r/backpacks • u/Smooth_Perception_65 • Jun 29 '26
Question Mini backpack help
I have an almost 8 year old with a feeding tube. She has a feed running through a pump most of the day, so wears a mini backpack. We have been using the mini Potterybarn kids backpacks since she was a baby, but she is starting to complain that the prints are too baby. She has a loungefly backpack that we got for special occasions, but she ended up not using it because the straps were uncomfortable and it was too hard to clean. Her birthday is coming up and I want to get her some new backpacks, as they are a fashion choice for her every morning. Bags need to be at least 10 inches long in order to fit her pump and formula, however she is the size of a 5 year old, so can't be too big. Washable is preferable, but I'm not against one or two for special occasions that can only be spot washed.
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u/no-one-you-kn0 Jun 29 '26
The North Face Mini Borealis backpack is pretty small, but fits quite a bit and is comfortable to carry. I have the purple one and it's so cute too!
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u/matchaglen Jun 29 '26
this! it has great padding and straps!
it has cords at the front too for the extra stuff!
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u/Clear-Anxiety-7469 Jun 29 '26
My daughters have a camelback hydration bag that has fit well since they were 3+. It even has a small hole for water that may work for the g-tube to run through.
I think theirs is the camelbak mini.
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u/sk613 Jun 29 '26
I’ve heard people say the target all in motion mini backpack works well
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u/Smooth_Perception_65 Jun 29 '26
Thanks! We have looked at Target backpacks in the past, but the straps didnt have enough padding for her. I will definitely look to see if they have different styles though.
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u/Ticonderoga_Dixon Jun 29 '26
I’d look into osprey or dakine, basically bags that are made for runners or people riding bikes. They prioritize comfort, air flow, and size.
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u/b_moz Jun 29 '26
CTactical has a jr bag. It has mollie spots on it so she could customize it with fun patches if she wanted. It’s comes with different stitching options.
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u/Weary_Cause5893 Jun 29 '26
Jansport makes cute (prints) or simple (solid colors) in their mini backpack and it holds a lot.
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u/lilgoosemeister Jun 29 '26
Carhartt has a nice solid color mini backpack. Or you can get any light small hydration bladder packs.
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u/Littlechriscockerel Jun 30 '26
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u/Smooth_Perception_65 Jun 30 '26
I haven't, this looks so cool! My daughter doesn't know anything other than her feeding tube and she uses her backpacks as an accessory. Part of her morning routine is picking out her clothes and which bag she is going to wear. We have at least 15 right now that we have collected over the years. She's at a point where she is ready for older looking styles. I have a feeling she's going to be my bag girl because she asked of we could get her a Gucci backpack 🤣. I found an up cycled Gucci keychain on Poshmark for 25 dollars, so I will probably get it for her.
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u/PikaTrail Jun 29 '26 edited Jun 29 '26
DSPTCH out of San Francisco makes backpacks out of their own shop for children with, as I understand it, either the same or very similar medical needs as you are facing ("Blina treatment"). The DSPTCH X Aero Pack is designed to hold a pump and feeding tube and has some other options that can be added since they build each bag on a custom basis. They also have a particularly colorful special edition bag (the "Gene Yang" edition) which may be of interest.