I got this one (not from this site, found it for 160CHF)
The slightly rounder one..... hope that's not a mistake..... same size as the squarer one but allegedly "the new trend"? Fingers crossed....
Will source pencil case from UK.
In the end I just ordered one.... I can't be bothered these days trapsing round the shops with my younger kid in tow and worrying about not getting one in time for his birthday etc.
Ok, ok, I made the last part up... it's a particularly slow Friday afternoon. But the soldier-tornister part is true.
darn it, that sounded so cool - my son would love it anyway!
Why you are a "bad" parent if you do not buy your kid a "Schulranzen".
Move to Ticino, here anything goes (except for the hard square things they use up north, no-one uses those here).
Tom
I got one of these a few years back
http://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/products/home
quality wise in unbeatable. had it for 5 years or so now used almost every day for school and work, and there is not a single tear in it. it is incredible.
Also if you want to get him a bit of a cool bag check out eastpack .($) but good quality and i believe they are coming back in style
And the backwards baseball cap is important too.
We got both our kids one when they started primary school. The basic structure you can get way cheaper -- as others have mentioned Migros or Aldi. As to the design, there are some practical reasons behind it. I think the first is the expectation the papers remain straight. Almost all the kids get a maeppchen, which is a large carboard file folder they put their 'maeppli' in. Also, here we received a box for the pencils, including glue, eraser, etc. Both would be very difficult in a normal backpack to keep straight. The 'box' helps. Wait to buy the pencil case -- my daughter didn't need it until 3rd class.
(Coming from the US, it was rather nice that the only thing I had to buy was the backpack --once at the beginning of primary school. Pencils, paper, and other school supplies are all supplied by the schoool. Many parents in the US spend hundreds each year on school supplies and then hold various fund-raising activities throughout the year for other school materials!! )
Well, I was going to mention that with all books and crap kids have to carry those hard bags are designed to be better for kids backs. I'm surprised kids still carry that many books & papers! It's a bit crazy.
Here in Argentina, the kids you little wheelie bags. They all look like they are heading to the airport! lol.
A bit late for you now but we saw a Samsonite one that included a pencil case, sports sack and other bits and pieces for 180CHF here. We saw exactly the same one in the Lago Center in Konstanz for 20 Euros. Guess where we got it?
In the UK we had a lot of kids suffering from back problems as they carted great big shoulder bags along all day. At least the Swiss design means kids will carry the weight well balanced over both shoulders, stopping them stooping and twisting.
Grandparents function as creche, godparents are expected to shell out for this, ay yay..We are doomed.
I think I am gona sew this one for enfantine and then buy one of the square one back home or in France, they are a lot cheaper there. We also had to have a sturdy square bag back in the stone age, since it keeps the books and all the little things, lunch box, folder nicely organized and neat without destroying the books and notepads. It sits well on the kiddo's back and distributes the weight evenly (I would worry about scoliosis with a sloppy back pack). But 2oo fr is insane.
If anyone still needs a square school bag I saw a few today in Coop marked down to CHF30, end of line apparently, so it could be worth a quick check iny your local store.
As someone who's kid will start primary school in a year: How are these Schulranzen different from any other sturdy back pack (that justifies the huge prize difference)
Ergonomics.
As was mentioned a couple time above, these square backpacks are made to distribute the weight of the contents, etc to as not to damage the child's back. Up there was a link in German, but you can see the pictures.
I'll relink here since you missed it.
http://www.graubuenden-bewegt.ch/dat...file_1_258.pdf
Whether it "justifies the huge price difference" I can't say. I guess you could always buy the one mentioned about that's on sale for 30CHF.
This might just be an issue for girls, but my daughter definitely wanted the pencil case (Federmäppchen) that matched her Schulranzen. Also a matching Sportsbag. But maybe boys don't care. All the kids in her class have the matching kit. I think it is the rite of passage into school which is a big deal here (do they do the Schultüten in CH - the big cones filled with goodies for kids on the first day of 1st grade?)
I did buy a used set for my then 4 year old off ebay for 1€ that she likes to play with. There are some sets on there that do sell cheap but the one I got my daughter was definitely used...probably can't convince her to use that one once she is in 1st grade. But maybe a good back up for when they want a new one?
Anyways, the things are pretty great like has been mentioned - ergonomically and reflective and waterproof.
20 Euros!!!
I was in Freiburg, Germany, and the bags were not much cheaper, I bought a Scout basic, not so hard and rigid as the box one,and 200grams lighter for 110Euro.
After looking at so many different types of bags, I must admit, these bags are very well designed for comfort, and the storage space.
I think the market is dominated with these brands, and they have no competition.
can anyone suggest a shop near Zurich German border to buy the school bags.
Pick some Swiss neighbors at random. Tell them that they are your child's godparents. (And, that it's offensive to refuse in your culture.) Then, remind them that your kid starts primary.....very soon.
Enjoy.
When I was a kid (here) this was zee fashionable school bag to have (and oh so expensive)
quite awful.....