The Best Laptop Backpacks for Work (and Life)

I have never received as many approving comments on a backpack as I have when I tested this one on a three-day work trip (I was told by three people in a day that I sold them on it). It's a good-looking, structured bag with vegan leather accents and gigantic padded back panels and padded shoulder straps. There are little details like vegan leather pull tabs on the interior pockets, so you're not fumbling around for the pocket opening (I have never had this problem, but you do you). The fabric is also waterproof, and you can buy optional accessories like a rain cover.

I really liked the interior organization—for example, the padded, suspended tech pocket has two pockets, one for your laptop and one for your iPad or Kindle. However, all those padded panels and good-looking accents come at a price—this bag is disproportionately heavy. I couldn't go on a 20-minute bike ride without stopping to give my shoulders a break. Other details seem like they were designed by aliens who had never seen backpacks before. My tiny 18-ounce Owala tips right out of the water bottle pocket because its lip slants forward. The capacity is surprisingly small for how bulky it is, and a 100-percent plastic backpack just should not cost $249. However, everyone else loves this backpack, so here it is.

Backpacks are by far the most comfortable carrying option, but they don't always look professional enough for the workplace. If you're prepared to spend over $700, this all-leather bag doesn't compromise on function. Reviews editor Julian Chokkattu stowed a 13-inch MacBook Air (it can fit up to 16-inch laptops), an iPad in the second laptop sleeve, chargers, cables, his camera, and a separate flash. There's decent organization in there, with a spare zippered pouch and padding at the base to protect your goods.

The front pocket can store a few other slim items, and he likes the tiny pocket near the handles for keys or sunglasses. But the side pockets are too tight to fit a water bottle.

★ Alternatives: We love Cuyana's leather tote and travel beauty case, and its Leather Backpack ($498) is just as beautiful. The laptop sleeve fits my 13-inch MacBook, and a second pocket fits a tablet or Kindle. Two front magnetic-close pockets held my Owala water bottle. A more moderately priced option is the Bostanten backpack purse ($130). As you might expect from the much lower price, the leather is shiny and stiff, and you have to treat the toothed zippers with some care, or they catch. However, if your budget does not fit a $500-plus work bag, this will work well.

Lo & Sons is one of the best options if you want a laptop backpack that looks polished but is also durable enough for work and international travel. (We also recommend the company's O.G. 2 tote.) I took the Rowledge 2 with me on a five-day work trip to IFA Berlin, which included multiple international flights. The nylon is lightweight, durable, and easy to clean. A few caveats: The bag comes with an insert that adds considerably to its weight, and that I deemed unnecessary for organization. The straps are pretty thin if you're carrying a heavy load on your feet all day. Finally, at this price, I would prefer higher-end coiled zippers instead of toothed ones, which tend to snag my knuckles when I reach into pockets.

However, this bag strikes a very good compromise between polish, organization, and practicality. Even without the insert, there is a wide array of useful pockets, like the small top-zip pocket, which works as a phone or passport pocket (or both!). The laptop sleeve has water-resistant zippers, a luggage pass-through, and a light, jacquard-lined interior that makes it easy to see your belongings. Like the O.G. 2, this is a great bag for someone who wants to kick it under a plane seat and carry it straight into the office.

Peak Design was founded in 2010 and is known in the tech world for its extremely well-thought-out and good-looking bags. The company launched an outdoor backpack, which, like most of its bags, is designed to go anywhere and do anything. It comes in a daily carry 25-liter size and a travel 45-liter size.

I love most everything that Peak Design makes, but this backpack was so over-engineered that it drove me bonkers. I appreciate the work that went into designing a hidden bungee release clamp so it doesn't flap around when you're on a motorcycle; however, it shouldn't take anyone more than 10 seconds to find out where the hell the bungee release clamp is and how to loosen it. Please stop hiding key features in the name of fashion!!!!!! However, the shoulder straps were extremely comfortable. The waterproof TPU coating was a godsend in Oregon's rainy weather. It's endlessly mutable—it has a work backpack's good looks, but add the hip belt and sternum straps, and put a hydration bladder in the pocket, and it's comfortable enough to work as a hiking backpack. It's worth mentioning that this is now my engineer spouse's favorite backpack.

