Most families buy a school backpack in August, in a hurry, from a phone, after a child has already picked the print. abshoo, a small Amazon brand that makes preschool packs, printed bookbags, laptop backpacks, clear bags and insulated lunch bags, is built for that moment. Its bags are cheap, cartoon-bright and sold with long lists of pockets. The question is which of them survive a school year.
We looked at five: the panda backpack set with a lunch bag and pen case, the plain "classical" laptop backpack with a USB port, a large clear PVC backpack, a unicorn backpack with a chest strap, and a dinosaur insulated lunch bag. Together they carry more than 4,700 Amazon ratings. Most of those ratings belong to the first two.
Your child's age does most of the sorting for you. A preschooler needs a bag short enough that it doesn't bump the back of the knees, a fourth grader needs room for a binder and a library book, and a teenager needs a laptop sleeve and enough depth for textbooks. abshoo makes something for each of those, and the measurements below show which bag lands where, because the photos, shot on white with no child for scale, don't.
The one thing that decides this lineup is the zipper. Across the bags with enough buyer text to read, the praise is about prints, pockets and price, and the bad reviews keep coming back to a zipper or a zipper pull that gave up early. If you buy one of these, buy it knowing that, and check the zippers the day it arrives rather than the night before school starts.
The panda set: three pieces in one box
abshoo Panda Kids' Backpack with Lunch Bag
$14.99at our last price check
This is the abshoo bag most people end up with. The listing sells a backpack, an insulated lunch bag and a pen case, all in the same teal panda print, at $14.99 for the set. It holds 4.8 stars from 2,418 ratings, and 85% of those ratings are five stars. Only 1% are one star and none are two stars. For a children's bag at this price, that is a strong record.
The shell is water-resistant polyester, and the detail table lists the lining as polyester too. One buyer calls the fabric cotton. It isn't, by the listing's own account, and that matters for cleaning: polyester sheds spilled juice and mud more readily than canvas does, which is what the parents praising it are noticing. The care line in the detail table says "Hand Wash Only", so plan on a sponge and a basin rather than the washing machine.
Pockets, divider and straps
According to the bullets, you get a main zippered compartment with an inner divider that "fits the A4 tablet, activity books", two side pockets for a water bottle or umbrella, one front zip pocket, and two small pockets inside the main compartment for "a small electronics or wallet". The back photo shows a black padded mesh panel and black adjustable shoulder straps with plastic slides. There is no chest strap on this one.
The detail table lists "Laptop Compartment" among its features. Take that as the divider sleeve, not a padded laptop pocket. One buyer reports that a Chromebook fits, and another especially loves "the extra pocket for the computer". That is about as far as the evidence goes, and it is enough for a school-issued small laptop.
Side pockets are the weak point buyers name. Two separate reviews say a water bottle would not go in. If your child carries a wide insulated bottle, expect it to ride inside the bag or clipped outside.
The print is the other thing parents keep mentioning, and it photographs smaller than it looks in hand. One buyer says "The color is much better than advertisement shows", another calls it "Much cuter in person". The panda faces are repeated in a tight grid across every panel, including the lunch bag and the pen case, so the three pieces read as one set on a classroom hook. A detail table entry even lists the embellishment as "Cord", which matches the black cord pulls on the zippers in the photos. Those cord pulls are the parts one family lost within two months.
Straps and comfort
abshoo's fourth bullet promises a padded mesh back for ventilation and adjustable padded shoulder straps. On a 16.1-inch bag that matters less than it would on a big pack: there isn't much weight to spread. For a small child carrying a folder, a snack and a sweater, padded straps keep the edges from digging in at the collarbone, and the adjustment lets you shorten them so the bag rides high instead of slapping the backs of the legs. A buyer whose five-year-old started kindergarten with it says "She also uses it when we travel", which is the sort of second life a small, light backpack gets.
