not get it because it does not allow a good adjustment. The fact that the zippers do not open all the way down is also annoying for a young child (and its parents) because you have to "fish" everything through the small top opening without seeing the bottom very well (like the old fashion backpacks my dad used to make us carry on multi day expeditions). Finally with a bag this big (there is a lot of space inside) I think LLBean should add a padded waist strap because it could hold a lot of weight, too much for young children's shoulders.
Overall a nice bag that looks solid, but should not be advertised for 7 and up. Reserve it for 10 years and above.
January 31, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by Dmwallach Great pattern and always amazing durability
My 2nd grader loves this backpack with its beautiful, cool pattern. It has the "essential" water bottle mesh pockets. It tries to help her with organization with all it individual compartments. The poor bag gets thrown around so much, and still looks like brand new.
January 28, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by MET3 Amazing Diaper Bag!
I had a bag that was just a big carry all bag for one shoulder. It was great but would often fall down my arm and almost cause me to drop my son (6months). My family and I have had LLBean backpacks since I can remember and I figured it was time for my son to have his very own. I LOVE this backpack. The side puches are great for his bottles, the front zipper compartment is awesome for my things, and the big zipper part is awesome for all of his things. I WISH LLBean would come out with a line of diaper bags. We've always had amazing luck with all of our bags and they've been so durable! I cant wait to see him grow up and be able to carry his back pack him self like a big boy. On second thought... I dont want him to grow up.
January 11, 2013
Rated 4 out of 5 by alaskamomtoo A good pack for an upper elementary student
This pack is large enough to carry a zippered binder, a lunch and a book or two. In short, it is big enough for the essentials but not so big that it can get loaded down with more than an elementary student should really be carrying on their back.
December 26, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by Ewelina Great backpack
My son started middle school this year and needed a bigger bag and picked this one in black. It looks great in black I have to say. He likes it very much. He fits his three ring zippered binder along with a few notebooks, work book and a few folders. He even manages to stuff his jacket in it too. The shoulder straps feel really nice too very thick.Great backpack all together..
December 18, 2012
Rated 5 out of 5 by XRAYlady Bean's Explorer Backpack
Love this backback. It is the perfect size for my 7 year old. Very good quality with plenty of pockets.
September 21, 2012
Rated 3 out of 5 by busymominMA1 Not big enough
Got this for my son for 5th grade. It is a nice backpack but not big enough. It fits his binder and that's about it. I have to squish his lunch bag in there to fit.
September 12, 2012
Rated 2 out of 5 by mommy010203 Not big enough
This book bag is too stiff and not big enough to hold a simple binder without effort to place it into the bag. Disappointed!
September 4, 2012
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