15 Best Travel Backpacks of 2023

Peak Design’s 45L Travel Backpack is a bag for travelers with photo gear. Hauling gear, packing for travel with kids, or needing to fit your laptop and accessories along with clothes for easy carry-on-only travel –  this Travel Backback is ideal for all of it.

It is our editors’ favorite bag for travel with its sturdy build to safely protect computer and photography equipment and ease of use in the airport or train station.

Its design features are well thought out. It feels like Peak Design considered everything. The many ways you need to carry a travel bag, access what’s inside, compress or expand the capacity, and organize your packing – even being Fair-Trade and Climate Neutral certified, they have it covered.

Dive into our Full Review to see why it’s our favorite bag to take along for the ride.

A good quality carry-on backpack is a must-have for most travelers, but this can cost you a pretty penny. That’s where the AmazonBasics line comes to the rescue! They offer a good quality range that gets the job done at a low price point. While some travel carry-on backpacks are stylish and sleek they lack functionality or space.

While other bags with a lot of internal space lack comfort and end up damaging your posture and your back due to the heavyweight being carried wrong. In our quest to review the AmazonBasics Carry-on Travel Backpack, we focused on Construction, External Specs, and Features, and Capacity.

With the Heimplanet Travel Pack 34, you’re truly paying for quality and style. The clamshell design makes storing and organizing your items simple, quick and intuitive. There’s enough space for a weekend trip while the pack itself is compact enough to use commuting to work.

This premium backpack is made of high quality and sustainable materials and has a sleek and stylish appearance. The thickness of the padding and the quality of the material will definitely protect your belongings in most situations. This makes it the perfect backpack for business trips or a work backpack where it’s exterior matches your professional environment.

If you are on a tight budget, a Hynes Eagle travel backpack with 40L capacity should be right up your alley.
Disregard the picture you see – in reality, the backpack is much bigger and more spacious than you would think.

Short business trips and weekend getaways are ideal scenarios for using it, although longer trips with minimum clothes are possible too.

This carry-on luggage has a wide variety of compression buckle straps that allow you to adjust the fit of the backpack depending on your height. It has got adjustable sternum and waist (or rather hip) straps that make your carrying experience nicer and overall more comfortable.

You can fit your 15-inch laptop along with other essentials in the main compartment and some smaller-scale items like toiletries in the front zip pocket. Pick the model that comes with packing cubes and you are all set for your travels.

The Osprey Farpoint 40L is a very good mens travel backpack from a reliable company.

Beyond working well as a carry on luggage for American airlines like Delta, it has practical pockets that open in ways specific to needs. We might have just one issue with the design, otherwise, this versatile travel pack has been great on camping trips as well as for a one bag travel backpack.

Durability also goes hand in hand with the higher design standards.

A versatile travel backpack is a good investment, whether you are a frequent business traveler or an outdoor enthusiast. It is even more worth it if it can carry and protect your laptop wherever you go.

One of our favorite backpacks today is the LEVEL8 Atlas Laptop Backpack. This bag features an independent laptop compartment with a generous EVA foam designed to provide maximum protection for your laptop.

Let’s dive in and find out if this bag meets all your needs for your journeys and business trips!

The Stubble and Co Adventure backpack is a versatile, carry on luggage compatible pack that can contain all you need for a week vacation or a camping trip.

Designers at the English company have succeeded in packing in so many features that work, while not crowding each other out due to lack of space. A shoe compartment doesn’t prevent use of the side-loaded laptop or the bottle pocket.

This maximization offers a one pack travel backpack to avoid checking in luggage, while carrying everything you need for a trip abroad.

If you’re searching for the best travel backpack, a smart option, you might have just found it.

The Salkan Backpacker bundle, with a main backpack and a detachable daypack, can look a little too overly-featured at first sight. It might even turn you off if you’re a light packer. It certainly demands getting to know what it can do.

A large backpack that’s available in customized colors, it can max out to 75 liters when both daypack and main pack are filled up.

We took it traveling and we also went camping on a weekend hiking trip. Backpackers will definitely find it an interesting option too.

It maxes out to a total capacity of 75 liters and it is designed to bare a generous load.

But is it the ideal travel companion for you? Let’s take a closer look at The Salkan Backpacker.

Indeed, short business trips don’t require you to bring 50L backpacks that have plenty of unfilled space. A compact carry-on travel backpack like the one from AmazonBasics is a better choice from the convenience perspective.

It is designed with modern travelers in mind, meaning that there is a fleece-lined pocket for a tablet and a sleeve for your laptop that is so essential for work journeys.

You have got enough space to fit your umbrella, sunglasses and toiletry items in the main compartment, and some more room in the side zippered water bottle pocket and a front storage pocket.

The top and side grand handles allow you to carry your backpack in a few different ways so that you never get too tired. The backpack includes a fully vented mesh panel on the back so that you stay cool regardless of how hot the weather gets.

The Matador SEG42 is a One Bag travel pack. It’s a packable travel backpack with a clamshell design and many pockets.