What the set actually measures
abshoo prints dimensions for all three pieces. Here they are, with what the numbers mean for a child.
| Piece | Size (L x D x H) | What that means |
|---|---|---|
| Backpack | 10.2 x 4.7 x 16.1 in | Narrow and tall. About 12.6 liters by the outside numbers, a little more than the 10.2 liters the detail table prints |
| Lunch bag | 11.8 x 6.3 x 6.3 in | Wider than the backpack itself, so it is carried by hand, not packed inside |
| Pen case | 7.8 x 0.7 x 3.1 in | Crayons and erasers, by a buyer's account. A new full-length pencil did not fit for one family |
The "10.2 liters" in the detail table is the same figure as the backpack's width in inches, which looks like a copied number rather than a measurement. Multiply the three outside dimensions and you get roughly 12.6 liters. Either way, this is a small backpack. At 16.1 inches tall it sits comfortably on a kindergartner's back and reaches from shoulder blades toward the hips. A buyer with a two-year-old calls it "enormous for him". A buyer with a third grader calls it "a little small for my 3rd graders stuff", and another says it is "a little on the small side for middle school". That gives you a working range: preschool to about second or third grade.
The zipper record
Here is where the 4.8 stars hide something. Amazon's topic counts show 23 buyers mentioning zipper durability, and 21 of them are negative. That is the single worst ratio on the page. The complaints are specific: one zipper broke "the first time my daughter tried using it (the backpack wasn’t even full)", another broke the night before the first day of school; one family says "all the zippers broke" in fewer than ten uses. A separate complaint is about the cord pulls: "both strings that help my kid open the backpack fell off less than 2 months after".
Set that against the durability count: 54 positive mentions against 15 negative, with parents reporting the bag "still looks brand new" after a month and after nine months. Most bags arrive fine and last. A minority fail at the zipper, early, and a few fail at the top of the strap after a semester. The listing states a one-year warranty against manufacturing defects. Keep your order details, and open and close every zip a dozen times when the box arrives.
What panda buyers say
I bought it for my preschooler and it has been wonderful. It's very sturdy, and after 9 months of use it looks brand new....Amazon buyer
Topic counts as Amazon groups them on the product page, read November 14, 2026.
The themes table is worth a second look. "Cuteness" draws 56 mentions and not one negative, which explains why the bag sells. "Size" draws 66 mentions with 27 negative, and those negatives split between parents of older children who find it small and the water bottle complaint. The zipper line is the one to weigh against your own tolerance for a mid-year replacement.
The classic laptop backpack with a USB port
abshoo Classic Water-Resistant Laptop Backpack
$26.99at our last price check
Our second bag drops the cartoon prints. abshoo calls it the "Classical Basic" backpack, and the photo shows a black body, a brown faux-leather base, a diamond-shaped patch on the front, a front zip pocket and a USB port on the right side. It sells for $26.99 and holds 4.6 stars from 2,075 ratings. 77% are five stars, and 4% are one or two stars together.
The fabric is listed as water-resistant oxford, and the brand story names it as 1680D oxford. 1680 denier is a thick, heavy yarn count for a backpack shell, the kind of face fabric that resists scuffing more than a thin nylon. The detail table also lists a fabric lining, and here a buyer disagrees strongly: "The inside fabric is absolute trash material, noisy, crinkly, cheap trash material. Returned it immediately." Another calls the material "canvas" and "not water repellant". You get a heavy outside and, by at least two accounts, a thin, crackly inside.
The USB port, explained plainly
Despite the name, the USB "charging" feature is a pass-through. A cable inside the bag connects to a port on the outside. You put your own power bank in the bag, plug it into the inside cable, and plug your phone into the outside port. The listing says it plainly, if awkwardly: the backpack "doesn't power itsel" and doesn't include a power bank. If you don't already own one, the port does nothing.
Size: the recurring complaint
On size, the bullets give 11.8 x 5.2 x 17.7 inches and 18 liters. Those numbers check out: multiply them and you land on about 17.8 liters. The laptop sleeve is listed for a 15-inch MacBook, and the detail table gives a maximum device size of 15 inches. The weight is 0.6 kg, about 1.3 pounds empty.
