Best backpack 2024: bag options for work, commuting and traveling

Everyone needs one the best backpacks for durability, versatility and style, whether you use it for your carrying your laptop to and from work or a cheeky weekend away.

Laptops and tablets are getting slimmer and lighter, so they're important investments that you need to protect. While a sleeve or cover can be handy at times, nothing screams full-on protection quite like a backpack or laptop bag. If you're headed back to school, college or university, you also need a means of carting around all your chargers, batteries, cameras, e-readers, selfie sticks, fidget spinners, copies of T3 magazine etc., so pockets are always a bonus.

Whether you're looking for high-end designer backpacks or rugged, water-resistant rucksacks, there’s a great option for you. From super stylish, to wonderfully waterproof, we’ve got this one in the bag.

We're going to be focusing on daypacks in this feature, but you can check out our guide to the best carry on luggage or the best hiking backpacks if that's more your bag. For just laptops, we've also got a guide to the best laptop bags, if you're after something a little more slim and streamlined.

Best everyday backpacks

Great for a hike and the office, Patagonia’s Arbor backpack looks old-school whilst including extras for modern-day life. Unlike a lot of other backpacks, the canvas is water-repellent and recycled and the spacious interior has a handy padded laptop sleeve inside. The rucksack also boasts ergonomic ‘human curve’ straps, make it great for lugging heavy work kit or a weekend away, plus, it looks great.

The Mous Day Backpack offers a stylish, minimalistic design whilst remaining highly functional. It has a 20-litre capacity with nine compartments, including a laptop sleeve, zipped pocket, slip pockets and a water bottle pocket. There's also a handy central zip design which allows you to open up the entire bag to locate your belongings – no more time-consuming rummaging!

Our reviewer did wish there were two side pockets instead of one, and the straps did grow uncomfortable after a number of hours. However, if you wear your backpack for a limited amount of time and only one side pocket works for you, we'd strongly recommend it. Take a look at our Mous Day Backpack review to find out more information.

For luxury and practicality, the Carl Friedrik Day-to-Day backpack is one of the best backpacks you can buy today. Made from quality leather, the Carl Friedrik Day-to-Day backpack feels and looks premium, and comes with multiple internal and external pockets for plenty of storage and space.

The best part of the Carl Friedrik Day-to-Day backpack is its folding capabilities, so you can maximise or minimise its size depending on what you're using it for. It carries everything you could possibly need and it feels surprisingly lightweight even when it's filled to the brim. Read our Carl Friedrik Day-to-Day backpack review for more.

Not only does the Harber London Office Backpack look great, but its impressive amount of pockets and zipped compartments make it the perfect day-to-day backpack. Its straps are designed to swivel to avoid any painful twisting, making it extremely comfortable, and there's a pocket on either side. 

A level of waterproofing would have been a nice, and it is certainly on the pricier side, but its other features certainly make up for this. Check out our Harber London Office Backpack review to read more. 

This simple yet functional backpack from The North Face has several compartments to keep your gear safely stowed. With heritage North Face styling, this pack is as good-looking as it is practical for all your everyday adventures. It features a zippered main compartment and a secondary compartment for your smaller items. The design features a loop which you can hang a bike light from, and stylish two tone zip pulls.

Before you buy, check out our The North Face discount codes to find the best prices.

Best backpacks for commuting

The Harber London Classic Rucksack is hand-crafted in Spain from full-grain leather and waterproof outer fabric which feels like canvas but is actually made from recycled plastic bottles. While the design is pleasingly retro and understated, the rucksack features plenty of thoughtful modern extras.

There's a padded laptop compartment, smaller zippered pocket and two more pockets. It also features magnetic clasps so you don’t have to undo the aluminium buckles to get at the rucksack’s contents. Whilst the plastic fabric of the rucksack is waterproof, you may not want the leather to get caught in a downpour. Note that the lack of waist and sternum straps mean this is not the best option for longer bike commutes or for lugging really heavy loads in comfort.

See our Harber London Classic Rucksack review for more details.

The Isar rucksack from Côte&Ciel is really two bags in one. First, there’s a laptop section, suitable for notebooks up to 15-inches, and second, there’s a separate, expandable section which is ideal for softer items such as a pair of running shoes and your running kit. 

Each of the two sections has a smaller zipped pocket inside for smaller items, and there’s a third, almost invisible pocket tucked between the two compartments that could be used to hold a passport or phone.  It's ideal if you want to be able to commute with your laptop and your gym kit or perhaps a change of clothes if you are going straight out from work.

