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Whether commuting to the office or packing for your next travel adventure, a backpack is absolutely essential. The best backpacks should have built-in organization for your daily essentials and be comfortable enough to hold heavier items without adding strain to your shoulders or neck. Black Shoulder Bag
Although the word "backpack" may take you back to middle school memories, today's styles have become much more sophisticated. There's a wide variety of backpacks in different designs, fabrics, and styles that serve as cute and functional accessories for any outfit. Our top pick is the Patagonia Arbor Lid Pack, which is durable enough for your next outdoor adventure and spacious enough for long-haul travel. For backpacks perfect for students, check out our guide on the best college backpacks.
Best overall: Patagonia Arbor Lid Pack - See at Backcountry The Patagonia Arbor Lid Pack is made from durable recycled nylon and polyester, making it the best backpack for every occasion.
Best for commuters: Dagne Dover Dakota Neoprene Backpack - See at Dagne Dover Perfect for when you're on the go, the Dagne Dover Neoprene Backpack is water-resistant and hand-washable.
Best for college students: The North Face Jester Backpack - See at North Face This backpack from North Face can hold everything you need for a day on campus with its large laptop compartment and water bottle holders.
Best for work-to-gym: Caraa Stratus Backpack - See at Caara The Caraa Stratus Backback has vents on the bottom to keep your gym clothes ventilated and is made of super lightweight nylon.
Best customizable backpack: Fjallraven Kanken Backpack - See at Nordstrom This popular backpack from Fjallraven comes in over 50 colors and multiple sizes, so you can customize it to your needs and aesthetic.
Best beach backpack: The Carhartt Medium Pack - See at Amazon The Carhartt Medium Pack comes with a three-can cooler and ample storage for any outdoor adventure.
The Patagonia Arbor Lid Pack is one of the best backpacks for international travel, outdoor adventures, and daily commuting because it's super lightweight.
The bag is made from recycled nylon and polyester, which is designed to be durable and water-resistant. That means the bag itself won't weigh you down when it's fully packed. The interior has a padded 15-inch laptop sleeve, practically a must-have for any worthwhile backpack, and ample interior space.
With 28 liters of space, there's plenty of room for all of your belongings, but if you need to really pack things in tightly, the top-loading lid and pliable nylon material make it easy.
The Dagne Dover Dakota Neoprene Backpack is one of the best backpacks among members of the Insider Reviews team. It's a wonderful carrier because of its eight-color and three-size options. The backpack's quick-dry neoprene material is water-resistant, hand-washable, and perfect for gym trips, work commutes, and day hikes alike.
There's an interior pocket to store your laptop and even a pouch to hold an extra pair of shoes. This work-life balance bag, as Dagne Dover describes it, is also insulated and evenly distributes weight to add comfort to its sophisticated design.
For a backpack apt for carrying books, your laptop, and other study essentials, look no further than The North Face Jester Backpack. We've selected North Face backpacks as top carriers for college in our best backpacks for students guide, notably for its bags with large laptop compartments.
Whether you're commuting to class or en route to the library, the backpack's durably-padded design features a large main compartment, two mesh water bottle pockets, and even a reflective bike-light loop for evening campus walking.
Caraa is an up-and-coming indie brand that makes thoughtful considerations for the wearers of their designs. The Stratus backpack is no exception, with its mesh netting interior compartments and removable pouch. Its exterior features clever details, such as with an inconspicuous pocket placed strategically on the flat back panel, and its exterior is constructed with a weatherproof cloudlike nylon.
"Starting with the material, you'll find that it's incredibly lightweight (we're talking nearly unnoticeable), like a handful of feathers," says Insider Reviews Executive Editor Sally Kaplan. What's more, there are vents at the bottom that air out any damp workout clothes so the inside always stays fresh.
Check out our full review of the Carra Studio Tote backpack here.
The Kanken backpack is another Fjallraven favorite, and it's also the brand's signature style. It's offered in more than 50 colors and multiple sizes to best fit your storage and laptop needs. Along with its cool Scandinavian design, what makes this backpack special is a built-in sitting pad you can pull out at a moment's notice. Senior story producer Emily Hein counts this bag as her go-to and says that "The included sitting pad is especially useful in the summer — a saving grace at parks and beaches."
