Kids & School
R3 has independently scored 11 kids backpacks for safety on a 0 to 10 scale. The average safety score is 6.2/10, 0 score 9.0 or higher, and REI Co-op Tarn 18 Pack - Kids' leads the category at 8.4/10.
Across the 11 kids backpacks R3 scored, safety scores range from 3.3/10 to 8.4/10, with a median of 6.1/10. The distribution below shows how many land in each safety band.
Highest safety score
REI Co-op Tarn 18 Pack - Kids'Safety 8.4/10, the top of 11 kids backpacks R3 scored.
Lowest safety score
Vera Bradley Reactive Grand BackpackSafety 3.3/10, the lowest in the set, scored the same way as every other product in the category.
Safety accounts for 30% of the overall score for kids backpacks in R3's scoring system (version 1.0.0). Every product in this category is scored against the same published criteria, so these numbers are comparable across the whole set. See how we score products.
| # | Product | Safety | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | REI Co-op Tarn 18 Pack - Kids' | 8.4 | 8.3 |
| 2 | Osprey Daylite Jr. Kids' Backpack | 8.2 | 8.3 |
| 3 | Deuter Kikki Kids' Backpack | 8.2 | 8.3 |
| 4 | Terra Thread Earth Backpack | 7.3 | 7.3 |
| 5 | Fjallraven Kanken Mini Backpack | 7.0 | 7.2 |
| 6 | adidas Excel 6 Backpack | 6.1 | 6.1 |
| 7 | The North Face Youth Recon Squash Backpack | 6.1 | 6.3 |
| 8 | Columbia Bridgeline 26L Backpack | 5.4 | 5.4 |
| 9 | LEGO Big Brick Heritage Classic Backpack | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| 10 | JanSport Recycled SuperBreak Backpack | 3.6 | 4.0 |
| 11 | Vera Bradley Reactive Grand Backpack | 3.3 | 3.4 |
Source: R3 (2026). Safety scores on a 0 to 10 scale across 11 independently scored kids backpacks.
R3 has independently scored 11 kids backpacks for safety, with an average safety score of 6.2/10 and a median of 6.1/10. Scores range from 3.3/10 to 8.4/10.
REI Co-op Tarn 18 Pack - Kids' has the highest safety score among the 11 kids backpacks R3 scored, at 8.4/10. 0 of 11 score 9.0 or higher on safety.
Safety accounts for 30% of the overall score for kids backpacks in R3's scoring system (version 1.0.0). Every product in the category is scored the same way, against the same published criteria.