1. If thats within your budget, the Authority Deluxe will last you a long time, and its backed by Timbuk2s lifetime warranty. Filson Dryden Backpack. A hidden stash pocket on the back panel is great for securely storing important items such as passports and credit cards, especially if you plan on using the bag when traveling. In a recent survey of college students and recent alumni, our respondents recommended Osprey backpacks more than any other brand. Herschel has a lifetime warranty so if anything happens to your bag, you can swap it out for a new one, which is a huge plus. 8 Best Backpack for College (Great Features Of 2023) - Bagcottage $26 AT HERSCHEL. on a bike! The inexpensive Made by Design Basic Backpack from Target initially looked promising, as it had a clean design and impressively padded breathable mesh straps and back panels. At $150 and $180, respectively, these Aer packs are more expensive than other bags we recommend for college and high school students, but if you can swing it, these backpacks are built to last and backed by Aers lifetime warranty. We still think its a great bag, but at around $160, its pricier than our other picks here. Unlike smaller versions of the Herschel Classic, the XL also comes equipped with two side water-bottle pockets that are each large enough to comfortably fit a 24-ounce Takeya bottle. Bellroy Classic Backpack - One of the Best Backpacks for College Students with Laptops 5. in the rain! Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home. Modoker Vintage Laptop Backpack at Amazon, Moleskine Metro Backpack at Moleskine.com, United By Blue Commuter Pack at Moosejaw.com, Travelon Anti-Theft Classic Backpack at Amazon, Oscaurt Anti Theft 15.6" Travel Laptop Backpack at Amazon, Modoker 15.6-Inch Vintage Laptop Backpack with USB Charging Port, We Researched the Best BackpacksHere Are Our Favorites, These Are the Best Kids' Backpacks for All Ages, Oscaurt Anti Theft 15.6" Travel Laptop Backpack, The Best Backpacks for Work That Are Fashionable and Practical, The Best Rolling Backpacks to Take Anywhere, The 10 Best Beach Chairs of 2023, Tested and Reviewed, The 8 Best Coolers of 2023, Tested & Reviewed, The 7 Best Luggage of 2023, Tested and Reviewed, The 7 Best Picnic Blankets of 2023, Tested and Reviewed. Herschel Classic Backpack XL - A More Affordable Backpack with a Simple Design 7. . The updatedesigned in part to make the pack more trail-friendlyallows you to remove the tech caddy entirely and instead use the back compartment to hold a water bladder. If you carry a giant water bottle, this bags single, smallish side pocket might not pass muster. It's built with a chest and hip belt, making it useful for hikes too. You open the 15-inch laptop compartment via a zipper on the side. Like Everlanes ReNew Transit Backpack, this stylish and lightweight bag has a generously sized front zip pocket, a dedicated laptop compartment, and a handy luggage pass-through strap. Backpacks for college and school JanSport Right Pack $89.95 From $79.99 at Amazon JanSport Right Pack Amazon You can't go wrong with this JanSport backpack. A removable sternum strap (which you can position at six different heights for optimal ergonomic benefit) helps to stabilize the bag on your bodyits a feature that comes highly recommended by physical therapist Sarah Lloyd for taking pressure off the spine. Size: 11.8 x 6.8 x 15.8 inches | Material: Nylon | Compartments: 2 + internal laptop sleeve | Pockets: 3 zippered pockets + 2 water bottle holders | Capacity: 25 L. If youre looking for a sleek, compact backpack that can help keep your laptop safe from the elements, Moleskines Metro Backpack is an excellent pick. Your bag should be able to fit everything you need in a neat manner while being able to match your personal style every day. 1. High Sierra Powerglide Wheeled Backpack. We also appreciate how easy the material is to clean and the padded interior laptop sleeve. But the change has been a divisive one, with some Patagonia customers complaining that it offers less internal organization. The caddy has organizational pockets, but pockets are not integrated into the compartment itself. Students tote a lot of stuff, from textbooks and laptops to water bottles and lunch boxes. Its spacious interior can hold snacks, drinks, sunscreen, and other necessities you might use up on the go. Keep in mind how much the backpack weighs empty, Delucca Johnson says. The Herschel Classic Backpack XL is light on organizational features: Of the bags we recommend, it has the most spartan design. "I use the backpack to carry a variety of things that are useful throughout my busy day," wrote one reviewer. Although born and raised in Chicago, she went east to study Cognitive Neuroscience and a minor in African American Studies at Harvard. 