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The 14 Best Waterproof Backpacks for Travel [2024]

Amar Hussain

Senior Content Contributor

775 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 63 U.S. States Visited: 9

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

32 Published Articles 3120 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 45 U.S. States Visited: 28

Why Use a Waterproof Backpack?

Size and capacity, carry options, waterproof vs. water-resistant, material and durability, seams and closures, 1. a lightweight daypack for urban adventures, 2. a rugged, waterproof backpack for the wild, 3. a stylish and functional daypack for water-based activities, 4. backpack designed to float on water, 5. minimalist charm paired with impressive waterproof capabilities, 6. a compact backpack that offers impressive protection, 7. best for those looking to keep their valuables on dry land, 8. basic dry bags that really do the job, 9. eco-friendly credentials wrapped up in an impressive backpack, 10. an excellent choice for anyone indulging in wet activities, 11. affordable protection in a great-looking backpack, 12. a great-looking backpack that packs a waterproof punch, 13. travel light with this water-resistant daypack, 14. one for the cyclists, final thoughts.

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Your backpack needs to be able to travel the world with you. To do this, it needs to be built to last, and depending on your travel style, it should be waterproof, too. A backpack that can handle adverse weather conditions, as well as the usual bumps and knocks of overseas adventures, is well worth its weight in gold.

Backpacks are a popular choice with the modern-day global explorer, and they offer a highly efficient way to carry your stuff while still being able to keep your hands free. Because you want to explore the world in the most hands-on way possible, you certainly won’t want to be held back by luggage that underperforms when it really matters.

Protect your clothing, your electronics, your laptop, and your other valuables from water damage by choosing a backpack that guarantees protection against the dampest of conditions . From wet days in the city and quick trips on soggy beaches to adventures in mountain blizzards or tropical rainforests, your waterproof backpack will quickly become your new best friend.

Poor weather, accidents around water, or indulging in aquatic activities all come with a risk of a good soaking, for both you and your precious belongings.

An effective waterproof backpack will protect everything in it from water damage, leaks, and spillages . These types of backpacks will also usually be easier to wipe clean and are often made from fabrics that can repel moisture, including the sweat from our bodies, which can disintegrate and damage lesser bags eventually.

Bottom Line: Even if you are planning on staying on dry land in sunny conditions, you could still benefit from a waterproof backpack to protect both your bag and your belongings along the way.

Things To Consider With Waterproof Backpacks

Not all waterproof backpacks offer the same levels of protection. If you want to be certain that your belongings will be safe, consider the following before you commit:

You will need a bag that is big enough to carry all of your stuff, yet small enough to remain lightweight and easy to take anywhere. Most backpacks come in a variety of sizes, and whether you choose a daypack , a weekend backpack, a multi-day backpack, or even a full-size expedition backpack, there are plenty of waterproof backpacks out there to suit your requirements.

As a basic guide, a waterproof backpack comes in the following sizes:

• Daypacks usually range from 20- to 35-liter capacity and are designed to carry an extra layer of clothing, water, food, and essentials for days out both at home and away.
• Weekend backpacks range from around 40- to 50-liter capacity and offer you much-needed extra space to stow sleeping bags, toiletries, and extra clothing. These are suitable for a few nights away, or as an addition to your daypack.
• Multi-day backpacks offer 50- to 70-liters of backpack volume and come with harnesses to help carry the extra weight of enough gear to last you up to a week.
• Expedition backpacks are heftier, heavier, and designed for full-on adventures. Offering 70- to 95-liter capacity, as well as lots of options for additional storage space, these are perfect for around-the-world adventures.

Bottom Line: Whatever size you choose to use, making sure your backpack is waterproof will protect all of your gear, no matter how much you take or how long you will be traveling. You also might want to take along a waterproof jacket , too.

Rule number 1 when it comes to using a backpack is to never make it too heavy. Lumbar supports, chest straps, and compression systems can help to take the strain off your back, but the heavier the backpack, the harder it is to carry.

You should be able to comfortably carry your bag on your shoulders for a decent amount of time if you want to be able to use it when traveling. Your fully-loaded backpack should not weigh more than about 20% of your body weight , while your day hiking pack should not weigh more than about 10% of your body weight.

There are lots of different ways to comfortably carry your backpack with you wherever you are headed. Larger backpacks usually offer a combination of ways to carry your gear with you, while smaller ones may only have simple shoulder straps to keep your stuff close on the go.

• Backpack Straps — The most recognizable of all baggage handles, backpack straps sit across your shoulders and are simply designed to hold the pack against your body
• Sternum Straps — Designed to help distribute the weight of the backpack and prevent the shoulder straps from sliding off of your arms when moving
• Shoulder Straps — Not to be confused with backpack straps, despite them both being carried on the shoulder, this long, single strap is used to carry the backpack horizontally (think gym bags and shopping totes) and is useful for moving quickly
• Carry Handles — Vital for quick grabs and careful throwing, when you may need to move your backpack quickly to get it out of the way, throw it into the trunk of a car, or pick it up from the luggage carousel

Many manufacturers may claim that their backpacks will survive the heaviest of downpours when in reality they are simply water-resistant and not fully waterproof. Take caution, as this could mean the difference between wet clothes and a waterlogged laptop, or not.

Waterproof backpacks are usually made of nylon and are coated in silicone, acrylic, or polyurethane to ensure that no water leaks through their layers. Once coated, these bags are designed to keep your gear safe, even when submerged.

Water-resistant backpacks, on the other hand, can offer varying degrees of resistance depending on the individual thread count. They may be able to deal with a bit of drizzle, but plain nylon will not be able to keep your possessions dry if you are caught in a storm or your bag falls into a river.

Bottom Line: Make sure that you choose a backpack that is fully waterproof rather than water-resistant. 

Waterproof bags can be made from a variety of different materials, but by far the most common is nylon . When nylon fabric has a high thread count, it can be impressively water-resistant on its own, but for guaranteed protection against wet conditions, an additional waterproof coating is often added.

Bags made from PVC vinyl, PVC, or rubber also offer excellent protection against water damage.

Wearing your backpack for long periods can be uncomfortable. Most reputable backpack manufacturers provide various features to help alleviate discomfort for more extended periods of wear. These could include:

• Adjustable shoulder straps to position the backpack high on your back for maximum comfort; these should also be padded to prevent them from digging into your delicate shoulder area
• Waist straps or hip belts to distribute the weight load to the hips and help to relieve pressure on the shoulders; these should also be padded and adjustable to ensure the most comfortable fit possible
• Torso measurements may affect fit more than your height; different makes and brands of backpacks come in various lengths, so have the length of your torso measured before you invest

As waterproof backpacks are far more likely to take a plunge in a body of water than other types of bags would be, they must be easy to see and identify from a distance. While sleek black suitcases may be the trend for business travelers, bright colors are your friend when it comes to more outlandish adventures.

Bottom Line: Opt for greens, reds, yellows, and even neons to ensure that your backpack can always be spotted wherever you may take it. More traditional colors like gray and khaki are almost always available, too, should you wish to go for a more camouflaged appearance on the move.

Seams and closures are particularly crucial on waterproof backpacks, as you don’t want any water getting in. Most will either offer zipper closures or roll-down closures . Zips can be made watertight by being tucked beneath a waterproof covering, while roll-down closures can be latched and sealed using something like water-resistant Velcro.

Bottom Line: Take care to inspect your potential new rucksack for strong, oversewn seams before purchase. Just as with zips and fastenings, you do not want any water sneaking in through the seams on your next adventure.

The 14 Best Waterproof Backpacks

Piscifun Dry Bag Waterproof, Lightweight Dry Backpack 10L

Whether you’re hiking around a city or in the great outdoors, this is a great daypack that will keep all of your belongings dry, wherever you may be. Made from 500-denier nylon, this 10-liter, roll-top backpack is ultra-tough and features superior waterproofing and durability. It also comes in 20 liters and 30 liters.

Wet and dry compartments let you keep your wet clothes and gear separate from the equipment you want to keep dry. It comes with a waterproof pouch and IPX8 waterproof cell phone case with 100% seal lock.

Perfect for those with a busy active lifestyle, the backpack is superlight at just 1.15 pounds and features shoulder straps that adjust for a custom fit and position.

This is a great entry-level waterproof backpack for travelers and outdoors enthusiasts.

What We Like

• Comes with waterproof cell phone case

What We Don’t Like

• Outside pocket isn’t waterproof

• YETI Panga Airtight, Waterproof, and Submersible Bags

Designed for extended backcountry stays, water-based adventures, and long weeks in the wild, this backpack is absolutely waterproof and as tough as nails.

Airtight and waterproof, the ergonomic DryHaul Shoulder Straps offer extra carrying comfort, meaning that this is 1 backpack you really can carry for miles. A removable chest strap helps to evenly distribute the weight of your belongings, while the waist belt provides added stability and security on the move.

The thick skin shell is made from high-density nylon and thick TPU laminate, designed to be both puncture and abrasion-resistant. The specially designed Hydrolock zipper helps to keep the water well away from your precious belongings, no matter how ferocious the weather gets.

The straps and accompanying lash points make it easy to haul, and its rugged construction makes it perfect for dragging and hauling on dry land, and even throwing overboard on wetter adventures. There are interior stowaway pockets and sleeves to keep your possessions safe and well-organized.

From the experts who brought you the best coolers on the market comes this rugged backpack, featuring a rigid base and ultra-tough fabrics.

• Has a removable chest strap for comfortable carrying
• Could do with some more pockets internally

• Oak Creek Canyon Falls 30L Dry Bag

Made by a company that specializes in all sorts of outdoor gear, from camping hammocks to tents, it is no surprise that this bag is incredibly adept at keeping your gear dry on the move. Made from high-quality waterproof PVC fabric, this is an excellent bag for those visiting more extreme locations, as it promises to be dust-, sand-, and dirt-proof , too.

Comfortable shoulder straps with plenty of padding and a range of adjustable length settings help to make the backpack comfortable to wear. Mesh panels help the bag to breathe, and the sweatproof design will keep you comfy on dry land.

With a 30-liter capacity, this is a day backpack that can handle the wildest of wet days out and is perfect for adventurers looking to play water sports or explore the great outdoors in adverse weather conditions.

The Oak Creek Canyon Falls 30L Dry Bag has been cleverly designed to maximize the amount of usable space available, even in a daypack. Elastic pockets, a mesh bottle holder, and the roll-top buckle that doubles up as a handle make this so much more than just your average backpack.

Waterproof, roomy, and made of stern stuff, this is an excellent bag for days out and short journeys.

• Front webbing for stashing or attaching items to
• Seams are a little weak

• Vitchelo 30L Waterproof Dry Bag Backpack

Offering an impressive level of waterproof protection for your gear, this 30-liter daypack is made from vinyl tarpaulin with a sturdy welded seam. It comes complete with a solid roll-top closure system that provides a watertight seal designed to keep your stuff drier for longer.

This smart little backpack is designed to float on the water without causing any damage to your belongings and is light enough to go the distance and compact enough to act as your carry-on bag on your flight. From grocery shopping to canoeing, fishing to paddle boarding, this is a versatile little bag that will stay dry.

With elasticated front webbing and mesh netting pockets on both sides for extra storage, you should easily be able to take everything with you for a day out. The reinforced 1-handed strap will take the weight off of your shoulders, and the padded chest and waist straps help to limit side-to-side movement on the go. The straps are also breathable to allow for better ventilation, preventing sweat from building up where the bag touches your body.

Surf, ski, and even sweat in style with this waterproof dry bag that really packs a punch.

• Has external water bottle pockets
• Could do with internal pockets

• Skog Å Kust BackSak Waterproof Backpacks

Available in a choice of 25- and 35-liter sizes, this sleek, minimalist dry bag is free from loud logos or tacky slogans, and the simple design is just one of its selling points. The BackSak is made from heavy-duty 500-denier PVC that completely repels the elements to keep your gear dry when enjoying outdoor activities.

To ensure that your backpack remains comfortable, no matter what you are doing, this bag comes complete with a sternum clip and padded back support to help relieve pressure on the muscles as you move. The thick, cushioned straps can be adjusted to find a custom fit , and the handy D-rings at the side of the bag hold water bottles and other gear that you need easy access to.

The spacious interior pockets are large enough to keep everything you need in 1 place and the design of the pockets will keep your electronics and other valuables separate from wet towels and swimsuits. There is also a splash-proof outer pocket that will keep your cash, keys, and ID safe and dry no matter what you do.

All in all, a chic-looking backpack that will keep your gear dry while looking sleek and simple.

• Padded back panel and sternum strap
• No water bottle pockets

Chaos Ready Waterproof Backpack

Small enough to be completely comfortable, yet big enough to handle everything you need for a day out, this waterproof day pack is an excellent choice for literally anyone who wants to keep their gear dry.

The main 22-liter compartment offers protection from a quick submersion , making it useful for water-based activities such as boating, kayaking, canoeing, and even water skiing. The bag can also float on the surface of the water if you need it to. Be careful, though — while this bag offers a good level of protection, the front pocket is not 100% waterproof, so be wary of what you keep in there.

The heavy-duty tarpaulin construction makes it lightweight but incredibly watertight, while the tri-fold roll-up buckle system stops water seeping in. 2 mesh pockets on the side of the backpack are just right for easy access to your water bottle, and the adjustable, padded shoulder straps help you to find the most comfortable way to carry your gear with you.

Waterproof, good-looking, and easy to carry, this is an excellent day pack with impressively watertight credentials.

• Good customer service if you experience an issue with the bag
• Bottom of the bag needs some padding or reinforcement

SealLine Skylake 18-Liter Minimalist Waterproof Dry Daypack

Made from waterproof PVC-free materials, this compact backpack is just as well suited to outdoor adventurers as it is to commuters living in a temperate climate. Transport your stuff in style and keep it dry while not looking out of place in any environment.

The simple, slimline design is based around a large interior compartment that can be used to carry clothes, food, drinks, and anything else you need to access on the move. There are no zippered compartments, though, so bear in mind that delicate electronics or valuable items could bounce around if stashed in the front mesh pocket.

The lightly padded straps make this backpack as comfortable to carry as possible, and the sternum strap will help you to find the right setting to balance your load.

If you are looking to take your basic belongings out and about with you while you ride, walk, run, or hike, this is a great little daypack to consider. Laptop lovers and camera enthusiasts should probably look elsewhere, though, as the sack-like design is not secure.

• Rolls up small when not being used
• No interior pockets to stay organized

Marchway Floating Waterproof Dry Bag

These fun, funky, and incredibly affordable dry bags are available in 5-, 10-, 20-, 30-, and 40-liter options in a wide variety of colors.

Made from lightweight, ripstop tarpaulin with welded seams, this is a surprisingly waterproof range of backpacks that will protect your belongings from water, snow, mud, and even sand.

Perfect for extreme adventures and water sports, these bags can float on top of the water and will protect your gear from torrential downpours and adverse weather conditions. Be aware, though — these bags are not designed to be watertight in situations where your belongings are fully submerged in the water.

The sack-style design makes these incredibly easy to fill and go. The roll-down top fastening can be rolled and plugged to seal the bag, and the adjustable and removable strap can be adjusted to sling across your body or wear on your shoulders more traditionally.

Midsized yet spacious, these are useful backpacks for almost any occasion.

• Available in a variety of vibrant colors
• Rolling the top for waterproofing reduces the internal packing space

FE Active – 30L Eco-Friendly Waterproof Dry Bag

This waterproof backpack claims to be one of the most environmentally friendly options on the market and is made from fully certified eco-friendly PVC. The marine-grade PVC tarpaulin has high-frequency welding that helps to create a watertight seal to keep the elements out and your belongings dry.

Perfect for even the most rugged of outdoor activities, the FE Active backpack weighs just under 2 pounds and has an impressive 30-liter capacity, making it a daypack with plenty of room for an extra day, too.

Padded shoulder straps allow the bag to sit comfortably on your shoulders, while the built-in mesh lining creates better airflow to help keep you feeling sweat-free and fresh on the move. On the inside, there is a pouch for your valuables, and on the outside, the mesh pockets will hold a water bottle upright. The external bungee webbing can be used to hold items like yoga mats , camping gear , or extra clothing, and all these extras are what make this bag one of the most impressive for the price.

Surfers, climbers, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds will love this practical, yet lightweight backpack that will keep your belongings dry in any conditions.

• Bungee webbing is useful to attach wet gear
• Doesn’t have a waist strap to improve comfort when carrying

Earth Pak Waterproof Backpack

Available in a choice of 35-, 55-, or 85-liter sizes, the East Pak Waterproof Backpack is bright, bold, and brilliant for anyone looking to enjoy real outdoor adventures. Made from 500D PVC, the huge main compartment, with its roll-top closure and single reinforced strip, is designed to protect your gear from getting wet on the go. Side-cinching straps make for a compact profile and the MOLLE system loops on the front of the bag provide anchor points to latch onto while boating, biking, or kayaking.

As well as offering an ergonomic padded back panel, contoured and padded shoulder straps, and a low-profile sternum strap, this backpack also has a heavy-duty waist belt to help you support your load.

The splash-proof large zippered front pocket is perfect for quick and easy access to your most important belongings. The additional mesh pockets and zippered compartments mean you can keep everything organized on dry land or out on the water.

Offering lots of high-end features, this backpack also comes with a waterproof phone case that provides robust protection for large smartphones.

• Contoured shoulder straps, sternum, and waist strap
• Front pocket is only splash-proof, not waterproof

IDrybag Roll Top Dry Bag Backpack

The IDrybag is made from 500D outdoor waterproof fabric and offers guaranteed waterproof protection for your gear on the go. With a vinyl-coated woven polyester exterior and heavy-duty welded and watertight seams, this bag provides extreme durability and maximum protection anywhere you go.

The large main compartment is sealed using a roll-top seal with a woven tape, and a plug buckle to complete the seal. You can also compress the bag to make it smaller by using the strap. The splash-proof zip pocket offers a decent amount of protection for smaller items, but it is not watertight enough to hold anything valuable.

The dry bag can be carried by the handle or over the shoulders like a backpack. Hang it over your bike handles or sling it over your back for hands-free adventures — this little backpack is perfect for water sports and wet adventures.

• Lots of internal pockets to stash your valuables
• No back padding for comfortable carrying

Sea to Summit Hydraulic Dry Pack

Available in 35-, 65-, 90-, and 120-liter capacities, this water-resistant backpack is an excellent choice for serious outdoor adventurers. Made from 600D, TPU laminated heavy duty waterproof fabric, this is one backpack that is not only waterproof but also looks really impressive. The clever combination of UV-resistant PVC-free fabric and advanced waterproofing also makes it suitable for withstanding frigid temperatures, too.

Designed to be comfortable for long periods, the waist belt supports even the heaviest of loads. For a perfect fit, the sternum straps are height adjustable. The removable harness is easy to get on and off and allows for the attachment of compatible Hydraulic Dry Bags to add even more stowable space.

No matter how hard you work, this waterproof backpack works harder. With an open construction of EVA foam and air mesh, this backpack allows for plenty of airflow and rapid drying even when wet. With a non-wicking TPU roll-top closure, water damage will be kept at bay no matter how hard it rains.

Minimalist looks with high-tech features, the Sea to Summit Hydraulic Dry Pack will keep your gear dry as a bone, everywhere you go.

• Removable harness for easy transportation in any situation
• No exterior pockets

Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Day Pack

Made from siliconized CORDURA fabric, this ultra-lightweight and foldable daypack is a real find for those who like to travel light. Fully water-resistant (note that it does not claim to be fully waterproof), it is a good option for rainy days and damp conditions. Complete with its very own tiny stuff sack and carabiner key ring attachment , the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Day Pack would make a useful addition to your main luggage on your next big adventure.

Double-stitched seams and a high-density PU seam help to keep the wet conditions at bay and the unique double Hypalon roll-top is non-wicking to create a good seal. At 22 liters, this is one of the smallest day packs on our list, but the compression lacing system on the front provides additional secure storage when you need it most.

Although this particular bag is not intended to be used in conditions where it is likely to be fully submerged in water, it is still an effective option for hikes, bike rides, and urban adventures in damp or sweaty conditions.

An ultra-lightweight dry bag that can handle rough weather and keep everything you need safe and dry.

• Folds up tiny so very easy to transport
• Tricky to repack in its storage bag

LOCALLION  18L Cycling Backpack

Designed for cycling and other outdoor adventures, the LOCALLION Cycling Backpack is lightweight, comfortable, and convenient. Providing 18 liters of storage in the main compartment, you can use this bag for your daily commute or take it off-road for winter sports and other activities.

Cyclists know better than most just how vital a waterproof backpack can be when you are out and about in all conditions. This bag will keep your precious gear dry and the reflective strips on the backpack straps will make you more visible when cycling on the road.

The padded shoulder straps, chest and sternum straps, and well-ventilated back panel help to keep you comfortable and sweat-free while you cycle, walk, or run.

As well as side pockets for a water bottle or umbrella, this backpack has an interior open pocket for a water bladder system. Stash your helmet in the front net when not in use and all of your other essentials can be easily accommodated in the many storage pockets.

• Has a water bladder pocket and feed-through hoops for a drinking tube
• Water may seep through the zippers in heavy rainfall

Wet weather, accidental soakings, and even the occasional submersion need not be anything to worry about anymore. With modern-day synthetic materials offering excellent protection against water damage, both off and on land, your belongings will stay dryer for longer.

Rugged, durable, and extremely protective, a waterproof backpack can be relied upon across all manner of adventures, from canoeing to sailing, skiing to climbing, and just about everything in between.

Make sure you understand the difference between waterproof and water-resistant, though, to ensure that you avoid any nasty surprises.

Looking for even more options in travel backpacks? Check out this guide for the best travel backpacks for men and women .

We’ve got all sorts of reviews on related travel products if you’re interested in perusing additional options!

• The Best Sling Backpacks for Travel [Men & Women]
• The Best Travel Weekender Bags for Men & Women
• The Best Travel Duffel Bags on the Market
• All Our Best Travel Product Reviews – In One Place

Frequently Asked Questions

Are backpacks waterproof.

Not all backpacks are waterproof, but some can be. A waterproof backpack can usually be submerged without the contents getting wet. Just because a backpack is made with waterproof materials doesn’t mean that the backpack is waterproof. Some backpacks may be merely water-resistant rather than fully waterproof.

What is the best waterproof backpack?

These are some of the top waterproof backpacks available:

• The Friendly Swede Waterproof Backpack Dry Bag 33L

Do I need a waterproof backpack?

Protect your clothing, your electronics, your laptop, and your other valuables from water damage by choosing a backpack that guarantees protection against the dampest of conditions. From wet days in the city and quick trips on soggy beaches to adventures in mountain blizzards or tropical rainforests, your waterproof backpack will quickly become your new best friend.

What's the difference between waterproof and water-resistant backpacks?

Waterproof backpacks are usually made of nylon and are coated in silicone, acrylic, or polyurethane to ensure that no water leaks through their layers. Once coated, these bags are designed to keep your gear safe even when submerged.

Water-resistant backpacks, on the other hand, can offer varying degrees of resistance depending on the individual thread count. They may be able to deal with a bit of drizzle, but plain nylon will not be able to keep your possessions dry if you are caught in a storm, or your bag falls into a river.

What should I consider when buying a waterproof backpack?

• Size and capacity
• Carrying options
• Waterproof vs. water-resistant
• Material and durability
• Seams and closures

Was this page helpful?

About Amar Hussain

Amar is an avid traveler and tester of products. He has spent the last 13 years traveling all 7 continents and has put the products to the test on each of them. He has contributed to publications including Forbes, the Huffington Post, and more.

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The 13 Best Travel Backpacks to Get You From Point A to Point B

Compact, large, lightweight, durable, on wheels—there’s a travel backpack for every preference.

In This Article

Jump to a Section

• Our top picks

What to Keep in Mind

Your questions, answered, why shop with us.

InStyle / Kristin Kempa

If you’ve ever struggled with a roller bag (or two) while trying to keep a duffel or tote slung over your shoulder (hi, you’re not alone), you may be reconsidering the way you pack for travel. While spacious duffel bags and hardside luggage offer ample room for clothing, shoes, and accessories, these bags can also be cumbersome to navigate through cities, especially those lined with cobblestone streets and seemingly endless staircases. Thankfully, travel backpacks exist. 

What makes a backpack particularly great for travel, you might ask? Beyond the fact that you can carry it with the weight evenly distributed across your back—keeping your hands free in the process—travel backpacks are designed with on-the-go needs in mind. They’re equipped for laptops, water bottles, passports—perhaps even an extra pair of shoes. While many backpacks exist, fewer are actually adequate for travel. With that in mind, we chatted with a handful of experts to determine the best travel backpacks, plus what characteristics make them so convenient for life on the go.

Best Overall

Dagne dover large dakota neoprene backpack.

Dagne Dover

What We Love: It’s made with cushy, water-resistant fabric that keeps contents dry and secure. 

What We Don’t Love: The neoprene fabric can crease and pill over time.

According to fashion stylist and frequent traveler Audree Kate López , the Dagne Dover Dakota Neoprene Backpack has it all. “[It’s designed with a laptop sleeve, shoe bag, phone pocket, interior pockets, and it comes in three sizes depending on what you need,” she says, applauding the fan-favorite backpack. 

The sleek, minimalist backpack is made of water-resistant neoprene to keep contents dry. Another perk of the fabric is that it’s thicker than traditional backpack materials, which offers added cushioning to the silhouette. This is important considering the backpack is outfitted with a laptop sleeve in the back, along with a spacious front zip pouch. Speaking of padding, the straps are also cushy, which makes wearing this lightweight backpack as comfortable as it can get. 

The padding and durability aren’t the only highlights of this bag, though. It’s easily one of the most organized backpacks on the market. The front interior of the bag features side-by-side zip pockets atop a third larger zip pocket. There’s a detachable key leash, plus a fold-up shoe bag and removable neoprene pouch for storing smaller items. What’s more, there are slip pockets on each side of the back, both inside and out. Behind one of the side exterior pockets, you’ll find a hidden zip pocket perfect for storing your phone or passport. And to top it off, the back exterior features a trolley sleeve, so you can easily loop it over your roller luggage if need be. 

Add a belt bag with the large backpack and you’ll have plenty of space for a weekend getaway’s worth of stuff. Suffice to say, it’s clear to see why this backpack is spotted all over Instagram, let alone the world. 

Material: Neoprene | Dimensions: 13.25” L x 5.25” W x 17.5” H | Capacity: 20L | Colors: 10

Best Budget

Matein travel laptop backpack.

What We Love: It’s water-resistant, has over a dozen storage pockets, and even features a USB charging port. 

What We Don’t Love: It’s not the most aesthetic backpack on the market.

If you’re looking for a travel backpack that won’t break the bank, López can’t say enough about the Matein Travel Backpack, which is sold in black, minty green, and soft lavender hues. “This is my actual travel backpack at the moment and I love it,” she exclaims. “It’s super affordable and has all of the non-negotiable functional features as the [other higher-end backpacks I like], plus expandable pockets so I can store clothing, camera equipment, my toiletries, and laptop easily.”

The backpack, which is sold in two sizes, features three main compartments—one for a laptop, one for packing, and one in front for smaller items—plus over a dozen smaller pockets for more detailed organization. It’s made of durable, water-resistant polyester and features padded adjustable straps and a trolley sleeve, all of which make it even more comfortable and convenient to carry. 

Material: Polyester | Dimensions: 12.5” L x 10” W x 18” H | Capacity: 29.5L (Expandable to 36.8L) | Colors: 3

Best Splurge

Tumi alpha bravo search backpack.

What We Love: It’s durable yet sleek, and features great organization. 

What We Don’t Love: The color options are pretty drab.

If you travel a lot, you may be more willing to invest in your travel backpack. If that’s the case, the TUMI Search Backpack is a popular pick. The luxury backpack features two main compartments. Where the slim back compartment has two slip pockets to accommodate both a laptop and a tablet (or notebook), the larger compartment is designed for the bulk of packing. Inside the backpack, you’ll find a key leash, various slip and zip pockets, and a number of card slots should you want to forego carrying a wallet. On the exterior, there are two side zip pockets, one of which features an elasticized slip pocket on the outside of it. On the front of the backpack, as well as on the straps, you’ll find loops to hook keys, speakers, and anything else you like to use carabiners with. Additionally, the backpack showcases a built-in luggage tag, a hidden phone pocket on the top back of the bag, and a trolley sleeve for safe and convenient travel.

One of the things that really makes TUMI stand apart is its Tracer Technology. Essentially when you buy a bag, you can register the Tracer number it comes with so that, in the event it ever goes missing, it will have a better chance of finding its way back to you. Lastly, if you’re into personalization, you can get your TUMI backpack monogrammed on the front. 

Material: Recycled Ballistic Nylon | Dimensions: 17.0" L x 14.0" W x 8.3" H | Capacity: 26.5L | Colors: 5 

Best for Laptops

Lululemon everyday backpack 2.0 23l.

What We Love: It’s made of lightweight-yet-durable nylon and is equipped to carry all the essentials and more. 

What We Don’t Love: It’s only sold in two colors.

If your primary goal for your travel backpack is to be able to safely and comfortably carry your laptop, López suggests the Lululemon Everyday Backpack. “This bag offers all of the travel non-negotiables,” she says, noting that it’s water-repellent and equipped with key features like a padded exterior laptop pocket, trolley sleeve, water bottle holder, and multiple zipper compartments. Plus, since it’s made of nylon, she says it’s not only water-resistant but it will be better able to sustain the wear and tear of travel. 

The only downside is that it’s only sold in a few colorways. Here’s hoping that it will come out in a variety of Lululemon’s other fan-favorite colors, such as Sonic Pink or Solar Orange.

Material: Nylon | Dimensions: 11.4" L x 5.9" W x 16.5" H | Capacity: 23L | Colors: 3 

Best Organization

Calpak luka laptop backpack.

What We Love: The unique puffy backpack fits a 15” laptop, a pair of sneakers, and more thanks to its well-organized design. 

What We Don’t Love: Seasonal colors sell out super quickly, so you have to act fast. 

