Backpack with compartments -- please help!

[AM]

Hello folks:

My DD is in first grade and I am amazed at the ton of stuff she needs
to carry to school. Anyway, I cringe each morning to see her homework,
snack bag, winter gear, sneakers, and lunch bag all crammed into her
backpack. Sneakers and snack bag together is a recipe for sickness!
Please tell me if you have found backpacks with separate compartments
with zips that keep food and footwear separated as much as possible?

The only ones I found were in KMart but very heavy with wheels --
almost like luggage. The problem is my DD does not like to carry more
than one bag. Even if she starts off that way, she is likely to mix
them up once she boards the bus.

Thanks for listening.

AM

[-L.]

AM wrote:
> Hello folks:
>
> My DD is in first grade and I am amazed at the ton of stuff she needs
> to carry to school. Anyway, I cringe each morning to see her homework,
> snack bag, winter gear, sneakers, and lunch bag all crammed into her
> backpack. Sneakers and snack bag together is a recipe for sickness!
> Please tell me if you have found backpacks with separate compartments
> with zips that keep food and footwear separated as much as possible?
>
> The only ones I found were in KMart but very heavy with wheels --
> almost like luggage. The problem is my DD does not like to carry more
> than one bag. Even if she starts off that way, she is likely to mix
> them up once she boards the bus.
>
> Thanks for listening.
>
> AM

JanSport makes multiple styles with separate compartments. They are
spendy but last a long time. We have had ours since 1997 and they
still look brand-new. Look at daypacks or street packs on their
website:
http://www.jansport.com/js_product_thumb.php?cid=45

IIRC mine ran $38.00 back in '97 - it is a day pack.

-L.

[Sue]

We keep the snow pants and boots in another plastic bag and they carry that
separately.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)

"AM" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hello folks:
>
> My DD is in first grade and I am amazed at the ton of stuff she needs
> to carry to school. Anyway, I cringe each morning to see her homework,
> snack bag, winter gear, sneakers, and lunch bag all crammed into her
> backpack. Sneakers and snack bag together is a recipe for sickness!
> Please tell me if you have found backpacks with separate compartments
> with zips that keep food and footwear separated as much as possible?
>
> The only ones I found were in KMart but very heavy with wheels --
> almost like luggage. The problem is my DD does not like to carry more
> than one bag. Even if she starts off that way, she is likely to mix
> them up once she boards the bus.
>
> Thanks for listening.
>
> AM
>

[deja.blues]

"AM" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hello folks:
>
> My DD is in first grade and I am amazed at the ton of stuff she needs
> to carry to school. Anyway, I cringe each morning to see her homework,
> snack bag, winter gear, sneakers, and lunch bag all crammed into her
> backpack. Sneakers and snack bag together is a recipe for sickness!
> Please tell me if you have found backpacks with separate compartments
> with zips that keep food and footwear separated as much as possible?
>
> The only ones I found were in KMart but very heavy with wheels --
> almost like luggage. The problem is my DD does not like to carry more
> than one bag. Even if she starts off that way, she is likely to mix
> them up once she boards the bus.
>
> Thanks for listening.
>
> AM

L.L.Bean has many different kinds of backpacks, you're sure to find one
there. www.llbean.com

[hedgehog42]

AM wrote:
> Hello folks:
>
> My DD is in first grade and I am amazed at the ton of stuff she needs
> to carry to school. Anyway, I cringe each morning to see her homework,
> snack bag, winter gear, sneakers, and lunch bag all crammed into her
> backpack. Sneakers and snack bag together is a recipe for sickness!
> Please tell me if you have found backpacks with separate compartments
> with zips that keep food and footwear separated as much as possible?
>
> The only ones I found were in KMart but very heavy with wheels --
> almost like luggage. The problem is my DD does not like to carry more
> than one bag. Even if she starts off that way, she is likely to mix
> them up once she boards the bus.
>
> Thanks for listening.
>
> AM

[hedgehog42]

AM wrote:
> Hello folks:
>
> My DD is in first grade and I am amazed at the ton of stuff she needs
> to carry to school. Anyway, I cringe each morning to see her homework,
> snack bag, winter gear, sneakers, and lunch bag all crammed into her
> backpack. Sneakers and snack bag together is a recipe for sickness!
> Please tell me if you have found backpacks with separate compartments
> with zips that keep food and footwear separated as much as possible?
>
> The only ones I found were in KMart but very heavy with wheels --
> almost like luggage. The problem is my DD does not like to carry more
> than one bag. Even if she starts off that way, she is likely to mix
> them up once she boards the bus.
>
> Thanks for listening.
>
> AM

[hedgehog42]

(sorry for the multiple posts earlier)


I got my 6th grader a High Sierra backpack with multiple compartments
to help keep him organized.

Unfortunately, he tends to cram everything into the main compartment,
regardless of how well we started out the school year!


