And on Tuesday, a smitten JanSport returned the love in a big way by awarding her – and her backpack – a free trip "anywhere in the world." Seriously.

Some of our favorite backpacks for the 2023-2024 school year include a simple, lightweight classic from JanSport, a stylish leather bag from Coach and a sporty option from lululemon.

Murray McCory, who founded the outdoor equipment company JanSport while still in college and whose signature innovation, a lightweight backpack, revolutionized school life for millions of students ...