14 Backpack Essentials From the ’80s and ’90s
Here's a throwback to the nostalgic must-haves every kid crammed into their backpack back in the day.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
Before smartphones and Chromebooks, backpacks were a treasure trove of the best school necessities. These items defined a generation of students. Let’s dig into the classic gear that made every ’80s and ’90s kid feel ready for class.
1. Trapper Keeper
Jennifer Boyer on Flickr
This was the king of school supplies. With its Velcro flap and wild neon designs, the Trapper Keeper was more than a binder — it was a statement.
2. Lisa Frank Folders
ironypoisoning on Flickr
Bright colors, unicorns, dolphins — these folders were a glittery explosion of joy. Mostly found in the backpacks of ’90s kids, they turned boring assignments into works of art.
3. Mechanical Pencils
J. C. Barros on Wikimedia Commons
No need for a sharpener, just click and write. These pencils felt futuristic, even if the lead always snapped at the worst time. Some even had mini erasers that vanished in a week.
4. Scratch-and-Sniff Stickers
Paulo Mergulhão on Unsplash
Perfect for decorating notebooks or bribing teachers into giving you one. The smells ranged from bubblegum to weirdly specific pizza scent.
5. Pencil Grips
Aprilyn Podd on Flickr
Those squishy foam grips made writing slightly more bearable. They came in every shape, color, and pattern — some even sparkled.
6. Mini Notebooks
niftynotebook on Flickr
Tiny, colorful, and usually filled with doodles, secret notes, or dramatic journal entries. These notebooks rarely held anything academic.
7. Troll Doll Keychains
Martijn Schornagel on Flickr
Those wild-haired weirdos were everywhere. Hanging from zippers, backpacks, or even pencil pouches, troll dolls brought luck — or at least that’s what you told yourself.
8. Plastic Pencil Box
Kathryn Greenhill on Flickr
This hard plastic, often translucent, was usually scuffed within a week. It held everything from pens to candy to secret notes. If it made a loud clack when it closed, it was the real deal.
9. Colored Gel Pens
🦋 Kashish Shaik 🦋 on Pexels
Forget blue and black ink — metallic pink or electric green was the vibe. These pens skipped, smeared, and ran out fast, but they made every page look magical.
10. Erasers Shaped Like Food or Animals
Stilfehler on Wikimedia Commons
Too cute to use, but always in your bag anyway. They smelled weird and barely erased anything, but you couldn’t resist collecting them.
11. Book Covers Made from Grocery Bags
Olha Ruskykh on Pexels
This DIY protection turned every textbook into a brown paper mystery. Customizing it with doodles and band logos was the real win.
12. Floppy Disks
s j on Unsplash
This was the USB stick of their time. You carried them in a small case, as if they were precious artifacts. Sometimes, your schoolwork fit; sometimes, it didn’t.
13. Pocket-Sized Address Book
Mx. Granger on Wikimedia Commons
How else were you going to pass notes or call your best friend after school? It was the analog contacts list, decorated with stickers and smudged ink.
14. Beaded Name Keychains
Valeria Caycedo on Pexels
This was a personal touch that made your bag officially yours. You’d make them at camp or during art time, and proudly clip them on.