13 Best Backpacks for School (and College!) in 2023 - Teen Vogue We love the Miele canister vacuum so much, were giving it awayenter now, Sign up for Wirecutters daily newsletter, A sporty pack for all-day comfort: Patagonia Refugio Daypack 26L, A nostalgic school bag: Fjllrven Knken Laptop, A contemporary, understated, and versatile backpack: Everlane The ReNew Transit Backpack, A campus classic: Herschel Classic Backpack XL, Street style, sized up for school: Eastpak Padded Double, how to choose a comfortable backpack and wear it ergonomically, director of clinical education at Spear Physical Therapy, 35 Wirecutter Picks for Heading Back to School, Wirecutters Favorite Bags, Totes, Backpacks and Carryalls. Its also restrictively narrow, with a capacity of only 15 liters. 10. We welcome your feedback. This classic all-black backpack has two large front pockets to keep all your belongings organized with pouches for your phone, pens and even a hook to hold your keys. Price: $395. Though a backpack needs to be spacious enough to accommodate a full days worth of gear, Lloyd emphasized in our interview that it shouldnt be larger than your back and should never weigh more than about 15 pounds. Most Durable And Versatile Book Bag: Fjallraven Kanken Laptop 15 Backpack For Everday. Here are four backpacks we think kids will love. The Transits organizational features help you pack smart: A dedicated laptop compartment keeps your computer protected, and an interior slip pocket holds heavier items close to your back. Plus, if you're a Carhartt fan, it comes in the classic brown colorway that the Michigan-made workwear brand is recognized for. Best cheap cool backpack: Herschel Settlement Backpack, $60. The contoured, lightly padded straps are comfortable for carrying midsize loads, and thanks to a luggage pass-through strap, this bag can hitch a ride on a rolling suitcase. Cordura is lighter than ballistic nylon, which helps reduce the load your shoulders are left to bear. It's water-resistant, shock-absorbent, and has sleek straps. And her work has appeared in Real Simple, Yahoo, INSIDER, Cosmopolitan, and NYLON. The name doesn't lie. Keep an eye out for padded laptop sleeves, side panels for water bottles, and more. The Knken Laptop is constructed from Vinylon F, a hard-wearing synthetic material thats water resistant without the use of any chemical coating. One (imperfect) fix is to pack heavier items on the opposite side of the bags interior. Features such as contoured, easy-to-adjust shoulder straps, breathable mesh padding on the straps and back panels, and adjustable-height sternum straps (a horizontal strap that goes across the wearers chest) can all encourage correct ergonomic wear and enhance a bags comfort. Vancropak college backpack Features and Specifications: 4. Deuter excels in crafting technical packs for adventures of any kind, in any terrain, including a college campus. The bungee cords on the front are also a perfect place to hold one last thing, like a light jacket or shirt. Travelons Anti-Theft Classic Backpack promises to do both of those things masterfully. This bag targets people from various fields. Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. 12 Best Backpacks for College Students in 2023 - Insider It zips smoothly, has comfortable straps ergonomically designed for women and a luggage handle on the back. Andrea Bossi is a freelance writer at Insider Reviews who primarily covers beauty and style. *At the time of publishing, the price was $85. GQ may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Several reviewers and commenters on Patagonias website have expressed disappointment with the packs recent redesign; whereas the older version had a large main compartment with an internal tech organizer, the updated Refugio has a separate laptop compartment containing a removable tech caddy. Best Retro Backpack for College Students. JanSport backpacks are a favorite among GH analysts for having great organizational features for students of all ages and earning top marks in our performance tests. .css-lwn4i5{display:block;font-family:Neutra,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;letter-spacing:-0.01rem;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;text-align:center;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-lwn4i5:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-lwn4i5{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.1;}}11 Best Chunky Sneakers of 2023, 30 Summer Dresses from Target for Every Occasion, The Best Lululemon Leggings for Every Activity, 15 Royal-Favorite Brands You Can Shop on Amazon, The Best Walking Sandals for Women in 2023, These Cozy 'Cloud Slides' Are Trending on TikTok, The Most Comfortable Dress Shoes for Women. A backpack is a school-wardrobe staplefrom classroom to gym, and from late-night library marathons to early-morning coffee runs, a good bag will carry all the supplies you need for a long day. The updated Fjllrven Knken Laptop retains that youthful charm while adding useful features such as a separate padded laptop compartment and cushioning on the straps, so you can tote your daily essentials with ease. The bags short, squat silhouette is also, in the words of one tester, disastrously ugly.. The North Face The North Face Pivoter will have her covered, whether she is only hitting the books or maybe the trails or gym afterward. Since our first round of testing in 2015, weve tried dozens of backpacks in a variety of styles. The 20 Best Backpacks for Kids of 2023, Tested and Reviewed