If you're looking for an under-the-radar backpack for commuting, then we'd like to introduce you to the Stubble & Co Commuter. This backpack has been designed for style, practicality and extreme comfort. Featuring direct access to padded laptop compartment which is large enough to accommodate a 16-inch device, and a generous interior to hold everything you need for the day ahead. 

It's also handcrafted with premium waterproofed canvas for long-lasting quality, and features a breathable and cushioned back panel for comfort.

The Antler Discovery Backpack offers a generous 28L packing capacity, making it a great option if you carry a lot of kit with you. It also has a streamlined back-sleeve which slots over your suitcase handle for hands-free carrying. The spacious front pocket allows for organised packing, and the dedicated rear compartment offers a protective pocket for laptops up to 16.5 inches. 

Our reviewer did find that the zip chipped easily after a few weeks of use, but if you're not overly fussy, it's a great choice to go with. Read out Antler Discovery Backpack review for more. 

Best backpacks for school, college and university

Going for that preppy look? The Herschel Heritage backpack is a classic, functional design that will treat you well. It's cut from canvas, with leather accents to add a touch of class. The pack is finished with a diamond-shaped accent and woven label. Inside features Herschel's signature striped fabric liner, and a 15-inch laptop sleeve.

The Out of Office pack is a simple, stylish design which comes in a number of different prints - we love the Parrot m in the company's AW16 collection. Now more commonly found in the school playground than war zones, Eastpak has continued to be a market leader.

This Swedish outdoorsy firm was born from the idea of creating more a comfortable 'carrying system'. The Kanken, specifically, was created in 1978 to help prevent back problems among school children. This modern (yet still classic) backpack is stylish and practical, with space for a 13-inch Macbook (or smaller). The water-repellent body is built to last, and a carry handle wins points for simplicity and versatility.

Best backpacks for travel

Tumi is the brand when it comes to business travel. The new Alpha 3 Slim Solutions Brief Pack is professional and understated, while allowing you hands-free comfort when you travel. It's made from the patented, ultra-durable FXT ballistic nylon, durable fabric and leather trim. 

Inside there's a padded laptop pocket, which fits 15-inch laptops, as well as plenty more organisational features (such as card pockets, pen loops, and a key leash). That's not all, though, the backpack also features Tumi Tracer, an exclusive program which helps to reunite you with lost items. 

Aimed at frequent business travellers. This formally-styled backpack from Samsonite measures 48x33x20cm and weighing 2.6kg, its takes 28 litres of gear, and includes compartments for a 10.1-inch tablet and a 17.3-inch laptop. 

However, it's how it works around the airport that impresses most; the backpack straps can be packed away, and it can be dragged around on its two wheels using a pop-up telescopic handle. It's also got a RFID-protected pocket to protect against payment and identity fraud through skimming of credit cards and passports. 

With a sturdy toll-top this backpack is 100-percent waterproof (Class 3 - IP66). It floats safely if dropped in water, and will also protect your kit from dust, sand and dirt. It's comfortable, too, with lightweight straps which have a ventilation system, as well as adjustable sternum straps and waist straps.

How to buy the best backpack for you

Whether you're looking for a new satchel for work or starting a new school term, choosing the right backpack is essential. Not only should it look good, but it needs to be comfortable, and, of course, be big enough to carry all of your stuff.

Let's start off with size. Generally, a small backpack is around 6-10 litres. These are great for children, days out, and sportswear. A medium-sized daypack is around 10-30 litres, ideal for commuting. Over 35-litres and you're looking at overnight camping trips and backpacking expeditions.

Next, you need to decide the type of protection you need. Do you walk to work, come rain or shine? You might need a fully waterproof 'pack. If you want the ultimate protection, then maybe the North Face Access Pack, complete with an exoskeleton, is more suited to you. (Another option here is to pop one of the smaller sacks from our best dry bags guide inside a regular backpack.)

Finally, comfort. If you're going to be lugging this thing around all day, you're going to want padded straps. Your shoulders will thank you later. Other comfort features to look out for are waist and chest straps. These aren't the last word in fashion, but they take the strain off your shoulders. And of course, all these straps are no good if they're not adjusted correctly – here's how to fit a backpack to distribute the weight properly.

How we test the best backpacks

We spend a lot of time reviewing the best backpacks, so when it comes to recommending what backpack to buy, you can be safe in the knowledge that we'll recommend the best options for you.

We'll usually spend a week or longer testing new backpacks, and the review process is fairly straightforward – we use them to travel, commute, and generally carry our stuff everywhere. This helps us see how comfortable and practical they are.

Once the initial review period is complete we'll publish a full review, give the backpack a star rating, and add an abridged review to this guide. If it's really good then we'll also continue using the backpack, and update our recommendation if we discover anything interesting after extended use.