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Primarily, you want to be sure the backpack you buy a teen boy features pockets and pouches to hold all those fun gadgets teens love like mp3 players, cell phones, digital cameras and perhaps even laptops.

You also want to watch for the comfort level the backpack will afford. It needs to be big enough to hold books, gear and gadgets, yet have a padded strap or some other mechanism to ease the pressure on the back and shoulders.

Here are the best backpacks for teen boys.

Jansport Livewire Alt Backpack

If your teen is the ultimate gadget guru, this is the ultimate backpack to match his interest in electronics. This bag is, quite simply, too cool. It doesn't just hold stuff, but it features iPod wiring, integrated Bluetooth for hands free chatting on the cell phone, dedicated cord storage, and a laptop compartment. It also protects the back with its Airlift shoulder straps.

Nike B4.2 Backpack

Your teenager will love the mp3 pouch with a cord portal, as well as the cool color choices and Nylon fabric. Parents will love the padded shoulder straps to make it more comfortable for a teen boy to lug around a bunch of books and other items.

High Sierra Monsoon Backpack

If your teen boy is the outdoorsy type, he will dig the flexibility of this backpack. During the school day, it is a great backpack for storing books and school supplies. It features a computer storage pocket. On the weekends, that laptop pocket converts to a hydration reservoir for camping or hiking trails. Handy for either use is the shoulder strap pockets to hold an iPod on one side, cell phone on the other.

Dakine Terminal Pack

If you're on a budget, it's hard to beat the cool points you'll get for a small investment with this backpack. It features a fleece-lined sunglass pocket, mp3 pocket with cord port, side-entry laptop pocket and an internal document sleeve to keep reports and homework neat and safe.