Puffy purses and shoes have been popular the past few years, which makes the Calpak Luka Laptop Backpack a particularly great choice for travel. What makes it stand out to López is its spacious, durable design that’s lightweight and aesthetic. “It has a padded laptop pocket, scratch-resistant exterior, and works as an everyday backpack or travel bag,” she says. Another thing she loves? It has a hidden pocket in the trolley sleeve that offers easy access to your passport, wallet, and/or phone while moving through TSA. “I [always] suggest looking for a backpack with some external zipper pocket so you have easy access to your wallet, phone, or passport while going through an airport,” she explains.

In terms of organization, specifically, the Calpak Luka Backpack has two main compartments—a padded one for a laptop, plus a more spacious one for everything else. The laptop compartment features a padded slip pocket with a velcro tab to keep your computer or tablet snug and secure. On the outside of the slip pocket, there’s a zip mesh pocket and the other side of the laptop compartment features a deep slip pocket. The main compartment has two deep slip pockets on the back, plus two shallow slip pockets on the front, with a wide mesh zip pocket up top. Then on the front of the bag, there’s another deep pocket. And on the sides, you’ll find one water bottle slot, plus a shoe compartment that does end up taking a little space from the main compartment. 

The big thing to remember with this backpack is that it’s very popular and the brand regularly debuts new colors. The problem is, with such demand, said colors often sell out almost immediately. So if you see a seasonal hue you like, don’t dwell on it—snag it while you can.

Material: Polyester | Dimensions: 12" L x 7" W x 16" H | Capacity: 22L | Colors: 13

Best for Air Travel

Away the everywhere zip backpack.

What We Love: It’s simple, sleek, and fits under the seat in front of you with ease. 

What We Don’t Love: It’s not super spacious, and it doesn’t have a water bottle pocket. 

Looking for a sleek, compact backpack that makes getting through TSA and traveling on a plane less of a hassle? The Away Everywhere Zip Backpack is a top pick for López. “I love Away travel products, they are thoughtful, user-friendly, and include all of the travel essentials,” she explains. This backpack, specifically, stands out for its minimalist-chic nylon design, complete with a front zippered pocket, well-organized main compartment, separate padded laptop compartment, and convenient trolley sleeve. Bonus? You can personalize it with your monogram. 

The only downsides of this backpack include its size and lack of water bottle pockets. The 20L backpack is on the more compact side, but it works perfectly as a personal item that can double as a work-friendly backpack—and it will keep you super organized in the process. 

(Another great air travel option, especially for those looking for a bit more space? The Away F.A.R. Convertible Backpack . It has interior and exterior compression systems so you can pack a lot into this easy-to-carry pack. Though, thanks to its larger size, it will take the place of your carry-on.)

Material: Nylon | Dimensions: 12" L x 5.9" W x 17.7" H | Capacity: 20L | Colors: 4

Best for Business Travel

Monos metro backpack.

What We Love: It’s a chic, minimalist, organized design offered in a variety of fabrics. 

What We Don’t Love: Several shoppers noted this took a long time to arrive.

López is a big fan of the Monos Metro Backpack. “This bag is super chic and offers styles in nylon or vegan leather,” she shares. “It includes a small hidden back pocket for your phone, passport, or wallet, and has a privacy waterproof compartment for gym clothes, shoes, or a rain jacket. It also includes the Metro Classic Kit for travel.” 

When looking at the bag, you’ll notice that it has one main compartment with a smaller front compartment—that’s the Metro Classic Kit. It’s a detachable organizer with slip and zip pockets perfect for storing toiletries—especially since it’s already on the outside of the bag, so you won’t have to rifle through your backpack when going through certain TSA lines.

Other key features of this chic backpack include a separate laptop compartment, as well as a series of slip pockets in the main compartment for storing tablets, folders, and more. You may want to order now, even if your next trip isn’t on the horizon, shoppers warned that the ship times could be lengthy, especially during a busy season. 

Material: Nylon and Vegan Leather | Dimensions: 11.5" L × 6” W x 16.5" H | Capacity: 18L | Colors: 9

Best Carry-on

Everki atlas wheeled backpack.

What We Love: It’s spacious and comes on wheels. 

What We Don’t Love: It’s not the most aesthetic option on the list.

As convenient as backpacks are compared to single-shoulder totes , there’s no denying that they can get heavy over time. Because of this, ski travel expert Jonathan Alder, CEO of luxury travel management company Jonathan’s Travels , recommends buying the Atlas Wheeled Backpack from Everki. “It is always with me,” he reveals. “It is large enough and opens fully—[which is an] important feature to allow for easy packing and easy access.”

The spacious backpack can be worn or rolled. It features padded adjustable straps, as well as a tall handle that tucks away when not in use. Designed with a large main compartment, the backpack can fit a lot more than meets the eye. The main compartment has a removable, adjustable laptop pocket that fits computers up to 17.3 inches. On the interior, you’ll also find a tablet sleeve, an RFID passport and wallet compartment, and a variety of slip and zip pockets to organize smaller items. On the exterior, there’s two zip side pockets and a trolley sleeve, plus a compartment to tuck away the straps if you want to use it purely as roller luggage. In short, it’s clear to see why this rolling backpack is such a must have in Alder’s eyes. If only it could be sold in more colors, then it’d be near perfect in our book. 

Material: Not Listed | Dimensions: 15.7” L x 8.1” W x 21.3” H | Capacity: 30L | Colors: 1

Best Lightweight

Béis the béisics backpack.

What We Love: It’s simple and streamlined, with enough space to accommodate a laptop, a couple outfits, and a water bottle or two. 

What We Don’t Love: It’s very basic overall, and only sold in neutrals.

Shay Mitchell’s BÉIS has bounced into the travel sphere and made quite a splash among younger audiences. Known for its simple, functional designs, BÉIS has earned quite a fan base—and López is among it. “Béis products are very thoughtful and intended for travel, and this backpack is water resistant, has water bottle pockets, a trolley pass-through, three zip pockets, and a laptop sleeve,” she says, recommending the pack.

That said, that’s pretty much all there is to it, save for a keyring to boot. It’s basic but it gets the job done. What would make us like it even more is if Shay decided to debut it in the brand’s newly-released sherbet shades. Citron, creamsicle, and berry? We’d add to cart so fast, Shay, please!

Material: Polyester | Dimensions: 12" L x 7" W x 15.5" H | Capacity: 23L | Colors: 3

Best Compact

Open story commuter backpack.

What We Love: It looks posh but the price tag doesn’t suggest it. 

What We Don’t Love: It’s hard to say—this is a great compact backpack; if you’re looking for travel capacity, though, it likely won’t fit enough.

While many top-notch travel backpacks are more of an investment, not all are. Case in point: The Open Story Signature Commuter Backpack, which is a Target best-seller and rings in at $50. Sold in black, taupe, a grayish lavender, and chartreuse shades, the backpack features a double-top handle design that makes it easy to carry by hand, as well as by back. The chic-looking travel backpack is designed with a single water bottle side pocket, along with adjustable padded straps, a trolly sleeve, and a spacious front zipper pocket (which looks especially posh on the Taupe and Thistle options thanks to a gold zipper). Inside, it has a padded laptop sleeve, another sleeve ideal for tablets and books, an RFID-blocking zip compartment, and space to pack clothes and other travel necessities.

Overall, this travel backpack is fantastic for those looking for options to transport their essentials in a slim bag. If your goal is to pack more in your backpack, though, this pack may not be best. 

Material: Nylon | Dimensions: 12” L x 6” W x 16” H | Capacity: 18L | Colors: 4

Herschel Supply Co. Little America Backpack

What We Love: It’s super spacious and has a fun, retro flair. 

What We Don’t Love: It’s only sold in neutral, muted colors.

The Herschel Supply Little America Backpack has made quite a name for itself, to the point that the faux-leather strapped pack is a symbol of hipster culture. Of course, you don’t have to be a hipster to hoist this trendy pack on your back. The features it offers will make you want to regardless. The deep, drawstring backpack features a laptop sleeve, a hidden back compartment for tablets, a zip pocket on the top flap for easy access to keys, a passport or wallet, and a front zip pouch for storing smaller items. Lastly, it’s outfitted with an expandable water bottle pocket to accommodate a variety of sizes.

Since Herschel Supply is a touch more urban and rugged, we’re not surprised to see that all of the colors and prints offered in this backpack fall into the neutral range. With that in mind, we’d love to see bright, cheerful colors enter the chat.

Material: Recycled Water Bottles | Dimensions: 11.25" L x 7" W x 19.25" H  | Capacity: 25L | Colors: 13

Most Durable

Yeti crossroads 35l backpack.

Yeti  

What We Love: It’s large and built for adventures, so you know it can withstand them. 

What We Don’t Love: It doesn’t feature an exterior water bottle pocket. 

Yeti is renowned for its highly-durable tumblers and coolers but did you know that the brand sells backpacks, too? According to López, the Yeti Crossroads 35L Backpack is a fantastic option for adventurers—whether you’re backpacking across Europe or headed on a camping trip. What she loves most about this pack—apart from the fact that it has padded straps, a trolley sleeve, sturdy handles, a laptop sleeve, and a convenient easy-access hidden side pocket—is its clamshell design. This means that the backpack opens fully (more akin to luggage), so it’s easy to pack it neatly. 

Another thing we dig about this backpack is its secure design. The exterior features two adjustable clasp straps to keep everything buckled down. 

While the pack doesn’t feature an exterior water pocket, the side zip pocket is large enough to fit a 26 oz. Yeti Rambler, so there’s that!

Material: Nylon | Dimensions: 13” L x 8” W x 20” H | Capacity: 22L, 27L, 35L | Colors: 6 

Lo & Sons Rowledge

Lo & Sons

What We Love: It’s super chic looking with gold zippers and sleek nylon fabric. 

What We Don’t Love: The main compartment doesn’t open as wide as we’d like it.

If you loved the look of the Open Story Backpack but are hoping for something even more luxe in appeal, check out the Lo & Sons Rowledge Backpack. Designed with double top handles and padded adjustable straps (which can be unclipped and tucked away if you choose to carry it by hand), it offers a variety of ways to carry it, so you can easily switch it up if your back or hands get tired. 

Logistically, it’s sold in small and large options, both of which feature a main compartment plus a smaller front zip compartment. On each side of the bag, there’s a zippered expandable bottle pocket, which makes the bag look especially streamlined when they’re not in use. Meanwhile, the interior of the bag has a printed lining featuring a padded back laptop sleeve, along with two mesh side pockets, pen compartments, and a zippered pocket. 

All in all, it’s a beautiful, chic bag capable of carrying the essentials. Now, if only we could see it in more bright colorways. 

Material: Nylon and Napa Leather | Dimensions: 11.5” L x 6.75” W x 16.5” H | Capacity: 21L | Colors: 7

When shopping for a travel backpack, López says to look for functionality and durability first and foremost. “I suggest a backpack that has expandable zippers in case you need to use the backpack as a carry-on or carry bulky items,” she says. “Look for fabrics that are durable like nylon, neoprene, or even leather. A nylon bag will also be water resistant and better with stains and wear and tear through travel. Make sure the backpack has a sturdy handle, adjustable straps for comfort and added key features like a trolley sleeve, laptop sleeve, water bottle holder, and multiple zipper compartments so you can easily organize your items.” Psst, our best overall pick ( Dagne Dover Dakota Neoprene Backpack ) has these features in spades. 

When shopping for a travel backpack, Calpak Director of Marketing, Jeannie Shin, says to prioritize fabrics that are lightweight and easy to clean. For example, the Calpak Luka Laptop Backpack is made of ultra-smooth, super-durable polyester that’s easy to wipe down if it gets scuffed or spilled on. 

Away Chief Design Officer, Cuan Hanly, takes it a step further and says that anti-abrasion materials are key for travel backpacks. “For example, high-strength, recycled polyester or water-resistant nylon provide ease of travel because you can rely on its performance, no matter your journey,” he says.

Functional Features

Sometimes backpack brands go over the top and add so many features that they’re not all functional. With this in mind, Herschel Supply co-founder and managing director, Jamie Cormack, says that every design detail should have a purpose and feel natural when in use. “You want your backpack to make your journey feel seamless, so you can actually enjoy the act of travel,” he explains.

Some features to keep an eye out for (in addition to those already mentioned) include wheels, padding, and a hidden pocket. 

“When shopping for a backpack for travel, look for one with wheels—like the Everki Atlas Wheeled Backpack —so you have the option of using it as a smaller rolling bag as it’s rare to actually use it as a standard backpack all the time,” Alder says. “Also—for backpacks that roll, a system that covers the wheels when used as an actual backpack is important to stop the dirty wheels from having contact with your clothes once you’re wearing it as a backpack.”

Meanwhile, ample padding is necessary not only to adequately protect electronics but to keep wear as comfortable as possible, too. Some travel backpacks, like the Tumi Search Backpack , Yeti Crossroads 35L Backpack , and Matein Travel Backpack , particularly excel in this category. 

Lastly, a hidden pocket will come in so handy, especially when traveling through airports, but also while adventuring abroad. “Having traveled extensively in Europe, I am well aware of the importance of safeguarding my belongings from potential pickpocketing incidents,” Shin says. “Hidden compartments provide a secure place to store my wallet, passport, and other valuable items, minimizing the risk of easy access by unauthorized individuals.” Plus, you’ll know exactly where they are when running through TSA, too.

How do you pack a backpack for travel?

The best way to pack a backpack for travel is with beauty pouches and/or packing cubes, depending on the size of your pack. “When traveling, it's important to be prepared for any situation that may arise—that's why I always pack with my Calpak Compakt Zippered Pouch Set to organize my items by purpose and to quickly and easily find what I need during my flight,” Shin says. “In my bag, I have a dedicated first aid bag that contains essentials like bandaids, Advil, Dramamine, Benadryl, and Neosporin. This ensures that I'm equipped to handle any minor medical needs that might come up during my travels. I also have a makeup pouch that allows me to freshen up and feel confident wherever I go. For snacks on the go, I keep a separate pouch filled with a variety of treats.” In addition to her three main pouches, Shin always travels with a tech organizer so that she knows exactly where her chargers and cords are. “By using these specific pouches, I can efficiently organize my belongings and access them whenever necessary,” she says. “It brings a sense of order and convenience to my travels, allowing me to navigate through different situations with ease.”

Is a travel backpack a carry-on?

Almost all backpacks fall into the carry-on category and some—like the Calpak Luka Backpack and Dagne Dover Dakota Backpack—can even pass as a personal item (since they measure less than 18” x 14” x 8”, which is the standard personal item size). While it’s always best to check with your specific airline, generally speaking, a backpack must be no bigger than 22 x 14 x 9 inches. 

What airlines are strict about backpack size?

Not all airlines tout the same sizing requirements. Because of this, it’s important to always check your airline's size guidelines while packing. Generally speaking, if your backpack is less than 45 linear inches, it will pass as a carry-on.

Rebecca Norris has covered women’s lifestyle content for the past 10 years. For this story, she spoke with fashion stylist Audree Kate López , ski travel expert Jonathan Alder, Calpak director of marketing, Jeannie Shin, Away Chief Design Officer, Cuan Hanly, and Herschel Supply co-founder and managing director, Jamie Cormack, to determine what makes a functional, durable, overall high-quality travel backpack. With their expertise in mind, paired with knowledge of the best-selling items on the market, she presents the best travel backpacks.

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18 Best Travel Backpacks For Women Of 2024, Per A Travel Expert, Editors, And Reviews

Leave your bulky suitcase at home.

If you haven't yet mastered the art of minimalist packing, you know what might help? A travel backpack. The best travel backpacks for women are designed with several pockets to organize all your clothing, toiletries, tech, and more in one place without requiring you to rummage through it to find that one thing you need.

See some of the best travel backpacks for women below:

Most Budget-Friendly Travel Backpack For Women

Kroser laptop backpack.

Most Comfy To Hold Travel Backpack For Women

The north face borealis backpack.

Most Lightweight Travel Backpack For Women

Baboon to the moon go-bag.

Most Fashionable Travel Backpack For Women

Everlane the renew transit backpack.

Best Tear-Resistant Travel Bag For Women

Ugrace vintage laptop backpack.

Cult-Favorite Travel Backpack

Cuyana leather backpack.

Best Travel Backpack For Women With Storage Compartments

Lululemon wunderlust backpack.

Best Travel Backpack For People With Limited Mobility

Jansport central adaptive backpack.

Best Travel Backpack For Women With Wheels

J world new york sundance rolling backpack.

Best Waterproof Travel Backpack For Women

Rains trail cargo backpack.

That being said, there are times when a suitcase is necessary , especially if you're going on a longer trip. On those occasions, travel backpacks for women come in handy for things you need to access quickly, like your passport during international travel, a laptop, or a light jacket if you're prone to feeling cold while flying.

To find the best backpacks for every kind of traveler, Women's Health curated this list using feedback from a travel expert and our own lifestyle editors. See below for the best travel backpacks for women you can buy in 2023, according to editors, experts, and reviews.

This laptop-friendly backpack has more than 19,700 reviews and five stars on Amazon, but it's under $40—talk about a steal. It's designed with padded straps to help you avoid shoulder fatigue, and a wide-mouth frame that allows you to open up the bag to see all your belongings easily at a glance.

Dubakova likes this backpack because it has an aqua blue inner lining that's more unique than the usual basic black or brown. "That pop of color makes it so much easier to spot my stuff inside the bag," she says. "I'm always digging around to find things, so having that brighter interior sounds super handy." On the downside, she doesn't love that the zippers are bulky and visible, since they make the pockets an easy target for thieves.

Rave Review: "I waited nine months to post this review because I wanted to see how this backpack held up. It has surpassed my every expectation. I can cram tons of stuff into it, it’s durable, and has held up to a ton of abuse on my part. It also has all the right compartments to keep my stuff organized and the price just can’t be beat."

With over 2,900 positive reviews and five stars on Amazon, this backpack gets tons of customer love. It has a top handle and highly-padded straps for optimal comfort when it's on your back. With pockets galore and a fleece-lined laptop sleeve, you'll be able to easily and comfortably store all your essentials in it. It also has a bungee strap front system for slipping in a sweatshirt or a water bottle.

Isabel McMahon, a Women's Health social media editor who's always on-the-go, says that this bag is so comfortable and durable, she's been using it for years. "The laptop sleeve is next-level, and the padded back is essential for a long travel day." She also says it’s perfect for an office-to-gym bag, or as a weekend trip carry-on. On the other hand, her only complaint is that there are a lot of straps and clips hanging off of the bag, which can sometimes get in the way, she says.

Rave Review: "This bag fits very comfortably on the back and the chest strap doesn't crowd the boobs like other packs do. It is compact, but can also manage to comfortably hold a couple binders, notebooks, and a laptop. The padding for the laptop is very nice, especially with the rigid back. So, if you have a thin laptop you don't have to worry about unnecessary torque."

This go-bag, which comes in a bunch of vibrant colors, fits about three to five days worth of clothing and other essentials. It's TSA-approved as a carry-on item, and also comes with adjustable straps so that you can carry it like a backpack or a duffel—whatever suits your needs.

Reviewers say they love how spacious this bag is and that the zipper is located in the back, so it's not exposed while you're wearing it, making it hard for others to open it. Customers also say that they like that the travel backpack is waterproof and durable, though they wish it had more interior and exterior pockets. When the bag isn't filled to the brim, it loses structure, so it can look a little lumpy.

Rave Review: "This is the perfect bag. I've struggled to carry my bags through the airport and on to the plane in the past. This bag is a dream come true. It’s lightweight (even when crammed full, it holds so much) and so ergonomically-friendly!"

This bag is so popular that it has sold out multiple times. It's made with an exterior laptop pocket for easy access when you're heading through security, as well as multiple catch-all compartments for tickets, passports, and the like. The flap remains closed with an invisible magnet to keep the design super sleek, and there's even a pass-through strap at the back for slipping it over your rolling luggage handle.

Reviewers say that they like that this bag is clean and chic, and pretty roomy inside, though it could have more organizational pockets. Some customers also report that the color of the actual bag may be slightly different in person than what's pictured on site, so that's something to keep in mind. Overall, reviewers love that the bag is easy to access, water-resistant, and easy to clean.

Note: Certain colors are out of stock, but can be preordered.

Rave Review: "I am obsessed with my new backpack. I was pleasantly surprised by how much it can fit without looking bulky on my back. The fabric and make looks and feels high-quality. The bag has granted me many compliments while out and about already. LOVE!"

This backpack made from durable material that supposedly doesn't tear has more than 4,500 positive ratings on Amazon for plenty of reasons. It's made with a USB port attached to the bag that allows you to charge your tech pretty much anywhere. The main pocket is also extra large, meaning you can pack clothes, slippers, and toiletries with ease.

Customers who have used this backpack say it is sturdy with plenty of pockets and that it's easy to hold. They also say that the fabric is pretty durable, and that the straps are thick which make it comfy on the shoulders. However, some users said that they wished the bag was a little roomier, as it appears bigger than what it actually is.

Rave Review: "I bought this backpack as a carry-on for a long international flight. I was able to fit so much inside and was extremely impressed at how well it held up. I kept the electronics and valuables in the biggest pouch, and I used the smaller pouch for things like my passport and chargers that I would need to access quickly."

This leather bag—believe it or not—actually fits a 13-inch laptop. It features a zippered compartment for your valuables, slots for your phone and keys, and straps that allow you to carry it on your shoulder as a purse or backpack. Grab it in your choice of three colors.

Though this one doesn't have online reviews, this editor-approved pick is a cult-favorite thanks to its sleek Italian leather design, adjustable notches, and wide back straps.

Built with plenty of storage compartments, this Lululemon backpack was designed for someone who's always on the move. It features side pockets for items you want to frequently reach with ease, adjustable exterior straps to hold a jacket or yoga mat with, and buckle closures that keep your items secure.

Rave Review: "The bag is so spacious and sturdy. This is exactly what I was looking for to use on my upcoming international trip with my baby...It looks classy, too—though, a little bit boxy."

Designed for use by disabled people or people with limited mobility, this Jansport backpack can fit on to a variety of mobility devices. It's also designed with tangle-proof shoulder straps, fumble-free release buckles, and a shorter height than other bags to make accessing the bottom of it a little easier.

Rave Review: "This bag has such a great design. I love how it comes with two straps (short and long). The lining is water-resistant, which is great for spillage."

If you prefer a rolling backpack, this 20-inch bag with an adjustable handlebar (and over 6,000 positive ratings!) is for you. It's kind of a steal when you can catch it on sale, and its fully padded interior includes two large compartments along with several internal pockets. (Plus, there are three exterior zipper pockets to store smaller things like snacks, your phone, and the like).

Rave Review: "This backpack is sturdy, beautifully-organized, and can hold a lot. It can stand up alone and I can leave pockets open as I pull things in and out as I work. The sturdy wheels [can] handle terribly bumpy parking lots. The colors are vivid and cheerful."

If you're looking for a backpack that's sleek and minimalistic, this one's for you. Aside from how stylish it is, this bag's main feature is that it has a totally waterproof exterior—meaning you can store all your tech inside and rest easy knowing everything will remain unaffected by the elements.

Rave Review: "The minimalist look of the bag was my first attraction. There are two interior pockets to hold a computer and other gear securely with enough [extra] room for what I need to take with me. I was looking for something that didn't scream 'backpack.' This has been a great purchase."

Matein Travel Backpack

Do you stuff your backpack to the brim every time you travel? If that's a "yes," you'll definitely appreciate that this bag has 40 whole liters of space. It has a place to hold your shoes, laptop, power bank, and all the toiletries you usually bring along. You'll also love that it's extra large, but still TSA-approved.

Rave Review: "This is an excellent bookbag. It has a bunch of different compartments and it’s very spacious. Also, it’s lightweight and the material is very durable."

Monos Metro Backpack

Monos' Metro Backpack isn't just nice to look at, it's also plenty functional. The travel bag is designed with a detachable pouch, known as a Metro Kit , which you can use to house your valuables, and a built-in trolley sleeve so you can attach it to any Monos suitcase .

Rave Review: " I LOVE this bag. I was worried that the bag might look too big on me (I'm five-foot-two), but it's perfect. I love how easy it is to stay organized. The separate zipper access to the laptop sleeve is the BEST ever for flying!"

Bago Backpack Duffle Bag

If you're looking for a more lightweight but spacious option, this is it. Adjust the straps to use this as a backpack or hold the straps on each side like a duffel. In its huge main compartment, this bag can store a week's worth of stuff.

Rave Review: "I just received this bag today and upon first impression—it's brilliant! Seriously, the way you can just fold this bag up when it's not in use is a great feature I haven't personally seen on other duffel bags and it holds a good amount."

Asenlin Travel Backpack

With more than 2,400 positive ratings on Amazon, this under-$100 travel backpack opens up like a duffel to reveal tons of packing space. The bag also comes with three packing cubes, which make it easier to organize and store your items, since you can divide them into sections.

Rave Review: "I bought this backpack to use as my personal item when we travel by air...It is perfect for this use, as it fits under the airplane seat and has a strap that fits over my carry-on. The best feature I love about this backpack is that it opens up like a suitcase! It's easy to pack, and has a thick, sturdy handle at the top of the [bag] as well."

Dagne Dover Dakota Neoprene Backpack

This simple but chic backpack has an internal laptop sleeve that's easily accessible, as well as two side pockets for slipping in water bottles or other necessities. Plus, there's also a catch-all front pocket and mini compartment in the back for storing valuables.

Rave Review: "I took [the bag] with me on a flight to California, and it fit well under the seat. I also used it to hold my beach essentials when I went to the beach and for bike rides around the bay. It’s cute and functional."

Carhartt Legacy Hybrid Convertible Backpack

Customers say this Carhartt backpack is smaller than other bags, but very much multi-functional. It can be worn as a backpack or carried as a duffel-esque tote.

The bag is made from heavy-duty fabric so that it can withstand rain and cold, and features extra pockets, like a padded laptop sleeve and side compartments, for optimal storage opportunities.

Rave Review: "I love the versatility of this bag. It's very well-made and easy to use. The size is perfect—big enough to hold a laptop plus other items, but small enough that it's not in the way. Great travel bag."

Away F.A.R. Convertible Backpack

Able to hold a whopping 45 liters, this Away backpack can pretty much do it all. Thanks to its removable straps, it can convert from a backpack to a duffel. The bag can also handle any weather or environment. It's made with abrasion and weather-resistant recycled materials, which—yep—means it's sustainably-designed, too.

Rave Review: "I am pleasantly surprised with how much stuff I could put in this bag! I took it on a weekend trip and was able to fit everything I needed. I love that it has several pockets to store small things that you want to keep handy. I've been a fan of Away luggage for years and I'm glad I get to add this bag to my collection."

Cotopaxi Allpa Travel Pack

If you prefer travel backpacks that open up like a suitcase, this Cotopaxi bag is your pick. It's built with a full wrap-around zipper, so you can plop it open on your bed for a bird's-eye view of what you've packed. It also comes with a padded laptop and tablet sleeve, making it ideal for work trips.

Rave Review: "I can fit a week's worth of clothing in this bag and it fits on every airplane. If you really stuff it full, it still fits under the seat in the smaller airplanes and up top on the larger ones. If you travel frequently by air, this is a great alternative to a roller bag."

How our team chose the best travel backpacks for women

For the past few months, Women's Health editors, including commerce editor Jasmine Gomez, have been researching the best travel backpacks for women to buy online. WH consulted travel expert Alexandra Dubakova and our lifestyle editors, and also vetted thousands of expert reviews to find the very best options available online.

What should I look for in a travel backpack for women?

There's an endless selection of travel backpacks for women for you to load up on, but here are a few things you should look out for to find the best ones.

Lugging a backpack through airports, tossing it into overheads on trains and buses, or folding it down for storage will put your travel bag through the wringer, so it's important you grab something that's durable. "A durable backpack is more cost-effective because it provides greater longevity and offers value for your money," Dubakova says. You can get a sense of a bag's durability by looking at the bag's seams, she explains. Make sure it doesn't have loose threads or inconsistent stitching.

When it comes to the most durable fabrics, Dubakova recommends cordura. "It is resistant to abrasion, weather-resistant, and more rugged compared to nylon," she says. She also recommends compromising between the bag's heaviness and durability. "For example, canvas bags are sturdy, and the material is durable, but it is considerably heavy," Dubakova says.

You'll know whether a bag is supportive depending on how comfortable you are, and since you may wear your backpack for quite a while, you definitely want something that feels good to throw on. "A comfortable backpack will evenly distribute the weight of its contents to avoid pain and pressure on the shoulder or back and any injuries," Dubakova says.

To find a backpack that will be as comfortable as possible, Dubakova recommends looking for ones with adjustable shoulder straps, padded backs, and adjustable hip belts. This will allow you to toy around with it to get the perfect fit.

When it comes to design, you should consider how your bag will make the experience of traveling better. For example, Dubakova recommends bags with mesh back panels, since they can ensure there's enough airflow to prevent you from heating up and sweating when you're on-the-go. Other special features someone might enjoy include pockets of different sizes, individual storage bags to accompany the bag, or even a sleeve to store your laptop.

Finally, you should get something you think is cute or aesthetically-pleasing. Travel backpacks come in different sizes, color schemes, and prices, so choose something that works for you.

Jasmine Gomez is the Commerce Editor at Women’s Health, where she cover the best product recommendations across beauty, health, lifestyle, fitness, and more. When she's not shopping for a living, she enjoys karaoke and dining out more than she cares to admit. Follow her @JazzeGomez .  

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The 11 Best Waterproof Backpacks for Traveling and Hiking

Sarah Schlichter

Deputy Executive Editor Sarah Schlichter's idea of a perfect trip includes spotting exotic animals, hiking through pristine landscapes, exploring new neighborhoods on foot, and soaking up as much art as she can. She often attempts to recreate recipes from her international travels after she gets home (which has twice resulted in accidental kitchen fires—no humans or animals were harmed).

Sarah joined the SmarterTravel team in 2017 after more than a decade at the helm of IndependentTraveler.com. Sarah's practical travel advice has been featured in dozens of news outlets including the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Budget Travel, and Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio. Follow her on Twitter @TravelEditor .

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A journal. Even years later, reading my notes from a trip can bring back incredibly vivid memories."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Road tripping and hiking through the rugged mountains of Patagonia."

Travel Motto: "'To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.'—Freya Stark"

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle. I get restless on long flights and like to be able to move around without disturbing anyone else."

Email Sarah at [email protected] .

