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The 17 Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks for Easy, Breezy Packing

From basic rucksacks to nifty new features, these backpacks are a traveler's dream come true.

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

When choosing the best knapsack, there are many factors to keep in mind, such as fabrication, size, and style. Maybe you're often traveling for work and looking for a bag with laptop sleeve , or maybe you're guilty of overpacking and need an option that can expand or lay flat like a suitcase . Or very simply, perhaps you just want one that you can throw over your shoulder long after your trip is over. The options are endless... which can also mean deciding on the right bag suited to your needs can be overwhelming. Fret not! Here, find some of the best carry-on backpacks that can go the distance.

Samsonite Silhouette 17 Backpack

A backpack that packs like a suitcase? Why didn't someone think of this sooner? This Samsonite bag is perfect for the traveler who wants to travel light without sacrificing that packing method they've perfected.

everlane The ReNew Transit Backpack

This bag has compartments, on compartments, on compartments—including an exterior laptop pocket, making it extra easy to slip your computer in and out for TSA.

Fjallraven Kanken Water Resistant Backpack

These Scandinavian bags have been tested, tried and true since the 1970s. They don't offer a lot of frills or features, but they are as practical and reliable as they come. Cute enough to be your day bag but spacious enough to fit all your carry-on essentials, this bag is two-for-one. Plus, there's no shortage of color options!

Tortuga Travel Backpack 40L

For the packer who's serious about one-bag travel, a Tortuga pack is a great option. The 40-liter size is designed to be as large as regulations allow for the overhead bin on international flights, so you can make the most of every nook and cranny. It's waterproof with lockable zippers, making it ready for whatever adventure you embark on.

Calpak Luka Laptop Backpack

Calpak is known for creating travel bags and accessories with smart engineering in mind, and this backpack is an incredibly popular pick for obvious reasons. Thanks to its many compartments, it can hold a ton—shoes, notebooks, bottles, you name it—and is designed to protect a 15-inch laptop in one of the inner sleeves. Even better, it comes in a variety of pretty colors, such as this rose gold hue.

Monos Metro Backpack

The unique feature on this pack from Monos is the detachable, interchangeable pouch that fixes to the front of the bag. This smaller bag is the perfect spot to keep the items you need quick and easy access to, like your passport, headphones, keys, and charging cables.

Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack

Those who are often guilty of overpacking will get a kick out of this pick. No matter how much you stuff inside of it, the bag is extremely lightweight to carry day in and day out. It's made of a blend of tough, TPU-coated polyester and durable nylon paneling, and has padded shoulder straps which add to the comfort. Also notable is its harness feature that distributes weight and prevents you from suffering from any back or shoulder pain later on.

Patagonia Refugio Daypack 30L

For the adventurous traveler who needs a bag with more function than flair, Patagonia's largest daypack is perfect for work trips and long hikes alike. Built to serve you, it's full of organizational features and compartments.

Lo & Sons The Rowledge

At last, your very own Mary Poppins bag. Well, not quite, but it might as well be. Don't be fooled by this bag's streamlined look—it can fit a lot. Yet, its dimensions qualify as a personal item, meaning it fits perfectly under the seat in front of you.

Dagne Dover Dakota Neoprene Backpack

First of all, this bag is made with 23 recycled water bottles! So it's already a winner. Water-resistant and roomy, it comes with a zippered pouch that can be used as a shoe bag, or for any other essentials you want easy access to. We also love its sleek look—how could you not?

Aer Travel Pack 3 Black

A true traveler's bag, the main compartment of this backpack lays open flat, so you can pack it like a regular suitcase. It has designated laptop and organizational compartments, plus multiple additional pockets for all your other must-haves. The zippers are also lockable, and there's a pocket just for your AirTag !

Tumi Celina Backpack

Tumi is one of the most trusted names in luggage, so you can be sure this bag is of high quality. It has lots of pockets and compartments, but the best feature has to be the Tumi Tracer, which will allow you to track and locate your bag should you misplace it.

Shinola Detroit The Runwell Backpack

If you're looking to invest in a bag that can really go the distance, it's gotta be high-quality leather. You can trust that this will hold up, and best of all, it'll only look better as it wears in during all your trips to come.

Beis Travel The Expandable Backpack

With pockets and compartments galore, the Beis backpack has endless room for all your essentials. And once it's all filled up? You can unzip the expandable zipper for even more space! Never thought you'd be so excited about a backpack? We get it.

Troubador Aero Backpack

This top-loading backpack not only features a main inner section with a ton of clever pockets, but there's also a 3D top pocket for easy access to your toiletries, a dedicated space for shoes, and a separate padded compartment for a laptop. Even better: It doubles as a duffle carrier for days when you'd prefer carrying your things as a crossbody.

Away The Everywhere Zip Backpack

Known for the suitcases everybody can't get enough of, Away also offers a range of backpacks that feature the same intelligent designs and user-friendly features. The aptly-named Everywhere knapsack is made with water-resistant nylon and features a wrap-around zipper for extra access in the main compartment.

Vera Bradley Lay Flat Travel Backpack

Known for its beloved bright prints and colorful designs, Vera Bradley offers a range of convenient styles for traveling—including this carry-all. What makes this one stand out is its lay-flat feature: it unzips on three sides and opens like a suitcase for easy accessibility and ultra-organized packing. Oh, and this floral print will stand out in a crowded airport full of black and gray backpacks.

Meg is the Associate Fashion Commerce Editor at ELLE.com where she researches trends, tests products, and looks for answers to all your burning questions. She also co-writes a monthly column, Same Same But Different . Meg has previously written for Cosmopolitan and Town & Country . Her passions include travel, buffalo sauce, and sustainability. She will never stop hoping for a One Direction reunion tour.

Sophie Dweck is the associate shopping editor for Town & Country, where she covers beauty, fashion, home and décor, and more.

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5 best backpacks for every travel style

Editor's Note

My purple camo Trans by Jansport backpack served me well for 20-plus years. It accompanied me to several countries, on countless road trips and along many hikes.

However, as I improved my packing strategies and my needs changed, I realized my current backpack situation was not ideal.

My bag lacked padding for my laptop, which I never travel without these days. It didn't include enough compartments for me to stay organized, either. Also, I've lost more than a handful of water bottles over the years, thanks to the short and loose side pockets.

Backpack benefits

The best travel backpacks are durable, well-organized and roomy enough for all your travel essentials.

They can also be more comfortable for frequent use. Because they're better at distributing weight, they're less likely to cause musculoskeletal damage that lugging a heavy tote bag on one shoulder might.

"Carrying heavy weight on one side of the body can cause a forward tilt of the shoulder, and poor posture, which can lead to shoulder and back pain long-term," said Dr. Jenny Yu, head of medical affairs at Healthline Media (which is owned by TPG's parent company, Red Ventures).

Backpacks are also easier to manage than rolling carry-ons, making your sprint to your connecting flight a little more efficient.

It was time to level up. Choosing the perfect replacement was a daunting task, though. I researched several models from different brands in varied price ranges.

Considerations when choosing a backpack

The type of bag you choose depends largely on how you plan to use it. Will it serve as your go-to bag for day trips, work commutes and road trips? Or, do you need a sturdy backpack for camping, hiking and long-haul flights or extended travel?

Once you narrow down your needs, it's easier to hone in on your other requirements.

Your travel plans and how you plan to use your backpack will likely determine how small or large your bag should be.

A park day out with the kids or a cruise port shore excursion may just require a small (6–10L) bag. Daypacks, typically 10–30L, are fine for your work commute or hiking. For travel purposes — from weekend getaways to multiday vacations — backpacks in the 30–45L range are your best bet.

On most U.S. airlines, a 45L backpack is the maximum size carry-on allowed. If you're flying on a budget carrier, you'll probably want to stick with something under the 40L range.

For packing purposes, a 45L bag is a good option if you're not bringing another carry-on. It should be able to hold four large packing cubes, a medium packing cube and a toiletry bag. This size fits in the overhead compartment.

Storing your backpack in the overhead bin? It shouldn't be larger than 22 by 14 by 9 inches.

You can fit two large packing cubes, a medium cube and a small toiletry bag in a 35L backpack. It should fit under the seat in front of you on the aircraft.

If you want to ensure your backpack fits under the seat, it can't exceed 18 by 14 by 8 inches, according to airline policy.

Related: How to tell if your backpack counts as a personal or carry-on item.

Backpacks can feature a variety of anti-theft components — some styles are more robust than others.

You may not need your bag to be at a Fort Knox level of security, but it should inclfeatures that can protect you (and your belongings) from thieves or pickpockets.

Consider a backpack constructed with slash-resistant material and straps, as well as lockable zippers.

Bags that offer RFID protection are lined with a special material that blocks accidental payments and intentional skimming of credit cards. They can prevent criminals from electronically accessing your personal information.

Compartments

If you use packing cubes, this might not be as big of a consideration for you. Even with packing cubes, I like having smaller sections for things I need to access easily — my phone, chargers, reporter notebook (yeah, I'm old school), passport and other necessities.

What do you typically pack in your backpack? As I mentioned, a laptop pocket is essential for me. I also like to have hidden pockets to store my passport, COVID-19 vaccine card and wallet. Separate areas to stash my sunglasses, chargers, keys and other important items I travel with are important, too.