I live next to a small private college, and the backpack I see the most often on students is a North Face backpack with an exterior bungee. The North Face offers several options in both men's and women's versions, but the Jester is the most affordable. It's versatile enough to take to school on weekdays and use for day hikes or traveling on the weekends. It comes in several different prints, but the solid version I tried is made from 600D recycled polyester with recycled plastic trims and a 28-liter capacity—more than big enough for my 13-inch laptop, jacket, snacks, and water bottle.

I like that the bag is affordable, recycled, and incredibly light (about a pound). I tried the women's version, which fits my narrow shoulders well, and its FlexVent suspension system maintains airflow between your back and the bag. The top front pocket is incredibly spacious and well-organized, with pen and lip balm pockets, and enough room for my giant sunglasses case, phone, and wallet. The bag is also balanced so that the weight rests between your shoulders rather than on your hips, which is more comfortable. Everyone says they like this distinctive giant bungee, and I understand that it helps pin wet jackets to your pack. However, it flops all over the place and gets caught on things if I'm not careful, and I do not like it.

★ Alternative: JanSport also makes affordable school backpacks. If you'd like to spend a bit more than the standard SuperBreak ($45 to $55), the Pro Pack system ($100) has a detachable front pack. When unhooked, the front pack is a fully functioning cross-body bag, and the backpack works with or without it. The strap unclips so it can be safely tucked away inside.

When it comes to little backpacks, it was a very close toss-up between Bellroy's little backpack and the Aer Slim Pack 2 ($125). The Bellroy bag is just more sensible. If you're just grabbing the essentials to work from the coffee shop for a little bit, you don't really need the Slim Pack 2's huge, overbuilt shoulder straps and back padding. It's only 12 liters! What do you have in there!

There's just not that much to the Via Workpack, which is what makes it charming. The top has two grab handles and zips from end to end, making it a nice handheld tote if you're traveling by car or public transportation. The laptop pocket holds a 16-inch laptop and can balloon out surprisingly large for its size. The interior water bottle looks cramped, but it easily fits my 18-ounce Owala. The so-called luggage pass-through is just a strap of webbing, but that's about my only complaint.

Tumi makes iconic, instantly recognizable, and very expensive backpacks that are ideal for airplane travel. The latest one is Velocity, a collaboration with McLaren Automotive, and its sleek design is meant to evoke the aerodynamic lines of McLaren's racing cars. The shell is made of CX6, a type of woven carbon fiber engineered to be both super strong and incredibly light. This means that the bag has a firm structure, just like a piece of carry-on luggage. It doesn't look saggy when it's empty or stuffed like a turkey when it's full, and it can fit a surprising amount of stuff—just unzip the front panel, and it swings open like a glove compartment.

Setting aside how ironic it is to have a car-inspired backpack when your primary mode of transportation is biking, the Velocity survived a week of being kicked around without a scratch. The padded laptop compartment fits laptops up to 15 inches (although surprisingly, the compartment is not suspended, so be careful putting it down). It also has travel-related extras, like a luggage tag, an add-a-bag sleeve, and a luggage-inspired leather grip handle. In keeping with the bag's slim profile, however, the water bottle pockets are extremely tight, and it's very expensive. Tumi has a wide array of equally attractive and useful laptop backpacks for less than half the price.

One of the latest fitness crazes is rucking, a sport where you carry heavy things around in nature, for exercise. You need a solidly constructed, and preferably military-inspired, backpack. The classic choice is the GoRuck GR1 (7/10, WIRED Review), but reviewer Scott Gilbertson prefers the slightly less tactical style of the Evergoods CPL 24L, which was designed by a former head of product at GoRuck and a former Patagonia designer.