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Your phone. Your DSLR camera. Your e-reader. Your travel documents. No matter what you’re carrying in your backpack, you’ll want to make sure it’s protected from unexpected rainstorms while you’re out traveling the world. The following waterproof backpacks for travel come in a variety of sizes and styles, but they all offer excellent protection for any weather.

This list also includes a few water-resistant backpacks that perform well in rainy conditions but might not stand up to an all-day downpour or a tumble into a lake. These can still be useful travel backpacks if you won’t be spending significant time outdoors.

YETI Panga Backpack 28

You might get soaked, but if you have YETI’s Panga Backpack , your stuff won’t. The Panga Backpack is airtight and 100 percent waterproof, so no sneaky moisture will get in through the zippers. The ergonomic DryHaul shoulder straps make carrying heavy packs feel easy, as do the removable chest straps and waist belt. This ultra-durable bag will resist rips or tears, and is perfect as either a personal item on a plane or a hiking backpack.

FE Active Cloudbreak Backpack

The Cloudbreak from outdoor retailer FE Active is a dry-bag backpack that’s made of eco-friendly PVC tarpaulin for full waterproof protection during activities like hiking, camping, and kayaking. It’s got two netted side pockets for water bottles and a corded exterior to hold a jacket or other items. This roomy backpack can hold a laptop and multiple changes of clothes; when it’s completely full, however, you may have to check it rather than carrying it on a flight.

RAINS Waterproof Drawstring Backpack

The Waterproof Drawstring Backpack from RAINS is a small, chic waterproof daypack that’s perfect for city sightseeing. It’s large enough to hold the basics—a wallet, a water bottle, a tablet or book—without weighing you down. The main compartment has one interior pocket for your phone, and the bag is made of waterproof polyester and polyurethane.

Earth Pak Summit Dry Bag Backpack

Another heavy-duty dry-bag backpack, this 35-liter bag from Earth Pak is ideal for travelers who don’t want to worry about water damage during their outdoor adventures. It’s roomy enough to pack for a weekend but small enough to use as a carry-on, and the sturdy PVC material protects everything inside, from camera equipment to clothing. Sternum and waist straps help you balance the load. Bonus: The bag comes with a waterproof case that fits smartphones up to 6.5 inches (measured diagonally).

Chrome Hondo Backpack

Designed for commuters, the Hondo Backpack is also a good bet for business travelers seeking a waterproof laptop backpack. It has a 15-inch padded sleeve for your computer and keeps you organized with interior and exterior pockets. This waterproof travel backpack is comfortable to wear, thanks to plenty of padding and a chest strap to balance the weight, and it’s small enough to carry as your personal item on a plane.

Matador Freerain24 Backpack

When you’re carrying all your belongings on your back, the last thing you want is a heavy bag that adds a lot of extraneous weight. That’s why I like the Freerain24 . At just 6.6 ounces, this waterproof hiking backpack won’t weigh you down as you’re scrambling up mountains or wading through streams. It’s got two side mesh pockets for water bottles, as well as a water-resistant front exterior pocket to hold items you need to access quickly. Between trips, you can fold it up into its own small sack for easy storage.

KOPACK Anti-Thief Laptop Backpack

The Kopack Laptop Backpack is made of water-resistant, anti-scratch fabric that can handle spells of light to moderate rainfall. The bag features a hidden zipper, shock absorbing laptop sleeve, and discreet card pockets on the straps to keep your important cards and documents handy. With an additional rain cover stored in the bottom slot of the bag, you can be sure that your valuables will stay dry and accounted for.

9 Most Stylish Laptop Bags for Travel

Skog A Kust BackSak

The sleek BackSak , which comes in 25- and 35-liter options, closes in two different ways. Once you’ve rolled the top of the bag down a few times, you can clip the two ends to each other to create a carry handle on top of the bag, or you can attach them to the bag’s side clips to help you compress the load. Either way, this backpack is fully waterproof (though the company doesn’t recommend extended submersion). The bag has an interior and an exterior pocket, as well as reflective patches so you can see the bag in the dark.

MOS Blackpack

Travelers looking to stay organized will appreciate the Blackpack from MOS . This travel backpack comes with a built-in rainfly so your travel gear is safe from most weather conditions. With a 15.6-inch laptop pocket, dedicated tablet pocket, and mesh pockets, the Blackpack offers 27 liters of storage space. MOS also sells a power adapter that you can store in a special pocket to keep all your electronics charged while they’re in your backpack.

Geckobrands Waterproof 30L Backpack

Though it’s not intended for full submersion, Geckobrands’ 30-liter backpack is otherwise fully waterproof as long as you tightly roll down the top at least three times before buckling. This dry bag backpack makes a handy companion on outdoor adventures, with padded shoulder straps that are comfortable to wear. The bag weighs just 0.6 pounds and folds up small when not in use.

Patagonia Stormfront Pack

If you’re looking for a waterproof backpack that will keep your stuff dry even if it’s submerged, consider the Stormfront Pack . Made of sturdy nylon that’s coated with thermoplastic polyurethane and durable water repellent, this 30-liter waterproof hiking backpack is ideal for outdoor adventures. It’s comfortable to wear thanks to padded straps and a removable waist belt, and at 21 x 12 x 9 inches, it fits most airlines’ carry-on size requirements. The exterior pocket is the only part of the backpack that isn’t fully waterproof, but it’s still a useful place to stow items such as a poncho or car keys.

More from SmarterTravel:

• 6 Hybrid Duffel Backpacks That Will Change the Way You Pack
• How to Pack a Backpack: 5 Essential Tips
• 7 Modern Travel Backpacks That Will Update the Way You Travel

Follow Sarah Schlichter on Twitter @TravelEditor for more travel tips and inspiration.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2019. It has been updated to reflect the most current information. Codey Albers contributed to this story.

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We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

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The Best Waterproof Backpack for Every Activity and Every Budget

PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and the company may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here .

As annoying as it is to walk through the rain and wind up with your jeans soaked and sneakers sopping wet, it’s even more frustrating to open up your bag and find the pages of your new book are waterlogged and your laptop no longer allows you to use the letters Q, A, W or the spacebar. Ugh. Here, we tracked down the best waterproof backpack for every budget so you can be sure your belongings don’t incur any unexpected water damage, whether you’re commuting in the rain or heading out for a hike on a cloudy day.

The Best Raincoats for Women, from a Classic Slicker to an Everyday Trench

First, What’s The Difference Between Water Resistant And Waterproof?

It might feel like a silly distinction but these two terms do, in fact, mean different things. Waterproof, as the same suggests, is best at keeping moisture out and having the greatest ability to keep you or the contents of your backpack dry. Water resistant, on the other hand, is a fairly broad term that simply refers to a fabric’s ability to keep water from seeping through.

Different brands have different standards for determining when something crosses the line from being water resistant to being waterproof, but generally speaking, if you trust the brand name (or you’re dealing with an outdoor gear brand) then you’re in good hands. All the backpacks in this list, whether they’re described as waterproof or water resistant will definitely keep your stuff from getting wet, provided you don’t suddenly find yourself in a torrential downpour (although a few packs on this list will do you justice then, too). Of course, if the weather report isn’t looking promising, you can always pack an additional rain cover or pack liner to further increase the odds of your precious belongings staying dry.

BEST Waterproof Backpacks FOR DAILY USE

If you live someplace like Seattle where frequent rain is just a part of winter (and fall and spring and summer), you might find you actually need a waterproof pack for everyday use—commuting, running errands, going out on the town and so on.

1. fjällräven Kånken Water Resistant Backpack

This ‘70s-throwback style is made from a water-resistant Vinylon F material that’s also super durable. The extra strip of fabric that folds over the zippers offers another level of water protection, as well, so you can rest assured your laptop will still be in working condition once you reach the office.

2. patagonia Arbor Daypack 20l

We’re kind of obsessed with the retro vibe of this rucksack, and we’re even more excited about the fact that it’s made with 100 percent recycled polyester that’s been treated with a durable, water-repellent finish. There’s also an interior padded laptop sleeve that fits up to a 15-inch computer.

3. rains Waterproof Backpack

Calling all minimalists—this bag’s for you. The simple, sleek silhouette looks professional enough for even the most conservative office. Plus, we think the idea of matching your backpack to your raincoat sounds pretty great.

4. caraa Stratus Waterproof Backpack

This nylon bag is every bit as light at its cloud-inspired name suggests. It also comes with an interior pouch perfect for stuffing swimsuits after a day at the pool or sweaty athleticwear from your AM workout class. In fact, there are multiple interior pockets for keeping necessities like your wallet or chapstick handy (and dry) at all times.

5. timbuk2 Tech Roll-top Backpack

Roll-top designs don’t have any exposed zippers, so they can better ensure that moisture doesn’t seep in. There’s also an extra waterproof bottom panel, in case you need to put your pack down on something wet to readjust. Or if you accidentally drop it in a puddle (hey, it happens sometimes).

Buy it ($179)

6. rains City Backpack

Another great minimal design, this two-tone bag from Rains City is actually machine washable (although you should avoid putting it in the dryer) so you can keep it fresh and clean, no matter what sort of weather your encounter on your commute.

7. mountain Warehouse The Tempest 25l Waterproof Backpack

In case of a true torrential downpour—thunder, lightning, wind and all—this is the pack you’re going to want. The fabric and design have been tested to withstand 10,000 mm of rain over a 24-hour period. Yep, this pack will definitely keep your belongings dry through rain, snow or sleet, guaranteed.

8. timbuk2 Especial Shadow Commuter Backpack

The zippers on this classic-style pack are coated with an extra water-repellent finish to make up for the fact that they’re exposed on the outside of the pack. The fabric itself is water resistant, lightweight and features reflective strips to increase your visibility in the rain.

Buy it ($99)

9. tumi Tahoe Finch Backpack

This backpack is technically not waterproof. However, it does come with a handy waterproof cover (that’s conveniently stowed in its own interior pocket) which is super easy to slip on if you see storm clouds ominously rolling in.

BEST Waterproof Backpacks FOR TRAVEL AND DAY HIKES

One step up from your regular pack, these backpacks are more spacious, extra comfortable (for long hikes through the woods or the streets of Paris) and just as water repellent as you’d expect.

10. hydro Flask Journey Series 20 Hydration Pack

Choosing a pack with a built-in hydration system is actually a super-smart move if you want to avoid opening any zipped pouches and potentially exposing your belongings to the elements. That, plus the incredibly durable waterproof fabric, taped seams and sealed zippers makes this a brilliant choice if you’re headed on a hiking trip during the rainy season.

11. mountain Hardwear Scrambler 25 Pack

Come for the tenacious four-layer Dimension-Polyant X-Pac fabric, stay for the vibrant pops of color on the handy straps and zipper loops. According to reviews, this Mountain Hardwear pack falls more within the water-resistant camp, as opposed to the waterproof one, but it still has a 4.75-star rating with nearly every reviewer saying they would indeed recommend this backpack.

12. patagonia Nine Trails Pack 14l

This 14-liter bag is hydro-pack compatible and has plenty of room to carry anything you might need for a day-long adventure. Beyond the waterproof fabric, we love this particular design for its long, lean shape that allows for more breathability along your back, meaning you’re less likely to find your back coated in sweat as you stroll through Chelsea Market or find yourself midway through hiking Mt. Hood.

13. filson Dry Backpack

This simple roll-top design on this Filson bag made from a super-lightweight polyester that’s been coated with vinyl to ensure total water protection. There are just two small zippered pouches for your keys, phone or other small essentials, but the main compartment is spacious enough to fit one or two water bottles, some extra layers and all the trail mix your heart desires.

5 Rainy-Day Outfits That Work Every Time

The 10 Best Travel Backpacks for Women, Tested & Approved

Whether you need a size-appropriate carry-on for flights or a waterproof bag for wet outings, these travel backpacks have you covered

Christie Fitzpatrick

Photo courtesy Cotopaxi

Field Mag may receive a minor commission from purchases made via affiliate links.

Finding the perfect travel backpack for women is like stumbling across a unicorn in the wild. It's a rare and magical experience that can transform your travels from complete chaos to organized bliss. Usually, our travel bags resemble a dumpster fire of last minute-packed clothing, photo gear , granola bar crumbs, and a pen and notebook—all jammed together in one pocket or two. This year, we were determined to find the right pack to level up our travel organization and as a result, enjoy a better travel experience.

The following list of travel backpacks are those that made the grade through a year's worth of adventures and getaways around the globe. They have all the features needed to keep your stuff organized and protected through a variety of trips, whether you're hiking in the Alps or parking it at the beach. These travel bags will get you through TSA, and beyond.

Field Mag's Top Picks

- Best Carry-On Backpack: Cotopaxi Allpa 28L Del Día

- Best Hiking Backpack: Mountain Hardwear Scrambler 25L

- Best for Backpacking Trips: Osprey Sirrus 36L

- Best Waterproof Backpack: Yeti Panga 28L

- Best for Stylish Travelers: Lululemon Wanderlust Backpack 25L

- Best Backpack for Adventurous Travel: Patagonia Black Hole Pack 32L

- Best for Work Trips: Thule Aion 28L Backpack

- Best Backpack for Skiing: Norrøna Falketind 35L

- Best for Photography Trips: Evoc CP 35L Backpack

- Best Duffel-Backpack Hybrid: Ortlieb Atrack 25

The Best Travel Backpacks for Women

Best Carry-On Backpack: Cotopaxi Allpa 28L Del Día

Having the Cotopaxi Allpa Del Día 28L Travel Pack is like having a personal travel assistant in backpack form. It's built to ensure everything is in its right place. The vibrant and unique design of the Allpa Del Día instantly catches the eye—each backpack is individually handcrafted using repurposed materials, which means that no two backpacks are alike. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, the Allpa is packed with functionality. It unfolds like a rolling carry-on bag, revealing multiple zippered compartments that function as integrated packing cubes to help you separate your stuff. It also has an expandable design to maximize luggage efficiency, providing ample space while meeting airline regulations. The bag also has an exterior-access padded laptop sleeve, another small exterior pocket for easy access to personal items, anti-theft zippers, and comfy shoulder straps.

Volume: 28 liters Material: 100% Repurposed nylon and polyester Price: $170

Best Hiking Backpack: Mountain Hardwear Scrambler 25L

The Scrambler is built tough, so no matter how many rocks or cliffs you stumble upon, this rucksack-style backpack can take it, thanks to its durable 4-Layer Dimension-Polyant fabric. With a 25-liter capacity, it's spacious enough for essentials without tempting you to pack an entire wardrobe. The backpack's versatile design includes breathable padded shoulder straps, compression straps on the sides to balance your load, and lots of webbing loops that allow travelers to easily attach gear like Tevas and trekking poles without them flapping in the wind. With its water-resistant fabric and sleek aesthetics, this backpack perfectly blends functionality and style, too—the Scrambler is also one seriously good-looking backpack. The multicolored straps add a touch of pizzazz, making you stand out from the crowd.

Volume: 25 liters Material: 400-denier, TPU-coated nylon ripstop Price: $175

Best for Backpacking Trips: Osprey Sirrus 36L

The thoughtful design and impressive technical features make the Sirrus 36L our top choice for backpacking trips . With a 36-liter capacity, it offers ample space to fit lots of gear, including clothing, a lightweight sleeping bag, cooking equipment, and even a small tent. While trekking in Nepal, dumpling hunting in Singapore or taste-testing every gelateria in Rome, this travel backpack has exceeded our testing expectations in terms of functionality, comfort, and durability.

One of the standout features of this backpack is its ventilation system. The mesh back panel allows for excellent airflow and breathability, keeping your back cool and dry even during hot and humid weather conditions. It has a useful selection of pockets and partitions—including a large main compartment, a zippered front pocket, zippered hip belt pockets (snacks!), and mesh side pockets/water bottle pockets—all allow easy access to your belongings and valuables. The Sirrus 36L is built with the adventurous backpacker in mind with a hydration sleeve, trekking pole attachments, and an integrated rain cover (a must when traveling outside of peak summer season or when navigating notoriously unpredictable mountain weather).

Volume: 36 liters Material: bluesign® approved 210-denier high-tenacity recycled nylon (main); 420-denier high density recycled nylon (accent/bottom) Price: $220

Best Waterproof Backpack: Yeti Panga 28L

Not everyone’s final destination is on land. This backpack laughs in the face of water with waterproof superpowers, and is a minimalist’s dream. The first thing that stands out about the Panga 28L is its exceptional build quality. The high-density nylon shell, reinforced seams, and robust hardware give this backpack an incredibly rugged feel. And let you put it through the wringer—we carried it through torrential downpours to accidental river dips, and not a drop has infiltrated its defenses. That's mostly thanks to the waterproof HydroLok zipper. Inside, there's a sleeve for light organization and a mesh zippered pocket for small items. Its lightweight construction and true simplicity make it a winner in both functionality and design. Bring it fishing , sailing, cliff jumping, and beyond (maybe even wear it to commute to work).

Volume: 28 liters Material: high-density nylon with TPU lamination Price: $300

Best for Stylish Travelers: Lululemon Wunderlust Backpack 25L

The Wunderlust's 25-liter capacity and design lends itself well to carrying all your travel essentials without compromising on style. The unisex pack has enough room to accommodate a remote working remote set-up, clothing, toiletries, and other personal items while still maintaining a streamlined and fashionable silhouette. A dedicated laptop compartment, water bottle pockets, and other spots for smaller items like keys and a phone minimize packing chaos. The clean lines, minimalist aesthetic, and high-quality materials used in its construction contribute to its overall stylish appearance, and its flexible, water-repellent fabric means it's conveniently stashable when you want to condense your belongings into one bag.

Volume: 25 liters Material: water-repellent polyester and nylon Price: $158

Best Backpack for Adventurous Travel: Patagonia Black Hole Pack 32L

Patagonia's Black Hole Pack is well known for its rugged 900D recycled polyester fabric, reinforced with a TPU laminate and a DWR (durable water repellent) finish that make it ideal for outdoor adventures. Its spacious 32-liter capacity and dedicated laptop pocket ensure ample storage for a variety extended trips. With padded straps, a reinforced back panel, and adjustable sternum strap, it offers excellent comfort and support for navigating uneven terrain or crowded streets. Its front-loading design allows for easy access to the main compartment, while the top lid pocket provides additional storage for small items. The duffel-style opening makes accessing your belongings quick and hassle-free, and daisy chain lash points and an ice axe loop offer attachment options for outdoor gear, making it suitable for all kinds of adventures. True to form, Patagonia’s pack is made from recycled materials, reducing its environmental impact and reflecting the brand’s commitment to sustainability.

Volume: 32 liters Material: 8.7-oz 300-denier 100% postconsumer recycled polyester ripstop with a TPU-film laminate (exterior); 3-oz 200-denier 100% recycled polyester with a PU coating (lining) Price: $169

Best for Work Trips: Thule Aion 28L Backpack

When it comes to long-haul business trips, the Thule Aion 28L Backpack is the real MVP. Known for their expertise in outdoor gear, Thule has designed the Aion with a focus on ergonomics and functionality, with a streamlined, minimalistic aesthetic. One of the standout features of the Aion 28L is its exceptional comfort. The padded back panel and shoulder straps provide excellent support, ensuring a comfortable fit even during long hours of wear with a full load. The backpack features a customizable suspension system, allowing you to adjust the fit to your specific body type and preferences. The 28-liter capacity strikes a balance between spaciousness and compactness, making it suitable for various applications. (There's also a 40-liter version that's a great large travel backpack.) Inside, there's a pocket or sleeve for everything you need, from your wallet to chargers to clothing to water bottles. There's also a pass-through panel for functionality with rolling carry on luggage.

Volume: 28 liters Material: Recycled bluesign-approved waxed P600 polyester canvas, 150-denier polyester, airmesh Price: $203

Best Backpack for Skiing: Norrøna Falketind 35L

Hitting the slopes has never been more stylish with the Falketind's sleek design and spacious 35-liter capacity. It strikes a balance between spaciousness and portability, built specifically to allow for efficient ski gear storage. It has dedicated hands-free ski carry straps (for an A-frame or diagonal ski carry position), which ensures stability and ease of movement while hiking or climbing in ski boots. Norrøna is known for its high-quality construction and attention to detail, and as such the Falketind is made from durable materials that can withstand the rigors of ski trips, including abrasion from ski edges or multitools. The unisex pack's ergonomic design includes adjustable straps and hipbelt plus a breathable back panel, and you can easily access your gear through the laminated WR side zippers.

Volume: 35 liters Material: 100% Recycled Nylon with PU Coating Price: $199

Best for Photography Trips: Evoc CP 35L Backpack

For photography enthusiasts and professionals alike, the Evoc CP 35L Backpack is a fortress for your camera gear in backpack form. With a spacious 35-liter capacity, it provides ample room to carry all the major players for even the most demanding shoots. The customizable and padded interior compartments ensure that your lenses and other equipment stay safe, organized, and easily accessible. The ergonomic design and adjustable shoulder straps offer an extremely comfortable fit, even during long hours of shooting or traveling. The CP 35L also incorporates thoughtful details like quick-access side pockets and a dedicated laptop sleeve, making it a versatile solution for on-the-go editing workflows. The reinforced bottom provides extra protection against abrasions and keeps the backpack stable when placed on rocky or uneven surfaces.

Volume: 35 liters Material: not specified Price: $420

Best Duffel-Backpack Hybrid: Ortlieb Atrack 25

At first glance, the Atrack 25 may look a bit odd compared to your typical daypack. Rather than going for the traditional bucket or roll top style often chosen by submersible bag designers, Ortlieb changed things up by placing the mandatory chunky zipper close to the back, out of the way. It’s a pack that can handle total submersion while remaining a practical, accessible backpack with top-notch ease of use. It has an upper hand over all others in the category with its fully adjustable and minimalist suspension that is well padded and (crucially, for hectic traveling) extremely well ventilated. For those who want all the bells and whistles of a hiking pack with the added bonus of full waterproofing, the Atrack is a great choice.

Volume: 25 liters Material: nylon Price: $270

Discover more essential travel gear and trip inspo here for your next adventure, big or small.

Published 07-10-2023

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15 Best Waterproof Backpacks of 2024

Are you looking for a waterproof backpack for your next adventure? Check out our list of the 15 best waterproof backpacks currently on the market!

If you are on the search for the best waterproof backpacks to keep your gear dry on the move, there’s a big difference between the performance of high-quality products and those that cut corners. Many products that claim to be waterproof offer disappointing performance in the real world.

I’ve experienced the frustration of finding my gear soaked in my pack after a rainstorm. It’s not something I want to deal with again.

Whether you’re braving rainstorms on your bike commute or heading out on a packrafting trip, waterproof backpacks are an essential piece of travel gear . A backpack that can withstand adverse weather conditions, as well as general wear and tear, is an investment you will not regret.

Here are my picks for the best waterproof backpacks available.

• Best Overall Waterproof Backpack: YETI Panga Backpack 28
• Best Waterproof Backpack for College: Rains Backpack
• Best Waterproof Laptop Backpack: Mission Workshop Rhake
• Best Packable Waterproof Backpack: Matador Freerain22
• Best Women’s Waterproof Backpack: Mammut Ducan Spine 28-35 Women’s Backpack
• Best Men’s Waterproof Backpack: Timbuk2 Robin Pack
• Best Lightweight Waterproof Backpack: Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Daypack
• Best Commuter Waterproof Backpack: Showers Pass Transit Waterproof Backpack
• Best Waterproof Backpack for Hiking: Mountain Hardwear Scrambler Pack 25
• Best Waterproof Backpack for Work: Osprey Arcane Roll-Top
• Best Waterproof Dry Sack: Osprey UltraLight Dry Sack
• Best Waterproof Daypack: SealLine Urban Dry Daypack
• Best Waterproof Backpack for Fishing: Simms Dry Creek Z Backpack
• Best Waterproof Travel Backpack: The North Face Borealis Classic Backpack
• Best Small Waterproof Backpack: Fjallraven Ulvo 23 Daypack

YETI Panga Backpack 28 : Best Overall Waterproof Backpack

YETI is well-known for a reason. Their gear doesn’t just work, it works for a lifetime. And this fantastic waterproof backpack is no different. It’s the ultimate fortress for all your gear. Combining the durability of the Panga duffels with a backpack design for comfortable carrying, the Panga Backpack is perfect for any adventure.

With its ultra-strong construction, the Panga Backpack is the ultimate pack for water sports. From rafting to kayak-packing, this bag is built to keep your gear dry.

Unlike many water-resistant backpacks on the market, this true dry bag backpack is designed with waterproof performance as the first priority. The U-Dock and Hydrolok Zipper ensures a completely airtight seal, keeping your belongings bone-dry, no matter the weather. The ThickSkin Shell, made from high-density nylon and thick TPU lamination ensures the bag is puncture and abrasion-resistant.

But, keep in mind that, like other YETI products, they come at a premium. This definitely the best waterproof bag on this list, but it’s not cheap!

• Pros & Cons
• Technical Specs
• Ergonomic, durable DryHaul shoulder straps and removable hip belt and chest strap ensure the backpack is stable and secure throughout your trek
• ThickSkin shell is able to resist punctures and abrasion
• HydroLok zipper is extremely effective at sealing out water, ensuring that your valuables remain dry at all times
• Internal sleeves and mesh pockets keep your valuables secure, dry and organized
• Only available in one color (Storm Gray)
• The bag is not the most lightweight option available
• The bag only comes in one size, which may be considered large by some

Rains Backpack : Best Waterproof Backpack for College

Rains is a modern lifestyle brand that merges conceptual design with streamlined functionality. Their signature rainwear uses a highly durable polyester fabric bonded to a waterproof polyurethane face, and their bags make use of the same material to offer impressive water resistance.

As a college student, you want a bag that can carry everything you need in style without weighing you down. The best options will be lightweight, simple designs that offer laptop storage and just enough room for a few books.

The Rains Backpack is a chic bag that gives you everything you need for cruising around campus. The waterproof construction is an added bonus for when you have to rush through downpours between classes.

One downside is that the shoulder straps are just made of thin webbing and don’t have any padding. If you’re carrying heavy loads around, this may become uncomfortable over time.

It definitely isn’t cut out for outdoor adventures, but on campus, the Rain Backpack is proof that the best waterproof backpacks don’t have to look like something meant for whitewater rafting.

• Stylish, minimal design
• Polyurethane layer won't absorb water
• Quick access to main compartment
• Thin shoulder straps
• Small volume

Mission Workshop Rhake : Best Waterproof Laptop Backpack

Mission Workshop is a San Francisco that is dedicated to building the most durable and functional packs and gear on the market. They build products with bomber materials and construction and back them up with an impressive warranty.

If you commute or travel with a laptop, it’s essential to keep your device protected from impact or water. With other packs, I’ve resorted to stuffing my laptop inside a trash bag when things got wet. The Mission Workshop Rhake is made of fully water-resistant X-Pac material to keep your belongings dry in a downpour.

This durable daypack is heavy at over three pounds, but in return, you get a nearly indestructible pack that is very supportive with comfortable shoulder straps.

This is an expensive bag, but if you are looking for the most protective, durable, and feature-packed water-resistant daypack for carrying your laptop, you can’t go wrong with the Mission Workshop Rhake.

If you want some more options, check out my list of the best laptop backpacks.

• Extremely durable
• Tons of organization features
• Impressive warranty
• Great waterproof protection
• Very expensive

Matador Freerain22 : Best Packable Waterproof Backpack

The Freerain22 Waterproof Packable Backpack is part of Matador’s “Advanced Series”. This range of products is designed for the traveler who pushes further, hikes longer, and enjoys the unexpected. It is one of the lightest, most compact weatherproof backpacks around.

The Freerain22 is designed for quick and easy access in variable conditions. It is ultralight, water-resistant, and packs down to fit into your palm.

Thanks to its waterproof UHMWPE-reinforced Robic® nylon, sealed seams, and roll-top closure, this bag’s main compartment is completely waterproof. In addition to keeping your belongings safe, this bag offers plenty of storage, including side pockets to hold your water bottle.

The mesh shoulder straps aren’t padded, so it isn’t great for heavy loads. The adjustable sternum strap, and removable waist straps help improve carrying comfort and keep it secure on your back.

The Matador Freerain22 is a great choice for anyone who needs the best waterproof backpack that can pack into a compact package. It’s hard to believe it packs down so small!

• Waterproof UHMWPE-reinforced Robic® fabric with sealed seams and sealing zippers for optimal protection from all elements 
• Adjustable sternum strap and removable waist straps
• Packs down small for travel
• 22L capacity doesn't hold a ton, but there is a 28L version available as well 
• Fabric could be stronger

Mammut Ducan Spine 28-35 Women’s Backpack : Best Women’s Waterproof Backpack

The Mammut Ducan Spine is the perfect hiking backpack for women. The bag is specifically cut for the female frame. It features a suspension system with patented Active Spine Technology designed to support a natural gait.

This pack offers fantastic comfort and fit. The flexible, padded shoulder straps and hip belt conform to your body, and the elastic sternum strap helps you dial in the fit. The air suspension system allows for adequate ventilation, keeping your back sweat-free (at least, as much as possible after hours on the trail).

The Mammut Duncan Spine does a great job with weatherproofing. It uses a fully waterproof material, sealed seams, and a straightforward roll-top design to keep water out. One thing to watch out for is that the lightweight fabric is prone to wear, which would compromise the weatherproofing.

For women who struggle to find waterproof backpacks that fit just right, this lightweight pack may be the perfect solution.

• Lightweight and tailored specifically to the female anatomy, allowing for optimal comfort
• Roll top closure creates a tight seal
• Well-positioned pockets to allow easy access to your gear while walking or hiking.
• Waterproof rain cover included for added protection in case of downpours
• Only one size option available - may be too big for some
• Less durable than other waterproof bags
• Easy to lose water-resistant performance through wear and tear
• No front pocket

Timbuk2 Robin Pack : Best Men’s Waterproof Backpack

Need a stylish, yet functional, everyday men’s backpack? Then the Timbuk2 Robin Pack is a great option. It’s hic, nimble and designed to withstand even the heaviest of downpours. Most of the best water-resistant backpacks look bulky and utilitarian, but this bag will keep your gear safe in style.

The Timbuk2 Robin Pack features a coated nylon pack body and removable rainfly. This adds an extra layer of weather-proofing in the worst downpours.

The magnetic closure is an awesome innovative feature for men on the go. It makes it super easy to access the inside of the bag.

I found myself wanting a bit more space with this bag, as the internal volume is quite limited. For a compact everyday bag, though, it does a great job.

