[kasey_junk]

My kid has been using the same $100 bag for his entire school career. He’s in 5th grade and walks to school over a mile 90% of the year. In a northern climate. That bag looks like it will last another 5-10 years.

Frankly, his classmates have cheaper bags with similar outcomes so I doubt price is highly correlated with performance past a certain price point.

[JohnBooty]

When I was in school in the 80s-90s I pretty much nevvvverrrr saw kids reusing bags for multiple years.

I think cheap bags were just crappier back then

But even the Jansports seemed to get replaced. I think kids were just rougher on their bags back then. I remember my bags absolutely bulging with 4-5 big hardbound textbooks. Don't see that much any more.

[TimTheTinker]

Cheap Jansport backpack zippers didn't last long.

[JohnBooty]

Stitching-related zipper failure, or the zipper itself?

I feel like stitching in general is where Jansports fail first.... you have to abuse them pretty hard to wear out the material or bust a zipper directly, but the stitching on Jansports is not amazing.

Don't get me wrong... the price/performance/durability of Jansports is INSANE

but they maybe are venerated a little too hard

[aYsY4dDQ2NrcNzA]

Jansports had a lifetime warranty, I think?

[devilbunny]

They did, but you had to do without for a few weeks while they replaced it.