That is a normal daypack, on paper. In buyer reviews it reads small. The size topic has 33 mentions and 18 of them are negative, more negative than positive. "Very small. Not for older kid. More for elementary school boy." "A little smaller than I thought but fits my laptop and school supplies perfectly." A parent of a high school freshman says it "couldn't handle his books". One adult buyer, on the other hand, says it will meet airline requirements for under-seat size, which is a fair use for a bag of these dimensions.
| Who carries it | What the numbers suggest | What buyers report |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary student | 17.7 in tall reaches from shoulders to below the waist on a small child | "More for elementary school boy" |
| Middle schooler | 18 liters takes a laptop, a binder and a lunch | Fits laptop and supplies, smaller than expected |
| High schooler with textbooks | Tight once two hardcover books go in | "Not the greatest for a high schooler's bag" |
| Adult traveler | Under-seat size, laptop sleeve, USB pass-through | Expected to meet under-seat rules |
There are two oddities in the detail table you can ignore: it lists a "TSA Approved Lock", which nothing in the bullets or the photo supports, and a "Long Sleeve" description, which is clearly a form field filled for clothing. The bullets mention a hidden pocket on the shoulder strap for a bus or subway card, which is a genuinely useful detail for a commuting teenager.
Organization inside
Where this bag earns its stars is the interior. The bullets list separate compartments for a computer, power bank, A4 files, wallet, pens and cards, plus two side pockets. Buyers like it: "The pockets inside of the back pack are great and really make it easy to locate what I am looking for in my bag", and "It has little slits where I can put and organize my stuff". Another praises the base: "Love the leather bottom prevents getting dirty." That brown base, visible in the photo, is the part of a backpack that gets set down on wet floors and bus steps, so a wipeable bottom panel is a sensible choice.
Color is the one thing to double-check. A buyer of the green version writes that "the picture for the green backpack doesn't match the actual at all". The black in our photo is the safe bet if you need to match a school dress code.
One buyer felt "tricked", expecting a JanSport and finding "the same symbol" on the front. The diamond patch does echo a familiar look. If you want the brand you remember from school, this isn't it, and the listing never claims to be.
Topic counts as Amazon groups them on the product page, read November 14, 2026.
The quality topic carries 77 mentions with 62 positive. That is the bag's real strength. People who bought it for the right child, or for themselves as a light daypack, are happy. People who bought it as a high school book bag are not.
The large clear backpack
abshoo Large Clear School Backpack
$36.99at our last price check
Clear bags exist because schools and stadiums ask for them. abshoo's version is the biggest bag in this group: 17.7 x 12.2 x 6.2 inches and 22 liters by the listing, and the arithmetic agrees, about 21.9 liters from the outside dimensions. It is made of what the listing calls heavy-duty PVC, with beige trim and beige padded mesh shoulder straps in the photographed version. It costs $36.99 and has 4.6 stars from 158 ratings.
What the clear shell changes
PVC is a plastic film, not a woven fabric. It does not absorb anything, so the "wipe away dirt" claim in the bullets is believable, and a buyer confirms the bag arrived inside a protective zippered vinyl pouch to keep it from being scratched in transit. That tells you something too: clear PVC scuffs and scratches, and it shows every mark.
The listing says the transparent design "meets most stadium and event regulations". That is the brand's claim. Venues set their own size limits for clear bags, and a 17.7-inch backpack is large. Check the rules of the specific school or stadium before you count on it, especially for a concert or a game.
Pockets and room
abshoo's detail table lists 8 pockets, 4 compartments and a maximum device size of 16 inches, and the bullets say the main compartment takes books, notebooks and a laptop, with mesh side pockets for a bottle or umbrella. Buyers agree about the room. A sixth-grade parent reports "Plenty of space and compartments". A baseball fan says "I loaded everything in my bag. Camera. Water. Jersey. Pens for autographs." Someone else calls it bigger than expected.
Mesh is the weak spot. Out of 17 durability mentions, 6 are negative, and two of the excerpts describe the same failure: "the mesh pocket for the water is ripping already. We've only had it for 3 weeks," and "Side pockets ripped out within the first 5 months of use." One buyer praises the side straps that keep bottles from falling out. If your child carries a heavy steel bottle every day, that mesh pocket takes the abuse, and it is the part to watch.
One review cuts against the praise for organization: "Organization is advanced, but the pockets lack functionality". On a clear bag, every pocket is visible from outside, which helps a security guard and helps a student find a pen, but it also means there is nowhere to put anything private. If your teenager carries pads, medication or a phone they'd rather not display, plan on a small opaque pouch inside. That is true of every clear bag, and it is worth saying before you buy one for a fifteen-year-old.