• Adjustable magnetic chest strap keeps the bag secure and allows for an even weight distribution
• Incognito reflective panel illuminates when hit with direct light, allowing for improved visibility 
• Includes a tuck-away rainfly for extra protection in case of downpours. 
• Secure magnetic closure
• More organization pockets would be nice
• Only one size option available
• Not good as a hiking backpack

Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Daypack : Best Lightweight Waterproof Backpack

Sea to Summit builds a wide range of high-quality, ultralight products for travel and outdoor adventures. the Ultra-Sil Dry Daypack is an incredibly light packable backpack that’s designed to keep your gear dry on the trail or while traveling.

This compact backpack is made from featherweight but tough 30D siliconized CORDURA fabric and has double-stitched, fully-taped seams. With the roll top enclosure that allows you to completely seal this bag, you can count on it to keep your gear dry in heavy downpours.

Most waterproof bags are bulky and heavy, so they aren’t great for backpacking or other activities where you need to carry your gear for a long time. This quality waterproof backpack is different, tipping the scales at a measly 3.9 oz.

To hit that incredible weight, Sea to Summit cut a few corners when it comes to comfort and features. There is no padding whatsoever, no hip belt, no chest strap, no outside pockets, and very little structure to distribute the weight.

I’m actually okay with this compromise because it was done for a reason. As long as you are using this bag for it’s intended purpose (as an ultralight secondary bag for short excursions), I don’t think you’ll be disappointed

Whether you’re backpacking and need a packable pack for side trips, or want an ultralight daypack for traveling, this waterproof backpack is the ultimate in lightweight water-resistant design.

• Packs down small
• Ultra lightweight design
• Comfortable for such a minimal pack
• No exterior pockets
• Not as durable as other waterproof backpacks

Showers Pass Transit Waterproof Backpack : Best Commuter Waterproof Backpack

This tough, chaos-ready waterproof backpack is defined by its protective, durable design and is perfect for cyclists on their daily commutes. Safely store your lunch, books, and gadgets as you travel between destinations, be it home, work, or your local coffee shop. Regardless of your destination, the  Transit Waterproof Backpack  is sure to keep all your belongings secure and dry.

This waterproof, weather-resistant backpack, with its sturdy construction, provides optimal protection in all conditions.

This bag has smart features that make it optimal for bike commuting. The 4 LED beacon lights are also a unique addition that ensure you will be seen when riding at night.

This is a high-end water-resistant backpack, and you’ll pay a premium for it. You’ll have to decide whether the uncompromising quality is worth the cost for you.

• Fully waterproof material
• Internal welded seams
• Sleek, streamlined design
• Padded laptop compartment
• Only one external pocket
• Less organization than most backpacks

Mountain Hardwear Scrambler Pack 25 : Best Waterproof Backpack for Hiking

Mountain Hardwear makes a wide range of high-performance, technical outdoor gear. They are one of the few mainstream brands that seems to be willing to follow the trends set by smaller “cottage” gear makers in terms of materials and construction.

I’ve been impressed with the design, build quality, and durability of every Mountain Hardwear product I’ve tried, and their waterproof backpacks are no exception.

The Mountain Hardwear Scrambler Pack 25 is a rugged outdoor backpack that encompasses all of the above. Its rugged, 4-layer X-Pac fabric provides optimal protection. No matter the weather, your bag and your belongings inside will be kept safe.

This hiking backpack is durable and light, making it a dependable pack for day hikers, trad climbers, and off-trail scramblers. I do wish this backpack came in a smaller size, as some trails require more mobility which a larger bag does not quite allow for.

• X-Pac fabric is durable and completely waterproof
• Dual-density shoulder straps and heavy-duty waist belt offer great support
• Lightweight framesheet transfers the load off your shoulders
• Only one color option available 
• Only one size option available - may be big for some
• I wish there was a front pocket

Osprey Arcane Roll-Top : Best Waterproof Backpack for Work

If you’ve spent much time looking at the product recommendations on TravelFreak, you’ve probably noticed that there are a lot of Osprey backpacks. You’ll also see Osprey packs being used by hikers on trails all around the country.

This is no accident, Osprey makes some seriously capable packs, and they lead the industry in durability, functionality, and comfort-oriented designs.

The Osprey Arcane Roll-Top is a stylish, minimalist pack designed for urban travel while incorporating a lot of the same design elements as their hiking packs.

The overall design of the Osprey Arcane is simple, but extremely functional. It has a wide-opening roll-top access to the main compartment, an easy-access front pocket, a small external zipped pocket, and a padded laptop compartment on the inside.

This pack is made of a durable recycled polyester fabric with a waterproof coating and a DWR treatment that repells water without using environmentally harmful PFC compounds.

Be aware that while this pack will keep your gear dry in a rainstorm, it definitely isn’t meant for paddle sports. If you’re heading out on a raft or paddle board, you’ll want a full drybag.

The Osprey Arcane is a durable, water-resistant pack that will last years to come and minimize your impact on the planet.

• Eco-friendly materials and treatments
• Stylish design
• Fantastic comfort for everyday wear
• Solid build quality
• Less waterproof than other options
• Not great for outdoor activities
• Only one water bottle pocket

Osprey UltraLight Dry Sack : Best Waterproof Dry Sack

Through relentless innovation, Osprey aims to ease your journey and inspire travel. One of the products through which the brand wishes to achieve this is the Osprey UltraLight Dry Sack . This compact, lightweight waterproof dry bag is designed for the best gear protection and organization without adding excess weight.

To keep your gear as safe and organized as possible, the bag features a roll-top closure and is made from durable, waterproof materials. It features a color-coded interior, making packing and accessing all the more simple.

So before placing your gear into your travel luggage, use the Ultralight Dry Sack as it allows you to pack more efficiently.

• Available in many sizes and colors 
• Rectangular shape allows for efficient packing
• Highly durable as it is made from 40D Ripstop nylon
• Roll top ensures watertight seal
• Some users have reported leaking, however, this is rare
• Does not have its own strap and needs to be placed within another bag

SealLine Urban Dry Daypack : Best Waterproof Daypack

SealLine’s waterproof dry bag products are made to protect your gear in all conditions. They build a range of impressive waterproof bags and packs for outdoor adventures, and the Urban Dry Daypack packs that same capability into a waterproof bag that’s optimized for everyday use while commuting or traveling.

In wet weather, a fully waterproof backpack can make the difference between a great day and a disaster. Unlike many packs that claim to be water, this waterproof dry bag backpack is clearly designed from the ground up with waterproof performance in mind. It has minimal seams for water to seep in, and the top-loading roll top design effectively seals this pack from the weather.

This is another great bag for getting around town on a bike. The narrow, burrito-style roll-top allows for improved over-the-shoulder sightlines while riding, and the shoulder strap design keeps the pack from shifting around as you pedal.

With no outside pockets or waist belt, this pack isn’t great for hiking, but it is a very capable daypack for commuting or travel in urban environments.

From a company that specializes in waterproof gear, the Urban Dry Daypack is a minimal, functional bag for keeping your belongings dry on the go.

• QuickClick flap closure creates an optimal watertight seal, keeping your gear safe and secure
• Waterproof materials and includes welded seams to ensure the inside of the bag remains bone-dry
• Light-colored interior allows for easy identification of contents within the bag
• Only available in a single size
• Not many handy options for separating items
• No mesh pocket for water bottles

Simms Dry Creek Z Backpack : Best Waterproof Backpack for Fishing

Simms truly believes in the joy of fishing and is committed to making everyone’s experience all the more worthwhile. Through their innovative products, the brand aims to lower the barriers between the world’s lakes, rivers and open waters, and those who hear their call.

The Simms Dry Creek Z Backpack is a rugged, water-resistant backpack and is perfect for anyone who enjoys fishing. Hard-to-reach fish require strategy and stamina. The Dry Creek Z easily endures the effort, tolerates heavy loads and keeps your gear, tools and layers safe and dry.

The Dry Creek Z Backpack is fully waterproof, net-friendly and provides quick access to all your gear. Whether you’re an experienced guide or a beginner taking your first cast, this bag is sure to have you covered.

• Tru Zip waterproof self-healing zipper offers 100% submersible protection in all conditions
• Roomy, water-resistant exterior pocket for quick access to key items
• Ample storage in main compartment
• Could have more features given its price
• Only available in one size - 35L

The North Face Borealis Classic Backpack : Best Waterproof Travel Backpack

Stash your gear and hit the road with this modern, rugged backpack by The North Face. The Borealis Classic Backpack is a 28-liter backpack offering updated features and an improved suspension system for all-day comfort.

This water resistant backpack is larger than many of the other options on this list, so it is great for longer trips. If you are a light packer, you can definitely get by with using this as your only bag while traveling.

To be clear, this backpack is definitely not submersible, but it offers enough water resistance to keep your belongings dry in an unexpected downpour.

It also packs in great versatility for trail-to-town use. The padded laptop sleeve can double as a hydration reservoir compartment. The well-padded shoulder straps and reinforced back panel make it comfortable and supportive enough for all-day hikes. The durable materials will take a beating whether your scrambling over boulders or tossing it into an airplane overhead bin.

• Highly comfortable, padded backpack with spine panel and PE sheet for extra back support 
• Plenty of internal and external pockets to keep your belongings secure and organized
• Integrated, reflective bike light loop (bike light not included)
• Many color options available (Horizon Red, Sweet Lavender, Asphalt Grey, and more)
• The bag is top-heavy and does not have a flat bottom so it tends to fall over when set down
• Less stylish than other travel backpacks

Fjallraven Ulvo 23 Daypack : Best Small Waterproof Backpack

The Fjallraven Ulvo 23 Daypack is a versatile, packable backpack , great for light treks, traveling, and everyday commuting. The bag’s innovative Fjallraven Bergshell fabric is made from 100% recycled nylon and is completely water-resistant. This way, you’re able to keep all your daily essentials safe and secure while you travel.

One of this waterproof daypack’s biggest draws is its sleek, minimalist design. I really love how this bag balances the minimal aesthetic with a function-first design.

With many hidden pockets and compartments, there’s no shortage of organization.

The backpack has lightly-padded shoulder straps with ventilating air mesh at the shoulders and bag for added comfort. For those who are always on-the-go, and do not want to sacrifice style for functionality, I definitely recommend checking this backpack out.

• Versatile daypack made from waterproof, durable and recycled Bergshell fabric
• 23-liter main storage compartment - can easily hold a 15” laptop and more
• Plenty of pockets to keep your gear organized
• Also works as a hiking backpack
• Raincover not included
• Only available in one size
• More stylish than most outdoor backpacks

How to Choose a Waterproof Backpack

Not all waterproof backpacks are created equal. Here are some of the key factors to consider as you search for the best waterproof bag for your next adventure.

Waterproof vs Water-Resistant Backpack

It’s important to understand the difference between waterproof and water resistant. If a backpack is labeled as waterproof, it suggests that the bag will not let any water inside, even when submerged into a body of water. It goes beyond simply withstanding a rainstorm, and optimizes for more extreme conditions.

A water-resistant bag, on the other hand, will do a good job at keeping rain out, but it may leak over time, and you definitely wouldn’t want to drop it in a lake. Most of these bags are made of a coated nylon or polyester with a DWR treatment: an additional waterproof coating that prevents moisture from seeping through.

The best waterproof backpacks have certain features that ensure moisture is kept out. This includes waterproof fabrics, coated zippers, sealed seams, and more. A pack can be made of fully waterproof fabric, but without sealed or welded seams, coated zippers, and secure closures, water can still get inside.

The packs in this roundup vary in their level of waterproofness, from dry bag backpacks intended for rafting or fishing to highly water-resistant packs that will stay dry in a downpour but shouldn’t be submerged.

If you are going rafting, kayak packing, or fly fishing and need a pack that is 100%, no holds barred waterproof, you need to look for waterproof backpacks that are based on a dry bag design. This means you should look for features like a thick TPU outer coating, minimal outside pockets or stitching, fully welded seams, and a drybag sealing closure.

For more general use, you just need your bag to stay dry in the event of heavy rain and don’t need a full waterproof dry bag backpack. Most backpacks on the market offer some level of water resistance, but if you know you’ll be facing precipitation, you want a laminate material like X-Pac, coated waterproof zippers, and sealed seams.

Comfort and Fit

Great features and build quality don’t matter if a pack is uncomfortable or doesn’t fit right. In my opinion, fit is the most important thing to consider when shopping for waterproof backpacks.

For larger packs that will carry heavier weight, you’ll definitely want thickly padded shoulder straps, a padded waist belt, and some sort of frame to distribute some of the weight off your shoulders.

In a smaller, lightweight backpack, you can get away with less padding and structure, but you still want it to be comfortable. Features like sternum straps or removable waist belts can help improve the stability and carrying capability of a smaller bag.

I highly recommend trying a pack on before buying it. Pack comfort and fit is a very personal thing, and what works for someone else may not work for you. If you are shopping for waterproof backpacks online, buy from a retailer with a good return policy, and don’t be afraid of sending a pack back if it doesn’t fit quite right.

Even the best waterproof backpacks lose their function if you tear a seam or wear a hole through the fabric. While it’s nice to cut weight where possible, you definitely want a pack that will stand up to the abuse you throw at it.

Here are a few features to look for in a durable waterproof bag:

Thick, high-denier fabrics

Welded or sealed seams rather than taped seams

Heavy-duty buckles and components

Oversized coated zippers (YKK-branded zippers are widely considered the best in the business)

When shopping for waterproof backpacks, you want to make sure to choose one that’s the right size for your intended use. From lightweight daypacks for hiking or commuting to massive gear haulers for raft-packing trips, there is a massive range of sizes to choose from.

As a general rule of thumb, a good daypack will have 10-30L of internal capacity. For a travel bag, you’ll be looking in the 20-50L range. For backpacking or extended outdoor adventures, you’ll most likely want a bag above 40L.

Pockets and Organization

While one massive main compartment may be useful for some situations, many times you’ll want more backpack features like pockets and compartments to keep your gear organized and accessible.

I love having mesh pockets to hold water bottles on the outside of a pack. Exterior zippered pockets are also useful for keeping small items like keys, charging cords, and your phone easy to access.

Depending on the type of pack you’re looking for, you may also benefit from some interior organization. Some of the packs on this list that are meant for city use feature a padded laptop sleeve to keep your device secure and protected.

One thing to be aware of is that exterior pockets and seams create weak points in the waterproof protection of a pack and increase the likelihood of leaks.

Final Thoughts on the Best Waterproof Backpack

With a waterproof backpack, you will be able to fully enjoy each and every adventure. With high-quality, durable materials, these backpacks will ensure your belongings stay safe and dry, for years to come.

Note that quality and durability often come with a higher price tag. For a high-quality waterproof bag, you can expect to pay up to as much as $300 or more. Luckily, there are several more cost-effective options on this list that still guarantee a great experience.

Before your next outdoor adventure, be sure to pick up one of the top waterproof backpacks from this list!

I hope that from this list you have found the right waterproof backpack to accompany you on your next adventure. If you’re interested in any other useful travel gear, check out the informative options below.

• Best Backpack Brands
• Best Travel Backpacks
• Best Rain Jackets for Travel

Waterproof Backpack FAQs

Do waterproof backpacks exist.

Yes, there are specific backpack with a dry-bag construction that are fully waterproof.

What is the difference between a waterproof backpack and a water resistant backpack?

Water-resistant backpacks use a waterproof material and can repel mild rain. To be waterproof, a backpack needs welded or sealed seams and a fully sealing closure.

What backpacks can be submerged?

If you need a backpack that can be submerged, look for a dry bag with shoulder straps.

Why are backpacks not waterproof?

Most backpacks aren’t fully waterproof because adequately sealing the seams and openings is difficult.

Jeremy Scott Foster

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The Best Travel Backpacks of 2024

Whether weekend road-tripping or jet-setting around the world, you’re going to need a pack to toss over your shoulder. Here are the best travel backpacks for every adventure.

There are a lot of great travel backpacks out there, but not all of them are created equal. A travel pack needs to be comfortable to carry, easy to organize, and durable enough to withstand being toted from place to place.

From hitting the road for the weekend to spending months traveling abroad, we’ve put nearly 30 different travel backpacks through the wringer. We tallied our airline miles, punched our tickets, and put our tray tables in the upright and locked position for close to half a decade now, taking domestic and international flights to as far as Iceland and as close as 30-minute island hops. And while there isn’t a single pack that suits every traveler, we’ve highlighted a variety of designs and price points to help you find the perfect travel backpack.

Choosing a travel backpack can be a dizzying experience, and we’ve shaken down the best to sort through the static. Each pack has seen its time on the baggage carousel, hostel luggage cart, and we’ve even had a few go missing for the full experience. We fully pack and live out of these bags to test them, and in the end, we’re confident that the 15 packs collected here are the best travel backpacks available today. Check in and check them out.

For all your travel pack questions, consult our buyer’s guide , where we’ve laid bare all the essentials. Compare each of the packs using our handy comparison chart , and if you’ve still got questions, check out our FAQ section.

Editor’s Note: We updated our travel backpack guide on March 20, 2024 to add the Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24L — a supremely nice commuter-style travel pack, as well as the Thule Aion 40L and Osprey Archeon 30L .

• Best Overall Travel Backpack: Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L
• Best Budget Travel Backpack: Dakine Campus 33L Backpack
• Best Carrying Travel Backpack: Osprey Farpoint & Fairview 40 Travel Packs
• Best Organization in a Travel Backpack: Matador SEG45 Travel Pack
• Best Shoulder Bag: Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L
• Best Commuter-Style Travel Backpack: Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24L
• Best Personal Item Travel Pack: TimBuk2 Never Check Expandable Backpack

Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

• Capacity 45 L (collapses to 35 L)
• Weight 4 lbs., 8 oz.
• Dimensions 22" x 13" x 9.5" standard, 22" x 13" x 11" expanded
• Compartment access Back panel clamshell design with #10 zipper
• Material Weatherproof, 100% recycled 400-denier nylon canvas shell; 900-denier waterproof bottom

• Compresses down to maximum airline carry-on size, and then expands once you’ve hit your destination
• Burly construction
• No details are overlooked in the design
• Side-carry handles are offset in an awkward position

Perfect is a dirty word in product design, but we’re about stumped when it comes to drumming up a quibble about the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45 L ($300). This redeye-ready clamshell design is made to the highest of standards.

It’s made of quality materials, utilizing aluminum hardware and a burly 400-denier nylon canvas — and it easily ticks all our boxes for the best overall travel backpack. The interior of the bag is split into two compartments: a larger main area for storing the majority of your kit and a secondary sleeve at the front of the bag with five zippered pockets. The main pocket also sports a foam-padded laptop sleeve and three more pockets.

One of the more impressive aspects we discovered along the bag’s inaugural leg from Seattle to Anchorage was how easily the straps of the Travel Backpack stow away into the bag. Two foam panels on the back of the bag flip away to secure them and then close with a magnetic closure — very slick. This was our favorite strap-stowage system, with the zippered panels of the Matador GlobeRider45 coming in a close second. We find the Peak Design bag compresses smaller.

Then there are the little details. An ID-size sleeve on the back panel provides all the information should your bag get separated from you. Zipper pulls thread through one another to keep what’s yours safe. And a collapsible system adjusts the bag from a full 45 to 35 liters.

In our review, there’s little about the Peak Design pack that misses the mark. The company leans heavily toward the camera-toting travelers among us, but the 45 L Travel Backpack makes no compromises and works just as well for any user group. The high price is undeniable, but for the scope of the travel pack, it’s a buy-once-cry-once purchase we would make again.

Also available in a 30L size , the range of Travel Backpacks from Peak Design is so well-thought-out that you can practically see the cogs turning in their creators’ heads. We think they make the best travel backpacks on the market.

Dakine Campus 33L Backpack

• Capacity 33 L
• Weight 1 lb., 10.6 oz.
• Dimensions 20.5" x 13" x 8"
• Compartment access Zippered top access
• Material Depending on print type, can be 600-denier recycled polyester, 420-denier recycled nylon, 630-denier recycled nylon, or 1,200-denier recycled polyester

• Cheap price
• Available in many different fabric prints
• Unique insulated cooler pocket
• Not many travel-specific features
• Straps don’t pack away

Even at the regular price, the Dakine Campus 33L Backpack ($75) is a great deal. And considering you can grab one on sale for $45, it’s a must-have budget travel backpack.

It has everything you need to keep your travels organized, without getting too big or complicated. This design has a padded laptop sleeve and a fleece-lined top pocket to keep your sunglasses safe. There’s an organizer pocket that’s perfect for pens, a phone, and easy-access essentials. We love pockets, and this backpack has plenty.

And if that weren’t enough, it also has an insulated cooler pocket to keep your snacks fresh on the go, plus double side pockets keep drinks handy. We found the straps comfortable during long travel days. Be sure to use the sternum strap when carrying a heavy load for the best fit.

While this bag does excellent at travel, it isn’t quite what the bag was designed for, thus it’s missing a few travel niceties like a compression system or the ability to pack away the straps. We didn’t find that we missed them desperately, but they would have been nice for a few instances. For similar-sized backpacks with more of a travel bend to them, look to the sleek Timbuk2 Never Check, or the uber-customizable Tom Bihn Synapse 25. But prepare to shell out some more for them.

If you’re looking for a sub-$100 backpack (under $60 during sales!) that does the basics, then the Dakine Campus Backpack is for you. It comes in a variety of colors and is also available in a 25L capacity .

Osprey Farpoint & Fairview 40 Travel Packs

• Capacity 40 L
• Weight 3 lbs., 7.6 oz.
• Dimensions 22" x 14" x 9"
• Compartment access Zippered back panel clamshell design
• Material Bluesign-approved 450-denier recycled polyester

• Supreme suspension system offers the best carry of any pack we tried
• External compression straps limit the volume well
• Comfortably padded grab handles
• Not much internal organization

No stranger to producing supremely comfortable suspension systems, Osprey injected a good bit of its tech into the Farpoint and Fairview packs ($185), which both sport LightWire frames, load lifters, and breathable framesheet and suspension straps. Our Farpoint pack was easily the best load carrier of any we tested and a close contender for the best travel backpack overall.

Far beyond what any of the other travel packs offer, the pack even allows you to adjust the torso length — unheard of in the typical travel pack. Newly updated, these packs have been tweaked to ride the line between traditional backpacks and functional luggage, a claim we can substantiate.

The 40-liter capacity is just about the sweet spot for domestic carry-on luggage limits, and these packs make good use of the space. We could easily pack away a long weekend’s worth of travel essentials into the bag with a little space to spare.

Whereas many other travel packs stash straps away into the body of the pack, the Farpoint and Fairview move in the opposite direction with a deployable strap cover that neatly seals in the suspension for safekeeping when checked. This produces a clean profile that’s ready to be slung around, but it’s not quite as easy and quick as the magnetic panels of the Peak Design Travel Backpacks, as you need to unclip straps to tuck them away.

The interior of the pack is rather spartan, incorporating only one zippered pocket, a laptop sleeve, and two internal compression straps. We would have rather seen a bit more organizational features involved like those that the Matador GlobeRider and Topo Designs Global Travel bags incorporate, but for those who stuff more than pack, the Farpoint and  Fairview may very well punch the ticket.

With one foot on the platform and one on the trail, these packs from Osprey will get you where you’re going and carry a trip’s worth of kit with ease.

Matador SEG45 Travel Pack

• Capacity 45 L
• Weight 2 lbs., 8 oz.
• Dimensions 22" x 13.4" x 10.2"
• Compartment access Full clamshell interior, additional front zippered access
• Material 420-denier nylon exterior, 100-denier Robic Dynatec interior

• Excellent storage organization options
• High-quality, strong, and lightweight construction
• No frame to speak of
• Shoulder straps don’t pack away

Aiming to do more with less, the Matador SEG45 Segmented Backpack ($200) proposes a future free of packing cubes and splits up the bag for you, making the organization of your travel pack a breeze.

The full 45 liters of volume is shared among the five segments (6, 9, 15, 9, and 6 L) and trades volume between the full clamshell compartment and the segments. Each of these segments is accessible via its own water-resistant zippers and can be collapsed as your needs change.

We found organizing by clothing type made the most sense in our own packing, but you could even pack based on the day of the week or the use. The clamshell-accessed main compartment was ideal for holding larger items like spare shoes or quarantining spent outfits.

Known for its overbuilt but lightweight bags, Matador didn’t spare the SEG45, utilizing 420D UHMWPE-reinforced nylon in the pack body, as well as 100D Robic Dynatec weave on the interior. It should be noted that this travel backpack doesn’t have any kind of frame and will rely on being packed well to carry correctly. Because of this, this pack won’t carry as well as bags like the Osprey Farpoint/Fairview, so consider packing mostly clothing in the SEG45.

Our testers felt this bag excelled as a travel bag you might deploy once you’ve hit your destination, as it packs away into larger bags so well. Unfortunately, however, the shoulder straps don’t pack away into the bag itself, so you’ll have to wrangle them into place to keep things tidy.

No matter what you’re up to, everything has got a spot to live in the SEG45 . Need a bit less space? Matador offers the SEG28 ($250) for that.

Read Review: Dresser in a Backpack: Matador SEG42 Review

Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L

• Weight 3 lbs., 10.3 oz.
• Dimensions 22.8" x 8.6" x 14.5"
• Compartment access Back panel zippered clamshell design
• Material 900-denier recycled polyester ripstop with a TPU laminate

• Multiple ways to carry the pack
• Many different storage and internal organization options
• Burly external fabric
• Doesn’t carry the best as a backpack

Looking to squeeze out every last liter of allowed space? Patagonia named this pack in honor of the cause: the Patagonia Black Hole Maximum Legal Carry-On 45 L ($239). This bag can be carried in a number of different ways, but we found it shined during travel as a shoulder bag.

Borrowing fabric from Patagonia’s line of burly Black Hole Duffels , the MLC 45 is made for the long haul. The 900-denier polyester ripstop is coated in a TPU laminate and feels ready to take on the surliest baggage carrier. We certainly felt no remorse in tossing the bag around.

At 45 L, the MLC is certainly right at the cusp of the maximum allowed size, but thankfully that space is well divided up inside the pack. Inside the main clamshell-accessed compartment is a blizzard of zippers and mesh pockets and dividers. Anything we tossed inside was well-stabilized.

Because there isn’t much of a frame to speak of, the Black Hole MLC doesn’t carry the best when slung over both shoulders and can sag when not entirely full. But over a shoulder with the included shoulder strap, this pack feels great and can be easily accessed on the go. This is one of the only packs in our testing to feature a shoulder strap (the other being the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag).

On top of all this, we greatly appreciate that the Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45 L is made with 100% recycled body fabric, lining, and webbing. Perfect for grabbing and going, this pack is ready to move.

Read Review: Patagonia Black Hole MLC Bag Review: An Organized, Carry-On-Size Wonder

Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24L

• Capacity 24 L
• Weight 3 lbs., 1.6 oz.
• Dimensions 18" x 7: x 11.5"
• Compartment access Zippered clamshell
• Material 840D ballistic nylon 6, 420D HT nylon

• Functions as both a laptop backpack and suitcase
• Well-structured and protected
• Full panel loading access
• Limited colorways

With an understated look that betrays the truly impressive fit and functionality inside, the Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24L ($279) doesn’t need to brag — it knows it’ll tote your kit through the worst of your travel or everyday commutes without missing a beat. This bag is our newly anointed best commuter-style travel backpack.

From a fabrics and materials standpoint, it’s clear that someone at Evergoods truly nerded out when they brewed up this bindle. The 840D ballistic nylon 6 that makes up the exterior of the pack is burly (errantly spilled coffee wipes right off), and compliments the thick #10 zippers and spacer-mesh back panel. Even the Evergoods logo is low-key: a simple 2×2” patch on the front of the bag with a slash. That’s it — and we dig it.

Bar none, the Civic Panel Loader has the best laptop sleeve we’ve ever encountered in a backpack, and that’s saying something. The side-accessed zippered aperture can hold a 17” Macbook Pro, and nestles into a fully padded space at the rear of the pack. This sleeve is suspended from the bottom of the bag, as we’ve seen in many forward-thinking bags, but goes a step further and protects the laptop from the side with an aluminum stay — the primary functionality of which is to support the side handle on the bag. Genius.

The high-polish finish on the CPL24 feels reminiscent of the attention to detail we loved about the Tom Bihn Synapse 25, but we ended up enjoying this pack even more for a simple reason: side carry. The broad handle on the side of the pack is reinforced by that aluminum stay, and it creates a perfectly supported carry for jostling through crowded terminals.

On the interior of the pack, two large pockets are subdivided with a few smaller sleeves and pockets, which are oriented to be accessed with the bag on its side. We carried this pack for a month straight of remote work, lugging it to coffee shops and co-working spaces, and it supplanted all other packs we’ve used previously. “It’s hard not to love a pack that makes your life easier,” says Senior Editor Nick Belcaster. “This pack does that. Laptop, headphones, notebooks — a whole lot goes into the pack without a care.”

Up there with Nomatic, GORUCK, and Tom Bihn, Evergoods is certainly among the pack-makers that put intelligent design and smart material choice above all else. The Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24L is the final word when it comes to a travel pack you can carry every day. We certainly do.

Timbuk2 Never Check Expandable Backpack

• Capacity 27.5 L
• Weight 2 lbs., 9 oz.
• Dimensions 18.9" x 11.4" x 5.9"
• Material 420x2000D Cordura nylon, 135D polyester

• Dang good looking
• High-quality trim and details, including anodized G hooks and supple webbing
• Supper cushioned back panel
• Exterior expandable water bottle pocket is a bit slim
• Pack straps don't stow away.

Pulling off a good expandable backpack can be a tough task, with fabric accordion folds often taking up valuable real estate on the interior when collapsed in lesser bags. Not so with the TimBuk2 Never Check ($209), which takes a simple backpack shape and elevates it with premium materials and design to create one of our favorite travel backpacks for tucking under an airliner seat.

Unlike a lot of the pure-function rectangular bags in our lineup, the Never Check is a real looker — easily one of the best styled in our testing so far, and we’d have no qualms about bringing it along as a business bag. Small details like rubber-covered zipper pulls, anodized G hooks, and supple webbing keep it looking sharp. The 27.5-liter size is just about dead-on for most airline ‘personal item’ size requirements, and this bag easily slides under a seat.