The company will fix damage due to normal wear and charge you depending on the extent of the repair. She is also a published poet and Forbes contributor who covers music, especially, hip-hop and r&b. It's also super versatile since it's great to travel with and easily fits and stores under seats, allowing you to get your money's worth with it. I see this backpack all the time on my college campus, and here's why: The compact rectangular design can be expanded, making it especially versatile. It has a luggage sleeve and the minimalistic logo doesn't scream "I love Lululemon." Bags that measured up to our initial criteria underwent real-world testing. ", RELATED: 14 Best Travel Backpacks, Tried & Tested. The Main Campuss padded straps were stiff and lined with a scratchy mesh fabric that felt unpleasant against our skin. Learn more about our, 22 Best Backpacks for College Students, Reviewed by Experts, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. $90 at Nordstrom. As a current college student, I did my own research, asked friends on campus, consulted fellow product journalists, and tested out options firsthand to find the 11 best backpacks for college. A discreet third pocket at the top of the bag unzips to reveal one of our favorite design elements, a phone (or sunglasses) pouch with a delightful, minky-soft lining. We love the side water bottle pocket too. If you're a college student, then you already know what a big difference a backpack can make. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The bags size also means that it wont fit comfortably on smaller-framed people. After reviewing our top recommendations, learn more about how our GH fiber scientists test backpacks and what key features to look for when shopping for the best college backpacks at the bottom of this guide. Secure the bagand then secure that diploma, promotion, or pay bump, too. The sleek, easy-to-use magnetic closures on the Transits fold-over top ranked among our favorite features on any bag. There are 16 colors and designs to choose from, so you can guarantee it looks trendy and stylish along with being durable and practical. Of course, you might be thinking why not use the high-school backpack that you already have and works just fine? As an added bonus, it's also water-resistant. Even better? On top of that, it's comfortable, with lots of padding and straps at both the waist and sternum. On average, bachelor degree programs last for four years. The Padded Double also has only one water-bottle pocket, located on the left side (it fits a 24-ounce Takeya water bottle, but only just). Size: 12.25 x 5.25 x 18.5 inches | Material: Polyamide, PU | Compartments: 2 | Pockets: 2 zippered pockets | Capacity: 15 L. Many backpacks claim to be water-resistant, but United By Blue's 15L Commuter Pack is complete with a durable water repellant finish for resisting both water and stains. It has three pockets: a laptop pocket, main compartment, and outer pouch. We also asked a panel of testers, representing a diverse range of heights and body sizes, to examine the finalists, and they looked more closely at each bags fit, style, and organizational features, as well as its materials and construction. To write this article, she consulted experts and selected backpacks for their durability, size, and comfort. If your backpack is already uncomfortably heavy when empty, just imagine how itll feel when its full. One reviewer even says this backpack was "durable, lightweight, highly visible and gorgeous.". With a 35-liter capacity, it can hold a lot, but a fully loaded backpack can feel quite heavyand with no sternum strap on this pack, we dont think its a good idea to carry that much gear. It has a gently padded 15-inch laptop compartment along with two side pockets for a water bottle. The 9 Best Garment Bags of 2023 . If they want a simple and durable design, they'll love Hershel's Miller Backpack. It has an extra-large interior to hold a laptop, books . The 9 Best Backpacks of 2023 - The Spruce $350 AT FILSON. The Transits lightly padded shoulder straps, while perfectly fine for medium-size loads, are not as comfortable when the backpack is heavily weighed down. If you have something thats heavy far away from you, Lloyd explained, its going to create more strain on your back.. The backpack boasts six different compartments: a laptop sleeve, a spacious main compartment, two water bottle pockets, and two compact pockets fit for smaller must-haves. To assess durability, we looked for sturdy, weather-resistant materials and quality construction, as well as generous warranties. An elasticized slip pocket in the Padded Doubles large main compartment fits most 13-inch laptops and could also work to keep a textbook or notebooks secured close to your back. We considered some cheaper bags (around $30), but we instantly found that their quality and craftsmanship were lackingspending a bit more is worth it for something that a student will carry every day. Read more. The laptop sleeve features only minimal protection; the lightly padded back panel is the only thing cushioning your computer. 