Keeping the above features in mind, I reviewed five backpacks ranging in price and style. Here's the round-up.

Related: Here's what to pack in a carry-on bag every time you travel

Patagonia — Black Hole 32L Travel Pack

What I liked

The Patagonia Black Hole 32L Travel Pack is completely constructed with 100% recycled materials, including the body fabric, lining and webbing. It comes in a handful of colors — gold, red, black and gray/blue. The shinier shell has a polyurethane coating that makes it water-resistant.

This bag is also Fair Trade Certified™ sewn (as are all Patagonia products). Since the program launched in 2014, it has impacted more than 75,000 workers in 10 countries.

The lightweight bag packs flat and is very flexible. At first glance, I wondered if it would be structured enough to protect my laptop. However, the padded pocket worked well and fits most 15-inch laptops. The pocket is also slightly elevated from the bottom of the bag, which can protect your laptop if the bottom of your bag gets wet.

Both my 28- and 40-ounce insulated water bottles fit easily in the side pockets.

I tested this bag (along with the Away F.A.R. backpack) during a recent long-haul trip to South Africa. I packed:

My 13-inch laptop.
A 28-ounce insulated water bottle (filled once I passed through security).
Compression socks.
Travel pillow.
Cross-body bag containing my passport, credit cards and money.
A small reporter's notebook.
Two paperback books.
Makeup bag.
Toiletry bag.
A large Ziploc bag filled with snacks (protein bars, as well as bags of almonds and trail mix.

Filled, the backpack weighed just under 10 pounds.

I was impressed with the number of items I was able to pack. This backpack is like the clown car of backpacks. The sturdy straps held it in place and it never felt cumbersome to carry.

The pocket section of the bag zips open so you can lay it flat for going through the TSA scanner. (If you have Global Entry or TSA PreCheck , you won't need to worry about that, though.)

I liked the two rows of daisy chain-style loops on the outside of the bag. It's good for hanging bulky items or things you don't want to get crushed inside.

If you plan to long-distance hike with this bag, there's a hole at the top for the hose of your hydration pack.

Other considerations

The Patagonia Black Hole Travel Pack doesn't offer RFID protection. However, if the wallet that holds your ID and credit cards has the RFID protection feature, you should be covered.

Although this bag has an air mesh back panel for increased ventilation, other reviewers commented that the airflow wasn't substantial enough to prevent a sweaty back. I didn't encounter that issue. This bag doesn't include a hip belt, which could provide more stability. I typically don't use hip belts on backpacks, so I didn't mind it missing here.

Sizing: 16.93 by 7.87 by 23.03 inches, 1.1 pounds (empty).

Price: Around $249 on Amazon.

Arlo Skye — The Backpack

The brand's luggage line consistently garners high praise from reviewers, so I figured its one backpack offering, The Backpack , would be pretty solid. Color options are mint and black. It arrived tucked in a large reusable drawstring bag that included a handy silica gel pack, one of my essential travel accessories .

I tested a black backpack. I liked the bag's sleek design and leather top handle and trim. The water-resistant material is a nylon and polyester blend.

A tiny zip pocket at the top of the bag is the ideal spot to stash my earbuds, charger or a small pair of sunglasses. If you don't have a clunky set of keys, they may fit as well. I set off my car alarm attempting to shove mine into the small pocket.

The front section has a zippable mesh pocket, and two RFID-lined slip pockets for secure storage of your credit cards, ID and passport. A decent-size (9.5 by 7 inches) front pocket with a zipper provides easy access to your smartphone, keys and other items. There was room enough to store my Kindle (without its cover). There's also an attached key leash.

A middle section provides an open pocket for a tablet or iPad, and two smaller pockets — one of them, an expandable mesh. The third (back) portion of the bag is a padded laptop compartment that fits up to a 15" laptop.

The backpack also features a wide back sleeve that fits securely over the handle of carry-on luggage.

If you need a backpack that could serve as your one and only carry-on, this may not work for you. It's roomy enough for basics and a minimalist packer could possibly fit a weekend's worth of clothes and essentials in it. However, I think it would be a better option for your daily commute, weekend road trips or day trips.

The water bottle pockets were kind of useless to me. The pockets don't expand and there is no give in the material, so you're somewhat limited in bottle size.

It barely fit my 28-ounce insulated water bottle (I couldn't push the bottle all the way to the bottom of the pocket). However, you would probably be fine with a purchased 16-ounce plastic bottle of water.

I don't like storing my water bottle inside my backpack because of potential leaks (and water damage to my laptop), so I ended up carrying my 40-ounce bottle separately. There is a metal hook on one side of the bag so you could attach an insulated bottle to it with a carabiner.

Sizing: 11.8 by 7.5 by 17.7, 2.1 pounds (empty).

Price: $250.

Away — F.A.R. Backpack 26L

Away has a sizable fan base ( including TPG staffers ) thanks to its stylish hard-side rolling luggage.

F.A.R. (For All Routes) is the brand's recently launched outdoor line. The collection is designed with frequent travelers and outdoor adventurers in mind. Bags in the collection are constructed with lightweight 100% recycled polyester, and are abrasion- and water-resistant. The zippers and webbing are also made with recycled materials.

I tested the 26L backpack . The bag arrived wrapped in a plant-based compostable plastic bag, which is in line with the brand's push toward offering more sustainable and environmentally friendly products.

It's available in five colors — black, vivid blue, red-orange, burgundy and (dark) green.

As I mentioned above, I tested this bag on my return long-haul flight from South Africa. On the trip home, it contained everything I packed in the Patagonia backpack, as well as two small bags of souvenirs I snagged at the airport on the way out.

Since it's a bit smaller than the Patagonia backpack I carried first, I was concerned it wouldn't hold everything I started my trip with. I was pleasantly surprised it did with no issues.

The two side pockets for water bottles are roomy. The features list reads that the pockets fit up to 32-ounce bottles, but my 40-ounce insulated bottle fits easily (though I traveled with a 28-ounce bottle).

This backpack had lots of pockets and hidden storage. The front compartment has interior slip pockets for easy access to small essentials like your wallet, smartphone, passport, a book or two, chargers and other items. It was a slightly tighter fit once filled, but I suspected it would be given the size difference.

The main compartment features a larger slip pocket for your laptop. The padding wasn't quite as thick as the Patagonia laptop pocket, but it was enough that I didn't worry about it being damaged.

Two hidden zipper pockets on each side are so well concealed I wouldn't have found them if I hadn't read the features card included with the backpack.

You can attach your keys or other items to the bag's wide front webbing loops. Also, the thick backpack trolley strap slips easily onto your luggage handle.

In addition to the backpack I tested, the F.A.R. line includes three sizes of duffles, a 45L backpack, a water bottle bag, a packing cube, a zippered pouch and a messenger bag.

Of the five backpacks I tested, this was probably my favorite. Based on my experience with this brand, I will likely add more F.A.R. products to my travel arsenal.

Sizing: 19 by 12.6 by 7.7 inches, .78 pounds (empty).

Price: $130.

Solo Re:Claim

One of the products in Solo's Re:Cycled collection, the Solo Re:Claim is made from Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a type of strong, lightweight and 100% recyclable plastic. The collection is reasonably priced and includes additional backpacks, totes, rolling cases, laptop sleeves and other products (all constructed from recyclable plastic).

The bag I tested was heather-grey. It also comes in burgundy and navy (though the navy backpacks were unavailable at the time of writing this).

The backpack is water-resistant and comes with a five-year limited warranty. It features a smaller padded front zippable pocket with compartments for pens, cards, your phone and a tablet, as well as a small clip for your keys. A roomy fully-padded compartment fits 11- to 15.6-inch laptops.

There are mesh pockets on each side for water bottles. Although the pockets give a little, I struggled to squeeze in my 28-ounce insulated bottle. Once I got it in, though, I felt confident it wouldn't fall out.

A tag was included in the packaging with information about Solo's partnership with the National Forest Foundation. The company plants trees with every bag sold from its Recycled Collection.

I didn't really care for the two handles at the top of the backpack. They were located on each side of the opening with a wrap-like velcro to connect them. It was kind of annoying to have to take it apart every time I wanted to unzip the bag.

I usually travel with a 40-ounce bottle, which did not fit in the side pockets.

Sizing: 16.5 by 12.25 by 6.75 inches, 1.2 pounds (empty).

Price: About $67.26 on Amazon.

Briggs & Riley — @Work Large Cargo Backpack

This backpack is ideal for work commuters and business travelers who need a sleek and professional-looking bag to carry their business essentials. It's also roomy enough to pack clothes and toiletries you'd need for an overnight stay if needed.

The hefty price tag might intimidate you. However, when you consider the company's lifetime replacement warranty and consistently positive customer reviews, I feel like it's worth the investment.

It has an interior organizer, main and laptop compartments, a durable fabric lining, an RFID-blocking pocket with two hidden credit card pockets that hold a wallet and passport.

There are also three elastic slip pockets with leather tabs to organize smaller items such as cords and USB drives and two more slip pockets to store other items.