The main compartment is accessed through a clamshell zipper on the front of the bag, which is gusseted to hang open while you’re loading it up. During the few national and international flights our Senior Editor Nick Belcaster deployed the bag on, this was easily enough space for everything you might want during a plane ride. And for everything else, a front pocket is lined with multiple drop and zip pockets for organizing small gadgets like chargers or keys.

The back panel of the Never Check is a plush ½ inch of comfortable foam, and combined with the equally padded shoulder straps made for a very nice carrying bag. The straps unfortunately do not stow away, but on a lower volume pack such as this, it’s a much less useable feature in our opinions.  And finally, one of our favorite features: the wide laptop sleeve. This 15” opening is generous enough to accommodate the larger laptops of today, and is suspended from the bottom of the backpack to ensure bumps don’t turn into bruises.

Just like the name suggests, the Never Check Expandable Backpack provides a svelte solution to bringing a bag with you during airline travel — or even just to the office. Its clean profile and attention to detail impressed us, and it would make an excellent work-to-weekend bag.

Matador GlobeRider45 Travel Pack

• Dimensions 22" x 12.8" x 11"
• Compartment access Zippered clamshell design
• Material 420D UHMWPE-reinforced ripstop nylon, 100D Robic nylon mini-ripstop

• Incredible density of pockets and sleeves
• Tough UHMWPE outer fabric can be tossed around
• Shoulder straps tuck away in a novel and smart manner
• Laptop sleeve opening is a bit tight
• Price is up there

With a pocket or sleeve for pretty much everything, the new Matador GlobeRider 45 ($350) gives the Peak Design Travel Pack a run for its money when it comes to the best overall travel pack. 

Our Managing Editor raved about the GlobeRider after serious testing where she pretty much lived out of it for 3 months: “If you travel often and look for crucial components like internal and external pockets, laptop storage, and backpack and hip straps, consider the Matador GlobeRider 45. It’s a unique design in that the [pack] seems to have it all — every feature I’ve needed so far, both living out of it and in my travels — in a pretty packable size.”

What impressed us most was the way the GlobeRider was able to balance both an eye-watering amount of organization and versatility, and burly durability that ensures that this pack won’t shy away from tough travel conditions. In total (and we double-counted) there are 19 individual pockets on the pack, in all types of stretch mesh, zippered, and collapsible configurations. When good organization is key, the GlobeRider reigns. 

On the back panel of the GlobeRider, one of the more novel stowage systems we’ve seen packs away the shoulder straps and hip belt for when you want to slim down the pack. Two zippered panels — similar to the structure of the Peak Design packs, save for the closure — envelop the straps when not in use, and provide a lump-free panel for toting around. 

When it comes to downsides, the GlobeRider doesn’t miss much. The laptop sleeve aperture is a bit small at 9.5”, which in today’s age of mondo-screened computers may be limiting to some with larger devices. There also is no ability to convert the pack to a shoulder bag like the Patagonia MLC does, which can be handy when moving quickly through the airport.

Dang-near the top of the list, the Matador GlobeRider 45 would be an excellent choice for anyone who practices one-bag travel, or desires to have a place for everything in their journeys. The price does sting a bit, but based on the long-term testing we’ve completed so far, we’ve seen no indications that this pack will fade away anytime soon.

Read Review: I Lived Out of This Backpack for 3-Plus Months: Matador Globerider45 Review

Thule Aion 40L

• Weight 3 lbs., 3 oz.
• Dimensions 13" x 9.1" x 20.5"
• Material Waxed P600 polyester canvas

• Maxes out on carry-on-compliant space
• Internal roll-top TPU bag separates the clean from the to-do laundry
• Waxed canvas exterior has a classy look
• Centered side handle carries well
• Well-cushioned back panel
• No shoulder strap stowage option
• No hipbelt on a 40L is pushing it

Better known for their roof boxes and racks, it’s fair to say that Thule knows travel, and the addition of smart, organized, and comfortable travel packs like the Thule Aion 40L ($200) makes all the sense in the world to us. This pack is a finely-honed bag for international and local travel alike, and is decked out in some high-class materials.

Like the Patagonia Black Hole MLC pack, the Aion 40L aims to go for the maximum allowed capacity, and at our measurements (21.5” x 15” x 8”) the pack slides in just half an inch less than the normal 45 linear inches typically allowed. That’s efficient. The space is split up into two main compartments and a laptop sleeve, with the larger opening with a full clamshell zip.

This inner compartment hosts a few zippered pockets and internal compression straps, but the star of the show here is the integrated TPU rolltop bag. This sack can be used to cordon off your liquids (and easily presented for inspection), as well as separate your pile of ‘to-do’ laundry. This reminds us of the ActiveShield compartment in the Gregory Border Traveler pack, but we enjoy the removable aspect here even more. 

Round the back of the pack, the spacer-mesh swaddled laptop sleeve rivals the Evergoods Civic Panel Loader , and has an additional sleeve for items like tablets, notebooks, or chargers. The back panel itself is impressively cushioned (one of the more luxe in our testing) and that extends to the shoulder straps. 

Unfortunately, there’s no shoulder strap-stowage system here, so you’ll have to wrangle those yourself, and while we typically enjoy the lack of a hip belt in smaller travel packs, the absence in a 40-liter pack is a little puzzling. Fully loaded, the Aion could certainly benefit from one, and while a separate sling bag can be added to function as one, you’ll need to fork over $50 for it.

Ranking high up there with your Peak Designs and your Ospreys, the Thule Aion 40L nails the style and material departments, and with a full 40 liters of space on board, has all the room to pack for your week-long trips — no roof box required.

Osprey Archeon 30L

• Capacity 30 L
• Weight 3 lbs.
• Dimensions 20.5" x 13" x 11.4"
• Compartment access Zippered top-access
• Material 840D ballistic polyester with carbonate coating

• Extra-tough exterior fabric with carbonate coating
• High-polish details such as seatbelt webbing straps
• Mini-wing hipbelt tucks away easily when not needed
• Smart internal storage pockets that lay flat when not needed
• Laptop sleeve opening is a bit too snug
• Compression straps lay over the main zipper

First off, one word: Rugged. The Osprey Archeon 30L ($250) is a high-end build that spares little in the material department, and looks dang good while it’s at it. The 30-liter size makes this bag weekend travel-ready, and we greatly appreciated the fit and finish.

The overall design of the Archeon reminds us a good bit of the Peak Design Travel Bag (certainly the all-waterproof exterior zippers and curved side-entry pockets), but it’s the exterior fabric that really impressed. The 840D ballistic polyester is coated with a carbonate polyurethane coating, a bolstered recipe that increases durability by a magnitude over traditional PU coatings. In testing, we wore out before putting a dent in it.

The pack itself breaks down into two main compartments, with the main pocket opening behind a curved clamshell zip (we did have a little trouble with the zipper passing behind the exterior straps. Removing them fixed that). Inside, three expandable tech pockets tuck away all of your small kit, and do a good job of keeping things tidy on the interior.

On the exterior, Osprey doesn’t disappoint when it comes to suspension straps, which are comfortable, adjustable, and stashable. The mini wing-style hip belt earns special praise on packed flights, where we find traditional hip belts to be a hassle to store, and combined with the slick shoulder-strap stash pocket, the Archeon converts to minimal mode in under a minute.

Something the Archeon certainly could use, however, is a slightly larger aperture into the laptop/tech compartment. As-is, the zipper doesn’t quite extend down far enough to truly open up the pocket, and as such it can feel a bit like rummaging around in the dark looking for cords and chargers in the bottom of the pack. Extending these zippers down to the middle of the pack would seem to fix the issue, and we hope a later iteration might address this.

Nonetheless, we were still impressed by the Osprey Archeon 30L . There’s also a 40-liter version if you’re looking for a max-capacity carry-on, and even a smaller 24-liter for kicking around coffee shops day-to-day.

Read Review: Hack Carry-On Rules: Osprey Archeon Kit Gives Power Back to Passengers

Arc’teryx Granville 25 Backpack

• Capacity 25 L
• Weight 1 lb., 14.5 oz.
• Dimensions 22" x 12" x 9"
• Compartment access Drawstring top-entry
• Material N400r-AC² nylon ripstop

• Tough and waterproof exterior fabric
• White interior for easy viewing
• Floating laptop sleeve
• Not very much interior organization
• Simple webbing waistbelt

Made for moving through the city over the concourse, the commute-ready Arc’teryx Granville 25 ($220) takes travel backpacks to the streets in a sleek and tough design that we couldn’t keep from grabbing every day.

Crafted from the same N400r-AC² nylon ripstop as Arc’teryx’s high-end climbing packs, the mountain DNA is strong in the Granville, with fully taped seams that make the pack highly weather-resistant. In our impromptu “rain” test, a garden hose fired directly at the pack wasn’t able to get a drop past the tough exterior.

On the front of the pack, a single water-resistant zippered pocket was practically made for your keys, and could accommodate a few other essentials for when you’re on the go. Tossing back the shaped lid, a single drawstring entry leads to the interior space, which is mainly one large pocket, with a few zippered and drop pockets to separate smaller items. If you’re looking for the same style pack, but with a bit more organization built-in, the Tom Bihn Synapse 25 divides up its space well.

The padded interior laptop sleeve will accommodate up to a 16” laptop, and is suspended within the main compartment in a way that leaves us feeling confident in slinging our computer across a shoulder. Compared to other more airline-focused travel packs, the Granville 25 has its feet more firmly planted on the ground, and excels at bus, bike, or foot travel.

Whether your commute is just across town or across the country, the Arc’teryx Granville 25 makes for a good-looking carry-all that’s bound to be around for a while.

Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L

• Weight 3 lbs., 10.4 oz.
• Dimensions 22.5" x 14" x 7.5"
• Material 1000D recycled nylon, 400D recycled nylon, 210D recycled nylon, 1680D recycled ballistic nylon

• Overbuilt design with tough materials and chunky zippers
• Plenty of organizational pockets
• Bright interior
• Not the cleanest strap stowage

Chunky zippers, an overhead-savvy profile, and multiple ways to sling it over your shoulder: The Topo Designs Global Travel Pack ($229) has honed in on much of what we love in a travel backpack.

During a recent trip from Seattle to Southern California we were heavily saddled with the maximum the airline would allow. But this pack made use of every inch of space and reached the allowance of what we could check as our carry-on. The 40 liters of internal capacity is broken down into a series of dividers and pockets, which made condoning off things like electronics from the rest of our kit easy. And the interior of this pack is a cheery canary yellow, which helps with ease and visibility.

On the exterior of this pack, three separate carry styles are available to get you through the concourse in whatever way you choose. We found the full-featured backpack straps to be our go-to, which even sport load-lifters for a comfy carry. This suspension system does tuck away for when you might want to check the bag, though we found the hipbelt to be a bit tricky to fully retract.

Rounding out this travel-ready backpack is a tough build that makes use of 1000D recycled nylon and heavy-duty zippers, and we had no qualms with tossing this bag around during our trip. Perfect for anyone who subscribes to the one-bag travel ethos, the Global Travel Pack from Topo Designs makes the grade for those who want the most out of their carry-on.

And if you’re only going to be away for a short trip, the Global Travel pack is also available in a 30L capacity .

Cotopaxi Allpa 28L Travel Pack

• Capacity 28 L
• Weight 3 lbs., 4 oz.
• Dimensions 19" x 12" x 9"
• Material TPU-coated 1,000-denier polyester, 840-denier nylon paneling

• Burly exterior material holds up for the long run
• Plenty of zippered mesh storage pockets
• On the heavier side
• TPU-coated nylon can feel grabby

The Allpa 28L Travel Pack ($170) will change the way you travel. It’s sleek, durable, and able to fit an incredible amount of stuff in a small space. The zippered mesh pockets keep clothes organized. And the compression straps maximize what you can pack.

The tough polyester and nylon construction can take a beating without any signs of wear. And we appreciate that the externally accessed, padded laptop sleeve makes pulling out your electronics at security checkpoints a breeze. There’s also a small outer compartment to keep essentials at hand.

You can completely tuck away the backpack straps and carry the pack like a briefcase, or wear it comfortably as a backpack. We’ve stuffed this pack to the gills countless times and have never had a problem with the zippers. Light rain showers or spills roll right off the TPU-coated exterior, but for legit rainstorms, just pull out the included rain cover.

The Allpa also comes in 35L, 42L, 50L, and 70L capacities. As our editor noted in the 42L review , “Building on its fun and functional ethos, Cotopaxi beefs up its bestselling product. The Allpa Travel Pack earns big points for clever design, clean aesthetic, and a surprising number of handy — and hidden — features.”

Yes, the Cotopaxi Allpa packs are an investment, but anyone who travels regularly will find it a worthy one. These powerhouse travel backpacks are sturdy, versatile, and built to last.

Tom Bihn Synapse 25

• Weight 1 lb., 13 oz.
• Dimensions 13.4" x 20" x 9.1"
• Material 400-denier Halcyon, 420-denier nylon ripstop

• Many different fabrics and color schemes are available
• Built to last design and materials
• Removable webbing hip belt
• Suspension doesn’t pack away
• Side wing pockets are a little awkward to access

Refined and clean-looking, the Tom Bihn Synapse 25 ($243) is a high-end travel backpack we just can’t stop staring at. It just looks that good. Made of burly textiles and zippers, this pack was built to stand the test of tough travel and come out shining on the other side.

The Synapse 25 is the larger version of Tom Bihn’s Synapse 19 , a popular backpack made for daily carry. The bump in volume is appreciated in this travel-oriented version and is doled out in one large compartment as well as a set of pockets on the front of the pack.

We found all the pockets easily accessible, save for the side wing pockets. While these were excellent for the organization of smaller bits and bobs, the openings were a bit awkward to jump into.

Topped off by a cushioned suspension (the foam is a half-inch of supple EV50), this travel backpack didn’t weigh us down on long days of travel when fully packed. And when we wanted to go light, even the webbing hip belt was removable. In terms of the ability to bop around town as a daily driver, this pack is up there with the TimBuk2 Never Check and Arc’teryx Granville packs (we liked the back panel on this pack the most).

Along with being carry-on compliant, the Synapse is also one of the few bags on our list that are compact enough to fit under most airline seats without hogging too much precious legroom.

Osprey Nebula 32 Daypack

• Capacity 32 L
• Weight 2 lbs., 1.7 oz.
• Dimensions 19.2" x 12.2" x 11.4"
• Material 420-denier recycled nylon

• TSA-compliant laptop sleeve
• Many options for organization
• Water bottle pockets fit 32 oz. bottles
• Need to release two buckles in order to unzip the main pocket all the way

When it comes to backpacks, Osprey has put in the time — and it shows. The Nebula 32 ($140) feels like it’s all the brand’s most popular packs morphed into one. Most of all, we love how it seamlessly goes from city streets to trails.

This backpack can do it all, whether you’re hauling your laptop and books around town; water, food, and layers on an easy hike; or all of the above and then some for a weekend away.

The internal storage pockets are great for organizing all of your things for easy access. And while the Nebula 32 is top-loading, the main pocket opens up wide enough so you won’t have to unload everything to get to the one thing you want at the bottom. The sternum strap and hip belt are comfortable as well, especially when carrying a heavy load.

On smaller volume packs like this, sometimes design concessions need to be made to accommodate all the functionality, and on the Nebula it’s in the side compression straps. Like on the Osprey Farpoint/Fairview, the compression system of the pack overlays across the main compartment zipper, meaning you’ll need to undo some straps before rifling around in the storage area. Not a deal breaker, but a little annoying when the TSA line starts to back up behind you.

Overall, the Nebula 32 won’t disappoint if you make it your go-to smaller-volume travel backpack.

Travel Backpack Comparison Chart

How We Tested Travel Backpacks

The staff of GearJunkie is a hot-footed bunch, restlessly plodding across the country or around the globe in search of adventure and whatever else comes our way. And we have a lot of stuff, which necessitates having a travel bag or four in the stable.

Surely any old bindle will do in carrying your kit around, but having a travel backpack that is dialed into the needs of travel can turn a stressful situation into a manageable one. We’ve been testing travel backpacks since 2019 and have put the market slice through the wringer on thousands of miles of travel to weed out the best of the best.

Senior Editor Nick Belcaster has a zeal for international travel, and he leads up our current travel pack testing, logging almost 10,000 flying miles in the last year alone. From Iceland to Utah, Belcaster has carried these packs and lived out of them for weeks, relying on them to support back-to-back travel excursions. In testing, we looked for a number of features in our travel backpacks, including overall capacity, carry style, durability, and aesthetics. It’s important to think about how you’ll use your travel pack, and as such, every pack on our list is carry-on compliant for the worst-case scenario.

We know no trip will be like the next, so we took a broad swath of the travel backpacks on the market in order to create a list that will suit many different travelers. Packs in hand, over our shoulders, or on our backs, we hit the four corners and tested the best travel backpacks of 2024.

Curious about what we pack in our travel backpacks? We’ve penned up a list for both domestic and international trips .

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose a Travel Backpack

Travel backpack user profiles.

The International Jet-Setter: The term ‘One Bag Travel’ is no stranger to you, and you’ve just about got your life distilled down into 45 liters of space. If international travel is your bag, then a backpack that’s up to the task will be essential to see you through to further time zones. Efficiency will be the name of the game here, and going with a pack that is dang-near the carry-on maximums for international flights will mean you can make it through without checking a bag. Look for near to 45-liter packs with plenty of organization baked in, as well as a comfortable (and stashable) carry system.

For international travel, the bag we reach for most often had to be the Peak Design Travel Backpack , with a razor-thin second place going to the Matador GlobeRider45 Travel Pack . For an emphasis on organization, the Matador SEG45 splits up the volume well, and if you’ll be schlepping bags around a long way, the Osprey Farpoint & Fairview Packs have all the Osprey suspension we love.

The Weekend-Warrior: Maybe it’s a work trip, and maybe it’s just for fun, but it’s only going to take 2-3 days total, and you’ll need a bag that can pack it in. For weekend excursions, we find packs in the 25-35 liter range work well for the minimalists among us, and the 30-40 liter range for those who like a bit more options.

The Tom Bihn Synapse 25 is easily one of the most stylish packs in our review, only slightly edged out by the Timbuk2 Never Check , and both make the grade for a single overnighter in a foreign locale. For a bit more space, you can’t go wrong with the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L , a fun pack that is a lot tougher than the multi-colored exterior would let on.

The Commuter: No flight involved! Duty calls, and sometimes you’ll need to lug around a bit more kit than the old briefcase can allow for. Commuting with a travel backpack is a great way to stay comfortable on longer rides, as shoulder and handbags are cumbersome over the long run. Focus on a bag with a more traditional backpack shape that puts an emphasis on ease-of-access, and is in the 20-30 liter range.

For bumping around town, we’ve come to love the Evergoods Civic Panel Loader 24 , which not only lugs our remote office around with ease, but also looks pretty slick doing it. The drawstring opening here is a huge boon for quickly stashing a jacket, and the tough exterior fears no weather forecast. For a budget just-get-it-done choice, the Dakine Campus 33L will make it happen for less.

The right size pack for you depends on a few things. First, where are you going? And, how long do you plan to stay? Winter travel often comes with more gear, so you’ll need to pack extra layers. Longer trips often require larger bags.

That said, your personal packing style will be the most important factor. We know minimalists who happily travel for months with only a single backpack in tow and others who want the largest travel backpack possible in addition to a totally stuffed duffel bag . One method isn’t better than the other, but knowing your style is helpful when choosing a bag.

In general, we’ve found that something in the 28-45 liter range is ideal for comfort and packability. Many packs will also offer a compression system to allow you to limit the overall volume of the backpack. We’ve seen many different ways to accomplish this, but the most effective by far were the button snaps and expanding zipper of the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L . Packs toward the 40-45 liter range will be your carry-on bags of choice, and the 45-liter Peak Design, Patagonia MLC , and Matador GlobeRider are perfect for maxing out your allowed space. The 40-liter Osprey Farpoint/Fairview packs give up a little internal room for the luxe suspension system they’re carried with.

Packs in the smaller end of the range, from around 25-30 liters, make better personal items, and the TimBuk2 Never Check , Tom Bihn Synapse , and Patagonia Black Hole backpacks all fit snuggly underneath an airliner seat. These small bags move through a city gracefully and look more like everyday carry backpacks than traditional luggage.

What good would a bag be if you couldn’t get into it? From a simple drawstring to a thicket of Velcro and zippers, there are plenty of ways to keep your bag closed while you’re on the go, but not every one will be amenable to travel.

Zippered Clamshells: Most travel backpacks will use a clamshell-style design that opens up the backpack like a suitcase, allowing you to pack intentionally as opposed to stuffing things in. Oftentimes, an internal strap system will help keep your items contained while you’re on the move.

Packs with this clamshell design may also opt to add internal dividers to the main storage area, and make these dividers removable — should you need the entire storage area uninhibited. For packs without internal dividers or straps, consider adding a few packing cubes to keep your items organized.

In addition to the rear entry, some backpacks will offer additional entry points through the top or front of the pack. This can be helpful when you need to quickly retrieve something like a passport from your bag, without the need to totally spill the contents. The majority of packs in our review close in this clamshell manner, and a few of our favorites are the Peak Design Travel Backpack , Osprey Farpoint & Fairview 40 Travel Packs , and Matador GlobeRider45 Travel Pack .

Zippered Top-Access: Much like many traditional backpacks, zippered top-access packs load and unload from the topside, and generally only offer one point of entry/egress into the pack. For this reason, packs of this flavor are generally left packed during travel, as digging around for something at the bottom can be a hassle.

Bags of this stripe, including the uber-nice Tom Bihn Synapse 25 and expandable Timbuk2 Never Check , most often make better personal items over carry-ons, as their smaller volumes make for easier searching within.

Drawstring Top-Entry: While not quite as common as a zippered clamshell or top-access pack, drawstring top-entry packs can make for very quick and easy access to your kit if you’re on the move. These packs will integrate an extended fabric collar to the top of the storage area, which can be compressed when needed, or overstuffed with bulky items like jackets.

Commuters will find drawstring entry bags the most appealing, and the Arc’teryx Granville 25 has become one of our dedicated laptop toters for everything from remote work stints at the coffee shop to jumping on a ferry for work.

Carrying Options

There are plenty of ways to lug your kit to your boarding gate, but not all of them will be comfortable for everything. Over-shoulder backpack straps can support a good bit of weight but typically will need some type of frame to truly be supportive. The Osprey Farpoint/Fairview packs were the best-carrying packs in our testing, owed largely to the wire frame and Airscape mesh back panels, but we also enjoyed the carry of the aluminum frame stays on the Matador GlobeRider.

A shoulder strap travel backpack, like the Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L , can be slung across your body and provide a great amount of accessibility on the go. Don’t expect to carry too much weight this way, however.

And then there’s the classic suitcase style, easily towed anywhere. It’s good to note many travel backpacks will have stowable straps to better streamline the pack for a trip through an X-ray machine or stowed under a seat. The strap storage design of the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L impressed us most of all, utilizing magnetic closure flaps to pack away the shoulder and hip straps neatly.

Pockets & Organization

There’s an organizational saying: “A place for everything and everything in its place.” And we couldn’t agree more. Keeping track of everything while you travel is key for organization. And while more pockets always seem better, there is a threshold where having too many simply becomes more places to misplace things. Instead, we recommend packs with three to six pockets.

The Cotopaxi Allpa and Topo Designs Global Travel Bags both have ingenious inner organization systems complete with large zipping “pockets.” It has just enough space to find room for everything but not so many compartments that you’ll be hunting all day for your misplaced passport. For even more organization, the Matador SEG45 splits into five different segments that are accessible from the exterior of the pack.

Bringing along a laptop is a necessary evil for some travelers, and having an incorporated laptop sleeve in your travel backpack can keep it safe during travel. Most laptop sleeves will be padded with some type of foam and nestle in close to the back for maximum protection. In order to be TSA-compliant, a laptop sleeve will need to fold entirely flat away from the pack to be scanned.

Because flying with liquids over 3.4 ounces is prohibited in the U.S., carrying all of these items in a separate toiletry bag can make your foray into the screening line a breeze. Many of the packs on our list incorporate many external pockets where such a bag could be stashed and produced when needed.

Travel luggage takes a beating, so durability is a top concern. Luckily, gear manufacturers realize this and are making increasingly burly yet portable packs. The fan-favorite Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L pack is made with a 900-denier ripstop nylon outer with a TPU laminate for extra durability. It’s nearly indestructible, water-resistant, and versatile.

If you’re traveling somewhere with inclement weather or if your pack needs to double as a climbing bag or hiking pack, durability is extra important. And it’s worth paying more for a backpack that is water-resistant.

Space Efficiency & Carry-On Compliance

Astute observers will note many of the packs in our review sport a rectangular shape, which is certainly due to designers aspiring to create a more space-efficient pack. This isn’t to say that more shapely packs won’t make it happen, but when you’re struggling to make every liter of space count, maximizing dimensions matters.

Carry-on luggage is any bag that you plan on bringing into an airplane and storing in the overhead bins. Because space is limited, airlines dictate the maximum size that any carry-on can be. In the U.S., the most common size is 22 inches x 14 inches x 9 inches, or 45 linear inches (length + width + height). However, this is just a rough guideline; some airlines differ from these dimensions, and you should refer to their information directly.

In general, these dimensions provide a travel backpack with around 40-45 liters of internal volume, so buying a pack that’s as close to that as possible will provide the most space allowed. Many of the packs on our list have the ability to compress to a smaller size, such as the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L .

Be mindful as well, that any protrusions from your travel pack such as shoulder straps or handles will also need to fall within the maximum allowed size. Many travel backpacks today incorporate some type of strap-stowing ability, such as the magnetic panels of the Peak Design packs, the zippered cover of the Osprey Farpoint/Fairview, and the hybrid zipper/panel of the Matador GlobeRider 45. All of these provide a more streamlined profile that should both hit the mark, and fit better into overhead bins.

Travel backpacks run the gamut of prices — from affordable to downright pricey. There are a number of factors that play into what you get for the money.

Budget-Minded Travel Packs

Travel backpacks, as a category, are generally a bit pricer than your average luggage, as they incorporate tough materials that can put up with extensive wear over the lifespan. Travel is tough on bags, so it’s unsurprising that even budget travel backpacks will cost you around $100-150. These packs often will incorporate more traditional architectures such as a zippered top access, as opposed to the more complicated (and spendy) full-zip clamshell designs. For example, the Dakine Campus ($75) is pretty much your average school bag.

Volumes, too, will be a bit limited in this price range — added material adds cost. The 32-liter Osprey Nebula ($140) is about the best price-to-volume ratio you can get.

Mid-Range Travel Packs

Mid-range packs make up the bread and butter of travel packs, and can be had for around $150 to $200. These designs are often more of the full carry-on variety, and aim to capitalize on permitted volume as much as possible. The 45-liter Matador SEG45 ($200), Patagonia Black Hole MLC ($239), 40-liter Osprey Farpoint/Fairview ($185), and Topo Designs Global Travel Bag ($229) all shoehorn in just about as much space as a friendly gate agent will let you get away with.

For the price, you also get a good variety of functionality that makes travel easier, such as stowable pack straps, interior segmented pockets and sleeves (done excellently on the $170 Cotopaxi Allpa ), and an external compression system that limits the space your bag takes up. Some packs, like the TimBuk2 Never Check ($209), don’t exactly hit these parameters, but instead make up for it in high-quality design and materials.

Premium Travel Packs

Above $250, you’re likely paying for premium materials or a to-the-hilt design that leaves absolutely nothing on the cutting room floor. The Peak Design Travel Backpack ($300) is a great example, and utilizes super high-quality nylon canvas, custom aluminum hardware, and supple seatbelt material webbing in its build, as well as fitting in just about every conceivable feature you could want in a travel pack. The same can be said of the Matador GlobeRider 45 ($350), which uses high-tech UHMPWE-reinforced materials and sports a total of 19 pockets.

The Tom Bihn Synapse 25 ($243) is a bit of an outlier, as it commands a high dollar amount not for the extreme amount of space it offers or amount of features, but for being a hyper-customizable, hand-made bag that uses the nicest textiles available, as well as the best zippers, webbing, and foam in its design. If you’re a fan of the finest materials, this is your daily driver pack.

What Is One Bag Travel?

The ‘One Bag Travel’ ethos and travel backpacks go hand-in-hand. Simply put, to travel in one-bag style is to be minimalist in your luggage choices, and only take what you can carry onto the plane/train/pack animal. Not only does this do away with the fuss of deciding what exactly to bring along with you, but it also allows for breezing through airports — skipping the need to check baggage, wait at baggage claim, or fear for lost luggage.

In order to most effectively travel with one bag, be sure to read up on exactly the baggage size allowances provided by your transportation. This can affect both overall size and weight, and having an expandable pack is a large benefit here. In this way, you can carry just enough to skirt through under the limit, and then expand the bag when you’ve hit your destination for more breathing room. If you aim for a 35-40 liter backpack, you’ll be right on the money for one-bag travel.

Finally, remember that this bag is going to be the only item of luggage you’ve got, so ensure it’ll be comfortable enough for the long haul. Look for padded back panels and hip belts that’ll transfer the load correctly, and if they stash away — all the better.

Our team unanimously agrees that the best travel backpack is the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L . It’s extremely durable, and it offers plenty of organizational pockets to stash your kit away in. The clamshell opening makes packing a breeze, and we really appreciated the unique shoulder strap storage options available to turn the pack into a stripped-down bag that would slide into any overhead compartment.

The best size bag for traveling depends largely on your travel itinerary and mode of transport. The Cotopaxi Allpa packs range from 28 to 42 liters.

The 28-liter option makes for a compact and comfortable backpack that easily fits in overhead airplane compartments. The 42-liter option is a bit more like carrying a duffel bag on your back, but it still manages to fit in overhead compartments. It’s a great option for maximizing carry-on capacity in backpack form.

While both have their place in travel, a backpack can offer some advantages over a suitcase. Since they’re much more portable, backpacks can be brought to many more places where a suitcase won’t work. Suitcases can be your large load carriers, but a good travel backpack gives you the freedom to strike out on daily adventures.

Travel backpacks absolutely can be carry-on luggage, given they meet the size requirements. In the U.S., the most common maximum size is 22 inches x 14 inches x 9 inches, or 45 linear inches (length + width + height). But this is only a common size, and different airlines will have different specifics. Consult with your airline specifically to determine what they allow.

