Kids Backpacks

For that age range except for the 18 year that is adult size we just used standard book bags.

Do you have an REI or Eddie Bauer store nearby? If so, take them there and see what works.

I second the REI suggestion. I have seen them fitting children and teenagers with backpacks. REI does have a lot of diverse backpacks for children and teenagers and will even make change outs or cross overs of hip belts and shoulder straps to fit the pack just right.

The RS Appenzell is a good choice for the younger ones. My middle-school daughter has traveled with it as her luggage for a few years now. (With packing cubes). The Patagonia Light-weight Travel Tote/Backpack will work with packing cubes. REI has a trail25 pack that will work for the smaller kids.
Kid's clothing is small and takes less space. My daughter likes the Appenzell and never once complained about it. Nice padding on straps. Durable.

If you can find a pack that is height adjustable, that is the best. Try going to a store where they fit you and have weighted bags to fill the pack while your kids try them on. We did the same as you are back in 2013, and my youngest was 9 at the time. We found her a 30L pack that was adjustable and had a lightweight aluminum frame in it. She also had the hip belt and chest strap which made it much more comfortable. We also purchased compression bags. The kind you roll and it sucks all the air out of. What a difference they made for our clothes. We were able to pack a few more items without the extra bulk, as well as providing an extra water proofing layer. I wouldn't worry too much if the pack is water proof itself. You can usually get a thin overpack waterproof cover really cheap. We live in Canada, and shop at Mountain Equipment Co-op, so I can't really give you suggestions on which stores to shop in, but the pack that worked for my youngest at the time was a Deuter brand.

Before you purchase, make sure to double check the carryon luggage limitations. The small benefit with backpacks is that you can usually squish the top down a couple inches to meet the height requirements. Best of luck!

We have 3 kids ages 10-15. They all have Osprey Porter 46's (as do us parents). These are at REI too, if you want to try them. And Osprey makes a smaller Porter (30L), but the 46's fit our whole family. My husband is 6', my 10 year old is 4'7"... And one nice thing is that, because the 10 year old packs lighter, we can add to her pack the overflow ;) Also, the Osprey's are called Burrito bags because they cinch in the middle to make them much more compact, if you are packing less or want to make them smaller for airline restriction purposes

Thank you for your responses. We pretty much had decided to go with the Osprey Fairview, 40 L, matching mine, but when the kids tried it out we found that the shoulder straps rubbed their necks, causing irritation. Has anyone else had this trouble? One of your suggestions was to try the Dueter brand. I believe I will do some more checking into that. Thanks again for your help.

We just got back from two weeks in Italy with my kids, 8 and 10. We all used JanSport Digital Student backpacks.

My wife says she got them on Amazon and Dunhams. Worked great. Carry ons is the way to go! Watching people lug those monster bags into trains and around cobblestone streets was comical as we brushed past them with only our backpacks.

Scott

Another poster listed this pack. Mogen Daypack from Janddmountaineering.com. It's a pack that either a youth or adult could wear at 35 liters. If you read the details - the straps can be switched for men, women, and kids. This way - the pack can advance with your child into adulthood. For an extra fee - you can get more picky about the colors and have one custom made. Look it up under mid-size backpacks. I think this is going to be my next travel pack after mine dies.

Look for the wider rounded neck rather than the v-shaped straps coming off the top of the pack. Padded waist belt helps with the rubbing. If the straps rub, then the pack might be to big from waist to neck (length wise). Make sure you load the pack too. An empty knapsack sits differently than one with some weight. Add a couple bags of rice or some heavier items to get a better feel.

Thanks for that great advice. I think the V straps on my backpack is exactly what the problem is, also the length of the harness. We're from Ontario too, and are a distance away from any sporting goods store. However, I am convinced that I will need to make the trek to a larger center to fit backpacks in person, rather than just order online. I am really hoping to find a backpack that opens up nicely as opposed to the traditional top loader hiking pack, so that narrows the selection down too.