Clothing & everyday carry · backpack
JanSport backpack
Owners report backpacks lasting over ten years, making them a durable school bag; critics say recent ones use thinner fabric and cheaper hardware.
Summarized from 17 comments.
Owners report backpacks lasting over ten years, making them a durable school bag; critics say recent ones use thinner fabric and cheaper hardware.
- recommend
- 11
- criticize
- 6
- months recommended
- 3 of 13
- median owned, 5 owners said
- 15 years
Why people love it
Lasts 10 to 20 years · 4
It has minor wear and tear but works great after >10 years.
Feb 2026 · commentStill using it almost 30 years after originally buying it
Feb 2026 · commentmine has lasted me 15+ years at this point
May 2026 · commentHolds up to heavy daily use · 2
$35 for a Jansport for a school kid who will brutalize their pack regardless is probably a much better value
Apr 2026 · commentthe one to get if you actually wanted your bag to survive
Apr 2026 · commentIconic classic school bag · 2
For me the iconic school bag will always be the JanSport.
May 2026 · commentI had a JanSport bag all through elementary school
Apr 2026 · comment
What people warn about
Quality has declined in recent years · 3
By the mid 2010's, they were in full decline, and that's about when I stopped recommending their stuff.
Apr 2026 · commenta JanSport backpack doesn't deliver on quality
Apr 2026 · commentThinner fabric. Cheaper hardware.
Apr 2026 · commentCheap hardware, zippers break · 2
Thinner fabric. Cheaper hardware.
Apr 2026 · commentAfter a year, its zipper broke.
Apr 2026 · commentSeen as budget, mediocre brand · 2
JanSport was always a budget-ish / not great brand from what I remember.
Apr 2026 · commentThey're all the same mediocre product made by the same PE group.
Apr 2026 · comment
Long-term owners
It has minor wear and tear but works great after >10 years.
Feb 2026 · comment
Still using it almost 30 years after originally buying it
Feb 2026 · comment
mine has lasted me 15+ years at this point
May 2026 · comment
What hackers pick instead
Every quote
The 16 most detailed of 17 comments. Each links to the original.
$35 for a Jansport for a school kid who will brutalize their pack regardless is probably a much better value
Recommends · Apr 2026 · in “Your Backpack Got Worse on Purpose”
By the mid 2010's, they were in full decline, and that's about when I stopped recommending their stuff.
Mixed · Apr 2026 · in “Your Backpack Got Worse on Purpose”
It has minor wear and tear but works great after >10 years.
Recommends · Feb 2026 · in “Eddie Bauer, venerable outdoor apparel retailer, declares bankruptcy”
For me the iconic school bag will always be the JanSport.
Recommends · May 2026 · in “The Most Unlikely School Bag”
Still using it almost 30 years after originally buying it
Recommends · Feb 2026 · in “Eddie Bauer, venerable outdoor apparel retailer, declares bankruptcy”
the one to get if you actually wanted your bag to survive
Recommends · Apr 2026 · in “Your Backpack Got Worse on Purpose”
I had a JanSport bag all through elementary school
Mixed · Apr 2026 · in “Your Backpack Got Worse on Purpose”
mine has lasted me 15+ years at this point
Recommends · May 2026 · in “The Most Unlikely School Bag”
That JanSport lasted me 20 years.
Recommends · May 2026 · in “The Most Unlikely School Bag”
JanSport was always a budget-ish / not great brand from what I remember.
Criticizes · Apr 2026 · in “Your Backpack Got Worse on Purpose”
They're all the same mediocre product made by the same PE group.
Criticizes · Apr 2026 · in “Sam Vimes 'Boots' Theory of Socio-Economic Unfairness”
a JanSport backpack doesn't deliver on quality
Criticizes · Apr 2026 · in “Your Backpack Got Worse on Purpose”
Thinner fabric. Cheaper hardware.
Criticizes · Apr 2026 · in “Your Backpack Got Worse on Purpose”
After a year, its zipper broke.
Criticizes · Apr 2026 · in “Your Backpack Got Worse on Purpose”
I bet you can still get nice NF or JanSport bags if you’re careful.
Recommends · Apr 2026 · in “Your Backpack Got Worse on Purpose”
Literally every product with a lifetime warranty does this same game.
Criticizes · Apr 2026 · in “Your Backpack Got Worse on Purpose”
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