The pockets criss-cross the top half of the bag as if it has built-in packing cubes.

Innovative though it may be on the organization front, we’d be hard-pressed to call this a bag for hiking. More appropriately, we think, this is a good bag for a weekend trip that doesn’t require long periods of carrying. Getting familiar with the pockets and developing a system to organize everything from toiletries to laundry, this travel backpack has some very redeemable qualities.

If you want your travel backpack to turn heads, the WITZMAN Vintage pack is the one to pick. Made from high-quality canvas with leather inserts, the backpack looks much more expensive than it actually is.

You can carry it in your hands, on your back, or across the body – the many handles and straps allow you to do so.

The deep storage of the main compartment disposes of a laptop sleeve and several small pockets for you to utilize for the on-board essentials. The buckles located at the sides of the backpack help it retain its form and not bulk up as a result of being stuffed with a huge load.

There is a small pocket in the front to keep your cell phone and passport and a side pocket for your Hydro Flask or wet wipes and a hand sanitizer. The U-shape allows you to quickly access the front pocket that stores your laptop and other small items, which eliminates the need for opening up the entire pack when in crowded spaces.

Backpackers who embark on week-long trips overseas are the perfect target audience for Osprey’s Atmos backpacking travel backpack. The never-seen-before AntiGravity suspension implemented in this backpack makes you feel like you are not carrying too much weight on your shoulders when you actually are.

The ventilation along with the fit-on-the-fly adjusting hip belt further enhances the level of comfort you are experiencing when traveling with the Atmos. The removable top lid of the backpack is floating, which means that once it is removed, you are left with a FlapJacket flap that keeps your gear safe.

The sleeping bag compartment is there, the internal hydration reservoir is there too, and so are the zippered hip belt pockets. Every little detail is well-thought-out for the amplification of your mood while trekking the Everest mountain or strolling along the dried salt lake in Bolivia.

If you are on the lookout for a travel backpack that will safely store your photographing equipment and have enough room for your clothes and other essentials, the XH camera travel backpack by TARION is the right one.

It is distinguishable by its roll-top design and waterproof construction (similar to dry bags and waterproof backpacks) that allows you to venture out to explore the new place regardless of the weather conditions. This is achieved through the rain cover that comes with the backpack, the sweatproof padded straps and the rock-solid compartment for the camera equipment.

The hardshell cover of the backpack has 3 layers of lining material and a thick protective EPE padding that protects your valuable electronics without fail.

The adjustable chest buckle along with the waist belt help to customize the fit so that you are comfortable walking and shooting all day long without taking long breaks.

The not-so-typical Nylon Subterra travel backpack released by Thule is the perfect hybrid between an everyday backpack and a travel pack. Its roll-top opening enhanced with magnetic closure allows you to stuff the backpack to the brim and have access to your belongings at any time.

If you need to pack your laptop for a weekend business trip, there is a dedicated compartment for it. You can then easily retrieve it from the side zippered entry without having to unzip the main compartment.

The removable packing cubes help in organizing your stuff inside the backpack, while the pass-through panel provides you with the opportunity to attach your backpack to your suitcase.

The shoulder straps are breathable and are perforated with EVA material which further spreads to the back so that the pack sits comfortably on your body.

This carry-on style weekender travel backpack by eBags is great for almost every kind of trip that doesn’t exceed 2-3 days. Crafted from the twisted Polyester fabric, it has a convertible design, meaning that you can wear it as a backpack, as a crossbody bag or as a briefcase.

The clearly separated insides of the backpack allow you to store your laptop on one side and your clothes on the other side.

The tablet sleeve is padded with fleece, thus keeping your electronics safe and sound. You will find features like lockable D-rings, a side water bottle pocket and other small-scale pockets spread around the exterior and interior of the backpack to be useful.

The padded air-mesh back panel together with the adjustable sternum straps provides you with the ultimate comfort that lasts all day long.

Designed for trips lasting up to a week, NOMATIC travel backpack has got you completely covered. You can rest assured that your new travel backpack will fit in the overhead bin on the airplane as it is constructed with most airlines’ carry-on luggage regulations in mind.

The bag combines the best characteristics of a duffel, suitcase and a backpack, plus includes a sleek minimalistic design and a weather-proof material.

It has got YKK waterproof zippers, multiple compartments for electronics, clothes, shoes and a water bottle, and, of course, a laptop sleeve. Moreover, there is a laundry bag included so that you could separate your clean clothes from the dirty ones. The detachable strap system is in charge of the easy transformation from a duffel bag to a backpack and vice versa.

You can easily travel with a roller bag – the manufacturer incorporated a sleeve that can fit over the roller bag’s handle in a matter of seconds.

Crafted from the durable Polyester and equipped with waterproof YKK zippers and a buckle, the MOUNTAINTOP hiking travel pack is a backpacker’s catch. If you are planning on embarking on a month-long adventure through the Indonesian and Philippine islands, this backpack furnished with a padded hip belt with pockets and a hydration compartment is the way to go.

It can hold a few weeks’ worth of clothes, dry food and up to 3 liters of water all while staying comfortable on your back.