Its top cargo pocket on the front panel holds travel accessories. It features two elastic pen loops, a large main compartment, a full-length slip pocket in the main compartment for storing folders or files, as well as two elastic pockets in the main compartment for storing cables and chargers.

It also includes a laptop compartment with a padded sleeve, plus a padded tablet pocket in the laptop compartment.

The exterior is 1600D ballistic nylon that resists wear, moisture, dirt and abrasion. The front panel also has a leather nameplate on the front (that you can monogram), a deep zip pocket on the front panel for easy access to items such as sunglasses or a smartphone, top-grain leather carry handles and a gusseted side u-zip pocket with an elastic band for a water bottle.

The backpack has adjustable padded straps, an aerated mesh back padding and a slip-through back panel that allows the backpack to slide over a luggage handle and bottom corner guards to protect the backpack from wear and tear.

It's very comfortable. I'm surprised at how light it feels given its large size. I tested it during my daily office commute. It holds my laptop, charger, wallet, phone and an extra pair of shoes.

I also appreciated the light contrasting shade of the bag's inside lining — it's so much easier to find my items.

Color choices are limited to black and dark grey. However, if you're using it for daily work or business travel, you want something that looks professional and this definitely fits the bill.

Additionally, there aren't any real external gear attachment options. The bag does include a removable luggage tag, which is nice.

Sizing: 19 by 15 by 8 inches, 3.2 pounds (empty).

Price: $379.

Related: What your luggage brand says about you

Bottom line

A well-organized and sturdy travel backpack is worth its weight in gold.

If you expect a lot out of your bag and want it to last through all your future travels, you may want to spend a little more on it. If you travel occasionally and just need a backpack for convenience, lower-priced options should suffice for your needs.

Before you buy your next backpack (or other travel essentials), check out TPG's guides to airline and shopping portals, as well as the best credit cards for online shopping. That way, the gear you buy for your next trip can also help you pay for it.

Do you have a backpack you can't do without? Let us know in the TPG Lounge or email us at [email protected]. We're always on the lookout for products that make travel easier and we would love to hear from you.

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20 comfy, sturdy backpacks for every kind of trip — and expert tips for finding the right one

There's nothing quite like a sturdy travel backpack. It comes in handy wherever you go, whether that's toting it around an airport, exploring new city streets or hiking a new trail .

“Backpacks are the easiest way to carry personal items and essentials in one place,” travel expert Valerie Joy Wilson tells us. They also make versatile carry-ons, which is why travel pro Misty Belles of Virtuoso Travel often reaches for them when she's flying with her kids or heading somewhere she knows she'll be more active.

That said, travel backpacks come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, colors and patterns, and shopping for the right one can get overwhelming. As Wilson puts it, "everyone is different, and what’s essential can vary from one traveler to the next, so one backpack will not fit everyone’s needs."

That's why we talked to several travel pros to help us — and you! — select the right travel backpack for whatever type of journey you embark on.

Best budget travel backpacks

Matein travel laptop backpack.

Travel Laptop Backpack

Amazon's No. 1 bestseller in laptop backpacks deserves that spot — not only is it currently under $25, but it's built like many of the higher-end travel backpacks on this list. It has a breathable, padded back panel and shoulder straps so you can stay comfortable wearing it and it also has a luggage sleeve should you need to securely set it atop your suitcase. We like the USB charger port for convenience, as well. The construction is durable, boasting a water-resistant exterior and metal (not plastic) zippers. It's versatile, too: Its svelte silhouette betrays how much it can pack in, and it works for both air travel and commuting to work.

Coowoz Large Travel Backpack Women

Large Travel Backpack Women

This backpack is ideal for a traveler that enjoys a bag with a softer, less industrial design, but still wants a bag with simplicity and organization. It comes with a separate shoe compartment, built-in charging port, interior pocket, anti-theft pocket and even a laptop sleeve to keep your things ultra-organized.

"This bag is the perfect size to use as a free airline personal item. Lots of organization built in and the way the bag is designed you are able to utilize every inch of space," reports one Amazon reviewer .

Open Story 35L Travel Backpack

35L Travel Backpack

We like that this Target pick sports specs and features that befit a more expensive backpack. But at just under $50, this fits both our quality and budget requirements. First, the size: It can hold 35 liters, the biggest capacity of our budget picks. Its exterior is soft but waterproof and made of durable polyester and the bag itself has everything you'll need to travel without worrying about your goods: a trolley sleeve, side compression straps and a padded laptop pocket, for instance. Plus, the zip closure goes all the way around the bag, making it easy to access whatever you need without having to dig.

Most versatile travel backpacks

Open story commuter backpack.

Commuter Backpack Taupe - Open Story , Brown

This one is for any last-minute trips — or just about anything else. One TODAY editor raves about this backpack's versatility, saying it works equally well as a weekender tote and carry-on .

"The backpack has five additional interior and exterior pockets for holding the essentials. I use the zippered inner pocket to store everything I want to keep safe and clean, like my passport, disposable masks and antibacterial wipes."

Lo & Sons Hanover 2

Material: 600D water-resistant recycled polyester, polyester and foam interior | Dimensions: 11.5 x 7 x 16.25 in. | Weight: 1.75 lbs | Capacity: 21.4 L | Laptop pocket: 15 in. | Other features: Padded memory foam straps, luggage sleeve, removable insert with dedicated laptop sleeve and water bottle pocket, memory foam-padded shoulder straps | Colors available: 3 | Warranty: 1-year warranty (third-party purchases not covered)

Shop TODAY's senior partnerships editor Francesca Cocchi Zabloudil is a huge fan of Lo & Sons' weekender bags for how spacious and space-efficient they are, in addition to being impeccably constructed of high-quality materials. We were delighted to find out that their Hanover 2 travel backpack also checks off those boxes.

The design is simple but minimalist chic, and its exterior betrays an inside that's extremely space-efficient. It has both a TSA-friendly removable laptop sleeve and multiple stash pockets, and it can fit both a laptop and tablet, as well as a few books and your toiletries and cords.

Best daypacks for outdoor travel

Diamond candy waterproof hiking backpack.

Waterproof Hiking Backpack

If you're looking for an option that's built for a trip where you'll be spending most of your time outdoors, this is a good option, particularly for its hydration system. The backpack is weather-resistant and can withstand most of what the trail might bring, including sharp objects and water. The multi-compartments and roomy interior will give you the convenience to carry all your essentials without feeling extra weight due to its lightweight construction.

Osprey Daylite Everyday Pack

Daylite Everyday Backpack

Material: 300D recycled polyester, PFC-free DWR | Dimensions: 16.93 x 10.24 x 7.87 in. | Weight: 1.1 lbs | Capacity: 13 L | Laptop pocket: 13 in. | Other features: Tech/reservoir sleeve, dual-side compression straps, two side bottle pockets, harness that doubles as trolley sleeve | Colors available: 11 | Warranty: All Mighty Guarantee lifetime functional repair

Ali Garland, travel expert of blog Travel Made Simple, is a fan of Osprey's daypacks, like this slim, 18-liter one with a built-in water reservoir sleeve. In fact, "My husband has a bigger Osprey he uses as his main bag when we travel," she says.

This pack is best if you're traveling light, and especially if you plan to be on your feet for most of your travels; in addition to its hydration-friendly design, it only weighs a little over a pound.

TOPO Designs Rover Pack Classic

Rover Pack Classic

Material: 1000D recycled nylon, 420D recycled nylon | Dimensions: 11 x 17 x 4.5 in. | Weight: 1 lb | Capacity: 20 L | Other features: Flat top with two side-release buckles, drawstring closure, laptop sleeve, two adjustable side bottle pockets, four side compression straps, top carry handle, key clip, travel bag attachment loops | Colors available: 21 | Warranty: Lifetime warranty

This pick is a daypack that's designed mainly for trails, but it's stylish enough that it can double as a work bag, school backpack and even, as writer and frequent traveler Bridget Shirvell calls it, a "day out in the city" pack.

Shirvell says that for its design quality, durable feel and the company's limited lifetime warranty and repairs program, it's very much worth its price point. It also has pockets, but not too many pockets that she's having to search through them for longer than she'd like to, especially in an airport line. And don't let the skinny, tall shape fool you: In addition to her 13-inch Macbook, "I also easily fit several books, headphones, charging cables, my water bottle, a snack and essentials (including sunglasses, a hat, my wallet and more)," Shirvell says.

Best carry-on backpacks for air travel

Land's end travel backpack.

Travel Backpack

This backpack from Land's End comes with triple compartments for easy organization. It's also water-repellent matter if it starts raining, this bag will keep your shoes and clothes dry. It has a trolley sleeve to put on top of your carry-on and enough pockets to keep small things neat and tidy. The cherry on top is that the brand lets you personalize it with your initials for a cool $8.

Away F.A.R. Backpack 26L

F.A.R Backpack 26L

Away's backpack is another pick that has a versatile design and can hold all of your travel must-haves, and its constructed with the same attention to detail that's feature on their famous hardshell suitcases.

The bag is a favorite of Shop TODAY associate editor Emma Stessman: "It's my go-to for both work and travel, especially when I need to bring my laptop along. It's super roomy so I can fit my laptop, gym clothes and anything else I need for the day. There are two spots you can keep your laptop — in the sleeve in the main compartment or a hidden back zippered pocket. Plus, it has a bunch of other pockets so it's easy to keep everything organized."