The padded shoulder straps are wide and use breathable mesh, by the listing's account, and the photo shows them thickly padded. That matters more here than on the panda pack: a 22-liter bag loaded with a laptop and two books is genuinely heavy, and thin straps on a heavy bag are what makes a child complain by October. A buyer who chose the blue trim says the "color on straps is deep and a beautiful blue", so the trim color is a real choice and not just a photo filter.
Very pretty, but the mesh pocket for the water is ripping already. We've only had it for 3 weeks.Amazon buyer
Topic counts as Amazon groups them on the product page, read November 14, 2026.
With 158 ratings, the sample is a fraction of the panda set's, so read the 4.6 with that in mind. 79% are five stars and 6% are one or two stars. The bag suits a junior high or high school student whose school requires clear bags, and an adult going to games. For a kindergartner it is simply too big.
The unicorn backpack with a whistle in the chest strap
abshoo Unicorn Kids' Backpack with Chest Strap
$24.99at our last price check
This purple backpack carries a unicorn and rainbow print on the front pocket and a gray base, and it is the only bag here with a chest strap. The buckle on that strap has a built-in whistle, which the listing calls a "survival whistle". It sells for $24.99 and has 4.7 stars from 57 ratings: 80% five stars, 15% four stars, 5% three stars, and no ones or twos.
There are no buyer excerpts or topic counts for this bag in our data. With 57 ratings and no written reviews to read, all we can tell you is that the people who rated it were pleased, and what the listing and photos show.
What the listing promises
The bullets list two side pockets for a bottle and umbrella, two front pockets (the second with two small compartments and a slot for A4 paper), and a main pocket with a laptop compartment and an elastic tape. The description says the zippers are metal and slide smoothly. The side photo shows a stretchy mesh bottle pocket and a gray panel along the bottom edge. The back photo shows padded straps, a padded back and the chest strap hanging loose.
Its dimensions are 11.02 x 5.91 x 16.15 inches, and the outside numbers come to about 17.2 liters. The detail table prints "11.02 liters" and a maximum device size of 11.02 inches. Both are the width figure copied into other fields, so don't read them as a laptop size.
The contradictions to know about
This listing is messier than the others. The description says the "backpack set weighs 0.75kg (backpack weighs 0.55kg, lunch bag weighs 0.2kg)", and the last bullet describes the insulated lining "of the lunch bag". Yet the title names only a backpack with a chest strap, the detail table gives a unit count of one and an item weight of 0.2 kg, and none of the four photos shows a lunch bag. You should assume you are buying a backpack only. If a lunch bag turns up, treat it as a bonus.
At 16.15 inches tall, this is close to the panda backpack in height and a bit deeper: 5.91 inches against 4.7. That extra inch and a bit of depth is the difference between a bag that holds a folder and a lunch and one that also takes a library book and a jacket. It is also wider, at 11.02 inches against 10.2. If you liked the panda pack's height but heard the "too small for third grade" complaints, this is the abshoo bag that addresses them, at the cost of the free lunch bag and pen case. The chest strap makes it a better choice for a small child who lets straps slide off the shoulders. The whistle is a nice idea, but a whistle on a buckle is also a noise toy, and a teacher may have opinions.
The dinosaur insulated lunch bag
abshoo Dinosaur Kids' Insulated Lunch Bag
$13.99at our last price check
The last item is not a backpack. It is a soft insulated lunch box in a green-on-navy dinosaur print, with a carry handle on top and a zip pocket on the front. It sells for $13.99 with 4.5 stars from 70 ratings.
Its bullets describe a waterproof polyester outside, a PEVA lining the listing calls stain resistant and food safe, and a metal double zip. PEVA is a plastic sheet lining, the shiny gray interior you see in the open photo, and it wipes out with a damp cloth. The care line in the detail table says hand wash only. A buyer confirms "It is easy to wipe out and keep clean."