You can fill the countless backpack’s pockets with hygiene and camping products and attach trekking poles to its sides. There is an extension collar with drawstrings to make use of when you are in need of a few more liters of capacity.

The divider between the main compartment and section dedicated to the sleeping bag makes it easy for you to access one or the other without having to unzip the entire pack.

SwissGear has long been known as a brand releasing high-quality products that increase the customers’ loyalty. The ScanSmart travel backpack is not an exception – it is built in a way to hold your electronic gear and garments and look business-ready at the same time.

The laptop compartment is equipped with padded inserts that help protect your costly gadgets from damages. It is therefore vital to keep them safe and not let them interfere with the rest of your stuff piled in the backpack.

The shoulder straps are designed to proportionately distribute the load across your back and minimize the number of breaks you have to take while hiking up the steep hill.

You will find plenty of zippers present on this backpack – the manufacturer incorporated this tactic in order to allow you to access your belongings from almost every part of the backpack.

Are you a photographer who tends to travel long distances for work or leisure trips? In this case, the WADNRD PRVKE travel backpack is your ride or die. Made from long-lasting Nylon that is water- and abrasion-resistant, it will protect your precious gadgets from getting destroyed by overly excited passengers who happen to run into you or a record-setting hiker who doesn’t look around.

The side entry panel allows you to freely grab your drone or a DSLR camera and capture that sunset that tends to go away quicker than the blink of an eye. You will also find a pocket for storing your water bottle and tripod when a long day of shooting is ahead of you.

This urban backpack will serve you a long time with its durable materials that can accommodate your laptop as well. Now you have no excuses to not edit the pictures you just took once you reach your shelter for the day.

If passing through the airport security with the speed of light is your priority, the TIMBUK2 Uptown travel backpack is just what you need.

The design of this backpack is so TSA-friendly you won’t need to take your laptop out of the backpack when passing security. This means that you will have extra time to have a lunch break before embarking on a plane or a longer stroll through the duty-free shops.

In addition, you get sufficient space in the main compartment for storing your laptop and other electronic devices and even more room for stuffing the front zip pocket with smaller items. The backpack is constructed from the durable Nylon and has a ventilated back panel for your ultimate comfort when traveling.

You can schedule your business meetings close to your arrival time since you are able to leave the airport facility quicker than others.

Mountain Warehouse traveler backpack is a 2-in-1 piece of equipment that is great for long treks overseas accompanied by overnight stays in outdoor tents or hostels. It has got a detachable daypack that allows you to explore your surroundings in a new place without having to bring the filled to the brim backpack.

The back system is adjustable, while the load is evenly distributed thanks to the chest and hip straps.

If your overweight backpack looks too bulky, use the built-in compression straps to reduce the voluminous appearance of the bag. The manufacturer included plenty of pockets to stuff with your essential and non-essential items and keep them organized throughout the entire duration of the trip.

There is even a rain cover located at the bottom of the backpack that is designed to protect your valuable belongings from the nasty weather.

Gregory Mountain J54 travel backpack is the ultimate backpacker’s dream – it is not too big or too small, is constructed from durable materials and has plenty of features. The CrossFlo suspension is a unique characteristic that makes this backpack stand out. It ventilates your back without sacrificing the transfer of the load.

The Nylon made hiking pack took it a step further and can now be distinguished by its moisture-wicking mesh placed on the waist belt and harness that keeps you dry at all times.

You will find the main closure to have a quick-draw mechanism and a floating lid that makes it easy to access your belongings.

The interior of the backpack has a port for the hydration reservoir that comes in handy when spending all day hiking or kayaking. The 2 exterior stretch pockets can additionally store water bottles to keep your thirst at bay.

No matter if you are cross-country traveling or embarking on a worldwide adventure, the Deuter Transit travel backpack will accommodate your journeys more than just well. It is easy to carry thanks to the removable strap that is padded, a breathable shoulder harness and two grab handles that are made to last.

Crafted from the finest Polytex fabric and equipped with a water- and abrasion-resistant PU coating, this bag will protect your belongings for many weeks of continuous travel.

It has got a detachable daypack connected to it that allows you to leave your huge backpack and set out to explore the surroundings with a smaller piece of equipment. There is also a separate bottom compartment where you can keep a sleeping pad for camping purposes or an extra pair of hiking shoes.

You are likely to enjoy discovering the new routes with this backpack in use for at least several years with the proper care.

The Able Carry Daily Backpack is an interesting bag that has an urban tactical feel to it.

This sleek 20-liter work backpack is a compact storage ideal for your everyday use. You might see it as plain, simple, and boring, but that’ll change as soon as you open it up.

Figuring out the right bag for your style, purpose and needs is beset by too many options. After testing this bag for a couple of weeks it seems this one is intended for commuting, for students, for bikers, for low-profile activities and for speed.

We’ll get to how well it functioned for us, but it was refreshing to see such a streamlined product in a crowded field.

Looks like a good gambit for your daily shenanigans, right?

But does it live up to its promises? Let’s dive into it.