11+ rolling backpacks to avoid back pain in 2025
We rounded up rolling backpacks that’ll help take the weight off.
J World New York Sunrise Rolling Backpack
$53.99
$59.99
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a student’s backpack should not exceed 10% to 15% of their body weight due to concerns of discomfort and risk of injury to muscles and joints. “Our backs house some of the strongest muscles in our body. But add food, schoolbooks, electronics and an assortment of other items, and the weight can add up quickly,” says Shai Karpf, the owner and directing physician at North Broward Chiropractic & Wellness.
When compiling all the products in this list, here are some factors experts recommend considered:
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Each highly rated rolling backpack below aligns with our experts’ guidance. Dimensions, capacity in liters and the age recommendations for each option are also included.
Designed for kids ages 8 and up, this J World rolling backpack is our overall pick thanks to its durable ripstop polyester fabric and rubber bottom that can withstand being dragged on hard floors and pavement, according to the brand. It also comes with two mesh side pockets for water bottles and its front pocket organizer has a key clip, pen holders, card slots and an internal zip pocket to keep small items safe. The highly rated backpack, which has a 4.4-star average rating from over 9,200 reviews on Amazon, is available in 40 kid-friendly designs and patterns, including Safari, Garden Purple and Color Dots.
If you’re looking for a good-quality rolling backpack on a budget, this Rockland option is made from durable polyester and equips a heavy-duty plastic stand on the bottom to keep it upright. You can choose from several patterns and designs, including polka dots, pink chevron, multi-colored hearts and leopard prints. The backpack has a 4.2-star average rating from over 13,100 reviews on Amazon.
NBC Select editorial intern Andriana Kourkoumelis loves this garment roller by Halfday because it’s lightweight, easy to transport and makes packing extremely easy. “One of my favorite travel hacks is putting clothes on hangers for easy packing and unpacking. This duffle allows me to maximize space and distribute weight in my carry-on, especially as an overpacker,” she says. This duffle has different pockets that help evenly spread out items so they don’t feel as heavy, plus it fits close to a week’s worth of clothes without having to check a bag, according to the brand.
This durable waterproof rolling backpack is ideal for both travel or work purposes. It has a large pocket on the front with even smaller pockets on the inside. The main compartment has a laptop sleeve and one for a tablet, and the middle compartment has a mesh pocket for books and more. The main compartment also has a space for folded clothing, making the backpack ideal for short trips. It has a pocket on the side for a water bottle and you can hide the handle on top when you’re not rolling it.
This backpack, which has a 4.3-star average rating from over 3,100 reviews on Amazon, is made from water- and mold-resistant canvas that keeps it in good shape despite long days at school, according to the brand. Its spacious main compartment has a double zipper closure for extra security and a double-zippered front pocket with a mesh pocket, a built-in organizer and keyring to keep smaller essentials in one place. The backpack has four additional pockets on the front and three side pockets for even more storage. It’s available in eight colors, including navy, burgundy and black.
Your toddler can carry this small dinosaur backpack by hand, strap it on their back or roll it around using the telescopic handle. It has one large compartment and a smaller padded front pouch, as well as two mesh pockets on either side to hold a water bottle. The back panel is padded for comfort and it has two zippers to allow you to open it in either direction, according to the brand. The small size makes it ideal for toddlers up to three years old. This rolling backpack has an average rating of 4.6 stars from over 3,200 reviews on Amazon.
The Twise Side-Kick is designed for young children between the ages of 3 and 9 and comes in several animal-inspired designs, including dinosaurs, penguins and unicorns. It has a padded grip handle, two side pockets for water bottles and a front pocket organizer with a pencil holder, key fob and zipper pocket. The backpack, made from water-resistant polyester, also has a cushioned back for comfort when you use it as a traditional backpack, according to the brand. This roller by Twise has a 4.6 star average rating from over 300 reviews on Amazon.
The JanSport Driver 8 is the brand’s classic backpack silhouette on wheels. It comes in several colors and patterns and has a padded handle, a padded back panel and shoulder straps that you can tuck away. It also has multiple compartments, including two main ones to store larger supplies, a laptop sleeve, a front utility pocket with an organizer for pens and pencils, a front stash pocket for smaller items and a side water bottle pocket. The Driver 8 has an average of 4.4 stars from over 1,100 reviews on Amazon.
You can personalize this rolling backpack to display your child’s name, which can help teachers, school staff and other students identify them during the first few days of school and return it if it gets lost. It’s made from a durable and water-resistant polyester material designed to glow softly in the dark for approximately three to four hours, according to the brand. The Mackenzie collection comes with various additional patterns like unicorns, dinosaurs and multi-colored hearts, and you can purchase matching items separately, including a lunch box and water bottle.
This matching rolling backpack and lunch box set comes in 16 kid-friendly designs, including mermaid, galaxy, and camouflage. The lunch box has a handy strap that attaches to the backpack’s handle. There’s multiple compartments, including a main pocket, a middle pocket, a front pocket to store stationary and a small top-front pocket for smaller items like glasses and headphones. The highly rated set has a 4.6-star average rating from over 3,300 reviews on Amazon.
This backpack is made from water-resistant, 100% recycled polyester for a more eco-friendly option. You can also personalize it with your teen’s name or initials. The rolling backpack has four exterior pockets, a laptop compartment, a cinch mesh pocket on the side to hold a water bottle and a durable plastic base to keep it from getting scratched and damaged, according to the brand. It has multiple designs and patterns, including interstellar, tie-dye and ombre.
You can carry this backpack in three ways: as a backpack, a roller or a weekender. It has a laptop sleeve, water bottle holder and a zip-pocket for all your smaller necessities. When it comes to comfort, this roller backpack has padded stowable shoulder straps, an aluminum handle with two height options, an adjustable sternum strap and rollerblade-inspired wheels that glide with ease, according to the brand. Whether you roll or carry, this option fits a lot without adding too much weight to your back, according to reviewers on Bagsmart. This three-in-one roller has a 4.5-star average rating from over 900 reviews on Amazon.
When shopping for a backpack to avoid back pain, experts recommend taking these following factors into consideration:
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
Mili Godio is an editor at NBC Select who has written about a variety of back-to-school topics, including lunch boxes, dorm storage essentials and gifts for teachers. Andriana Kourkoumelis is an editorial and production intern at NBC Select. For this article, they spoke to three experts about the benefits of rolling backpacks and how to shop for the best one for kids.
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