Small by design
At 10.2 x 3.3 x 7.1 inches it is listed at 4 liters, and here the numbers agree: about 3.9 liters by the outside dimensions. Picture a hardcover book a little over three inches thick. The bag zips around three sides and opens like a book, and that shape decides what goes in.
| What you pack | Does it fit, by the numbers and buyers |
|---|---|
| A flat food container and a flat ice pack | Yes, one parent fits "her Tupperware with a flat cold pack" |
| A sandwich, snacks and a juice box | The listing says so, as long as it all lies flat |
| A tall thermos or stacked containers | Unlikely in a bag 3.3 inches deep |
| A day out for an adult | One buyer returned it as too small |
Buyer text on size shows the tension: 8 mentions, 6 negative. One parent finds it "cute and seems durable however, it is much smaller than anticipated. It does not fit much once an ice pack is in it." Another buyer notes that it "opens from the side so everything has to lay flat". There's no shoulder strap, which one parent missed.
abshoo keeps the insulation claim modest: food stays "insulated nicely for hours". The one buyer who comments on temperature says it "Keeps lunch at perfect temperature" for a kindergartner. That fits a bag of this size, which holds a small amount of cold air around a small amount of food.
It is worth comparing with the lunch bag that comes free in the panda set. That one measures 11.8 x 6.3 x 6.3 inches, which works out to about 7.7 liters, nearly double this bag's volume, and it opens from the top rather than like a book. If the dinosaur print isn't the deciding factor, the panda set's lunch bag is the roomier box, and it comes with a backpack. If the print is the deciding factor, and with a five-year-old it usually is, buyers are clear that this one looks good: seven appearance mentions, all positive, and one parent notes you "Can easily add an embroidered name on the front".
Topic counts as Amazon groups them on the product page, read November 14, 2026.
The five bags side by side
The listings' own volume fields aren't reliable, so we worked the capacity out from the printed dimensions. This is the table to use if you are choosing by what has to go inside.
| Bag | Outside size (L x D x H) | Volume by the numbers | Device fit, per listing | Best age, by buyer reports |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panda backpack | 10.2 x 4.7 x 16.1 in | about 12.6 L | small laptop in the divider, a Chromebook per a buyer | preschool to about grade 2 |
| Classic laptop pack | 11.8 x 5.2 x 17.7 in | about 17.8 L (listed 18 L) | 15-inch MacBook | elementary, middle school, adult daypack |
| Clear backpack | 12.2 x 6.2 x 17.7 in | about 21.9 L (listed 22 L) | up to 16 inches | junior high, high school, stadium use |
| Unicorn backpack | 11.02 x 5.91 x 16.15 in | about 17.2 L | laptop compartment, size not stated | elementary, no buyer text to confirm |
| Dinosaur lunch bag | 10.2 x 3.3 x 7.1 in | about 3.9 L (listed 4 L) | none | elementary lunch |
Two things stand out. The panda backpack is the smallest of the four packs by a clear margin, which is why it suits young children and frustrates parents of third graders. And the classic pack and the unicorn pack hold nearly the same volume, so the choice between them is about print, chest strap and laptop sleeve, not space.
All five list hand washing only. None of them lists a weight-bearing rating or a fabric weight beyond the classic pack's 1680D shell. Every listing states a 12-month or one-year warranty and recommends the bags for children 3 and older.
Cleaning and how they hold up
Every listing here says hand wash only, and none gives more detail than that. Read it as: wipe the outside, sponge the inside, air dry with the pockets open. A washing machine would be hard on printed polyester and on the foam padding in the straps, and a wet cloth is all the clear PVC bag needs anyway. The polyester bags shed dirt well, which several parents mention, and the PVC bag and the PEVA-lined lunch bag wipe clean by their nature.
Wear shows up in three places, and the buyer text is consistent about which bag fails where:
| Bag | Where wear shows first, per buyers | How often it comes up |
|---|---|---|
| Panda set | Zippers and the cord pulls on them, the top of a strap after a semester | 21 of 23 zipper mentions negative |
| Classic laptop pack | Interior lining described as thin and crinkly | Two material complaints out of five mentions |
| Clear backpack | Mesh side pockets tearing within weeks to months | 6 of 17 durability mentions negative |
| Unicorn backpack | No buyer text in our data | Not known |
| Dinosaur lunch bag | No durability complaints, size complaints instead | 6 of 8 size mentions negative |
If you want to stretch any of these to a second year, the small habits help: close zippers fully before pulling, don't stuff a bottle into a pocket that resists, and empty the lunch bag every afternoon so the lining dries. None of that fixes a zipper that was weak from the factory, which is why checking them on arrival matters more than any care routine.