While different body types will find different travel packs comfortable, we can all agree that a good support system and ample foam make for a comfortable carry. In our own testing, we found the Osprey Farpoint 40 and Fairview 40 Travel Packs were by far the most comfortable due to their plush suspension systems.

Because many different airlines operate a slate of different planes, there isn’t a standard under-seat luggage size, although there is an average: 16 inches x 12 inches x 6 inches. Some airlines allow personal items larger than this, but you should consult with their customer service for specifics. Our favorite personal item-sized travel pack was the Timbuk2 Never Check Expandable Backpack , which at 24 liters compressed easily slides under a seat.

The Best Laptop Backpacks of 2024

Whether you’re headed to the office, class, or even the trailhead, here’s our top picks for the best laptop backpacks of 2024.

The Best Daypacks of 2024

We tested the best daypacks of 2024 with options for every budget. Top picks include Osprey, Cotopaxi, and more.

Hailing from the hemlocks and hanging mosses of Washington State, Senior Editor Nick Belcaster is an adventure journalist following threads of stories across the West. Cruelly stolen from the alpine swales of rural Wisconsin at a young age, Nick made do ascending the snows and granite of the North Cascades while completing a journalism degree. A long stint on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2018 codified a life bent on sleeping on minor slopes and picking devil’s club out of his shoes.

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15 Travel Backpacks to Help Streamline Your Next Trip

Now boarding: your most organized self.

Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

But don’t just take it from me. “Being hands-free while traveling is essential, which is why a backpack is the perfect type of bag to use for all trips,” says Matilda Sandstroem, co-founder and designer at Adventurist Bags . “It will also distribute weight better than a one-shoulder bag, which will be crucial for longer travel days.” Plus, Sandstroem points out that a stylish backpack can double as your day bag once you arrive at your destination and is perfect for housing a light layer, camera, or snacks. (Good luck trying to bring that duffle bag to the Trevi fountain...)

Matching Luggage

Away the everywhere zip backpack.

Bottega Veneta Medium Intrecciato Backpack

Luxury Brand

Rimowa flap backpack large.

Monos Metro Backpack

Fjallraven Kånken Classic Backpack

Calpak Luka Laptop Backpack

Amazon’s Choice

Lubardy travel carry on backpack, 40l.

The North Face Borealis Laptop Backpack

Best for International Travel

Tortuga outbreaker backpack 40l.

Best Expandable Backpack

Beis the expandable backpack.

To give you even more insight, I combined my own research with Sandstroem’s and that of the experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute to bring you the definitive guide to the best travel backpacks. Whether you’re packing a weekender bag or looking for the best bags on Amazon , here are 15 backpacks that make stellar travel companions.

Away Travel is known and loved for its suitcases—I, for one, swear by the bigger carry-on —so you can bet the brand makes a damn good carry-on backpack, too.

Colors: Garnet, Navy, Black, Coast

Dimensions: Width: 12 inches; height: 17.7 inches; depth: 5.9 inches

Customer review: “I needed a backpack that I could use for business travel that would allow me to really pack it in for international work. This bag has a ton of space and several pockets to keep items organized. I recently returned to the office and find that its great as a daily bag for all of my needs. I even get lunch into the main compartment.”

If traveling in style is a priority for you, more power to you. This leather backpack from Bottega Veneta is the best way to take to show your fellow travelers that you have taste.

Colors: Surf, Space, Mud, Black, Ardoise

Dimensions: Width: 11.8 inches; height: 18.1 inches; depth: 5.5 inches

Rimowa is like the Rolls Royce of luggage brands. And in case no one has told you lately, you deserve the best of the best.

Colors: Black, Slate Gray

Dimensions: Width: 14.5 inches; height: 17.3 inches; depth: 6.3

See that pouch on the front? It provides the perfect amount of extra storage for easy access to necessities and detaches in a snap—literally.

Colors: 10 options

Dimensions: Width: 11.5 inches; height: 16.5 inches; depth: 6 inches

Customer review: “It looks sharp, I’ve already gotten compliments. It is super spacious inside which is perfect for both travel and in a professional setting since it fits everything from spare shoes to my lunch. The compartments actually make sense for organizing.”

Fjallraven: the bag that everyone has, but no one knows how to pronounce. While these bags don’t offer much in the way of organization or storage, they are extremely durable and available in a ton of colors and sizes.

Colors: 27 options

Dimensions : Width: 10.75 inches x height: 14.5 inches x depth: 4 inches

Customer review: “This Fjallraven has been to and all around Japan with me, and recently I started back to University…It’s not too bulky but surprisingly holds a lot.”

Calpak’s Luka bag is an organizer’s dream because it’s chock-full of pockets. This versatile pack is great for everyday use or as a day bag while traveling.

Colors: 13 options

Dimensions: Width: 12 inches x height: 16 inches x depth: 7 inches

Customer review: “This backpack has been great so far! I use it for daily commutes, and it fits my 16” laptop in that compartment with ease. It is also great for being outdoors, got stuck in the rain and my laptop remained dry.”

A waterproof, high-capacity pack + a clamshell opening – an expensive price tag = the ultimate travel backpack.

Colors: Black, Blue, Grey, or Pink

Dimensions: Width: 13.38 inches x height: 20.74 inches x depth: 7.87 inches

Customer review: “Backpacked for 10 days in Greece with this! My friends bought $100+ backpacks, and mine worked just as well for a fraction of the price. I was able to fit a large packing cube with PLENTY of clothes, two pairs of shoes (sandals), a curling iron, a sweater, and my toiletries in this bag!”

The genius product testers over at the Good Housekeeping Institute rated this the overall best travel backpack . As someone who has regularly used this as a carry-on for nearly six years, I’d have to agree. It stands up to the test of time and is great for short trips or as a day bag.

Colors: Lime, Taupe, or Orange

Dimensions: Width: 12 inches x height: 19.5 inches x depth: 6.5 inches

Customer review: “Awesome backpack. Large, spacious, and full of compartments. Suitable for any type of trip, I love it.”

Calling all fellow backpackers and hostel hoppers! If you’re trekking through Europe, or anywhere else for that matter, it’s best to keep your luggage light. This durable, waterproof Tortuga pack is the largest allowed carry-on for international flights, making it perfect for your next adventure.

Colors: Black

Dimensions: Width: 13. 8 inches x height: 21.7 inches x depth: 7.9 inches

Customer review: “Just returned from a two-week tour of Norway and Iceland, five different hotels, four flights. Outbreaker…made it so easy to effortlessly stay on the move…This was our first carry-on-only trip of this length, and I loved the ease of check-in and airport departure it gave us. With the hip belts to carry most of the weight, we did not suffer any back or shoulder strain.”

If there’s one thing for certain, I don’t need another backpack. But after reading the reviews for this Beis bag...I just might have to get one for myself. It has specialized features like an expanding section and a water bottle holder that can be used in or outside the bag.

Colors: Black or Beige

Dimensions: Width: 13 inches; height: 15 inches; depth: 5-7 inches

Customer review: “Love how much room this backpack has! I took it on a trip to Italy and it was light/compact enough to put in luggage but can fit so many things. The design of this backpack is a 10/10 for me.”

Dagne Dover Dakota Neoprene Backpack

Dagne Dover bags are super popular right now, and with good reason. Fashionable and versatile, they’re perfect for everyday use or as your designated school bag. Plus, Dagne Dover products are made with Repreve technology, meaning they’re sustainable.

Dimensions: Width: 13.25 inches x height: 17.5 inches x depth: 5.25 inches (for large size)

Customer review: “I love this bag and its many pockets and pouches. I can easily organize everything with its numerous zippers, and it stores my laptop perfectly in the back. It’s super light, which is great for a backpack, but thick and good quality with its neoprene.”

Adventurist Backpacks Adventurist Classic

Not only does Sandstroem design these bags with style in mind, but for every backpack purchased, 25 meals are provided for American families in need.

Colors: 7 options

Dimensions: Width: 13.5 inches; height: 15.5 inches; depth: 6 inches

Customer review: “I’ve had this backpack for almost a year now and I have only good things to say! I got the sand color and even through hiking and using it a lot it still looks great! It’s water resistant so I don’t have to worry about bringing my camera, and it’s also super cute and makes my hiking outfits look great! Can’t recommend it enough, if you’re thinking about getting one, do it!”

L.L. Bean Stowaway Pack

The Good Housekeeping Institute voted this pack as the best lightweight bag . If you’re camping, hiking, or just trying to lighten your load, it’s a fantastic option that’s both durable and spacious.

Colors: Gold, Teal, Loden, Navy, or Black

Dimensions: Width: 10 inches x height: 19 inches x depth: 7 inches

Customer review: “Great bag. Love all the pockets, and it’s lightweight. Like how it can roll into a pouch.”

Osprey Daylite Plus Daypack

At first glance, you might underestimate how much this backpack can hold. But don’t be deceived; it secretly holds a ton of stuff. That’s just one of the many reasons the Good Housekeeping Institute rated this Osprey as the best travel daypack .

Dimensions: Width: 11 inches x height: 18.9 inches x depth: 9.45 inches

Customer review: “As a backpack hoarder, I’m always on the search for the perfect functional backpack. I bought the Osprey Daylite Plus to use on vacations where I’d also need to lug my work laptop along. I wanted something that is light enough to use on hikes and will work as a personal item when flying.”

Timbuk2 Parker Commuter Backpack

Business trips shouldn’t be a chore...well, not more so than the actual business part. But packing for business trips definitely shouldn’t be a pain. Allow Timbuk2 to take the hassle out of packing.

Dimensions: Width: 13.4 inches x height: 20.5 inches x depth: 5.5 inches

Customer review: “After using this pack for a couple weeks commuting, I can confidently say that it’s more functional, well designed, and comfortable than any other pack I’ve owned. The materials and build are incredibly high quality, and it sits perfectly on my back without adding strain, even when fully loaded with a laptop.”

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• Size: Don’t just eyeball it based on what size you think you want; the precise measurements matter. Each airline has its own size restrictions for carry-on bags, and these are particularly varied between domestic and international flights. “ Since you may be flying on a lot of different airlines in the future, it may be best to choose the smallest common denominator that way your backpack is sure to fit no matter which airline you travel with,” Sandstroem says.
• Security and durability: “ With most of us carrying around expensive electronics such as laptops, tablets, and camera gear, it’s important to find a backpack that will adequately protect your belongings,” Sandstroem says. “ Whether you’ll be throwing your bag on the ground, storing it under the seat of the plane, or tossing it in the overhead compartment, make sure to look for something that has both front and back padding.” You’ll also want to look for a bag that offers a padded laptop compartment that will fit your device. Some precautious customers might also opt for a bag that includes locks or some other anti-theft mechanisms.
• Weight and material: The more lightweight, the better. “ It may seem like a couple of pounds won’t make much of a difference, but after hours of traveling, you’ll be happy to be rid of any extra weight,” Sandstroem says, noting that materials like polyester or nylon are both lightweight and durable.
• Organization and features: You might find that a bag with an abundance of pockets or separated sections provides more ease of mind. It’s certainly simpler to keep organized. Or, if you’re someone who keeps their belongings grouped in different pouches, you can probably do with a more open-concept bag. Bear in mind any additional features that might make a difference for you, like a key leash, water bottle pocket, shoe bag, or chest straps.

Meet the Experts

Matilda Sandstroem is the co-founder and primary designer for Adventurist Bags. The emerging brand is based in Denver and focuses on minimalist travel bags. For every bag purchased, Adventurist Bags donates 25 meals to Americans in need via non-profit Feeding America.

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The Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks

By Kit Dillon

Kit Dillon is a writer focused on bags and travel gear. He has worked for Wirecutter for a decade and lost count of the number of bags he has tested.

When you open up your favorite carry-on travel backpack, it should feel like you’re opening the door to a well-organized closet or sitting down at a clean desk, with everything in the right place and easy to reach.

This is your moment to center yourself, no matter how chaotic the journey.

What we considered

A 45-liter bag maximizes overhead space but can get heavy when fully packed; 35-liter bags tend to be more manageable.

A bag with a clamshell design opens like a book and is the easiest to pack, but a bag that opens traditionally tends to have more structure.

Ideally, a travel backpack has handles on all sides—especially the bottom—so you can pull it out of overhead bins or from under seats.

Some internal pockets are useful, but major organizing is better managed with packing cubes.

The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack and the larger Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L offer the best combination of features, quality, and durability. Both bags are exemplary carry-on travel backpacks that are designed for comfort, durability, and organization. Though these backpacks are great as companion bags for any trip, they’re designed to ultimately replace all of your other luggage and become your exclusive bag as you travel.

This style of packing is not for everyone, but once some people try it, they’re forever hooked. Finding the right bag is a personal choice, though, and no single bag will appeal to everyone. That’s why we also have picks that are great for people who travel for work , others that are designed to be carried over long distances , and a bag that’s basically luggage on your back .

The research

Why you should trust us, who this is for, best small carry-on bag for most situations: cotopaxi allpa 35l travel pack, best large bag for most situations: peak design travel backpack 45l, best mobile office: patagonia black hole mlc 45l, best bag for long journeys on foot: osprey farpoint 40 and fairview 40, best bag if you need a large suitcase on your back: tortuga travel backpack pro 40l, other good carry-on travel backpacks, how we picked and tested, the competition.

I’ve been covering aspects of luggage and travel bag design for Wirecutter for nearly a decade, and I have personally researched, tested, and compared hundreds of bags in that time. I personally try to do most of my travel with a single backpack, whenever possible. I spent nine months roaming around Hawaii with not much more than that, and I spent another six months nomadically couch-surfing in New York City.

I reached out to writers who specialize in traveling the world carrying everything they need in a single bag: Eytan Levy, the owner and operator of the Snarky Nomad travel website; James Feess, founder of The Savvy Backpacker ; and Sharon Gourlay, of the Where’s Sharon? travel website. I also spoke with moderators of Reddit’s r/onebag and r/heronebag forums, as well as with Chase Reeves, bag fanatic, reviewer, and owner of Matterful .

We researched and tested bags designed for those who want to travel light and stay flexible while flying, without the burden of checking luggage. For some people, the challenge of cutting down a packing list is intimidating. But if you can get past that initial hurdle, traveling with a single bag is a revelation. With fewer items, you have more time to concentrate on and appreciate the journey.

• When you’re not loaded down by heavy luggage, it’s easy to remain more mobile. And it’s easier to adjust your plans mid-trip. If you’re willing to do laundry on the road, then one bag is all you need to travel indefinitely. At its heart, one-bag travel allows you to discover more—not just about the places you’re going but also about yourself and what you really need day to day.
• Size and weight still matter. If you desire more creature comforts or more gear, or if you plan to be away for a long time across multiple climates, you’ll want a bigger travel backpack . These larger bags tend not to be carry-on-friendly, however, especially in Europe, so be prepared to check them.
• No single backpack is perfect for everyone. Before you make any purchase, consider some basic points. How much can you carry? And where do you usually visit: the city or outback? Travel gear should feel like a welcome companion—there to support you when you need it but unobtrusive when you don’t.

45-liter bag vs. 35-liter bag

Cotopaxi Allpa 35L

A versatile small pack for a week or a weekend.

This durable bag’s clamshell design makes it easy to organize your stuff. And due to its strap design, this bag can be worn on your back or carried in your hand while you’re on the move.

Buying Options

The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack is an easy-to-organize, comfortable-to-carry bag for getaways lasting just a few days or a whole week.

It’s one bag that can do it all. This is a great all-around bag for any traveler who’s dedicated to packing light, or for a smaller person who wants less to carry. There are handles on all four sides of this bag, so it’s easy to grab no matter where you’ve stowed it. It’s also protected by a full lifetime warranty, and it has the build quality to back that up. After more than four years of testing, this single backpack (plus a personal item ) has replaced nearly every travel bag or piece of luggage I use.

It comes in various sizes, but we think the middle-of-the-road version is the best. Cotopaxi also makes the Allpa in 28-liter and 42-liter sizes. But for us, the 35-liter bag is the best option. At 42 liters, this bag becomes heavy for most people to carry when it is fully packed, and we’d prefer that it had a more-robust hip belt. At 28 liters, the bag becomes a touch small for most people, and its internal organization feels fussy for shorter trips, such as an overnight. Cotopaxi also makes a hip pack , which is designed to fit snugly into the Allpa bag’s front top compartment. It’s a neat little addition to the bag, and it is worth getting if you like wearing fanny packs while you travel.

It’s organized, easy to pack, and easy to carry. The Allpa bag has a clamshell design, so it opens like a hard-sided suitcase—a large YKK zipper runs around three sides of the bag, allowing it to fall open into two halves when unzipped. On the right side is a deep compartment, spacious enough for two large packing cubes or half a suitcase’s worth of clothing (which you access through a mesh zippered flap). On the left, there’s space for one more medium-size packing cube behind a zippered flap. Above that there are two smaller pockets with high-visibility backing—useful when you’re looking for hard-to-differentiate personal items.

It’s secure but still accessible. The Allpa pack has two side-access zippers—great for on-the-go access, especially when the bag is hanging from your shoulder. One of these reveals a flat computer pocket with a padded false bottom; so if you drop the bag, it won’t land on the corner of your computer. The other reveals a “secret” pocket with a hidden zipper and access to the main compartment. All of the main compartment zippers are protected by security loops, which you thread the zipper through at the end of its run. This prevents anyone from subtly or quickly grabbing a zipper and opening your bag when you aren’t paying attention.

It’s comfortable to carry. The Allpa bag’s hip belt—which can be removed while the bag is on your back—is substantial enough that it’s comfortable to wear when you need it. With or without the hip belt, the Allpa bag is comfortable to carry over long distances. However, folks who have longer torsos (over 19 inches) may find that the waist belt sits a little high off the hips, unless you fully extend the shoulder straps. Speaking of shoulder straps, unlike the ones on our other picks, the Allpa bag’s straps are contoured to fit people who have large or small chests. It’s not a specifically gendered design, but our female tester noticed the improvement right away.

The Allpa pack is made with 1680-denier ballistic nylon, similar to the Tom Bihn Aeronaut 45 . (Denier is a measure of a fabric’s fiber thickness.) It feels similar to a strong canvas, but it has a more prominent weave. This is the type of bag that’s as easy to toss into an overhead compartment as it is into the back of a rusty pickup truck. And it also includes a rainfly, which is unique in this category.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• Though this pack is well organized for packing, it’s less ideal as a mobile office. The Allpa pack has a minimal amount of administrative organization—places to keep pens and papers, spaces to hold tickets, and so forth. This is where a good personal item comes in handy. However, if you want to travel with just this one bag, there are a few nooks you can hide things in. The front organizer is deep enough that you can also fit several small organizing pouches, if you want, or the aforementioned fanny pack.
• We prefer the model without the TPU front. Cotopaxi does enjoy playing around with fabrics and colors. Sometimes the company has released the Allpa pack without the TPU-lined front panel. The TPU panel improves water resistance, but after many years of traveling with our bag, we’ve found that the TPU layering can begin to flake in spots.

Capacity: 35 liters Weight: 3 pounds 5 ounces Main compartment access: clamshell opening Style: adventurous Colors: assorted

Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

An easily customizable large bag for long trips and expensive gear.

This bag was built with photographers in mind. Yet most travelers will appreciate its easy accessibility, clever tuck-away straps, and the elegant way the bag expands and contracts. The accessory cubes cost extra, though.

The Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L is a good choice for those carrying more expensive gear—especially camera gear. It’s also great for those who prefer a large, backpack-based packing system.

One bag provides many configurations. Some bags in this category are built to do one thing extremely well—be carried on your back. But the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L is built to adapt. It’s the Swiss Army knife of backpacks: adjustable, customizable, and (if you spring for the extra cubes and organizers) an almost perfect system for a photographer or gearhead on the move. Most bags’ expanding mechanisms aren’t worth the extra zipper they’re built on, and they look about as attractive as a boiled ham splitting out of its plastic packaging. That’s not the case with the Peak Design: This bag looks just as good fully packed at 45 liters as it does compressed to a 30-liter daypack.

It’s expandable, with clever folds and zippers. You can access the bag through a back panel (which doubles as a computer and tablet pouch) as well as a front one (if you unzip the pass-through divider). You can also get into the main compartment via two wing-like trapezoidal flaps, which run along each side of the pack. In its natural shape, the Travel Backpack holds 35 liters, but an expansion zipper lets the bag swell to 45 liters. If you want to use the bag as a daypack, you fold in the top corners and snap them down, reducing the bag’s volume to a slim 30 liters. In this configuration, it will still feel larger than a normal daypack, but we think that’s a small compromise for being able to use one backpack as both your travel bag and your daily explorer. The bag itself consists of 400-denier nylon and polyester fabrics. It feels tough but not as tough as some other bags we’ve tested, such as the Cotopaxi Allpa.

It has fold-away straps, for easier storage. The Peak Design lets you tuck its shoulder and hip straps away when you’re not using them. But unlike any other bag we’ve ever tested, this pack has magnetic flaps on the back panel that open and close with an almost magical snap. Once you’ve played with them, you’ll wonder why every backpack doesn’t have something similar. A small, childish part of me still gets excited about tucking away the straps when I put the Peak Design into an overhead bin. Although the straps are thin, they’re still comfortable. The hip belt isn’t quite as plush as the one on the Tortuga pack; still, even when the Peak Design is fully loaded, the belt doesn’t pinch or dig into the body.

It’s great for carrying expensive gear. If you travel with a camera, you don’t have to use Peak Design’s camera cubes , but they do make carrying that gear a whole lot easier. The cubes come in five sizes. And if they’re situated properly in the bag with the provided clips, they line up with the Travel Backpack’s side-access flaps for quick access. Caleigh Waldman (a photographer for this piece and, full disclosure, my spouse) took this bag across the country for a wedding shoot. “I want this backpack,” she said after three weeks of travel. “I want to travel with it everywhere. With my cameras. Without my cameras. It doesn’t matter. I want to travel with it.”

• It’s expensive—especially if you commit to the entire system of packing and camera cubes.
• More complexity means more things that can break. The adjustable design and multiple zippers do add complexity, and complexity adds potential weaknesses. Peak Design covers all of its bags with a lifetime warranty , which should alleviate most people’s concerns. But if you’re particularly hard on your gear and still need to carry as much as possible, you might consider the Tortuga bag instead.

Capacity: 45 liters Weight: 4½ pounds Main compartment access: back-panel loader Style: minimalist and unobtrusive Color: black, sage

Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L

Combines more organization with a simple interior.

This bag’s split interior makes organizing easy. Those who travel for work will appreciate this bag’s dedicated panels for organizing tech, books, papers, and assorted miscellaneous items.

If you travel often for business and prefer a bag that’s much easier to work out of than most of our other picks, you may like the Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L . This bag has a front panel and assorted pockets that make it feel like a small traveling office.

It’s built like luggage but organized like your office. Of all the bags we recommend, the MLC (short for Maximum Legal Carry) comes closest to being a suitcase on your back, due to its large size, simple interior, and minimal external features. The MLC is also one of the simplest bags we tested, divided into two leaves (imagine a book with only one page), with a main compartment for packing and a second compartment for document organization and tech storage. The MLC has a built-in laptop compartment that fits 17-inch laptops and is situated close to your back; this protects the computer and keeps its weight closer to your body.

Despite its size, it’s comfortable enough to carry. Most carry-on backpacks of this size, without frames, become somewhat unwieldy when fully packed. Thankfully, the Black Hole MLC bag, like the Cotopaxi Allpa, is a welcome exception to this rule. The MLC has two shoulder straps, a hip belt, and an optional shoulder strap, for easy carrying. When they're not in use, or when you’re checking your bag, all of the straps can be stowed away easily. When fully loaded, the bag was pleasant to carry—not as comfortable as the Peak Design or the Osprey, but decent enough. I wouldn’t want to carry it all day across a city, but I wouldn’t mind carrying it through an airport to a car and to a hotel.

It’s built from high-quality materials, with durability in mind. This pack is made from recycled polyester, and the fabric is woven in a cross-weave that’s very similar to what Patagonia uses in its long-lasting Black Hole series of duffle bags . This is a material I’ve come across a bunch with Patagonia gear, and I’ve tested it thoroughly; it’s very tough. The front of the bag is coated in a weather-resistant TPU, for extra protection from the elements. The bag has large YKK zippers (the industry leader) and smaller YKK zippers throughout. Unlike the Cotopaxi Allpa pack, the Black Hole MLC bag has no security loops.

It comes with one of the best repair programs and a lifetime warranty. Similar to our other picks, the MLC is backed by an excellent lifetime warranty , and we’ve always found that Patagonia’s repair program goes above and beyond other comparable companies.

• We wish the Maximum Legal Carry (despite the name) came in a few more sizes. The 45-liter capacity may be intimidating for some people, and there is no alternative.

Capacity: 45 liters Weight: 3 pounds 10 ounces Main compartment access: clamshell Style: retro Colors: tan, black, olive, green

Osprey Farpoint 40

For long distances on foot.

A great starter option for one-bag travel, this bag is easy to pack, adaptable to most situations, and sturdy enough to take with you as you travel the world.

Osprey Fairview 40

For long distances and smaller torsos.

A scaled-down version of the Farpoint, this bag has shoulder straps that are slightly lower, to keep the bag’s bulk more aligned with smaller torsos.

Updated in 2023, the Osprey Farpoint 40 and Fairview 40 packs are both built around a hiking backpack frame that’s easy to carry over long distances.

It’s built for travel but designed for hiking. The Farpoint 40 bag is well made, easy to pack, and comfortable to carry over most mid-length distances—such as walking across a city for an afternoon. (For simplicity’s sake, everything we say here about the Farpoint bag also applies to the Fairview bag.) Osprey makes excellent backpacks for hauling around, and its lifetime warranty is renowned within the industry . The Farpoint pack also has an optional messenger bag–style strap, which offers some flexibility when you’re maneuvering tight spaces like subways or crowded city centers.

It’s simple to pack, but not as spacious as it seems. Opening the bag reveals a clamshell design; it’s deep enough to accommodate most large items, yet you won’t have to fumble awkwardly with zippers once it’s time to close up the bag. The feeling you get is not unlike when you’re packing a bit of sturdy luggage, and that’s something we love about bags like this one—especially when you use packing cubes . Osprey says this bag, when fully packed, can carry 40 liters. But after using the Farpoint bag for a few years, we’ve decided that its rounded shape seems to cut into that theoretical packable space more than other bags do. In practice, the Farpoint pack’s available space is closer to—but still less than—that of the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L .

It’s the easiest bag to carry among our picks. Like all Osprey bags, the Farpoint 40 has very comfortable shoulder straps. The years of design and consideration Osprey has put into its hiking backpacks are quite evident in the Farpoint 40. After more than seven years of long-term testing this bag, we’re still surprised by how great it feels to wear when fully packed. Crucially, the straps of the Farpoint 40 stow away neatly behind a zippered panel. However, when you’re using the shoulder straps, the design forces you to also use the hip straps. Though this isn’t a huge issue, if you prefer a sleeker look or would rather have the option of using shoulder straps without hip straps, the Cotopaxi Allpa pack is more flexible, and it lets you hide the waist straps while the bag is on your back.

The Fairview 40 has the same features, in a scaled-down size. The Farpoint 40 and the Fairview 40 packs basically have the same design, but the Fairview pack is made for someone with a more-diminutive torso. It’s also slightly lighter. However, it has the features and durability of the Farpoint bag. It also has the same hip belt and adjustability. On both, the chest-strap clip is also equipped with a small security whistle that’s surprisingly loud. It’s a handy feature for anyone traveling in unfamiliar environments.

• For a smaller carry-on travel backpack, this one has little to not like. However, we do wish Osprey would trade some of the sleeker contours for a little more interior space.

Capacity: 35 liters Weight (Farpoint): 3 pounds 3 ounces Weight (Fairview): 3 pounds 2 ounces Main compartment access: front-panel loader Style: active Colors (Farpoint): green (Gopher), gray (Tunnel Vision), blue (Muted Space), black Colors (Fairview): blue (Winter Night), red (Zircon), blue (Night Jungle), black

Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 40L

A suitcase to carry on your back.

For dedicated single-bag travelers, this water-resistant, durable bag is easy to pack and to travel with. And it’s comfortable to wear over endless miles—as long as you don’t mind the heavier weight.

The Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 40L maximizes packing space in a bag that’s durable, water-resistant, and customizable to fit most torso lengths (there’s also a 30L version ), with plenty of organizational features to suit any digital nomad.

It’s like a suitcase, with backpack straps. The Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 40L is built to occupy the maximum carry-on space available. It’s a nearly perfect blend of backpack and luggage. On the outside, its tear-resistant sailcloth and sealed zippers provide ample protection from sharp objects and the elements. Opening the main clamshell zipper reveals a cavernous interior and a few organizational features that make the bag a cinch to pack. The front panel is a particular standout, great for keeping track of electronics and chargers. Of all the bags we tested, the Tortuga strikes the closest balance between the carrying comfort of a hiking backpack and the space and organization of a piece of luggage.

It’s as easy to pack as luggage. When it comes to packing, the Tortuga pack has a soothingly minimal interior, as any good suitcase should. In addition to the bag’s cavernous main pocket, its interior lid has a large vented panel. The panel is too narrow to hold additional packing cubes, but it’s great for holding light jackets or doubling as a dirty-laundry bag (if you’re really committed to one-bag travel). The Tortuga is available as a 40-liter pack (the maximum space for a carry-on bag), which we tested; there is also a 30-liter version, which is compliant with some intra-European flights. The more-diminutive version is a decent choice for weekend travel or for minimalist travelers—but for those uses, we prefer the space-saving profile and extra internal organization of the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L bag.

It’s very customizable. The Tortuga pack is the most adjustable model we tested, thanks to its adjustable torso length, shoulder straps, and waist-belt system. The adjustable strap system lets you manipulate the location of the shoulder straps (video) to fit a wider variety of body sizes, in both the 30- and 40-liter versions. Of the packs we’ve tested, this one (with its included load-adjuster straps at the top, to prevent the bag’s weight from sagging toward your lumbar region) is the best at distributing its weight (4½ pounds when empty—roughly 1½ pounds more than most of our other picks, except the Peak Design ). The hip straps are removable if you need, but the shoulder straps are not stowable.