Monos Metro Backpack

Metro Backpack

Material: Premium nylon twill, ultra-microfiber vegan leather | Dimensions: 11.5 × 16.5 × 6 in. | Weight: 2.4 lbs (nylon), 3 lbs (vegan leather), 0.6 lb (detachable kit) | Capacity: 18 L | Laptop pocket: 15 in. | Other features: Hidden back pocket with magnet closure, waterproof wet pocket, detachable toiletry kit, top carry handles, luggage sleeve, felt-lined interior tech sleeve, separate zippered laptop pocket | Colors available: 9 | Warranty: 2-year limited warranty

I (Sales) use this bag myself for work: I just remove the detachable dopp kit, insert my laptop in the dedicated zippered compartment, and stuff all my other essentials (including a book, 32-ounce bottle and perhaps a change of clothes for the gym) in the main compartment, with plenty of room to spare. But however little you pack in it, it keeps its shape because of the semi-rigid construction. Its flexible capacity, combined with the fact that it's airport-friendly (the separate laptop compartment is helpful, along with the attachable dopp kit and luggage handle sleeve), makes this one of my favorite all-around travel bags.

Best travel backpacks for work trips

Solo metropolitan backpack with removable sleeve.

Solo Metropolitan 16 Inch Laptop Backpack with Removable Sleeve, Black/Grey

Metropolitan Backpack

While this budget pick only comes in one color and has no luggage handle strap, we think its functionality and sleek, unisex design more than makes up for it. Besides its versatile shape and color scheme, the bag's removable laptop sleeve also makes it great for business trips that involve air travel. Its interior also has an organizer section and a file pocket, and it has two zippered outer side pockets and one front pocket for quick access to your small essentials.

One reviewer reported, "I searched high and low for a replacement laptop bag and landed on the Solo. I'm happy. Plenty of storage space and the build quality seems good. I wanted a bag that looked professional in a business setting and not like a school bag, and this fit."

Best eco-friendly travel backpack

Coalatree compass backpack.

Compass Backpack

The Compass Backpack is made from recycled water bottles and is slash-proof, which is a nice feature when hiking through the woods with sticks and thorns. The backside pocket can also keep valuables like a phone and passport safe and out of sight.

Best backpack for one-bag traveling

Osprey fairview 40 travel pack.

Fairview 40 Travel Pack

Material: 450D recycled twist dobby polyester, PFAS-free DWR | Dimensions: 22 x 14 x 9 in. | Weight: 3.4 lbs | Capacity: 40 L | Laptop pocket: 16 in. | Other features: Zipper laptop sleeve, stow-away harness, padded top and side handles, "shove it" front pocket, hip belt, external gear attachment loops, adjustable chest strap with stress whistle | Colors available: 4 | Warranty: All Mighty Guarantee

Nomadosaurus directors and outdoor travel experts Alesha Bradford and Jarryd Salem, as well as Albelda of The World Or Bust, recommend Osprey's Farpoint 40 travel backpack as a good carry-on solution. The brand highlights this lightweight pack by noting that it's made for "fast-moving" individuals, further emphasizing how you can continue to be on-the-go and ready with all of your goods.

Solgaard Medium Lifepack Endeavor with Closet

Lifepack Endeavor Medium (with Closet)

Material: ShoreTex (upcycled ocean-bound plastic-derived durable fabric) | Dimensions: 11 x 17.25 x 7.5 in. | Weight: 2.8 lbs (bag), 0.75 lb (closet) | Capacity: 17 - 29 L | Laptop pocket: 16 in. | Other features: Removable hanging closet, expandable, four secret pockets, luggage strap, padded back support and shoulder straps, water-resistant base, "workzone" pocket with drop-proof laptop and cable storage | Colors available: 6 | Warranty: 2-year warranty

Similar to a toiletry bag, this backpack can be hung on a hook and unfolded to display all of the items within easily. Plan and pick out your outfits seamlessly, thanks to the multiple pockets, that make organizing a breeze when packing.

Best travel backpack for organization

Stm goods dux tech backpack.

STM Dux 30L Premium Tech Backpack - Carry On Travel Laptop Backpack (Fits 17" Laptops) - Customizable Storage Shelves, Water Resistant & Luggage Passthrough - Black (stm-111-333Q-01)

Dux Backpack 30 L

Material: ShoreTex (upcycled ocean-bound plastic-derived durable fabric) | Dimensions: 11 x 17.25 x 7.5 in. | Weight: 4 lbs | Capacity: 27 - 35 L | Laptop pocket: 17 in. | Other features: Removable hanging closet, expandable, four secret pockets, luggage strap, padded back support and shoulder straps, water-resistant base, "workzone" pocket with drop-proof laptop and cable storage | Colors available: 6 | Warranty: 2-year warranty

This backpack comes highly recommended for those who want to remain organized while traveling, because it has a laptop compartment and adjustable internal compartments that are complete with velcro dividers.

Most durable travel backpacks

Gopro daytripper backpack.

Daytripper Backpack

Material: Water-resistant 600D polyester with PU5 coating | Dimensions: 9.1 x 10.6 x 5.5 in. | Weight: 1.5 lbs | Capacity: 15 L | Laptop pocket: 15 in. | Other features: Adjustable chest straps, removable waist band, lined laptop/hydration pack compartment, customizable camera storage, GoPro mount | Colors available: 1 | Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty

Road trips often mean hopping in and out of the car as you travel to different locations. The Daytripper backpack is ideal for that since it has protective compartments for cameras and lenses, along with a designated spot for a laptop or hydration bladder for when your family gets thirsty while touring a new place.

Peugeot Voyages Backpack Laptop Tote

Backpack Tote Bag

Material: Water-repellent recycled polyester and canvas, premium leather, antimicrobial lining | Dimensions: 16 x 14 x 6 in. | Weight: 2.7 lbs | Capacity: 24 L | Laptop pocket: 15.6 in. | Other features: Luggage sleeve, RFID protection, tote handles, wide-mouth opening, padded laptop sleeve, external side pockets, detachable backpack straps | Colors available: 2 | Warranty: Limited 2-year warranty

I (Sales) own this! It's the sturdiest bag I've ever had — you can feel how thick and protective it is, and it's water-resistant too. I like the opening at the top because I can see everything immediately when I open it, and the useful easy access pockets on the front. The straps are super soft so my shoulders don't get tired when I fully pack this, and I like that it has a laptop sleeve and that the straps are detachable, and that it can be carried as a tote (which I do half the time).

Best expandable travel backpack

Peak design travel backpack 30l.

Peak Design Travel Line Backpack 30L (Midnight)

Travel Backpack 30 L

Material: Weatherproof recycled 400D nylon canvas external shell, 900D waterproof bottom liner | Weight: 3.17 lbs | Capacity: 27 - 33 L | Laptop pocket: 15 in. | Other features: Padded laptop and tablet sleeves, expandable, expandable side pockets, rear access, stow-away carry straps, luggage sleeve, stow-away chest strap, protected luggage tag holder, threat-deterrent zipper pulls | Colors available: 3 | Warranty: Lifetime guarantee

"We've recently started using the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L and have to say this is a pretty revolutionary bag as well. Might just be our new favorite!" the couple from Nomadosaurus said. Carry-on approved, this backpack can hold up to three packing cubes and has a top pocket, two side pockets as well as internal pockets galore.

Most stylish travel backpack

Vera bradley women's cotton xl campus backpack.

Vera BradleyIconic XL Campus Bandana Print Backpack

Cotton XL Campus Backpack

This whimsical backpack was a Shop TODAY Travel Awards winner, earning best splurge carry-on in the carry-on and weekender bag category. "I’ve had two versions of the weekend travel bag over a decade and each one has lasted me years," said Shop TODAY associate editor Shannon Garlin. "I used it as a carry-on/personal item when I moved to and from Asia, and jammed it with things. The fabric is extremely durable and so is the zipper. It also fits under the seat even when it’s packed to the brim."

What should I look for in a travel backpack?

No matter what you'll be using a travel backpack for or what you consider essential, there are certain features you should think about when shopping.

Size and weight

Your travel style, destination and personal preferences play a big role when you're choosing between a backpack and a suitcase, says expert traveler Jeremy Albelda of the travel blog The World or Bust. "Backpacks offer more mobility and versatility, while suitcases provide better organization and protection for fragile items," he explains.

“Backpacks should be small enough to fit the carry-on requirements for airplanes, which are generally 15 by 8 by 20 [inches] maximum," explains Wilson. "Generally, a 30- to 40-liter backpack [capacity] is suitable for short trips, while a 40- to 60-liter one is better for longer journeys."

But whatever you do, always check with your specific airline. "Airlines are fairly strict on the number of bags you can bring, as well as the size, so make sure any bag you purchase fits domestic flight requirements," Belles advises. "International flights tend to be more forgiving and provide a bit more space for carry-ons."

Compartments

“Start by looking for smart, well thought-out compartments for organizing your items," Wilson says. "Think about what you will typically pack and how you will need to access it."