How they compare with other kids' backpacks
The competitor rows come from an Amazon search for girls' school backpacks, so they line up best against the panda and unicorn packs.
Prices, ratings and monthly purchase counts as shown on Amazon search results on November 14, 2026. Highlighted rows are the products reviewed here.
With 2,418 ratings at 4.8 stars, the panda set sits among the most-rated bags in that search. Only the Simple Modern row, with 6,428 ratings, has a deeper record, and it sits at 4.7. Several of the competitors with the same 4.8 average have fewer ratings than the panda set. One row, a backpack sold "with Lunch Bag Pencil Case", offers the same three-piece idea at 4.6 stars from 710 ratings, and the table shows how its price compares. The unicorn pack's 4.7 matches the middle of the field, but on 57 ratings it is a much thinner sample than any of these.
What the table can't show is zippers. None of these rows tells you how many buyers complained about them, so the panda set's zipper record is the one number here you can actually read, and it is the reason its score is not higher.
Which one for whom
| If you are buying for | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A preschooler or kindergartner | Panda set | Child-sized at 16.1 in tall, lunch bag and pen case included, 4.8 stars |
| A child who lets straps slip | Unicorn backpack | The only one with a chest strap |
| A middle schooler with a laptop | Classic laptop pack | 15-inch sleeve, plain look, card pocket on the strap |
| A school that requires clear bags | Clear backpack | 22 liters and a 16-inch device fit |
| A lunch packed in one flat container | Dinosaur lunch bag | 3.3 in deep, wipe-clean lining |
| A high schooler with textbooks | None of these, or the clear bag at most | Buyers call the classic pack too small for that load |
If you want to see how the rest of abshoo's line does, our second look at abshoo bags covers the insulated lunch tote, the striped beach tote, the mermaid set and the clear stadium crossbody, and there is a separate review of the abshoo galaxy backpack. The full range is on abshoo's own site, and the rest of our bag coverage lives in bags, totes and backpacks.
Verdict
The panda set is the one we recommend. You get three matching pieces, a bag sized properly for a small child, 2,418 ratings at 4.8 stars, and a price that sits at the low end of the comparison table. Its weakness is real and named: zippers and pulls that fail early for a minority of buyers. Test them on day one and keep the warranty in mind.
Each of the other three backpacks is a fine choice for the right child. The classic laptop pack is a decent light daypack and a poor high school book bag. The clear bag is roomy and well rated on a smaller sample, with mesh side pockets that are its weak point. The unicorn pack looks well built in the photos and has a chest strap the others lack, but its listing contradicts itself and there is no written buyer evidence to lean on. We don't recommend the dinosaur lunch bag unless you already know your child's lunch fits a box about three inches deep.
Buy the panda set, then match the rest to the child
The panda backpack set is the best value here and carries the strongest buyer record. The laptop pack suits elementary and middle school better than high school, the clear bag is the roomiest, and the lunch bag is smaller than most parents expect. Zipper failures run through the complaints on every bag that has enough reviews to show them.
- Panda set gives you a backpack, lunch bag and pen case for one price
- All four backpacks list padded, adjustable shoulder straps
- Clear PVC bag holds 22 liters and lists a 16-inch device fit
- Polyester and PVC shells that buyers say wipe clean
- Zipper and zipper-pull failures are the most common complaint on the panda set
- Side pockets on the panda bag are too tight for some water bottles
- Laptop backpack reads small to high school buyers
- Lunch bag is 3.3 inches deep and opens like a clamshell
Best for: Parents of children from preschool to about third grade who want a matching backpack, lunch bag and pencil case without paying character-brand prices.
Skip it if: Your child is in high school with a full load of textbooks, or you want a bag whose zippers you never have to think about.
Where the numbers come from. Prices, star ratings, rating counts and monthly purchase badges were read from the product pages on November 14, 2026; they move daily. Fabric, sizing and dimensions come from the product specifications. Buyer quotes are Amazon reviews as the product page shows them, linked to the full review where Amazon gives one. See how we review.