• Its straps don’t stow away. Some people, especially those who are hard on their gear, may consider not being able to remove or stow the shoulder straps (as they can with our other picks, like the Cotopaxi Allpa ) a disqualifying factor. But after years of testing, traveling with, and occasionally checking our bag, we haven’t had an issue. However, if these mysteries beneath the airport also make you nervous, you might prefer our picks with easy-to-stow straps, such as the Peak Design.
• It's heavy. We’ve fielded complaints from some testers who said that older models of this bag were too heavy for them to carry, even with the padded hip belt and adjustable straps. The additional padding does add weight. At 4½ pounds, this latest Tortuga bag is more than half a pound lighter than it used to be (the difference is noticeable), and it weighs the same as the equally large Peak Design pack. We are currently testing a new, lighter, and less-expensive version of this pack—aptly named the Travel Backpack Lite 40L —and will report back soon.  In the meantime, if you think you would struggle carrying the Tortuga, we strenuously encourage you to consider one of our more-manageable picks, like the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L.

Capacity: 40 liters Weight: 4½ pounds Main compartment access: clamshell opening Style: minimal, with a rigid construction Color: black

If you want to travel like a backpacker but also fit in at a board meeting (and you have the budget for it): Consider the Tom Bihn Aeronaut 45 . This bag’s reputation for durability, adaptability, and a low-key aesthetic make it a favorite among many dedicated one-bag travelers. And after testing it, we think it’s a great bag too. That said, for the bag to really stand out against other backpacks—and to take full advantage of its carrying adaptability—you need to buy the internal frame , the hip belt , and (if you’re traveling with a suit or jacket) the shoulder strap . On a bag that already costs $330, all of this adds up. Everything about the Tom Bihn bag (the fabric, the zippers, the quality of construction) feels like an upgrade from other bags, but it’s simply too pricey, and its design is too rarified and specific for most people. The biggest flaw, from our perspective—apart from the price—is that the Tom Bihn bag lacks a dedicated laptop pocket. In its place, the company sells laptop sleeves (a fine version if you don’t have one) that clip into the bag’s central compartment. Not everyone needs a dedicated laptop pocket, but we prefer the more secure feeling of bags that do.

If you want a budget pick (but only when it’s on sale): The eBags Mother Lode Travel Backpack (our former budget pick) is still your best budget option, if you can catch it on sale for at least half off the list price. It’s not comfortable enough for trekking long distances on foot, but there are plenty of external pockets for organization, a laptop sleeve (which holds the weight of your computer high up on your shoulders), and an easy-to-access main compartment. This pack also has the largest capacity of any bags we tested, expanding to 65 liters—well beyond any airline’s regulated 45-liter limit. However, the bag’s casual-to-basic looks might not be to everyone’s taste. In 2024, eBags raised the price of the Mother Lode to $200. We have seen it on sale for $100, and in our opinion it’s worth getting only at the sale price.

We’ve narrowed our specifications for a great bag to the following list of features, ordered from most relevant to least:

• Front- or back-panel loader or clamshell opening, for the main compartment: As with any good piece of luggage, with this type of bag, you should be able to open it and see everything you’ve packed. When you have a bag with a panel-loading or clamshell design—rather than a traditional, top-opening design—you can pack and unpack it just as you would a suitcase.

• Backpack strap comfort and design: You never know when you’ll be walking farther with your bag than you’d intended. The more comfortable and well designed the straps are, the easier traveling will be. “Ideally, you want a bag’s shoulder straps to adjust to the angle of your shoulders,” said Eytan Levy of Snarky Nomad. “Good shoulder straps are the difference between an easy trip and a hard trip.”
• Hip-belt comfort and design: A hip belt transfers heavy loads from your back and shoulders onto your hips, letting your legs—not your back—bear the brunt of the weight. Just having a waist belt is a plus, but having a padded and sculpted one—especially on bags with over 40 liters of volume—makes a world of difference.
• Material quality: Durability is critical for any type of luggage, but especially for a backpack that will be your only bag. Most bags worth considering are made of nylon, which resists abrasion more than polyester fabrics of similar density. Spending more, however, can get you exotic, light, and strong materials, such as Dyneema or sailcloth.
• Weight: Once the bags arrived, we weighed each one ourselves. Most of the bags weighed within a few pounds of one another. But unless you’re very strict with yourself, by the time you’re packed for a two-week journey, all bags are going to feel equally massive, even if one is just 2 pounds heavier than another when empty.
• Stowable straps: These are nice to have, but they aren’t absolutely necessary. “The more often you need to check a bag, the more often you need to hide away the straps,” Levy said. “But if the straps are tough enough, it doesn’t matter.”
• Accessory pocket layout and design: Some people will love an accessory pocket that has a specific space for everything; others may find that feature constricting and unadaptable. We prioritized bags with simple designs that guided our packing without constraining us.
• Style: This is purely subjective. We preferred bags that had a minimalist exterior style, but not all of our picks will please everyone. Most of the people we spoke with, however, preferred not to stick out like a tourist wearing a large, colorful backpack, if they could avoid it.

During testing, we flew across the country with these bags, took weekend trips to nearby cities, lived out of them on extended trips, and tried them locally in our daily routines. We also packed and unpacked each bag, using a standardized set of weeklong travel necessities and accessories, to see how well the internal organizational features (or lack thereof) aided or got in the way of efficient packing.

This is not a comprehensive list of all of the carry-on travel backpacks we have tested. We have removed any models that have been discontinued or that no longer meet our criteria.

The Away Outdoor Convertible Backpack 45L is a rare miss from the Away team. This bag is resoundingly average for the price. Although it’s made from excellent materials, the bag is let down by its overall design, which lacks any kind of structure or attention to comfort. There are better options.

The cheap, no-frills Cabin Max Metz bag is intriguing for the price. Any bag at this price should almost be considered disposable. That said, if you need a simple bag that costs less than a seat upgrade, this might be the way to go—unless you can pick up the eBags Motherlode bag for under $100, which we think is a better deal at that price.

The GeniusPack Travel Backpack is the only model we came across that tried to fit a suit into a travel backpack. Though some people might need that, we think those who have to travel with a suit (or clothes that require pressing) would be better off with a piece of carry-on luggage . GeniusPack now offers a second version of this bag, but our conclusion hasn’t changed.

For certain people, the GoRuck GR3 is almost worth the cost. It’s strong and simple and covered by an iron-clad repair guarantee. The removable hip belt is comfortable to wear, and it’s good at displacing the weight of a 45-liter backpack. This is a decent bag. After testing it, however, we weren’t thrilled with the internal Velcro lining for compatible Velcro packing cubes. Velcro isn’t great: It wears out, it’s difficult to keep clean, and it clings to dirt. That might seem like a small thing, but for the price, this bag should feel perfect.

The Minaal Carry-On 2.0 was designed to be a backpack for business people. But if you’re carrying it for business, you’re probably wearing at least a blazer, so you wouldn’t use a backpack in any case. If you’re a business traveler who falls more on the casual end of the business-casual spectrum, and you’re not on a budget, this is a well-thought-out pack. But we think our picks are more versatile for world travel, and they come at a better price. Minaal has since introduced a 3.0 version of this bag ; our thoughts about it remain the same.

The Osprey Sojourn Porter 46L is a slightly larger sibling of the Farpoint pack. The Sojourn Porter bag is about 2 inches longer, and it pushes right up to most airline limits. If you don’t mind possibly having to check your bag at the last minute, this would be an excellent alternative to the Farpoint pack.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.

Chase Reeves, Matterful.co , phone interview , October 10, 2018

Addison Ryan, moderator, r/onebag , email interview , September 8, 2018

Lindsay Lorraine Calderón, moderator, r/heronebag , phone interview , September 28, 2018

Meet your guide

Kit Dillon is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter. He was previously an app developer, oil derrick inspector, public-radio archivist, and sandwich shop owner. He has written for Popular Science, The Awl, and the New York Observer, among others. When called on, he can still make a mean sandwich.

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Best Travel Day Bag: How to Choose the Right One

  Not sure what the best travel day bag for your next trip is? There are lots of factors to keep in mind and we happily break down the criteria you should consider when selecting one. Check it out!   Best Travel Day Bag     Table Of Contents  ...

Want the best travel backpack? Read these top picks: Osprey , cute backpacks , business style .

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LOVEVOOK Laptop Backpack for Women, Fits 15.6 Inch Laptop Bag, Fashion Travel Work Anti-theft Bag with Lock, Business Computer Waterproof Backpack Purse, Purple-Black-Black

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It’s My Work-Diapers Backpack-Tote

Most diaper bags are just tote bags or backpacks made of waterproof materials, with extra pockets to hold bottles, pacifiers, and baby snacks. (Some of the more elaborate ones have insulated storage and removable changing pads.) They are often bulky, and, in my experience, life as a parent is easier without one. I prefer a more streamlined multipurpose bag that I can use for work or travel or just everyday errand-running, in addition to baby outings. And the best one I’ve found so far is the surprisingly spacious and nice-looking LeSportsac Double Trouble backpack.

My ideal diaper bag is lightweight and easy to carry, wipes clean and doesn’t show stains, looks good with everything I might wear, and is just as handy for carrying a laptop, water bottle , or wallet as it is for carrying baby stuff. The Double Trouble checks all of these boxes — plus, it can be used as a backpack or a tote. It has two tall pockets on the sides that work just as well for an adult water bottle as they do for a baby bottle. Inside, there are four elastic-trimmed mesh pockets that I use for everything from a computer charger to extra tampons and infant Motrin. There’s also a sneaky outer zipper pocket on the back and two smaller pockets (one zip, one not) on the front.

Despite its French-sounding name, LeSportsac is an American company that was founded in 1974, was taken over (and given new life) by the son of the original founders in the early 1990s, and is now in the middle of another revival along with other popular brands of the ’90s and 2000s. This resurgence and the backpack’s trapezoidal shape make it feel subtly trendy — even Prada -adjacent — especially in the all-black nylon that I have (though it also comes in an ever-changing array of bright colors and playful prints). It has a ’90s mini-backpack vibe without being actually mini or overtly vintage-looking. I first became familiar with the brand in college when I worked part-time in a kids’-clothing store that carried some of the Hello Kitty and Tokidoki collaboration bags . Then, last year, LeSportsac sent me a few items to try in celebration of its upcoming 50th anniversary, and the Double Trouble was the sleeper hit.

Before the Double Trouble became my “diaper bag” of choice, I tried three other contenders: a leopard-print Colugo diaper tote , an all-black Caraa baby bag , and a Patagonia Ultralight Black Hole backpack , also in all black. All three are well-designed bags with practical details like removable looped straps for hanging on a stroller and insulated pockets for snacks or milk, and all three had great potential. But, ultimately, none of them fit my criteria for everyday (or even occasional) non-baby-related use and ended up in the back of my closet.

I put the Patagonia backpack — which is also popular among artists and art handlers — on my baby registry , thinking it would work well style-wise for both me and my husband. It’s lightweight and packable and can be hosed off in the event of a spill. But since it lacks structure, the lightness of the backpack and the depth of the main compartment are more frustrating than they are practical. No matter how thoughtfully I packed it, everything would disappear as if into a … black hole. I always had to use two hands and a hard surface to find anything — not great if you’re also holding a wriggly or fussy baby with a dirty diaper.

The Caraa baby bag is the opposite, designed so you can find exactly what you need quickly. It’s all black on the outside, but the lining is cream-colored, so all your stuff is easy to see. It has three insulated outer pockets, two non-insulated magnetic sleeve pockets, a back zipper pocket that can fit a tablet or an iPad but not my MacBook Air, and a hidden zipper pocket for tucking away the optional shoulder straps. Inside, there are also four clear plastic slots and one elastic rimmed divider for organizing diapers . But the bag is bulky in a way that outs it as a diaper bag, and it can’t really double as a work bag since it can just barely hold my 13-inch laptop in the main compartment (and even then, the computer fits only without a protective sleeve ). The wealth of pockets, while useful, annoyingly causes me to carry more than I need.

The Colugo diaper tote is roomy and very attractive, with a handful of useful inner pockets and two small zipper pockets on the outside. It also has a removable cross-body shoulder strap. But I’ve found I like it better as a weekend bag, because it’s too big and heavy to use on a daily basis in New York City.

Where the Double Trouble beats them all is in its simple and ergonomic design. It’s comfortable to wear as a backpack despite a lack of extra padding or tactical-looking straps — the wide, woven nylon straps hug my shoulders gently as they evenly distribute the weight of whatever I am carrying. I can even wear it comfortably while carrying my son in a baby carrier , and the placement of the outer pockets makes it easy to reach around and grab my phone or a straw cup one-handed. When the subway car is crowded, it’s easy to switch to carrying it by the top handles as a tote. It fits in the storage bin of my compact Yoyo Stroller or in the basket of a Citibike. Best of all, it always makes my outfits look more sleek and put together, so much so that I chose to bring it with me instead of a purse on a recent trip to Japan and even got compliments on it from the salesperson at the Beams store in Kanazawa. It’s more than just a work bag, or a diaper bag, or an alternative to a purse for sightseeing, and I plan on carrying it long after my son is out of diapers and carrying his own backpack .

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Today’s Top Clicked

This TikTok-Famous Travel Bag Has A Way More Affordable Doppelgänger

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If you’ve been on TikTok at all, you are probably well aware of the hype surrounding the Béis Weekender , a thoughtfully designed travel bag meant to meet all your globe-trotting needs — for $98.

As is often the case with relatively expensive viral sensations, the internet found a way to deliver affordable alternatives that are loved and adored by the masses. In this case, the original has been most famously replicated by Sam’s Club and the Minkars brand on Amazon , both of which have completely sold out.

But before you get travel bag FOMO, you can still shop another popular and convincing lookalike on Amazon for nearly a quarter the cost of the luxury version. And it comes in about 30 colors.

One of the defining features of the Béis is the generous bottom zippered compartment meant to keep soiled clothing or shoes separate from the rest of the interior. This Amazon version from Etronik promises that same vented bottom compartment along with other signature features of the original, such as a trolley strap, an interior laptop pocket and three separate interior pockets for even more organizing potential.

There are also some differences and unique additions to the Amazon duffle, most notably a USB port that can be used to connect an external travel battery and your electronic device so you can charge up your phone without having to open up the bag and dig around for a charger. There are also two slip-in side pockets for storing a water bottle or umbrella, and a separate zippered cosmetics pouch also comes with the bag.

Although both options are made with a water-resistant material, the Etronik bag has less structured, softer sides compared the Béis, which is one thing to take into consideration.

Reviewers claim they love this bag for use as a travel carry-on, for taking short weekend trips and as a hospital bag or gym duffle. And for just a little over $33, you really can’t go wrong.

If you’re not fully convinced, keep scrolling to see some positive testimonials before taking the plunge.

Promising Amazon reviews:

“Used it for a weekend trip in the mountains and it was amazing!! Felt very organized with the different compartments/pockets. The extra shoe bags and toiletry bag were a huge plus! There was a bit of struggle to fit all the thick sweaters and snow pants, but if it zipped up all my snow clothing, it can zip up a summer wardrobe.” — Isabella Hinojosa

“I can’t even explain what fit in there. Well I can. I even placed my purse in there to use it as a personal item and it passed. I had makeup, shoes, a straightener and some bathing suits stuffed in and I still had room. The charger on the side is a plus. And can we talk about all the pockets? Yes please, send me another.” — Noelani Salvador

“I knew it would be a good size but I didn’t really know until I received it! This is the perfect traveling bag and it fits so much, the pockets and compartments it has are super helpful, and I have been questioning myself on where this has been my whole life. So worth it!” — T

“Brought it on United as a personal item. Fit well under seat with extra room left over. Looks nice [and is] comfortable to hold. [It] has a strap you can slide over suitcase handle so you don’t have to carry it. Fits a lot. Added my electronics, chargers, shoes, book, wallet, and liquids. Would recommend! It has a ton of side pouches and a bottom compartment.” — Jen

Before You Go

11 Luggage And Travel Bag Options That Are Flight Attendant-Approved

Popular in the community, from our partner, huffpost shopping’s best finds, more in shopping.

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9 Best Bike Bags for City Commutes and Long-Haul Adventures—Tested and Reviewed

No matter how much gear you have, these can handle it.

This journey wasn't just about racking up miles ; it was an odyssey that put every conceivable type of bike bag to the test, from sleek frame bags that hug the contours of his bike like a 2000s tailored suit to rugged panniers ready for a tumble and still come out looking picture-perfect.

Best Travel Bag for Carrying a Bike

Thule roundtrip road bike travel case.

Best Bike Bag for Commuting

Brompton x bear grylls waterproof backpack.

Best Bag for Bikepacking

Apidura expedition full frame pack.

Best Handlebar Bike Bag

Rapha bar bag.

Best Everyday Bike Bag

Orucase saddle bag.

Best Hydration Bag for Biking

Camelbak m.u.l.e. pro 14.

Best Bike Panniers

Ortlieb back-roller classic panniers.

Best Bag For Bike Tools

Lezyne flow tool caddy pro.

Best Looking Bag for Cycling

Moral code tide vegan backpack.

Through this shared adventure, coupled with an amount of research that could rival a doctoral thesis , I've compiled a list of the crème de la crème of bike bags. Each one is a story of durability, functionality, and sometimes, sheer style because, let's face it, even the most rugged of cyclists doesn't mind a bit of flair. So, whether you're a seasoned pedaler or a casual cruiser, join me on this quest through the best bike bags out there. Oh, and if you need the best bike racks or helmets , we have guides for those too.

This travel bike case is a premier solution for transporting your road, gravel, or cyclocross bike easily and safely during long-haul travels. Its integrated work stand not only guarantees your bike's safe transit but also facilitates hassle-free maintenance and assembly/disassembly. This case promises not just to carry your bike but to protect and maintain it every step of the journey.

Crafted from 100 percent recycled waterproof material, the Brompton x Bear Grylls Backpack is environmentally friendly and resilient against the elements—making it perfect for daily commutes in any weather. Its seamless integration with Brompton bikes, attaching securely with a quick click to the front, enhances the commuting experience by providing a hassle-free way to carry essentials. This collaboration with Bear Grylls aims to inspire adventure in the everyday, blending the functionality of urban cycling with the spirit of exploration.

The Expedition Full Frame Pack from Apidura is the ultimate game-changer in bike packing. Imagine you're gearing up for a long haul and have a load of stuff—think cooking gear, water bladders, tent poles, the whole shebang.

This genius pack slots right into your bike's main triangle, giving you tons of space without messing with your ride, thanks to its clever low center of gravity. It's like the best buddy for adventurers who don't want to leave behind their essentials for those epic trips. The way it's designed, you can load it up and still keep your bike feeling nimble and easy to handle, no matter how challenging the trail gets.

This versatile pack becomes the perfect partner for those trips where you need just a bit more room to pack your essentials. Crafted with waterproof fabric, it keeps your belongings dry if you get caught in a downpour. It snugly attaches to your bike using two solid fixture points and sturdy Hyperlon straps, staying put no matter the terrain.

Plus, the quick-release buckles mean you can snap it off in a flash. Need to be seen when the sun goes down? The reflective webbing is a neat feature that lets you attach lights, keeping you visible and safe. With a 2L main compartment complete with internal mesh pockets and a handy quick access pocket, it's a compact yet mighty addition to your gear. And if the ride calls for versatility, this pack smoothly transitions into an over-the-shoulder bag, thanks to the additional strap.

Ever find yourself needing just the right bag for everyday rides, no matter the terrain or weather? This is your bag. It comes in two sizes, giving you the freedom to carry just the essentials or pack in a bit more for those just-in-case moments, perfect for mountain bikers, road enthusiasts, or gravel grinders alike.

What really sets this saddle bag apart is its rugged, waterproof ripstop fabric. Made from X-PAC material by Dimension-Polyant, it ensures whatever you stash inside stays dry and safe, even when you're powering through a torrential downpour or blasting over muddy trails. Plus, the bag features an integrated Bartacked Hypalon attachment loop, making it super simple to open and close, even when you're on the move.

Heading out for a ride and need to keep hydrated? This bag’s a great pick if you want something light but tough. With its 3D Vent Mesh Harness, it’s super breathable and comfy to carry. There’s also a big three-liter water pouch that lets you drink on the go, and a handy hip belt for your must-haves. Whether it’s a short ride or an all-day adventure, this pack’s ready for anything, even fitting an Impact Protector and an e-bike battery.

These Ortlieb Back-Roller bike panniers are built to withstand whatever the weather throws at you, thanks to their tough coated polyester fabric and roll-top closure that keeps water out.

You won't have to leave anything behind with a 40-liter gear capacity. (That's 20 liters each, for those keeping score.) There's plenty of room for food, extra clothes, toiletries, and other essentials. The QL2.1 mounting system makes attaching these to racks (up to 16 mm tube diameter) a breeze and comes with adapters for smaller sizes too. Plus, there's an inner pocket for smaller items, large reflectors for visibility, and a shoulder strap for easy carrying off the bike.

Sold as a pair, these panniers are praised for their top-notch quality and design, featuring remarkably good latches and overall capacity.

Ever been biking, rummaging through a pile of gear for your tube and tools, feeling the frustration mount? Well, say goodbye to those days with the Lezyne Flow Tool Caddy Pro. This tool bag is a game-changer for cyclists who value organization and convenience. Its sleek, ergonomic design not only fits perfectly in your water bottle cage but also offers easy access and smart storage while you're on the move.

With internal compartments that include a zippered section and a mesh pocket, this caddy ensures your tube, CO2 canisters, and multi-tools are neatly organized and always within reach. And when you're dealing with a flat by the roadside, the full 180-degree zipper opening means you'll have everything you need right at your fingertips, hassle-free.

If you're heading out for quick ride around town and want to do it in style, the Tide backpack is our pick. It's practicality and sleek, making it a top pick for cyclists who appreciate both form and function. With its waterproof capabilities, you won't have to worry about getting caught in a downpour, and its durability means it can handle the rough and tumble of city life.

But what really sets the Tide backpack apart for us is the brand's commitment to style without sacrificing sustainability. It's made from recycled plastic bottles with vegan apple leather accents. The classic flap design gives you easy access to the main compartment, ensuring everything you need is just a zipper away. Plus, with extra pockets, your smaller essentials are always within reach.

What to Look for in a Bike Bag

When diving into the vast sea of bike bags, it's easy to get swept away by the sheer variety and advertised features. However, focusing on a few key factors can help you navigate these waters.

Type of Cycling - For the rugged off-roader, durability and water resistance are your best mates. Urban commuters, on the other hand, might prioritize ease of access and reflective elements for twilight rides.

Capacity and Compartments - Think Mary Poppins' bag, but for cyclists. You want enough space to stash your essentials but with savvy compartments to avoid a chaotic treasure hunt whenever you need your keys.

Attachment systems - A bag that fits snugly and securely on your bike is like a faithful sidekick, ready for any adventure without causing a ruckus.

Material - Look for lightweight yet sturdy fabrics that can handle adverse weather conditions and keep your belongings safe and dry.

Why Trust Esquire?

We don't have all the answers, but we're definitely not slacking on the research front, and we make it a point to chat with the experts. Our circle includes a bunch of recreational cyclists who are always on the move, giving us the lowdown on which bike racks are hitting the mark and which ones are missing it by miles. Toss in our own in-depth research, and you're looking at the best advice on the internet. We're here to guide you through the dizzying array of choices, slicing through the clutter to spotlight bike bags that truly excel in durability, user-friendliness, and versatility.

@media(max-width: 73.75rem){.css-1ktbcds:before{margin-right:0.4375rem;color:#FF3A30;content:'_';display:inline-block;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1ktbcds:before{margin-right:0.5625rem;color:#FF3A30;content:'_';display:inline-block;}} What We're Buying

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Moscow-City: 7 surprising facts about the Russian capital’s business center

1. Guinness World Record in highlining

The record was set in 2019 by a team of seven athletes from Russia, Germany, France and Canada. They did it on September 8, on which the ‘Moscow-City Day’ is celebrated. The cord was stretched at the height of 350 m between the ‘OKO’ (“Eye”) and ‘Neva Towers’ skyscrapers. The distance between them is 245 m. The first of the athletes to cross was Friede Kuhne from Germany. The athletes didn't just walk, but also performed some daredevil tricks. Their record is 103 meters higher than the previous one set in Mexico City in December 2016.

2. Domination of Europe's top-10 highest skyscrapers

7 out of 10 Europe’s highest skyscrapers are located in Moscow-City. Earlier, the  ‘Federation Tower’ complex’s ‘Vostok’ (“East”) skyscraper was the considered the tallest in Europe.

Left to right: the lower of the ‘Neva Towers’ (296 m), Commerzbank Tower in Frankfurt (300 m), Gorod Stolits (“City of Capitals”) Moscow tower (302 m), Eurasia tower (309 m), The Shard’ skyscraper in London (310 m), Mercury City Tower (339 m), Neva Towers (345 m).

However, in 2018, the construction of the 462 meter tall ‘Lakhta Center’ in Saint-Petersburg was completed, pushing ‘Vostok’ (374 m) into 2nd place. The 3rd place is taken by OKO’s southern tower (354 m).

3. The unrealized ‘Rossiya’ tower

If all the building plans of Moscow-City were realized, the ‘Lakhta Center’ in St. Petersburg wouldn't have a chance to be Europe's highest skyscraper. Boris Tkhor, the architect who designed the concept of Moscow-City, had planned for the ‘Rossiya’ tower to be the tallest. In his project, it was a 600 meter tall golden cylindrical skyscraper ending with a spire that was inspired by traditional Russian bell towers. Then, the project was reinvented by famous British architect Sir Norman Foster. He had designed ‘Rossiya’ as a pyramid ending with a spire. The skyscraper itself would have been 612 meters tall, and the height including the spire would have reached 744,5 meters (for comparison, the ‘Burj Khalifa’ in Dubai, UAE, would have been just 83,5 meters taller). Unfortunately, the investors faced a lot of economic problems, due to the 2008 financial crisis, so the ‘Rossiya’ skyscraper was never built. A shopping mall and the ‘Neva Towers’ complex was constructed at its place in 2019.

4. Changed appearance of ‘Federation Tower’

In its first project, the ‘Federation Tower’ was designed to resemble a ship with a mast and two sails. The mast was to be represented by a tall glass spire with passages between the towers. It was planned to make a high-speed lift in it. The top of the spire was going to be turned into an observation deck. But the ship lost its mast in the middle of its construction. Experts at the Moscow-city Museum based in the ‘Imperia’ (“Empire”) tower say, that the construction of the spire was stopped, firstly, due to fire safety reasons and secondly, because it posed a threat to helicopter flights – the flickering glass of the spire could potentially blind the pilots. So, the half-built construction was disassembled. However, an observation deck was opened in the ‘Vostok’ tower.

5. Open windows of ‘Federation Tower’

We all know that the windows of the upper floors in different buildings don’t usually open. Experts say that it’s not actually for people’s safety. Falling from a big height is likely to be fatal in any building. The actual reason is the ventilation system. In a skyscraper, it’s managed with a mechanical system, and the building has its own climate. But in the ‘Zapad’ (“West”) tower of the ‘Federation Tower’ complex, the windows can open. The 62nd and last floor of the tower are taken up by a restaurant called ‘Sixty’. There, the windows are equipped with a special hydraulic system. They open for a short period of time accompanied by classical music, so the guests can take breathtaking photos of Moscow.

6. Broken glass units of ‘Federation Tower’

The guests of the ‘Sixty’ restaurant at the top of the ‘Zapad’ tower can be surprised to see cracked glass window panes. It is particularly strange, if we take into consideration the special type of this glass. It is extremely solid and can’t be broken once installed. For example, during experiments people threw all sorts of heavy items at the windows, but the glass wouldn’t break. The broken glass units of ‘Zapad’ were already damaged during shipment . As each of them is curved in its own way to make the tower’s curvature smooth, making a new set of window panes and bringing them to Russia was deemed too expensive . Moreover, the investors had financial problems (again, due to the 2008 financial crisis), so the ‘Vostok’ tower even stood unfinished for several years. Eventually, the cracked window panes were installed in their place.

7. The highest restaurant in Europe

‘Birds’, another restaurant in Moscow-City, is remarkable for its location. It was opened at the end of 2019 on the 84th floor of the ‘OKO’ complex’s southern tower. Guests at the restaurant can enjoy an amazing panoramic view at a height of 336 meters. On January 28, the experts of ‘Kniga Recordov Rossii’ (“Russian Records Book”) declared ‘Birds’ the highest restaurant in Europe, a step toward an application for a Guinness World Record.

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This Earth Day, Stop Shopping Fast Fashion — and Switch to Our Favorite Sustainable Brands’ Long-lasting Pieces

Shop top picks from Everlane, Cariuma, Patagonia, and more.

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

Travel + Leisure / Madison Woiten

Earth Day has arrived, and with it comes an opportunity to reflect on your buying habits so that you can begin to consume more consciously. If you have any trips on the horizon, you may still have some shopping to do in preparation, so we decided to make it a little bit easier to build out your dream travel wardrobe while being kinder to the planet. 

In honor of the annual event, keep reading to find the 10 eco-friendly brands we love to shop at for comfy travel clothing and gear — as well as our top pick from each. From the perfect flowy pants to wear during a long-haul flight (which you can find at Everlane ), to the most supportive walking shoes made with recycled materials at Cariuma , these products prove that you can invest in your closet while minimizing your footprint on Mother Earth.

Our Pick: The Easy Pant

Everlane has long prioritized using recycled and organic materials to create their high-quality, made-to-last clothing, securing them as a go-to source for sustainably made apparel that’s also travel-friendly. These lightweight and breathable pants are made from a cotton and elastane blend and feature a stretchy elastic waistband that ensures they’ll remain comfortable during even the longest flights. And while you can never go wrong with a good pair of black pants, they’re also available in six other neutral shades that you won’t want to miss out on for spring.

Our Pick: Oca Low Black Canvas

One of the primary pillars of the Cariuma brand is sustainability , and in fact, with every purchase of a pair of sneakers, the brand has vowed to plant two trees in Brazil as part of their reforestation initiative — so far, they’ve already planted more than 2 billion trees. It’s this attention and care for the planet that should convince you to pick up a pair of the organic cotton Oca Low canvas sneakers that thousands of shoppers ( and celebs ) swear by. They’re effortlessly comfortable, easy to style, and even come in 24 bold colors and patterns.