Lori G.
Milwaukee, WI
AM wrote:
> Hello folks:
>
> My DD is in first grade and I am amazed at the ton of stuff she needs
> to carry to school. Anyway, I cringe each morning to see her homework,
> snack bag, winter gear, sneakers, and lunch bag all crammed into her
> backpack. Sneakers and snack bag together is a recipe for sickness!
> Please tell me if you have found backpacks with separate compartments
> with zips that keep food and footwear separated as much as possible?
>
> The only ones I found were in KMart but very heavy with wheels --
> almost like luggage. The problem is my DD does not like to carry more
> than one bag. Even if she starts off that way, she is likely to mix
> them up once she boards the bus.
>
> Thanks for listening.
>
> AM

[Caledonia]

AM wrote:
> Hello folks:
>
> My DD is in first grade and I am amazed at the ton of stuff she needs
> to carry to school. Anyway, I cringe each morning to see her homework,
> snack bag, winter gear, sneakers, and lunch bag all crammed into her
> backpack. Sneakers and snack bag together is a recipe for sickness!
> Please tell me if you have found backpacks with separate compartments
> with zips that keep food and footwear separated as much as possible?
>
> The only ones I found were in KMart but very heavy with wheels --
> almost like luggage. The problem is my DD does not like to carry more
> than one bag. Even if she starts off that way, she is likely to mix
> them up once she boards the bus.
>
> Thanks for listening.
>
> AM

LLBean. The downside (for you) is they're pricey (LLKids) -- the
downside for her is that they last forever (DD is still using her K
backpack).

It is all-but-impossible to cram boots, snowpants, gloves, and a
lunchbag into any kid-sized knapsack and still have room left over. My
deal was that she wore the wintergear to school (and carried shoes or
slippers) -- it's just too bulky.

Caledonia

[[email protected]]

AM wrote:
> Hello folks:
>
> My DD is in first grade and I am amazed at the ton of stuff she needs
> to carry to school. Anyway, I cringe each morning to see her homework,
> snack bag, winter gear, sneakers, and lunch bag all crammed into her
> backpack. Sneakers and snack bag together is a recipe for sickness!
> Please tell me if you have found backpacks with separate compartments
> with zips that keep food and footwear separated as much as possible?

I've seen some kids around us where the lunch box latches on to the
outside of the backpack. I just did a quick search and found this one,
which is the same idea but instead of latching on, it looks like it has
a pocket on the outside for the box. I think a latch would be easier
for a kid to use though:
http://www.luggage.com/Skyway-28988-VJ1058.html

[Ericka Kammerer]

AM wrote:
> Hello folks:
>
> My DD is in first grade and I am amazed at the ton of stuff she needs
> to carry to school. Anyway, I cringe each morning to see her homework,
> snack bag, winter gear, sneakers, and lunch bag all crammed into her
> backpack. Sneakers and snack bag together is a recipe for sickness!
> Please tell me if you have found backpacks with separate compartments
> with zips that keep food and footwear separated as much as possible?
>
> The only ones I found were in KMart but very heavy with wheels --
> almost like luggage. The problem is my DD does not like to carry more
> than one bag. Even if she starts off that way, she is likely to mix
> them up once she boards the bus.

Lands End has them too. I don't know if they still
make it, but DS1 has one of theirs that had a separate
compartment on the bottom for shoes that was quite handy.

Best wishes,
Ericka

[[email protected]]

I have three kids - son 15, son 12 and daughter 8. We have gone through
a huge number of backpacks over the years - few of them seem to last
too long (i.e. zippers break, seams separate, bottom goes out, blah,
blah BLAH) no matter how tough they look in the store.

The very best ones we've had came from Lands End. Pricey but they are
full of good compartments and they do last a lot longer. Here is the
one my 8 year old currently has
http://www.landsend.com/cd/fp/prod/0,,1_2_52358_62082_152775_130002_5:view=-1,00.html?sid=2646190325318150080&CM_MERCH=SRCH

[Jeff]

"AM" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hello folks:
>
> My DD is in first grade and I am amazed at the ton of stuff she needs
> to carry to school.

Does she use the stuff? When I went to kindergarten, I didn't even need a
back pack. Maybe this is an issue, too.

Of course, it was the old days that I didn't have a back pack, when we had
to walk uphill, both ways, through many meters of snow in the winter.

> Anyway, I cringe each morning to see her homework,
> snack bag, winter gear, sneakers, and lunch bag all crammed into her
> backpack. Sneakers and snack bag together is a recipe for sickness!
> Please tell me if you have found backpacks with separate compartments
> with zips that keep food and footwear separated as much as possible?
>
> The only ones I found were in KMart but very heavy with wheels --
> almost like luggage. The problem is my DD does not like to carry more
> than one bag. Even if she starts off that way, she is likely to mix
> them up once she boards the bus.
>
> Thanks for listening.

You can try the office supply stores, like Staples and OfficeMax. They have
a good selection (at least for adults).

You might be able to get a good deal at a place like eBay, Amazon or Toys R
Us (online or even in a bricks and mortor store). You have about 2 1/2
weeks until Christmas. You might wait and see if there is any after
Christmas sale. Or don't wait and have another present.

Jeff

> AM
>