"Cool" backpacks for secondary school

[chocolatecheesecake]

DD starts year 7 in September and wants a "cool" backpack. I can get no more specifics than that! Where do I start? Any suggestions on brands or good shops to go and look in? She's more of a check shirt/hoody and ripped jeans rather than a sporty type.

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[ChatterMonkey]

uk.justhype.com/collections/bags-backpacks

Not sure if its thw same now, but a few years ago this brand was the 'cool' one to have, for late primary/early secondary anyway. Maybe run it past your dc first and see what they think?

[Muchtoomuchtodo]

DS2, year 8 has had a Superdry rucksack since going up to comp.

It’s a good size and well made and they have loads of different colour choices.

[Branleuse]

whatever the one she likes best. I think to be on the safe side, one with a branded sports name. Just go to sports direct or JD or schuh and see what she likes

[BillyRaywasapreachersson]

Adidas is the current cool brand at dd"s school. Hype was a couple of years ago and (apologies to pp) Superdry is a dad brand now.

[PiuVinoPerFavore]

I would say definitely not Hype, or anything too colourful. The done thing at my kids school is plain black, sports branded. Older girls tend to have tote bags but it must be a pain with all their books.

[KittyMcKitty]

Kanken backpacks (and they last really well)

www.fjallraven.com/uk/en-gb/bags-gear/kanken/kanken-bags

[mafted]

I'd have a nose round the school she's going to at home time as it's very area specific.
Superdry and Hype are not 'in' here anymore.

[PiuVinoPerFavore]

[quote KittyMcKitty]Kanken backpacks (and they last really well)

www.fjallraven.com/uk/en-gb/bags-gear/kanken/kanken-bags[/quote]
My DD wanted one of these for secondary, and I got her one. A year later it was social suicide apparently... expensive bag when trends change quickly

[UserAtLarge]

Cool is very school specific. Some of the things suggested on here would not be "cool" at my DC's school. He needs to chat to someone already at the school (that he trusts not to give him bogus info). Or suggest he uses a neutral rucksack (or carry on using his primary school bag if it's not too babyish) for the first few weeks while he works out what he wants.

[chocolatecheesecake]

Thanks everyone. It did look quite mixed from what I could see on induction day, so I don't think there's a single "cool" style

[mafted]

@chocolatecheesecake

Thanks everyone. It did look quite mixed from what I could see on induction day, so I don't think there's a single "cool" style

If it's pretty mixed I'd go to a sports shop and let her pick a Nike or Adidas one they're a pretty safe bet.
Isn't this the hot topic of conversation between her and her friends though, when my DD started secondary a huge group of her friends all got these ridiculous handbags from New Look or River Island or similar. By October half term they'd all broken and they switched to backpacks!

[littlepeas]

My dd wants a kanken. Lots of girls at my ds’s school use tote bags - my ds’s bag is so heavy some days I think it’s terrible to carry that sort of weight on one shoulder. I see a lot of people with bad posture and back issues through work and seeing these bags used for school really worries me. Dd knows she’s only allowed a backpack and likes the idea of something colourful - her school is all girls, I have no idea whether this makes any difference to what is considered cool (yet!).

[KittyMcKitty]

@littlepeas

My dd wants a kanken. Lots of girls at my ds’s school use tote bags - my ds’s bag is so heavy some days I think it’s terrible to carry that sort of weight on one shoulder. I see a lot of people with bad posture and back issues through work and seeing these bags used for school really worries me. Dd knows she’s only allowed a backpack and likes the idea of something colourful - her school is all girls, I have no idea whether this makes any difference to what is considered cool (yet!).

My dd (year 11) has had a Kanken since year 8 and they are great. I would say they are consistently stylish as opposed to be those favoured by people who want the right label. They used to be slightly quirky but are more mainstream now.

[stripeymonster]

Not Hype - ours broke before a term passed. Just something plain and dark and strong.

[Thadhiya]

The kids at ours are into Hype - SO much, like literally every second kid has a Hype - but Vans also quite popular, as are the Superdry bags.

But it does seem to have been that way for a few years now, and I'm baffled the little darlings haven't moved on to a new brand. My son insists few care about labels. Not even of their shoes or coats. How refreshing :)

[CommanderBurnham]

I think it really depends on the school.

We're going for a north face one and then if it's not cool then we can use it ourselves for trips etc.

[newlabelwriter]

www.vans.co.uk/shop/ProductDisplay?storeId=10158&productId=3973950&urlRequestType=Base&langId=-11&catalogId=11253&utm_source=CJ&utm_medium=Affiliate-CJ&utm_campaign=AFFILIATES_UK&utm_content=Redbrain+Ltd&CJEVENT=5f1e81dee26f11eb823f3eb90a180511

[newlabelwriter]

I got this for DS and he’s really pleased with it. I did suggest a fjallraven and he declined because I have one 😂 and didn’t want the same school bag as his mum, which is fair enough I suppose 😉

[newlabelwriter]

Can’t get the link to work, it’s a Vans Disorder back pack - currently on sale on Vans website

[JoyOrbison]

Vans, but a really plain one - low key is the possible answer here. From the brier description of your dd she might want a bag which alrltnough branded, has little branding to imply the user is too cool for branding.

Can get them on ebay v cheap.

Wierdly my dd hated the reverse sequin hype bag I got her. Never again!

[Howshouldibehave]

Most of the Y7/8/9s girls at DD’s high school have Superdry backpacks. Then at some point in Y10, they seem to switch to a handbag style bag.

[bonfireheart]

Really depends on the school. All the kids at DD school have Adidas type. DD has Superdry and three years later still going strong. The only people I ever see wearing Fjallraven are middle aged women on the tube and they always look tatty.

[SnitchyBitch]

My teenage girls have Kanken and they’re considered cool because they’re so expensive.

[UnicornMadeOfPinkGlitter]

Plain black vans or Nike here. So as plain as possible with just the logo.
Dd is year 10 now and has had the same bag throughout. Need to buy a new one this summer. She says it’s ok but it’s really not. It’s been washed loads and is falling apart.

Not like her brothers who had new rucksacks every year. They still had plain Nike or vans ones. Ds1 used to get a Nike one that came with a pencil case.

[RedSoloCup]

DD year 10 has a vans one which is cool apparently.....