Hein also says there's a good reason you'll spot these so often on the streets of New York City. "It's spacious enough to fit all my necessities for the day (including my 13" laptop, albeit tightly), but not bulky or noticeably heavy."
The Carhartt Medium Pack comes bundled with a three-can insulated cooler, making it an excellent choice for taking on hikes, trips to the beach, fishing, or anywhere you might want to enjoy a cold drink while on the go. It's made from Cordura, a super durable and water-repellent material, and has plush padded mesh panels on the back and shoulder straps for comfort.
Features like a fleece-lined eyewear compartment, 15-inch laptop sleeve, and an elastic pocket for a tablet also make the Carhartt Medium Pack one of the best backpacks for school or work.
The weather-resistant Tortuga Outbreaker was tested by former editor Jen Gushue, along with eight other top travel backpacks on the market, and it was a top-performer for its convenient storage options — enough to house four-to-five days of travel necessities. Aside from the zipper-bordered main compartment, there are two large mesh compartments on the opposite side, as well as impressive organization pouches throughout.
The adjustable harness system features a wide hip belt that makes traveling customizable and comfortable. It's a splurge for sure, but worth the price tag as one of the best backpacks.
Dagne Dover's Dakota backpack may be more well known, but the brand's Indi diaper backpack is also worth checking out. Former style and beauty fellow Jacqueline Saguin swears by this bag for travel, even though she doesn't have any kids.
The bag is overflowing with organizational pockets that keep everything in its place, so you don't have to go digging for toiletries or your ID as you pass through airport security. You'd never know the Indi is a diaper bag because of its clean design, and as another travel hack, Saguin uses the fold-up changing mat as a portable work-from-home station. Currently, only the small size is available, but it's typically offered in medium and large sizes too.
Caraa takes care in making thoughtfully designed bags. The Studio Tote is a multi-use bag that changes from tote to backpack seamlessly. Made from bespoke Italian leather, this is one of the best backpacks as chic as it is functional. It has a 17-inch laptop sleeve, removable straps, and anti-microbial lining.
Solgaard is primarily a luggage retailer, but their best-selling Endeavor backpack incorporates everything they specialize in regarding travel into a compact backpack. The Endeavor holds up to 5-7 days of necessities based on which size suits your needs. Its genius closet system organizes clothing and has storage compartments for a laptop, glasses, papers, and cords. The optional hip strap addition makes it secure to carry everywhere and has plush shoulder straps.
Solgaard's fabrics are made with upcycled ocean-bound plastics and the Endeavor comes with a 30 day warranty should you not love it (most unlikely).
The long-form, buckled Mountaintop 40L Hiking Backpack is a multi-use carrier that's exclusive to hiking. Though Personal Finance reporter Liz Knueven has taken it on trails before, she finds it best for traveling and said she was never questioned by airline companies if it will fit in a bin or under the seat. If you are planning on hitting the trails and want to brace for inclement weather, we suggest a compact rain cover that will slide easily into the Mountaintop backpack's many compartments.
The polyester pack has many built-in compartments that are easy to store small items. Kneuven said it has held up, it's affordable at less than $50, and comes in a variety of colors.
Fanatics' range of game day essentials includes a backpack that's practical for all the social events that come with being a die-hard fan. The Fanatics cooler backpack has exterior pockets for your personal belongings, while its interior is like a portable mini-fridge.
Instead of lugging along a bulky hard shell cooler, the Cooler Backpack frees your hands and comes embossed with your favorite team's logo.
The Terra Thread Earth backpack is likely best suited for students, but its sturdy Certified Fairtrade Organic cotton canvas makes it durable enough for the outdoors as well. It features designated pockets for a laptop, two water bottles, and small items like keys or writing utensils.
The Earth backpack is handmade in a factory upheld to the Global Organic Textile Standard and is shipped without excessive packaging to reduce impact on the environment. Finally, each purchase helps Terra Thread send funds to Feeding America, who in turn donates meals to children and families in need.
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