Our Pick: Rib-Knit Hoodie

This Oprah-loved brand creates all of its products — from sheets to lounge sets — with responsibly sourced material that’s ethically made, all while designing pieces that are built to last. So, if you’re looking to add a cozy layer to your travel wardrobe that’s sustainably made and unbelievably soft, their Rib-Knit Hoodie is our top choice, and it’s even on sale for $117 right now thanks to the brand’s annual Mother’s Day Sale . The material on this cooling sweatshirt is viscose made from bamboo which provides an effortless drapey fit, and it’s available in four sleek shades, with sizes ranging from XS to 3XL.

Our Pick: Woven Twill Utility Joggers

Pact prioritizes using eco-friendly textiles in their comfy pieces that are practically designed for long travel days, and they’re even Fair Trade Certified, meaning that their factories are guaranteed to offer safe working conditions for those making your clothing. If you’ve been on the hunt for pants that you can wear from sightseeing excursions to running errands (and everything in between), these utility joggers are the perfect choice, and right now they’re on major sale, bringing the price down to just $54. Plus, if you want a closer look at the sustainability stats, the site even outlines that the organic cotton these pants are made of saves 62 gallons of water, and boasts nearly 20 pounds of carbon emission offset.

Our Pick: Horizontal Duck Bag

Sustainability is at the forefront of Baggu’s brand ethos , as they strive to reduce fabric waste while utilizing recycled materials to create the everyday bags that we know and love. The brand’s Horizontal Duck Bag is one of our top picks as it’s made from recycled cotton canvas that creates a durable feel, while the spacious yet foldable design is easy to pack into your carry-on for an extra bag to use during your travels. Adjustable straps mean it can be worn as a crossbody or a shoulder bag, while a zipper secures your belongings within to ward off potential theft.

Our Pick: Volley Canvas White Black

Clothing and other textile waste is a major issue in the age of overconsumption, and Veja proposes one solution to this concern by making their comfy and supportive sneakers out of recycled plastic bottles and other materials, resulting in a sustainable and reliable product. The brand’s Volley Canvas sneaker is a top choice to shop this spring as the upper is made from 100 percent organic cotton, while supportive (and sustainably made) insoles provide comfort for all-day wear. Plus, they’re a nice twist on the classic white sneaker that will still match nearly everything you have in your suitcase. 

Our Pick: Moda 20L Backpack

From partnering with reliable and ethical factories to working with sustainable, recycled fabrics, Cotopaxi is a leader in environmentally friendly outdoor gear , so you can snag a backpack, duffel, or even apparel that works for you and the earth. The 20L Moda Backpack is currently on sale for just $69 and is made from a mix of recycled nylon and polyester to secure its title as eco-conscious. Plus, a large primary compartment, breathable mesh back paneling, and a variety of other easy-access pockets all make packing for your travels a breeze.

Our Pick: Mongolian Cashmere Batwing Sweater

Quince aims to reduce the use of unnecessary plastic in their shipping methods while also creating long-lasting pieces made from environmentally friendly materials such as organic cotton in order to lessen their carbon footprint . Those factors in combination with competitive prices that are a fraction of traditional retailers mean you can’t go wrong with anything you choose from the site. The brand’s Mongolian Cashmere Batwing Sweater is at the top of our shopping list for spring as the flowy design will make for the most gorgeous layering piece to tuck into your carry-on during a long-haul flight, and with seven jewel-toned and neutral shades to choose from, we can’t blame you if you pick up more than one. Best of all, it’s lightweight, breathable, and ethically produced.

Girlfriend Collective

Our Pick: Monaco Float Ultralight Leggings

Girlfriend Collective strives to do everything it can to build a sustainable and eco-friendly business , starting with 100 percent recycled and recyclable packaging and extending to the recycled materials from which they make their clothing. In fact, in an effort to reuse plastics, the brand even makes a large portion of its apparel from old water bottles to keep that material out of landfills. If you’re making your first purchase from Girlfriend Collective, you can’t go wrong with these lightweight leggings that boast sizes ranging from 2XS to 6XL in four gorgeous colors. They’re sweat-wicking and quick-drying, making them ideal for tough workout days and walking tours alike.

Our Pick: Women’s R1 CrossStrata Jacket

It’s no secret that Patagonia is one of the most beloved (and sustainable) outdoor gear brands, from its use of recycled materials to its animal welfare policies , and the creation of high-quality products that won’t soon need to be replaced or otherwise end up in a landfill. In fact, the brand is even focusing on utilizing regenerative practices starting with soil in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while formulating top-notch gear. Right now, the Women’s R1 CrossStrata Jacket has caught our eye while it’s on sale for an impressive 50 percent off, as it’s made with a breathable yet cozy fleece to provide insulation during your spring hiking and camping endeavors. Not to mention that it’s even made in a Fair Trade Certified factory, so you don’t have to worry about contributing to inhumane working conditions with your shopping habits.

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A guide to the very best shopping in Moscow

Sep 17, 2019 • 5 min read

While shopping in GUM department store be sure to check out its famous glass roof © Popova Valeriya / Shutterstock

Shopping in Moscow can be quite a daunting experience – you can walk for miles without finding anything but mass-market brands and overpriced boutiques. But, if you do it right, it can also be quite fun. Here are our top tips on how to get the most out of your shopping trip in Moscow.

Shopping malls 

There are many shopping malls all around Moscow, but there three that double as bona fide tourist attractions: GUM, TsUM and Detsky Mir, all within walking distance from each other. GUM is one of the oldest department stores in the country. It’s famous for the glass roof designed by one of Russia’s most celebrated architects, Vladimir Shukhov.  Today it serves as a high-class shopping mall. There are plenty of luxury shops, a supermarket that sells lots of signature Russian goods and several places to eat. Head to the more expensive  Bosco Cafe with a Kremlin view or, for a budget option, try the Soviet-style cafeteria Stolovaya No 57 . GUM also occasionally hosts contemporary art exhibitions in one of its three main aisles.

The Red Square and beyond: a guide to Moscow’s neighbourhoods

TsUM  is another shopping mall from the pre-revolutionary times. It’s the most luxurious store in the city, famous for its paper bags that many Muscovites carry around or post pictures of on Instagram to let everyone know they shop there. Full of haute couture boutiques, TsUM also has a rooftop restaurant Buro , frequented by Russian celebrities. Tsentralny Detsky Mir  children's store is perfect if you are looking for a gift for a kid or want to check out its awesome viewing platform with good views over central Moscow. At just R50 per ticket it’s a steal. 

Food stalls and markets 

There are two food markets that are worth checking out in Moscow.  Danilovsky Market  became the trailblazer of Moscow’s foodie revolution when it got an uplift in 2017. As well as many trendy food stalls, the market also hosts lectures, film viewing and even theatre productions, and it recently opened an antiques section. It’s an architectural landmark, a masterpiece of late Soviet modernism that looks like a UFO. Food at  Usachevsky Market  tends to be a bit more pricey and upmarket. Both markets also sell plenty of fresh produce, local cheeses and cured meats.

Antiques and flea markets 

Shopping can also be a way to get away from the major landmarks and explore some sights off the beaten path. Moscow’s #1 flea market is  Izmailovsky , located in and around the pseudo-historical complex 'Izmailovsky Kremlin' with its colourful walls and domes. Open daily, it’s best to come here on the weekend to catch better deals. Admittedly tacky, Kremlin has a handful of weird museums like the Vodka History Museum or Baba Yaga Museum (Baba Yaga is a Russian fairy tale character). Part of the market had been gentrified into creative cluster Vernissage , with hipster coffee shops, various workshops and Svalka , an enormous two-floor secondhand shop with everything from used books to vintage clothing.

For high-class antiques, rare books and icons head to Antikvarnaya Lavka (Antique Store) just off Bolshaya Nikitskaya street (5 Kalashny Pereulok). Here you can snag a real masterpiece – a painting or a sculpture – but the prices are quite steep. 

Four great day trips from Moscow

If you are looking for a more authentic place with less hustle, one option is the antiques market on the premises of vodka distillery Crystal (4 ul Samokatnaya), which you can reach by taking tram 20 to Samokatnaya ul from the exit of metro Chkalovskaya. The market is located in the basement of one of the red-brick factory buildings. There are plenty of antiques, books and various Soviet-time memorabilia, such as Stalin and Lenin busts. While at Crystal, be sure to check out great works of street art – they are all around the factory premises. 

For die-hard antique collectors there’s also a place right outside of Moscow – Novopodrezkovo market (also know as Levsha market). Take a suburban train from Leningradsky station to Novopodrezkovo (approximately half an hour), cross the tracks to the other side and there you’ll find it – a treasure trove of used books, vinyl records, clothing, paintings and antique furniture.   

Where to shop for Russian designs

Gosha Rubchinskiy might be the only Russian clothing designer of world renown, especially after his collaboration with Kanye West, but there are many more up-and-coming fashion stars worth checking out. One of the places to do it is KM20 , the place Moscow fashionistas, with streetwear brands from all over the world and a lot of very rare items. There's also one of the best vegetarian cafes in Moscow on second floor. 

GUM shopping mall has a two-storey store devoted to Russian designers –  Sektsiya (Section). Section sells products made by 50 Russian brands, from accessories to Heart of Moscow souvenir pins. Plus there’s a bar overlooking the Red Square. 

If you are not into high fashion, but still interested in getting a cool outfit with Cyrillic script, check out the creative cluster centred around two abandoned factories: Flakon and Khlebozavod . One of the biggest stores is Zaporozhets Heritage  at Flakon , which sells clothing and accessories styled after various Soviet pop culture icons. The northern part, Khlebozavod, hosts several shops like Yunost  and Khlebny  that take a more punk-rock approach to streetwear. After shopping, have a pint at a great local craft beer bar Svoboda  or a coffee at Floo .        

Sputnik 1985 is a Russian clothing brand specialising in hoodies and hats with quotes in Cyrillic and retro prints. The store is located in a courtyard on Pokrovka street (19 Ulitsa Pokrovka). 

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10 Best Vacuum Storage Bags of 2024

Our top picks will increase your closet and suitcase space in minutes.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Our top picks:

Best Overall

Ziploc space bag.

GONGSHI Vacuum Storage Bags

Top-Seller on Amazon

Cozy essential vacuum storage bags.

Best Variety Pack

Hibag vacuum storage bags.

Best Heavy-Duty

Spacesaver vacuum storage bags.

Best for Bedding

Hefty shrink-pak vacuum storage bags.

Best for Travel

Amazon basics vacuum compression zipper storage bags.

Best for Stacking

Storage master jumbo vacuum storage bags.

Best Extra-Large

Vacwel vacuum storage bags.

Best Hanging

Taili hanging vacuum storage bags.

The best vacuum storage bags make the most of your space by removing the air inside and sealing it tight. Many use a vacuum or hand pump to suck out all the air, while some travel-friendly space bags can actually be hand-pressed shut. Because of this, they're great for packing out-of-season clothes, bedding and more into small spaces like under your bed or inside your suitcase .

After consulting our in-house experts and scouring online reviews, we've rounded up the best vacuum storage bags to shop on Amazon, starting at just $8 (with fast, free shipping to boot!).

Skip the checked luggage line at the airport with these travel-friendly storage bags. Forté named the Ziploc Space Bag a long-standing Lab favorite. There's no need for a pump or a vacuum to take the air out — simply fill each with up to five pounds of clothing or bedding, seal it with the Ziploc slider and fold to press out the air. It also costs under $10 for a pack of two.

Since they don't require any bulky equipment, these bags are a great option for users on the go. The brand claims the bags reduce the volume of clothing and bedding by up to 75%. They're also waterproof and airtight per the brand, meaning they should help protect your items from damage caused by travel and storage.

Stow bulky bedding, sweaters, pillows and more with these space-saving storage bags. You can either use the included hand pump or a standard vacuum cleaner to compress each bag and reduce volume by up to 80%, according to the brand. For under $20, this pack comes with four bag sizes to store different items: the smallest size fits six to eight sweaters while the largest fits a queen-sized bedding set.

The triple-sealed valve is designed to keep bags airtight so your items stay condensed, and the double-layered material is designed to be puncture- and scratch-resistant, making it more durable against damage. "They're strong and sturdy," one Amazon reviewer said . "They have great sizes and storage space, and they hold the seal (some for a year now)."

Boasting more than 38,000 five-star reviews and counting, Amazon's #1 best-selling space saver bags claim to shrink the size of your items by up to 80%. This variety pack includes 20 bags, making them great for anyone moving houses or with lots of vacuum storage needs. The pack includes standard vacuum-sealable bags as well as travel bags that can be rolled to press out air — no pump required.

Waterproof and reusable (purported by the brand), the bags' valves and seals are designed to prevent expansion and keep moisture and debris out. "The quality of these bags is outstanding," one online shopper wrote . "I feel confident storing my clothing, bedding and other textiles knowing they are safe and well-preserved."

Whether you need to increase your under-bed storage space or condense your clothes on the go, this pack offers the most variety with six different-sized bags for all your needs . The standard bags range from pouch-sized bags for lingerie and T-shirts to extra-large bags for bedding sets and pillows . Each waterproof bag has a handy line to show you where to stop filling them, making it more intuitive to pack than other options on our list.

While it can be sealed with the included hand pump or a vacuum, we love that the travel bags can be rolled to seal out excess air sans tool if needed. "These were a game changer during our move," an Amazon reviewer wrote . "The sizes vary drastically, accommodating many different types of items from quilts to pillows as well as clothes."

The original Spacesaver vacuum storage bags are our top pick for heavy-duty storage needs where damage protection is imperative, like cross-country moves and travel. You can use either the included hand pump or your vacuum to reduce volume by up to 80%, according to the brand. Choose from small to jumbo sizes and variety packs for all your storage needs.

Reviewers appreciate its ease of use and sturdy plastic . "I'm moving all the way across the country and was stressed out wondering how much of my clothing I could actually take with me. These Space Saver bags are a life saver!" wrote one five-star reviewer . "They are so easy to pack, zip and vacuum out the air. One of my best purchases ever here on Amazon (and I've made thousands)."

Hefty is known for its durable garbage bags and freezer bags, but the brand also has a line of high-rated vacuum storage bags. Including three large and three extra-large sizes, Hefty's Shrink-Pak bags claim to be waterproof and reusable season after season, so you don't have to worry about moisture, dust or bugs ruining your items. Plus, you can simply press the air out with your hands and seal.

We love how the extra large bags have a zipper on the long side rather than the shorter top, making it easier to pack bedding supplies like pillows and comforters. Shoppers agreed, with one writing : "We just went through a very long, drawn-out move and the shrink bags have been a true lifesaver! We were able to put lots of our clothes, towels and blankets in storage while we shopped for a new house. When we finally started unpacking, everything looked exactly the way it did when it was packed!"

More than 60,000 five-star reviewers endorse these space-saving bags from Amazon Basics. Even if you don't have a vacuum with compatible attachments to compress the bags, reviewers noted that the included hand pump works effectively — making it a great option for travel.

Available in sizes medium through jumbo and counts of four through 20, they store everything from T-shirts and sweaters to comforters and bed sheets. "This is ridiculously easy to use and fits so much!" one shopper said . "I have fit two king-sized comforters into one large bag with no issue."

Outfitted with a stylish plaid print, we wouldn't mind keeping these space bags out in plain sight. And it's not just for aesthetics. Their unique woven texture provides a bit of grip to their exterior, helping them to stay in place better while stacked. The bags come in four sizes and packs of six to 26, making them great for small organization projects and large undertakings.

Plus, they compress with a vacuum or its included pump. Reviewers appreciate the variety of sizes and ease of use, too. "I love these sealable storage bags!" one shopper wrote . "The quality is fantastic, very well-made and sturdy. I really like the assortment of colors and sizes, too, so much so that I ordered a second box!"

If you need to store cumbersome items like king-sized duvets, foam cushions or dog beds , Vacwel's XXL bags offer an impressive storage capacity of 47 by 35 inches . Featuring a nylon lining for extra durability, the brand claims these bags are waterproof and protect against dirt, bugs and dust. They even come with sticker labels to easily identify stored items.

"These bags are durable and got the job done," an Amazon shopper added . "I was able to vacuum seal large comforters and sheets! Very surprised at how many bedding items that I was able to put in the bags." Note that a pump is not included, so you'll need a vacuum handy to seal these bags.

Protect your out-of-season garments and make room for new pieces with these clever hanging storage bags on Amazon. You can stash up to five pieces of clothing inside each, including coats, jackets and suits . Just place one included hanger on each rotating ring, zip it up and vacuum all the air out. The vertical storage design keeps your clothes clean and organized until you're ready to wear them again.

"I get immense joy out of packing away my winter clothes in the Taili hanging bags," an Amazon reviewer said . "[It] shrink wraps everything into compact boards ... It was very easy and effective to use."

How we chose the best vacuum storage bags

With so many different options on the market, it can be difficult to determine which vacuum storage bags are worth buying. To help you find the right pick for your needs, we consulted our experts in the GH Institute Cleaning Lab and vetted customer reviews to bring you a range of vacuum storage bags that suit a variety of purposes.

How do you choose the best vacuum storage bags?

Choosing the best vacuum storage bags depends on your individual needs — do you just need to store a few seasonal sweaters, or pack up your whole house for a move? According to, the size and dimensions can help you figure out which options are right for you.

" They should be large enough to hold multiple items and be durable enough to use from year to year ," Forté says. Also consider whether your vacuum has the right attachment to pair with the bag — otherwise, opt for a bag that can be rolled to compress or can be hand pumped.

What do you put in a space bag?

While you might want to use your vacuum storage bag to compress bulky items like winter coats and duvets, Forté warns against vacuum-sealing down-filled items . Instead, she recommends only compressing them halfway.

"Otherwise, you risk crushing and breaking the down feathers and they may then not be as lofty or insulate as well," Forté says. Additionally, be sure not to store wet items, or you risk creating mold and causing long-term damage.

How long can you store items in a vacuum storage bag?

Forté recommends using storage bags for short-term and seasonal storage . "Keep items in them too long, and you risk permanently setting creases or crushing and flattening items that are supposed to be lofty and puffy," Forte says. For best results, be sure to check the recommended storage time on your bag's instructions.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

Associate Commerce Editor Lauren Gruber put together this list of the best vacuum storage bag picks, based on insights and recommendations from Carolyn Forté .

Forté brings more than 40 years of experience as a consumer products expert to her role as executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute 's Home Care and Cleaning Lab. Using deep analytical testing and writing expertise in appliances, cleaning, textiles and organizational products, she oversees all of GH's cleaning and home care product testing.

Lauren is a Brooklyn-based journalist and Associate Editor at Hearst. You can find her previous work at Entertainment Tonight , Shop TODAY , USA Today , Self Magazine , L’Officiel USA , V Magazine, and Modern Luxury Media . 

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• Shopping In Moscow: 14 Top Places That Will Make You Believe The City Is As Classy & Chic As Milan!

The cities in Russia may not be as popular as the fashion capitals Milan and Paris, but if you go for shopping in Moscow , your opinion will change, pockets will feel lighter, and heart happier than ever. Home to both high-end brands and stylish street styles, Moscow offers just the ideal shopping therapy you might need. Though what makes shopping there a one-of-its-kind experience is the fact that the city has something for every type of a shopaholic, and never disappoints.

From chic to classy, it has got it all and we can vouch that after shopping at these 14 best places in the city, even you would agree that Moscow is as good as Milan or Paris.

14 Best Places For Shopping In Moscow

Here’s a list of 14 places for shopping in Moscow city which you must include in your bucket list. Take a look and note them down for your next Holiday to Moscow!

Image Source

Located in the Red Square’s eastern side, the GUM is the most famous department stores and shopping malls in Moscow. Due to its 19th century architectural style, it looks like a royal palace and indeed offers an experience that’s no less than royalty-like. With brands like Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Saint Laurent, Jimmy Choo, Emilio Pucci, and more, you’d surely end up having the most classic shopping experience in Russia.

Timings: 10 AM to 10 PM on all the days Location: Red Square, 3, Moskva, Russia What To Buy : Apparels

Must Read: Russia Circle Trip: 20 Places To Visit In Moscow And St. Petersburg

2. Arbat Street

Situated in the historical centre of the city, this is the best Moscow shopping street . From classy souvenirs to innumerable elegant stores, you’d end up finding a lot that you didn’t even want to buy in the first place. But, we can vouch that there wouldn’t be any regrets since the Arbat Street is the oldest and most popular place for cheap shopping in Moscow .

Timings: 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM Location: Arbat Ulitsa | Arbatskaya Metro, Moscow, Russia What To Buy : Antique items and souvenirs

For shopping in Russia, Moscow is indeed the best place to be and TsUM proves that well. Situated on Petrovka Street, this high-end mall can be reached on foot from most of the popular tourist attractions like Red Square and the History Museum. It is home to around 1,000 brands of clothing, footwear, accessories, and cosmetics. So, if you’re on a shopping spree and wish to give your wardrobe a makeover, this is the place where you need to stop by.

Timings: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM from Monday to Friday, and 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM on every Sunday Location: Petrovka Ulitsa, 2, Moskva, Russia What To Buy : Apparels, accessories and cosmetics

4. Izmailovo Market

Located near the Partizanskaya metro station, this craft, flea, art & antiquity market is undoubtedly the best place to buy Moscow souvenirs and Russian handicrafts. Classic paintings, icons, handmade items, books, fashion wear, bags, and furniture are some of the things that you can buy here. Also, if you wish to shop more and spend less, visit here between 10 to 3.

Timings: 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM from Monday to Friday, and 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday Location: 2, Moskva, Russia What To Buy : Handicrafts and paintings

5. Kuznetsky Most

Famous for its boutiques and bookstores, Kuznetsky Most is indeed a famous shopping street in the city. From German fashion to French styles, you can find the best of everything chic here. Trendy accessories, top-notch fragrances, and elegant apparel are some of the things to look forward to if you’re visiting this popular place.

Timings: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM on all the days Location: Ulitsa Kuznetskiy Most, Moskva, Russia What To Buy : Fragrances and apparels

Suggested Read: Museums In Moscow: 10 Places In Moscow That Are A Reminder Of Russia’s Glorious Past

6. Aviapark

Located in the northern part of the city in the Sokol district, Aviapark Mall is one of the newly opened shops in Moscow . It has gained popularity for being the biggest mall in Europe till now and we bet you won’t be disappointed once you’re here. With innumerable high-end brands under one roof, top-notch restaurants, and cinemas, it makes for the perfect place to pamper or treat yourself.

Timings: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM on all the days Location: Khodynskiy Bul’var, 4, Moskva, Russia What To Buy : Shoes, clothes, bags

Suggested Read: 10 Places To Visit In Russia To Witness The Beauty Of This Incredible Nation

7. Okhotny Ryad

Okhotny Ryad is yet another popular shopping mall in Moscow , but the largest. It has innumerable brands where you would easily find everything you’d be looking for. You can go around and shop everything that you desire until you find yourself in the need for a relaxing break. And when you do, just visit this mall’s food court which will pamper the foodie in you equally.

Timings: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM on all the days Location: Manege Square, 1, Moscow What To Buy : Bags, shoes, clothes

8. Flacon Design Factory

Once known as a perfume factory, Falcon is now an amazing place that houses high-end clothing stores, trendy local shops, classic restaurants, entertaining fairs, and more. With so much to do and see, ‘what to do in Moscow’ would never be your concern if you are spending a day at Falcon. This place is not only a great place to shop, but indeed an impeccable spot to catch a glimpse of the Russian culture & lifestyle.

Timings: Open for 24 hours Location: Bol’shaya Novodmitrovskaya Ulitsa, 36, Moskva, Russia What To Buy : Gift items

Suggested Read: The Glass Beach In Russia Turns Empty Beer Bottles Into A Stunning Kaleidoscope Of Colourful Pebbles!

9. Gorbushka Market

Home to a countless number of stores and stalls selling all kinds of electronics, Gorbushka in Moscow is the place to visit if you’re looking for anything like gadgets, home appliances, or cheap DVDs. While there is no significant difference in the prices, the variety is endless. Also, the CDs or DVDs sold here are mostly pirated, so be careful about buying them or carrying them out of the country as it is illegal.

Timings: 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM on all the days Location: Ulitsa Barklaya, 8, Moskva, Russia What To Buy : Electrical appliances and gadgets

10. Tverskaya

Tverskaya is amongst the most famous Moscow shopping streets where you can find everything from a gem on the street to a jewel in a store. This radial road is a mecca for Shopaholics and there is no reason why you should not visit this place. With hundreds of luxury stores and mid-range shops, you’d surely end up with a lot of bags in your hand and gleam in your eyes.

Timings: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM on all the days Location: Tverskaya ulitsa, Moscow, Russia What To Buy : Jewelry

Suggested Read: A Freak Portable Charger Explosion On Flight Caused An Evacuation In Russia

11. Artplay Design And Architecture Centre

Earlier, this center was a factory which is now converted into an art and culture center. It comprises a diverse range of shops, bars, galleries, cafes, music clubs, a cinema, and book shops among others. If you are deciding to explore Moscow then you must visit this center as it houses several decor items and gift items.

Timings : 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM Location : Nizhnyaya Syromyatnicheskaya St., 10, Moscow 105120, Russia What To Buy : Gift items, home decor items and local art

12. Vintage Voyage

Located at the heart of the town, Vintage Voyage offers some of the most charming clothes. The pieces are not produced in bulk, instead, you will find handmade masterpieces ranging from traditional to contemporary. Due to its high-quality clothes and brand recognition among people, Vintage Voyage is one of the top places for clothes shopping in Russia.

Timings : 12:00 AM to 9:30 PM Location : Kuznetskiy Most st., 9/10, Moscow, Russia What To Buy : Clothes

Suggested Read: Villas In Moscow: 7 Places That Offer Unparalleled Luxury In The Heart Of Russia

13. Central Children’s Store

If you are visiting Moscow with your family, then the Central Children’s Store is the place to do all the shopping for your kids. It is not famous for shopping but also as an educational arena and entertainment for children. It was inaugurated in 1957 and has been recently renovated.

Timings : 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM Location : Teatralny Drive, 5/1, Moscow 109012, Russia What To Buy : Toys for children

14. European Mall

Located just beside the Kievskaya metro station, the European Mall has eight floors and offers luxury shopping in Moscow. You can easily locate different brands like Zara, Mango, Promod, and many more. Apart from clothes, the mall also provides home decor items, jewelry, kitchenware, and furniture. After a hectic day of shopping, you might want to savor some food at the traditional cafes.

Timings : 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM Location : Kiyevsky Station Square, 2, Moskva, Russia, 121059 What To Buy : Clothes, shoes and bags

Suggested Read: 7 Theme Parks In Moscow To Make Your Trip To The City Worth Cherishing

Most Exclusive Things To Buy In Russia

While Russia houses almost every high-end brand or an exquisite new store, it also offers some pretty unique things, especially for tourists to take home as souvenirs. Some of these exclusive things that you must buy while shopping in Moscow, Russia are imperial porcelains, Russian shawls, gzhel ceramics, palekh miniatures, Faberge replicas, Russian chocolate, and space food. Since these things are definitely items you wouldn’t find anywhere else, make sure you pick them first!

Suggested Read: Starting Next Year, You Could Walk Through Space, And Here’s How!

Tips For Shopping In Moscow

• While buying historical artwork and artifacts, make sure you check with the seller how old is the item and get a certificate as a Russian law prohibits the export of such items.
• During shopping in Russia, you may definitely want to splurge on high-end brands. But don’t forget to buy the unique gems in the country like the space food, Faberge replicas, imperial porcelains, and more.
• Bargaining is not something that you can do at every place in Moscow. So make sure to look around for any ‘Prices are fixed’ signs before you try and make a bargain.
• Try to learn some important Russian words that help you while you’re shopping in the malls or the famous markets.
• Don’t forget to take a look at the duty-free allowance before you make your purchases.
• Check the weather and wear comfortable clothes before you head for street shopping.

Further Read: Moscow In Winter: 10 Things To Do In The City That Holds To The Key To Russia’s Past

So, the next time you’re planning a vacation to Russia or are looking for the best places across the world to fulfil your shopping desires, make sure you count Moscow in it. Also, don’t forget to carry this Moscow shopping guide with you for having the most impeccable experience!

Disclaimer: TravelTriangle claims no credit for images featured on our blog site unless otherwise noted. All visual content is copyrighted to its respectful owners. We try to link back to original sources whenever possible. If you own the rights to any of the images, and do not wish them to appear on TravelTriangle, please contact us and they will be promptly removed. We believe in providing proper attribution to the original author, artist or photographer.

Please Note: Any information published by TravelTriangle in any form of content is not intended to be a substitute for any kind of medical advice, and one must not take any action before consulting a professional medical expert of their own choice.

Frequently Asked Questions About Shopping In Moscow

What are the best things to shop in Moscow?

Moscow will present you with some of the best shopping options such as trendy accessories, top-notch fragrances, gadgets, home appliances, clothes, luxury shopping with brands like Promod, Zara, Mango, etc, Moscow souvenirs and Russian handicrafts.

What are the best places to shop from in Moscow?

You will find some of the best places to shop from in Moscow as this is the place that is every shopaholic’s dream come to life. You will get plenty of options such as Okhotny Ryad, Flacon Design Factory, Arbert Street, Kuznetsky Most, Aviapark Mall, Gorbushka Market, GUM, TsUM, Izmailovo Market, etc.

What are the best things to take for friends and family from Moscow?

You can pack some Moscow souvenirs and Russian handicrafts for your friends and family back home. This way you will be taking a little bit of Moscow with you back home to your loved ones!

What is the best time to visit Moscow?

The best time to visit Moscow is from the month of April to May, this is the time when the temperature is between 50-60 degrees. The sun is at its brightest best and you get to see the true Russia through your eyes. But make sure that you book your hotel in advance if you are planning a summer trip to Moscow!

What are the best places you cannot miss out on in Moscow?

You will find some of the most amazing places in Moscow such as Kremlin, Gorky’s House, Lenin’s Tomb, Patriarch Ponds, Moscow Conservatory, Gorky’s House Museum of Russian Impressionism, etc.

Do they speak English in Moscow?

Yes, the locals in Moscow speak English and you can easily shop all around the city without getting tensed about the language you have to use while conversing.

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