Are any of these backpacks actually waterproof?

None of them. The ZORFIN is the only one listed as water resistant, which means a light rain beads off the coating; nobody reports submerging it. The two JanSport packs and the Simple Modern kids bag are all listed as not water resistant, so plan on a cover.

What size backpack does a preschooler need?

Weight matters more than liters at that age. The 12-liter kids pack here runs 1.1 pounds empty, and buyers say toddlers carry it themselves while still fitting a lunch box, folder, and tablet. A few found the medium slightly large on a slight three-year-old at first.

Will a 16-inch laptop fit in a 15-inch sleeve?

Generally no. Both JanSport packs are built around a 15-inch sleeve, and reviewers report that a thick 16-inch gaming laptop has to ride in the main compartment instead, unpadded. Measure your machine's width and depth, not just its screen size, before you commit.

Best School Backpacks and Lunch Boxes: What Buyers Report

A backpack looks fine in the listing photo and falls apart in March. The seam by the strap goes, the zipper sticks, and you are buying a second bag halfway through the year. Lunch bags fail the same way — a leaky container soaks the books riding above it, and the whole thing smells by Friday.

The pattern across these listings is dull and useful: the bags people keep are the ones with a reinforced base, a warranty, or a wipe-clean lining. Weight matters more than capacity for young kids — 1.1 pounds empty versus 1.5 decides whether a five-year-old carries their own bag. And a padded 15-inch sleeve is what separates a school bag from a book sack.

The trap is water. Three of the backpacks here are listed as not water resistant, and buyers still assume otherwise until a rainy walk home proves them wrong. Check that line on the spec sheet before you check the price, and if the answer is no, budget for a rain cover or keep the laptop in its own sleeve.

Scores come from reading Amazon buyer reviews in bulk — thousands per product, weighted toward complaints that repeat — not from testing anything ourselves; we never touch these products.

Svartur Adjustable Locker Shelf Review (2-Pack) [Best locker add-on]Not a bag, but it doubles usable locker space: width adjusts 7.9 to 12.6 inches, height 10.8 to 14.4, and the two units stack. Owners report tool-free setup. Stretched near its full width without snug walls, it wobbles, so keep heavy books low.
PackIt Freezable Classic Lunch Box Review [Best for adult work lunches]The walls are the ice pack: freeze the bag overnight and owners report food packed at 7 a.m. still cold at noon. The cost is planning — it needs about 12 hours of freezer space before every use, and forgetting means no cooling.
JanSport SuperBreak Plus Backpack Review [Lightest daily school bag]At 14 ounces empty it adds almost nothing to a full book load, and the padded 15-inch sleeve is the upgrade over the base model. Reviewers flag thin organization and a hard 15-inch ceiling — a thick 16-inch laptop rides loose in the main pocket.
Simple Modern Hadley Spidey Kids Lunch Box Review [Best kids lunch box]The water-resistant lining keeps a yogurt spill out of the backpack, and it holds a bento box, snacks, and an ice pack while still fitting inside a bag. Reviewers' loudest complaint is the missing outside bottle pocket, so a drink eats main-compartment room.
ZORFIN 26L Water-Resistant Backpack Review [Cheapest that still works]The only pack here that lists water resistance, with seven pockets and 26 liters, and buyers report three and four years of school use without seam failures. The side pockets are flimsy mesh, and the USB port is empty trim — no battery included.
JanSport Cool Backpack Review: The Student Classic [Best for heavy book loads]The 34-liter two-compartment build plus a reinforced base is why owners report full school years with no rips, and the lifetime warranty covers what does break. The catch: no water resistance and no sternum strap, so a stuffed pack can slide off your shoulders.
Simple Modern Fletcher Kids Backpack Review [Best for preschoolers]At 1.1 pounds a three-year-old carries it themselves, and it still swallows a lunch box, folder, and tablet. Parents report a full year of rough use with it still looking new. Two catches: grown-up pricing, and hand-wash-only care with no water resistance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are any of these backpacks actually waterproof?: None of them. The ZORFIN is the only one listed as water resistant, which means a light rain beads off the coating; nobody reports submerging it. The two JanSport packs and the Simple Modern kids bag are all listed as not water resistant, so plan on a cover.
What size backpack does a preschooler need?: Weight matters more than liters at that age. The 12-liter kids pack here runs 1.1 pounds empty, and buyers say toddlers carry it themselves while still fitting a lunch box, folder, and tablet. A few found the medium slightly large on a slight three-year-old at first.
Will a 16-inch laptop fit in a 15-inch sleeve?: Generally no. Both JanSport packs are built around a 15-inch sleeve, and reviewers report that a thick 16-inch gaming laptop has to ride in the main compartment instead, unpadded. Measure your machine's width and depth, not just its screen size, before you commit.