Back-to-school Shopping Advice Covers More Than Supplies

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- Even with the late Labor Day, the school year will soon be here. Many parents have already started back-to-school shopping for their kids, stocking up on the essentials like notebooks, pencils, pens, and backpacks.

Scheels' Shop Manager Kelsey Stewart says parents often forget to load up on some key clothing items for their student athletes:

"Socks are always a last-minute thing, or an extra pair of spandex or the compression gear for underneath. A lot of the time people get one of those things, but they end up finding out once practice starts that they need two or three or four of them so that they're not washing every day, so they have a backup, so they have some extras."

Stewart says don't forget about snacks as well for kids that are constantly on the go.

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She says another tip is not to skimp when it comes to buying a backpack and look for quality:

"I hear so many customers often times come and say that they bought cheap backpacks and they have to replace them every year. A lot of the backpacks that we carry at our store are going to be a really good quality, and they'll last a couple of years if not through a whole high school or college adventure."

Stewart says some good backpack brands include North Face, Under Armour, Adidas, Nike, and L.L.  Things to look for include good padding, solid straps, back support, and a warranty. School starts back up for many area districts the week before Labor Day.