The GPL 24L is American-made and has a ton of organizational details, some of which Gilbertson is still discovering. The fabric is heavy-duty 840-denier that is water-repellent and can be carried both as a backpack and sideways, as a briefcase, which is convenient for airports. The main compartment unzips completely, like a suitcase, which allows you to see and organize everything, as well as the dedicated laptop compartment, which easily fit a 16-inch Lenovo 9i. It has a curved yoke design to sit on your shoulders comfortably, and as a bonus, Gilbertson also notes that Evergoods' Civic Access pouches are the best pouches he's ever tried.

My favorite backpack for biking is from Po Campo, which is a small, woman-owned business that makes biking bags that aren't hideous. (I also like the wink and the nod that I get from other women cyclists when they see I also have a Po Campo bag.) I like the Fidlock magnetic buckles, which clip easily on and off my bike rack, and the compression buckle across the top that lets the bag expand to its full capacity or compress for a lower profile when it's empty. The padded laptop compartment easily fits my 13-inch MacBook and is big enough for a 16-inch laptop. There are plenty of interior and exterior pockets for all my doodads.

As a side note, everything from this company is delightful. In the past few months, I have also acquired the grocery pannier ($85), which is useful for the farmer's market or taking the kids to the park, and the helmet harness ($15). Let this be the last time I let my helmet clank loose around the table at a bar. Stay safe, everyone!

Reviews editor Julian Chokkattu loves Wandrd's Prvke series bags to hold all his gear, from his mirrorless camera and extra lenses to a 16-inch MacBook Pro and other various accessories. Despite months of regular use, it's in fantastic condition, thanks to the 1,680-denier ballistic nylon exterior and the weather-resistant zippers. Lots of little pockets adorn the bag to store cables, card readers, microfiber cloths, and the like—even one underneath that houses a rain fly to keep the bag dry when it's raining.

Julian opted for the Photography Bundle, which adds a camera cube filled with foldable Velcro dividers you can use to organize camera gear and keep them secure. It's also easy to access a camera from the side pocket without needing to take off the entire backpack. We like Version 3, but Wandrd is now on Version 4 of the Prvke. Read our Best Camera Bags guide for more options.

As WIRED reviewer Nena Farrell notes, many diaper bags retail for around $200, and you can only use them for a short time in your child's life. Why not get a stylish diaper backpack that you can continue carrying as a work or everyday bag long after your child is potty-trained? We love Calpak's Mini Diaper Backpack, which Farrell takes on outings with and without her kid. It fits an 11-inch laptop or tablet, along with plenty of snacks and accessories. If you need a little more room for a large water bottle, it also comes in a standard size ($195) with stroller straps.

You've probably seen a Fjallraven bag on any plane, train, or bus. The 13-inch Kanken Laptop pack is especially small and good for everyday use, and it manages to fit a MacBook Pro in its laptop pocket. Plus the large main compartment and smaller front pocket can fit a Kindle, a thick planner, and a notebook, with room for lunch or a change of clothes. The fabric is rigid and repels water, and the company offers limited lifetime repairs (with a focus on sustainability). The best part is that you can customize the Kanken to have any colors you want.

The side pockets are tight, so they won't fit every type of bottle. (It held a 20-ounce Starbucks bottle, but anything wider won't do.) The Kanken comes with a foam pad that adds an extra layer of cushioning while you wear it, and you can take it out to use as a cushion when you need to sit on a hard surface. (It's not super cushy, but it's better than the cold, hard ground.) The Kanken Laptop also comes in 15-inch and 17-inch versions if you need the extra space.

This bag is beautiful. Unlike a lot of the backpacks we like, the Bobobark looks great if you're dressed up, and it converts from a backpack to a purse—you can use the handle like a tote, sling it from one shoulder, or wear it cross-body. The straps could stand to be more comfortable, though, and I opted to use it as a tote more than a backpack because of that.

The Bobobark is made from cork, which gives it a leather look without using animal products. It's water-resistant and durable, and the company sells cork conditioner and coloring cream to keep it looking its best. For the price, you will want to make sure it lasts a long time. While this size will hold your laptop and a few books, there's also a beautiful mini backpack/purse.