For instance, Belles says she prefers backpacks with several compartments instead of one large opening — that way, "I can organize based on what I might need during the flight," she explains. Specifically, she goes for backpacks that have separate padded compartments for her laptop and iPad, "as well as a front pocket where I can quickly access things like my passport."

And this advice goes for those going on a road trip , too. Lots of pockets help you easily find your wallet, laptop or cell phone, even when the car is overloaded with suitcases or there are snacks everywhere. Plus, if you're a parent with multiple kids, it'll make travel that much easier: "When [my kids] were smaller, I could dedicate a compartment to each of them," Belles says.

Construction

"Look for something lightweight and durable with an excellent warranty," Wilson advises. She adds that families traveling to theme parks should try to find something that’s easy to carry and will be comfortable for long days on the move.

Other features

For those going to a national park or on an outdoor backpacking trip with friends, you’re going to want to find a bag that’s waterproof for those splash-and-dash summer showers. Frequent traveler and hiking aficionado Garland lists some of the features she goes for: "Rain cover, lots of pockets for organizing, [a] good side pocket that can hold a water bottle (more important for daypacks) or even shoes like flip flops or ballet flats, [and] good waist strap."

Questions about travel backpacks, answered by experts

How do i decide between a backpack and another type of bag for my personal item.

Short answer: It really depends on what type of travel you're embarking on and what type of traveler you are. And that can even vary depending on what stage you are in your life. Belles provides an example: "When flying with my kids, backpacks are substantially easier. ... I could dedicate a compartment to each of them. When I’m traveling to someplace where I will be more active, like Colorado or South Africa, I also rely on a backpack to keep me mobile and moving faster," she explains.

But if you're in doubt, you'll rarely go wrong with a backpack for carrying on.

"They hold a great deal more, but also keep you organized," Belles says, adding, "They distribute the weight across your back so that you don’t end up lopsided as you can with totes, while also freeing up your hands to manage other things, like children."

If I'm only traveling with a backpack, how do I pack clothes in it?

Belles typically steers clear of packing clothes in a backpack, unless it's an emergency. But if you must, she offers the following advice: "As a rule ... I am a “roller” for day-to-day outfits, workout wear and anything more casual. Business or cocktail attire is left hanging or packed in tissue paper to avoid wrinkling."

How we chose the best travel backpacks

In order to find the best travel pillows on the market, Shop TODAY gained expertise from multiple experts. From there, we researched extensively and even tried a handful of the products ourselves, taking special note of each one's durability, ease and other factors. We also took into account the number of verified star ratings and positive reviews, and items that are atop bestseller lists at online retailers.

Meet our experts

Jeremy Albelda is a travel blogger, documenting his travels on The World or Bust.

Misty Belles is the vice president of global relations for Virtuoso Travel , a travel advising and planning company.

Alesha Bradford and Jarryd Salem are the creators of Nomadosaurus, a travel and photography blog, that first started when they showcased their journey from continent to continent-without flying.

Ali Garland is the creator of Travel Made Simple, a travel blog that helps travelers kickstart their trip on the right foot, whether domestically or internationally, solo or with a group.

Valerie Joy Wilson is a solo female traveler, documenting her travels on her blog, Trusted Travel Girl.

Fran is a former associate SEO editor for Shop TODAY.

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We Found Black Friday-Level Prices on Luggage, Crossbody Bags, and Comfy Sneakers — Save Up to 66%

From brands like Steve Madden, Samsonite, and Coach.

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

Travel + Leisure / Daisy Rodriguez

Between spring break, summer vacations, and out-of-town weddings, the next few months are typically packed with travel. While buying resort-ready clothes and accessories can be fun, planning for a trip also means making sure you’re prepared with the essentials like sturdy luggage and comfortable shoes.

If you’ve found yourself in need of either, Macy’s marked down luggage, shoes, and designer handbags up to 66 percent off during its huge VIP sale . Get up to 50 percent off Samsonite luggage and an additional 30 percent off select shoes and designer handbags with code VIP . This sale ends on Sunday, April 7, but we recommend shopping early before styles and sizes sell out. Below, we rounded up our top luggage and shoe deals.

Luggage and Shoe Deals at Macy’s

Calvin Klein Lyam Lace-Up Round Toe Casual Sneakers , $70 (originally $99)
Steve Madden Campo Retro Lace-Up Jogger Sneakers , $63 (originally $89)
Easy Spirit Merci Round Toe Casual Lace-Up Sneakers , $45 (originally $79)
Easy Spirit Barbeau Round Toe Lace-Up Sneakers, $50 (originally $89)
Coach Runner "C" Lace Up Jogger Sneakers , $137 (originally $195)
Nine West Bask Round Toe Lace-Up Casual Sneakers , $60 (originally $85)
Samsonite Silhouette 17 Split Case Duffel , $149 (originally $440)
Samsonite Elevation Plus Destination Backpack , $90 (originally $240)
Samsonite Silhouette 17 25-Inch Check-in Expandable Hardside Spinner , $237 (originally $700)
Samsonite Spin Tech 5 29-Inch Check-In Spinner , $162 (originally $480)
Karl Lagerfeld Paris Maybelle Crossbody , $106 (originally $178)

Steve Madden Campo Retro Lace-Up Jogger Sneakers

Shoes can take up a lot of packing space, so having a pair that can be worn with dresses, athleisure, or jeans that are also comfortable enough to walk around in all day can make a huge difference. One shopper said these Steve Madden sneakers are “super comfortable” and “very dressy at the same time,” while another person shared that they’ve “received so many compliments” on them.

Samsonite Spin Tech 5 29-Inch Check-In Spinner

This Samsonite 29-inch suitcase has eight spinner wheels, a TSA-approved lock, an expander zipper, and an easy hook to easily transport a carry-on bag. Shoppers say this bag is “extremely resistant,” “holds a very large volume of clothes,” and is “easy to maneuver” in the airport. It’s available in five colors and TK percent off during Macy’s VIP sale.

Karl Lagerfeld Paris Maybelle Crossbody

Designer bags are also included in the sale, and this Karl Lagerfeld Paris Maybelle Crossbody is a must-have style for travel. Shoppers agree, with one customer saying that the “strap is comfortable” on their “shoulder and neck” after wearing the bag “all day.” They also added that it “holds a lot more” than “expected.” If you’re looking for a new purse that can hold all of your essentials while still being compact enough for travel, this 40 percent-off Karl Lagerfeld crossbody is an ideal option.

For more luggage and sneaker styles, keep scrolling to shop on-sale pieces from Macy’s VIP sale .

Samsonite Elevation Plus Destination Backpack

Calvin klein lyam lace-up round toe casual sneakers, samsonite silhouette 17 25-inch check-in expandable hardside spinner.

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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.

Peak Design Travel Backpack on the Back of a Traveller in Seattle International Airport Looking out on the Tarmac.

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.

Peak Design Travel Backpack Clamshell Access

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

Patagonia MCL 45L Travel Backpack Carry 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

Matador SEG30 Travel Backpack Storage Options

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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The Best Carry-On Luggage

Alt Text: Three of our top picks for carry-on luggage, shown side by side, an Away The Carry-On, a Travelpro Platinum Elite, and a Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential.

Traveling well is not always easy. Keeping your suitcase with you when you fly not only protects your belongings from loss or damage but may help you avoid extra fees as well.

If you decide to do so, you need a good carry-on bag.

Over the past 10 years, we’ve handled, tested, and traveled with 67 bags from more than 35 brands, and we remain convinced that the Travelpro Platinum Elite offers the best balance of value and quality for most travelers. It packs five days’ worth of clothes into standard US carry-on dimensions 1 and has premium touches you might expect from a $600 bag at about half the price. It’s a bag that you can rely on for life, even if it’s damaged by airlines —a rarity at any price.

Everything we recommend

Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Carry-On Spinner

The best soft-sided carry-on.

This spinner carry-on offers the best balance of size, value, reliability, and durability, plus high-end details. It’s backed by a lifetime warranty.

Buying Options

Travelpro Platinum Elite 22″ Carry-On Rollaboard

A bit more capacity and extra wheel durability.

This two-wheeled carry-on bag isn’t as maneuverable, but it offers slightly more space, a garment folder, and larger, more durable wheels.

Away The Carry-On

The best hard-sided carry-on.

This great-looking and relatively resilient piece of hard-sided luggage has top-of-the-line components—including wheels as smooth-rolling as any we’ve tested.

Away The Bigger Carry-On

Slightly more room, but you might get checked.

With more capacity than Away’s standard carry-on, this suitcase is sized appropriately for most flights. On smaller planes, though, you may get gate-checked.

Budget pick

Travelpro Maxlite 5 21″ Carry-On Spinner

Lightweight and appealingly inexpensive.

Remarkably well priced for a reputable brand, this is an ideal lightweight pick and provides many features of luggage costing nearly twice as much.

Upgrade pick

Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22″ Carry-On Expandable Spinner

A soft-sided carry-on that fits more in less.

This carry-on bag offers superlative build quality, plenty of expandable room, and a uniquely effective compression system. It’s a buy-it-for-life suitcase.

Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22″ 2-Wheel Expandable Carry-On

More room, bigger wheels, less maneuverability.

If you’re willing to give up maneuverability for more space and bigger wheels, this is also a great option.

