The back to school rush is all but upon us, and one of the most important (according to your kid) parts of their school uniform is their school backpack. This is the item they can choose to showcase their personality, their interests, and their style. Whether a classic type, sporty, perhaps love colour or even sparkle, a school bag is where they can express their creativity.
Trust me, its a big deal. It's no easy feat to find a durable yet cool backpack, but we've found some of the coolest backpacks for girls and boys entering their secondary school era.
And you can impress your child with these choices of cool school backpacks, from big brands like Nike and Adidas to cute Smiggle designs, Hype school bags (some of the trendiest styles around) and bags emblazoned with their favourite things, including Minecraft and pretty patterns.
- Girl's editors pick: M&S Kids Heart Backpack, £18
- Boys editors pick: Next Football Backpack, £22 / $44
- Black school bag editors pick: Nike Black Backpack, £21 / $47.99
- Trending school bag: Hype Charm Backpack, £30
- Teen school bag editors pick: Fjällräven Kanken Backpack, £76 / $72.95
I've chosen to focus only on school backpacks, because as celebrity osteopath Nadia Alibhai, who has almost 20 years of experience, says, its the healthiest way for kids to carry their school essentials. "A backpack shouldn’t weigh more than 10% of the child’s weight. Anything heavier will cause the child to lean forward and cause strains and pain in the upper back and also won’t help with their posture", she noted.
How I chose the best school backpacks
- Quality: We've read the reviews and picked the best quality backpacks to see them through the school year.
- Durability: It goes without saying, you don't want to be buying a new backpack for your teen every few weeks. We've tried to find the most durable, by reading online reviews and taking material into account.
- Expert advice: Using expert Nadia The Osteopath's advice, we've found as many backpacks that fit her criteria to keep your teen's back and posture in tip top shape.
- Functionality: No use sending them off to school with a tiny backpack, or one that isn't going to fit all the bits and bobs they need. We've found those with pockets, flaps, hidden charging docks and more.
- Style: We might not be teens, but we think the backpacks we've highlighted are pretty cool.
The best school backpacks for kids
1/8
LEGO Backpack
© AmazonKey Details:
- Dimensions: 40cm x 25cm x 15cm
- Volume: Not specified
- Extras: Two zipped pockets, large zipped compartment.
LEGO is forever a vibe for teens, and they can show their love for the humble brick with this cool backpack.
As well as plenty of pockets and compartments for the essentials, it also has space for a water bottle and padded straps.
2/8
M&S Heart Backpack
© M&SKey Details
- Dimensions: 40m x 29cm x 14cm
- Extras: Multiple zipped pockets, padded straps, top handle.
An adorable heart-design backpack which is as cute as it is practical.
There's plenty of pockets for bits and pieces, a mesh side pocket for a water bottle and padded straps for extra comfort.
3/8
NEXT Football Backpack
© NEXTKey Details:
- Dimensions: 43 cm x 30 cm x 11.5 cm
- Extras: Multiple pockets, adjustable straps
Football mad kids will love this cool, blue backpack design. Created with plenty of pockets, plus one large compartment.
4/8
Hype Charm Backpack
© HYPEKey Details:
- Dimensions: 42cm x 30cm x 12cm
- Extras: Adjustable padded straps, removable charms, padded laptop sleeve
Hype is the go-to for cool, unusual designs from plain bold colours to pastel tie dye and this doodle floral design.
This backpack is new for 2026, and so on-trend with its removable charms.
5/8
Nike Elemental Backpack
© NikeKey Details:
- Dual-zip main compartment and front zip pocket, exterior mesh side pocket , plus padded back panel for extra comfort.
For a classic sports-style backpack, Nike is a great choice for teens both girls and boys and this timeless backpack is spot on.
It has plenty of pockets along with a padded back panel for extra comfort. The straps are padded and adjustable, too.
6/8
Fjallraven Kanken Backpack
Key Details:
- Dimensions: 42cm x 30cm x18cm
- Volume: Not specified
- Extras: Internal laptop sleeve, waterproof
Created with durable Vinylon F and recycled polyamide construction, this bag is designed to last a lifetime. The main compartment features a laptop sleeve whilst the outer has a font zip pocket and two side pockets for plenty of storage.
7/8
HEROIC KNIGHT Slim Laptop Rucksack with USB Charging Port
Key Details:
- Dimensions: 16.5 x 10.2 x3.9 inches
- Volume: Not specified
- Extras: USB charging port
Great for the teen who is always low on battery, Amazon's backpack has a built-in USB charging port to keep them topped up all day long.
It's a slim design, but big enough to still fit a laptop or tablet, books and essentials.
8/8
Kouxunt Laptop Backpack
Key Details:
- Dimensions: 16.5" x 11.8" x 6.3"
- Extras: Separate laptop compartment to fit 15.6 inch laptop, zipped pockets
If they're not one to travel light, Amazon's leopard backpack is pretty roomy and lightweight - no extra cloth bags or carrier bags needed!
With compartments aplenty, it's a wipe clean design and has a laptop sleeve in the main compartment.