7 Tips for Choosing the Best Gym Backpack. Nike.com The bag has a clean, utilitarian vibe that, while not the most aesthetically inspiring, will easily transition to life beyond college. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Why its great: Everlanes The ReNew Transit Backpack is a versatile, feature-packed bag that delivers on both looks and functionality. Our survey respondents say they love how versatile North Face backpacks are, too, wearing them "hiking, traveling, going to classes and teaching. Available in 18 colors, it also touts reflective features and a whistle for safety. You might think that waterproof backpacks aren't that easy to find or that they are going to be . Learn more. Out of everything on this list, Jansport's Main Campus FX is my favorite for college. Best cool backpack from Nike: Nike Heritage Backpack, $50. The interior is an organizational dream with labeled compartments, too. The Padded Doubles elongated shape also confers several advantages, including its namesake double front pockets, a generous 28-liter capacity for holding all of your school gear, and an attractive, well-proportioned silhouette. Ad Choices. Best overall college backpack: Estarer PU Leather Backpack, $39 Best backpack for college students with laptops: Calpak Kaya Laptop Backpack, $138 Best North Face backpack: The North. And although the side zip allows quick and natural laptop access for right-handed people, our left-handed tester found its placement frustrating. Finally, I consulted with Sarah Lloyd, a physical therapist and director of clinical education at Spear Physical Therapy, for expert advice on how to choose a comfortable backpack and wear it ergonomically. From award-winning writing and photography to binge-ready videos to electric live events, GQ meets millions of modern men where they live, creating the moments that create conversations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. It also comes in over 60 different colors and patterns, and even includes a removable foam seat to make sitting on bleachers more comfortable. Padded mesh straps and back panels make heavier loads feel effortless. Take advantage of the bags two main compartments and its padded laptop sleeve, and use the extra exterior pockets to keep your smaller must-haves organized. We researched the best choices from top brands, considering the comfort, stability, and organization of each one. In our tests, the straps were extremely stiff and required a break-in period to sit correctly, and the nylon material felt thin and scratchy in comparison with that of our picks (including the Eastpak model that we do recommend, the Padded Double). We like this Eastpak bags balance of simplicity and organizational features. We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. It also boasts water-resistant, durable fabric; metal zippers; and a built-in USB charger. The top pockets velvety interior keeps your phone (or shades) scratch-free. Thankfully, Oscaurts Laptop Backpack makes it easy to recharge your favorite devices on the go. 9 Best Rolling Backpacks for College | Nurse Theory Read more. The main compartment is equipped with two slip pockets for notebooks or folders and an interior water-bottle pocket, while a second, exterior water-bottle pocket on the opposite side offers added versatility. *At the time of publishing, the price was $65. Both bags feature an ultra-durable Cordura ballistic-nylon exterior, YKK zippers, Duraflex plastic hardware, and an interior liner treated with an antimicrobial coating to ward off icky bacterial growth from sweaty gear. Modokers Vintage Laptop Backpack may be exactly what youre looking for. We liked the SuperBreak Plus even less: Its straps, like those on the Eastpak Padded Zipplr, were stiff, and the body material felt especially insubstantial. A good school backpack should be durable enough to survive the wear and tear of at least four years of education, as well as weekend getaways and trips back home. Emma Seymour (she/her) is a senior product analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles, Paper and Apparel Lab, where she has led testing for luggage, pillows, towels, tampons and more since 2018. $90 at Nordstrom. A zipper runs around three sides of the backpack, allowing the pack to open like a suitcasea feature that one tester appreciated when using the Knken Laptop as an overnight travel bag. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Available in 11 colors, thousands of Amazon reviewers agree that the nylon fabric is impressively durable and many appreciate the padded straps, too. The clamshell opening lets you pack (and unpack) the Fjllrven Knken Laptop like a suitcase. Sure, it did the job, but after years of use, the padding is worn down, the pockets are probably stained, the fabric has thinned and there are simply not enough compartments to fit everything you need. Even better: It comes with a built-in USB port you can use to recharge your phone while you're on the go. 1 Best Overall College Backpack The North Face Borealis Commuter Laptop Backpack $99 at Amazon 2 Best Value College Backpack MATEIN Travel Laptop Backpack $30 at Amazon 3 Most Popular. Most Waterproof ZBRO Waterproof College Backpack.