Carl Friedrik The Carry-On

A more luxe hard-sided carry-on.

Luxury touches and a strong polycarbonate and aluminum design give this bag a standout look with exceptional feel and performance. It does cost nearly $200 more than the comparably sized Away bag, though.

Yeti Crossroads 22″/35L Wheeled Luggage

A bag built for tough conditions.

A polycarbonate back and rugged wheels make this design suited for rougher travel over difficult surfaces. However, it has a limited warranty, and it’s somewhat unwieldy to handle.

What to consider

Four-wheel bags, aka spinners, are easier to maneuver down tight airplane aisles, but two-wheel bags will always be more durable .

Hard-sided looks better to most people, but soft-sided luggage withstands the bumps and knocks of travel for longer .

Plenty of reputable brands offer lifetime warranties; it’s generally worth paying a little extra for the peace of mind .

Depending on where you travel, you might need to look for specialty luggage sizes .

We’ve also included picks that stood out for their form and individual functionality: an upgrade with best-in-class compression, a pick made of polycarbonate , an upgraded hard-sided case with latch closures and an aluminum frame, a rolling soft-top hybrid , and a budget pick that’s also the best ultra-light suitcase we can find.

Travelpro’s Platinum Elite line of luggage is still our top pick after 10 years of testing. It addresses the concerns of most travelers for an affordable price while offering the best warranty against potential airline damage in the industry (as long as you register the luggage within 120 days of purchase, which you can do in minutes).

The Platinum Elite features smooth-rolling, replaceable wheels, as well as solid and comfortable telescoping handles and a hard-wearing nylon exterior propped up by a solid internal chassis. Travelpro also provides a full catalog of other replaceable parts . Instead of chasing the smart-bag moment, Travelpro added an exterior pocket with a USB pass-through extension that lets you insert your own battery pack for charging your phone. And weighing less than 8 pounds when empty, the Platinum Elite is dead in the center of average weight for bags this size.

In our view, soft-sided luggage lasts longer and shows less wear, but if you prefer the look of a hard-sided bag, Away’s The Carry-On is our choice. Like our other picks, this bag stands out for its high-end components: YKK zippers, smooth-running wheels, and a well-braced handle. Its strong but flexible polycarbonate shell shows scratches—however, after seven years of using the Away Carry-On, our testers have found that it is capable of enduring most of the trials of travel with fewer knocks than other similar models we’ve tested.

Away also makes a slightly larger version of the same model: The Bigger Carry-On . It conforms to carry-on size for most major airliners, but you might be asked to gate-check it on smaller planes.

Similar to our soft-sided picks, this Away bag is backed by a limited lifetime warranty. And though the coverage doesn’t explicitly protect against airline damage, it does apply to any damage that an airline could possibly dish out—specifically, but not limited to, the shell cracking or wheels breaking off.

Some companies have tried to shave off a few pounds from their standard luggage designs to make so-called ultra-light luggage. The Travelpro Maxlite 5 21″ Carry-On Spinner is the best of these bags we’ve seen, and it comes with the pedigree of our top pick but not quite as strong a warranty.

The Maxlite 5 is just over 2 pounds lighter than our top pick—that’s the weight of two or three pairs of jeans. It’s not a huge difference, but if you have trouble lifting luggage over your head and prefer an easier-to-manage suitcase, the Maxlite 5 may be your choice. This bag is also the best one we’ve found under $200, with almost all the benefits of luggage nearly twice the price.

For the more frequent flyer who is willing to invest in a higher-quality bag, we recommend the Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential Carry-On . Every detail of this bag, from the zippers to the wheels to the wrinkle-resistant suit compartment, is made to the highest standards, and it has a higher proportion of usable space than any other spinner bag we tested.

Briggs & Riley boosts this extra capacity with a ratcheting compression system that easily presses an entire extra outfit (if not more) into the same external dimensions as most other carry-ons. It’s simple, impressive, and unmatched by any other brand’s compression system.

The Expandable Spinner version is also the only spinner luggage model we tested with a built-in garment folder, which helps shirts and pants stay wrinkle-free if you pack them well. If things go awry, Briggs & Riley has a catalog of replaceable parts and a global network of repair centers , as well as a reliable lifetime warranty covering repairs for airline damage.

For some people, Carl Friedrik’s The Carry-On may be worth the extra cost. Behind the maturity of Italian leather accents and polish of higher-end Hinomoto wheels, the Carl Friedrik Carry-On bypasses the biggest compromise in most polycarbonate designs: the stitched-in zipper. Incorporating an aluminum frame around the center of the case and two latch locks, it feels comfortingly secure and well structured where other luggage tends to sag or bend away.

There’s a potential catch, however: The flex in a polycarbonate design (and most luggage, incidentally) is its strength. The more robust a piece of luggage becomes—by replacing, for instance, a zipper with an aluminum frame—the greater the chance that if something hits the case hard enough, the frame can bend or break. That said, you need to hit a frame like this with an extreme amount of focused force for that to happen. And Carl Friedrik provides a lifetime warranty that appears to cover airline damage in the event that an airline doesn’t compensate you within 14 days.

The Yeti Crossroads 22”/35L Wheeled Luggage represents the best of a relatively niche type of luggage design. Call it a hybrid model—a blend of a soft-sided luggage on top and hard-sided luggage on the back—that lends itself to fairly specific circumstances. It’s ideal for tough roads, broken streets, and slamming your luggage into uneven curbs with abandon. Do most people need this kind of luggage for their day-to-day travel? Absolutely not, and it can feel heavier than it really is. But if you do, this is the best there is—at least for the moment.

The Yeti Crossroads has everything you might expect from a brand that has built its reputation for over-the-top toughness and durability. The two heavy-duty wheels are among the largest and broadest that we’ve seen. Externally, Yeti blends a polycarbonate shell back with a water-resistant 700-denier nylon front and waterproof zippers. However, Yeti backs its luggage with only a three-year warranty and no mention of airline damage. That’s very limited protection, especially for the conditions this bag was designed for and definitely in comparison with the standards that our other picks set.

The research

Why you should trust us, how we picked and tested, our pick for the best carry-on luggage: travelpro platinum elite, our pick for the best hard-sided carry-on luggage: away the carry-on, budget pick: travelpro maxlite 5 carry-on spinner, upgrade pick for the best carry-on: briggs & riley baseline essential, upgrade pick for the best hard-sided carry-on: carl friedrik the carry-on, also great for tough conditions: yeti crossroads 35l wheeled luggage, other good carry-on luggage, what to look forward to, the competition.

I’ve been covering luggage and travel bag design for Wirecutter for nearly a decade and have personally researched, tested, and compared hundreds of bags in that time. Over the years we’ve also spoken with plenty of experts: flight attendants for major airlines, product designers and creative directors for luggage and gear companies, and travel and gear writers. My conversations with these people have helped shape our coverage, and we owe much to their collective knowledge.

Six of the carry-on suitcases we tested, shown lined up.

In the 10 years we’ve been covering this category, luggage has evolved, and so has our thinking about what makes the best carry-on for most people. After spending well over 200 hours doing research and interviews and easily twice that time conducting hands-on testing, we’ve seen a few truths become clear. First, at a certain threshold—roughly over $200—most luggage is fine. It will more than likely get you from point A to point B without incident many times a year for many years. What distinguishes great luggage from everything else is mostly an attention to detail—the quality of a bag’s handle, its wheels, the frame, and stitching—and a company’s guarantee that it will stand behind its product.

Every year we try to refine our testing and find new ways to consider what it means to be the best luggage. We’ve weighed and measured suitcases, comparing our results with company claims. We’ve calculated true internal capacity with hundreds of Ping-Pong balls 2 and some decently complex math for a writer to scratch out. We’ve packed and unpacked more bags than I care to remember. We’ve studied and compared wheel bearings, wheel sizes, pocket counts, pocket quality, the curious subtleties of garment bags that will (or more often won’t) keep your clothes wrinkle-free, the strength of warranties, and repairability.

A person pouring white plastic balls into the Travelpro Platinum Elite Spinner.

We believe that any maximally sized carry-on should be capable of holding enough clothes to last you five days with room to spare for miscellaneous necessities. Most years we aim to have two testers, one male and one female, pack two bags individually as if headed to the same wedding. 3 What we included isn’t representative of a family traveling or a couple splitting a bag, but we erred on the side of bulky, and we hope it gives you a clear idea of how much of your own stuff these bags will hold.

Women's clothes, shoes, and accessories packed for a five-day trip and a fancy gathering.

We looked at how each bag loaded. Was there an easy way to keep smaller items (such as socks and underwear) organized? Did it have compression straps to keep things in place? Were the straps thick enough to avoid creasing the clothes? Just how much would the bag compress? How much room was left over? Once packed, was the bag prone to tipping over?

An obstacle course and mock fuselage in Virgin America’s old training facility.

Over the years I’ve torn bags apart to see how the frames were put together, taken apart wheels, dismantled handles, and more or less treated luggage as poorly as one person could. I’ve wheeled loaded bags around many neighborhoods, looking at how well each bag rolled and how well it handled broken sidewalks, uneven pavement, grass, bricks, dirt, and curbs. I’ve dragged bags up and down two flights of concrete stairs, noting how easy this task was and how much damage the bags sustained. For our finalists, I’ve repeated the torture test along a second, even rougher route because I like the sound that polycarbonate luggage makes when it bounces down cavernous stairwells.

The twenty carry-on suitcases we tested lined up against a fence.

In fall 2023, we asked a panel of paid testers with a wide range of body types, dexterities, and mobilities to examine our picks and share their perspectives. We’ve incorporated their feedback in this review.

Our top picks for the best carry-on luggage, The Travelpro Platinum Elite 21-inch Carry-On Spinner and the Travelpro Platinum Elite 22-inch Carry-On Rollaboard.

The Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Carry-On Spinner is our pick for a soft-sided carry-on; if you need a little more room, we also recommend the Travelpro Platinum Elite 22″ Carry-On Rollaboard .

It has a history of great performance. Travelpro’s Platinum Elite line has been our top pick for almost every iteration of this guide because it addresses the concerns of most travelers for an affordable price: In addition to smooth-rolling, replaceable wheels, it features solid and comfortable telescoping handles and a hard-wearing nylon exterior propped up by a solid 7.8-pound internal chassis. Travelpro backs it all with a lifetime warranty that covers airline damage and shipping to the repair facility (as long as you register the luggage within 120 days of purchase). Additionally, Travelpro supplies a full catalog of other replaceable parts .

It moves well across most surfaces and through most situations. The spinner bag’s configuration stands out in particular because of its MagnaTrac wheels, which magnetically snap into a forward position when the bag is moving. The small tracking assistance makes a large difference when you’re navigating the Platinum Elite through a crowded airport or down a busy street. It also has an easy-to-use, removable garment bag. After years of testing, we think the superior maneuverability of spinner luggage, along with improvements in manufacturing processes, makes four-wheel bags a better choice for most people. However, if you prefer slightly more packing capacity (the equivalent of squeezing in two more sweatshirts), larger wheels that run more smoothly over rough terrain, and a more protective built-in garment folder, 4 you may appreciate the two-wheeled 22-inch version of the Platinum Elite. One of our paid testers, who’s 6-foot-6, told us that although he could see the appeal of a spinner, “I would still choose the two-wheeler. It has a little more space, and when you’re my size, packing is just so horrible.”

Our pick for best carry-on luggage sitting in front of an American Airlines carry-on size diagram to show that it will fit in the overhead bin.

It’s sized to maximize your space, but you have options. Measuring 23 by 13.5 by 9 inches, the Platinum Elite carry-on bag (in either wheel configuration) hits the upper margins of actual carry-on size limits and could get you gate-checked by an overzealous agent. However, it fits into most standard-size baggage caddies at check-in, including that of American Airlines and United Airlines. I’ve personally traveled with Travelpro carry-ons this size for more than 45,000 miles spread across 50 flights, from regional to long-haul to international routes, and I’ve never had an issue fitting within gate-side luggage sizers. If you’re nervous about getting caught at the gate or often fly in very small regional planes, Travelpro makes a 20-inch Platinum Elite as well as a slimmer international size, but they hold less (naturally) and lack a suiter insert.

An opened Platinum Elite Carry-On Spinner next to its removable garment bag.

It keeps clothes compacted but not creased. Inside, the Platinum Elite has a pair of tie-down straps and two broad panels with pockets that cinch down, similar in design and function to what you’d find in much more expensive Briggs & Riley luggage . Compared with the simple tie-down straps you often find in cheaper luggage, the panels do a great job of keeping things compacted without creasing clothes—a problem we’ve encountered in numerous other bags we’ve tested. Beyond that, the Platinum Elite’s internal organization system is about average. It will be familiar to anyone who has used a suitcase before, which means there’s no learning curve for optimizing the storage capacity. One long mesh pocket sits on one of the bag’s sides, and a smaller removable transparent plastic bag sits on the other side for easy TSA inspection of toiletries.

It’s tough yet flexible. The exterior is made of a hard-wearing nylon fabric, a key feature of all the bags we’ve tested. It hides scuffs and scratches, and it’s much more versatile than hard-sided bags. An expansion zipper lets you increase storage by about 30% in a pinch—although the bag is no longer carry-on compliant at that point. We prefer to use the expansion zipper as something of an ad-hoc compression system: We unzip the expansion zipper while packing the bag and then zip it at the end, tamping everything down tight. The Platinum Elite carry-on also has a variety of convenient exterior pockets, including two in the front, suitable for a sleep mask and other small miscellaneous items, and one on the side for a battery, though it can fit a bit more if necessary. It also has an accordion pocket on the front for magazines and electronic tablets.

It’s well balanced and spacious. This luggage has an 1,856-cubic-inch interior, which we measured using hundreds of Ping-Pong balls . In real-world terms (the needs of Ping-Pong champions notwithstanding), the Platinum Elite swallowed up five days’ worth of clothes with no problem and had a good deal of room to spare—and that’s without our resorting to the expansion zipper.

It has an excellent warranty. Should anything go wrong, you can take advantage of Travelpro’s generous lifetime warranty, which covers airline damage . The sole other company we’ve seen offering this extensive a warranty is Briggs & Riley, whose carry-on suitcases start at about $500. Travelpro bags have owner-serviceable parts and multiple repair centers . To get repair service, you can either drop the bag off at a repair center or ship the bag to Travelpro, the cost of which the company will cover. Keep in mind that the warranty doesn’t cover cosmetic wear.

Travelpro has a history of fixing production errors remarkably quickly. In 2019, we noticed a small uptick in Wirecutter reader complaints about zipper tabs breaking. We reached out to Travelpro, and a representative told us that a production error expanded the capacity of the front pocket of the Platinum Elite; this allowed travelers to overpack the pocket, which put excessive strain on the zipper. Travelpro identified and fixed the issue before it had reached the threshold of more than a few comments online.

Dimensions: 23.5 by 14.5 by 9 inches (HWD) Weight: 7.8 pounds Volume: 46 liters

How the Platinum Elite has held up

After nearly a decade of testing the Platinum Elite line of bags from Travelpro, we have yet to encounter a single serious issue. The fabric exterior brushes off scrapes and is easy enough to clean. Simply, it is a remarkably built bag that continues to travel well, year after year.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The back of a Travelpro Platinum Elite carry-on suitcase.

Though the Platinum Elite rolled well in general, we are still concerned when dragging the bag up stairs. Some of the other bags we tested had long plastic bumper strips running most of the way up the length of the bag; this Travelpro model’s skid plate isn’t as big or as protective. I haven’t had an issue, but if you’re particularly rough on your luggage or uncomfortable lifting the bag over curbs or up stairs, it’s something to be aware of.

Close-up of the battery pocket on the side of the Travelpro Platinum Elite.

In 2018, Travelpro added a USB-A pass-through cable to the Platinum Elite as a way to compete with so-called smart bags. We like the battery pocket, but the built-in cable itself, which routes from the pocket to a USB port less than 6 inches away, is an unnecessary item, which at best adds a potential point of failure to the bag—USB cables do not last forever. Does it ruin the bag? No. Is it a feature? Not really.

Our picks for the best hard-sided carry-on luggage, an Away The Carry-On and the Away The Bigger Carry-On.

If you prefer the look of hard-sided luggage or the security of knowing that you can’t overpack your suitcase, Away’s The Carry-On is the carry-on we recommend. If you want to maximize your available carry-on space, it also comes in a slightly larger size: The Bigger Carry-On .

It can take wear and tear. Most travelers are still better off with one of our soft-sided picks than a hard-sided carry-on; soft-sided luggage shows less wear and typically lasts longer than hard-sided luggage. But the Away Carry-On’s wheels and zipper are as well made as those of our soft-sided picks, and its polycarbonate showed fewer scratches than that of hard-sided competitors.

We’ve tested the Away Carry-On for six years, traveling with it ourselves across the country and lending several units to testers and frequent travelers to see how they enjoyed using the bag. Its polycarbonate feels similar to that used on more high-end (and significantly pricier) suitcases such as the Rimowa Essential Cabin , which is more than three times as expensive.

You have options if you need extra space. Away makes a similar model of suitcase with an expandable zipper, The Carry-On Flex . The Flex is the same bag as the standard Carry-On except for the expanding center zipper and the price (it’s about $50 more). Personally, I’m not a fan of expanding zippers on suitcases. It feels like just one more thing to break. But some people may prefer having the extra flexibility.

It feels great to use. The bag itself feels good in the hands, and the wheels are noticeably better than those on any of the hard-sided competitors we tried. Away also uses YKK zippers, outclassing our top pick in that regard (Travelpro moved to Supra zippers in 2015). At this point, we’re pretty comfortable saying that years of debate over the best zipper are largely redundant, but YKK still sets the standard.

Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. Away has sparked more imitators and outright duplicates than any other brand in the past decade, in part due to its appeal with younger travelers. I’ve thought about why, and as best as I can guess, a simple polycarbonate cube dripped in limited-edition soft hues does exude a certain calm; the fact that some of those same colors also coat the exteriors of pills ending in suffixes -ax and -il is not, one assumes, accidental.

It has a great warranty. The Away Carry-On is backed by a limited lifetime warranty that protects against defects and parts breaking. Though the warranty doesn’t specifically mention airline damage, the damages it does list—cracks or breaks in the shell, wheels or handles becoming unusable, zippers that don’t work, fabric tears that render any pocket unusable—basically outline anything an airline could possibly dish out.

Dimensions (for The Carry-On): 21.7 by 14.4 by 9 inches (HWD) Weight: 7.5 pounds Volume: 40 liters

The Carry-On’s sleek style comes at a cost: Its polycarbonate shell is ultimately more likely to break than the nylon fabric of our other picks.
It lacks certain amenities, such as external pockets and a suiter, that our top picks have.
The clamshell design, which splits down the middle and opens into two parts, can make the bag frustrating to pack and unpack. Packing cubes help, but after years of packing and unpacking soft-sided luggage with a single lid, I personally find a clamshell design to be more finicky when packing.

Our budget pick for best carry-on luggage, the Travelpro Maxlite 5 21-inch Carry-On Spinner.

The Travelpro Maxlite 5 21″ Carry-On Spinner is one of the lightest pieces of luggage we’ve tested, at a great price.

It’s lightweight. We have a hard time imagining how anyone could make a suitcase much lighter than this without breaking certain laws of physics. A few years ago, I took apart a Maxlite suitcase to see how the internal frame was built. What I found beneath the fabric was a clever lattice of plastic supporting the frame, which offered the best balance between weight-saving and structure.

For some people, especially those with limited upper-body strength, a lighter bag—even by just a few pounds—may be easier to lift or manage. That said, most people don’t need extremely light luggage, but just to pack less. For all the innovative design, the Maxlite 5 shaves only 2.4 pounds off the weight of our top pick. That’s the equivalent of a couple of pairs of jeans.

It’s inexpensive. My general advice to friends is to spend more than $200 but less than $500 to get good, if not great, luggage. The Maxlite 5 is the one piece of luggage I’ve found that breaks that rule. You can usually find it for about $150 or less, which is a remarkable price considering the bag’s quality.

Top view of an opened Travelpro Maxlite 5 21-inch Carry-On Spinner.

Simple is good. This model doesn’t have any real bells or whistles—no battery pass-throughs or magnetically tracked wheels, as with our other Travelpro picks. Instead you’ll find two simple front pockets, a few well-placed handles, and a cavernous main compartment with a couple of pockets and two light straps to hold your stuff in place.

It comes from a trusted brand. We haven’t covered, examined, and interrogated a single luggage brand at Wirecutter for as long as we have Travelpro. For a decade, Travelpro has done a premier job of maintaining trust with its customers and with us—we’ve watched the company make small changes in design, catch flaws quickly, and address warranty concerns promptly. This is not something we say lightly: Travelpro is a name you can trust.

Dimensions: 23 by 14.5 by 9 inches (HWD) Weight: 5.4 pounds Volume: 46 liters

The Maxlite 5’s warranty isn’t as robust as that of our top pick: Manufacturing defects in the wheels, zippers, and handles are covered for as long as you own the bag, but airline damage and shipping to a Travelpro repair center are covered only for the first year. (And you do need to register the bag.) Considering that this bag costs half the price of the Platinum Elite, this makes sense, but it’s something to be aware of.

Two Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22-inch Carry-On Expandable Spinners, the four- and two-wheeled versions, shown side by side.

If you’re a frequent flyer and willing to invest in higher-quality gear, we recommend the Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22″ Carry-On Expandable Spinner (also available in a two-wheeled version with more capacity).

It’s the best of the best. Every detail of this top-rated bag, from the zippers to the wheels to the wrinkle-resistant suit compartment, is made to the highest standards, and we found that it had a higher proportion of usable space than any other spinner bag we tested. Briggs & Riley keeps its design consistent, adding, at most, small improvements such as this year’s upgraded lifting handle. Our 6-foot-6 paid tester pointed out that the Baseline Essential’s handle extended an inch and a half farther than that of the Travelpro Platinum Elite, which made it less likely to hit his heels as he pulled it.

Although the wheels don’t snap into alignment, they are exceptionally smooth-rolling and easy to maneuver. If you fly more than 25,000 miles per year, it’s worthwhile to invest in luggage that goes beyond merely being sturdy and actually improves your overall travel experience. That’s why we’ve been recommending it since we first covered this topic in 2014. The Baseline Essential is one of the best carry-on luggage options available today.

Close-up of the plastic handle of the Briggs & Riley’s CX expansion and compression system.

Its compression system is truly a marvel. The most ingenious part of the Baseline Essential bag is its CX expansion and compression system. Pull upward on two plastic handles inside the bag, and you can extend its depth a full 2.5 inches. Load the bag as full as you need to, and zip it closed. Then you push down on the bag, which compresses it as a clip mechanism secures it in place. Unlike other expansion systems, which are either open or closed, this one locks into incremental positions. It’s a unique design and very satisfying to use.

The inside of a Briggs & Riley and a Travelpro Platinum Elite spinners.

It’s the easiest to pack. Briggs & Riley placed the tracks for the Baseline Essential handles on the outside of the bag, which allows for a flat surface in the interior of the bag, with no small crevices to work around for simple packing. And in our tests, after packing 10 bags and trying to figure out strategies for each nook and cranny, packing on a broad flat surface felt like a luxury. According to our measurements, the bag, unexpanded, offers 1,905 cubic inches of storage room (and that accounts for the space occupied by the wheel wells and such). Expanded, it can stow 2,110 cubic inches. That’s remarkably efficient for a bag that does so much. All of these features add up to a carry-on that is easier to pack than any other bag we tested.

The Baseline Essential spinner is also the only spinner luggage model we tested with a built-in garment folder. It’s similar to the folder in Travelpro’s two-wheeled Platinum Elite bag, and that’s a good thing. It’s easy to pack and has an anchor point for hangers. Each of the three folds has a bit of padding that helps to keep a suit from pinching onto itself and creasing, though much of that depends on how well you pack. You can fit a week’s worth of clothes in the Baseline Essential, including some puffy gear for colder weather. A wide, wrinkle-free tie-down system completes the package.

It’s understated. On the outside, the Baseline Essential is pretty unremarkable. There’s nothing eye-grabbing about the bag, which is good if you’re trying to avoid being gate-checked (or having it stolen). Its outer, nylon fabric seems to be of a tighter weave than that used on the other bags we’ve tested. We also noticed a robust feel to the zippers, which are a self-repairing type made by YKK.

Similar to our top pick, the Baseline Essential includes a charging pocket. However, Briggs & Riley skipped the internal USB wiring, instead opting for a simple pocket arrangement (video) on the back of the bag for discreetly storing a charge pack and your phone. It’s an elegant solution.

It comes with an excellent warranty. All Briggs & Riley bags come with a lifetime warranty that covers any damage to the “functional aspects” of the bag, even if caused by an airline (like Travelpro, Briggs & Riley does not cover cosmetic wear or cleaning). Although Briggs & Riley handles warranty-covered repairs at no extra cost, you do have to pay to ship the bag to the company to carry out any repairs; it will ship your bag back to you for free. Or you can drop off the bag at one of the many repair centers . Briggs & Riley emphasizes that returning your bag to you in its original condition, even after repairs, is not always possible. The bags are easy to service and repair, so you can also order the parts you need and replace them yourself at home.

We’ve put in the miles, and the Baseline Essential is in a separate league. Over a five-year period before the pandemic, Wirecutter founder Brian Lam carried a two-wheeled Baseline Essential carry-on while traveling 150,000 miles and farther. After considering all the bags in our test and logging an additional 40,000 miles with a similarly priced bag by Tumi, he was convinced that this model is the best for anyone who’s always on the move. “I love this bag. It carries so much,” Brian said. “Sometimes I check it. Sometimes I carry it. It always fits.”

Dimensions: 22 by 14 by 9 (expands to 11.5) inches (HWD) Weight: 10 pounds Volume: 37 liters (expands to 48 liters)

Despite the plastic shielding, the exposed rails on the exterior could use more protection. While dragging the bag up stairs (which we don’t advise doing), we felt more scraping than we’d like.
At first glance, the handle feels too loose for a roughly $700 bag. We spoke to Briggs & Riley representatives, and they explained that this is a deliberate choice: The looser tolerances allow for the handle to retract by itself when you click its button, without your having to force it down. In practice, this is very helpful for scaling stairs and could save you some hassle in tight quarters, such as in the aisle of an airplane.
At 10 pounds, the Baseline Essential is the heaviest bag we recommend. In this price range, weight often equals durability, which equals quality. But if you’re uncomfortable with a heavier bag, this isn’t the best pick for you.

A Carl Friedrik The Carry-On, our upgrade pick for the best hard-sided carry-on.

Carl Friedrik’s The Carry-On is an impressive polycarbonate case that improves in areas where most other companies tend to cut corners.

It’s robust and durable. It improves the usual hard-case design primarily by replacing the zipper with an aluminum frame sealed with two metal latches incorporating TSA locks. This trim makes the case feel far more robust, which is a very satisfying feeling when you’re wheeling luggage around an airport.

An opened Carl Friedrik The Carry-On suitcase showing its removable compression pad.

Clasping shut an aluminum frame with a metal lock is pleasing—it feels like closing a safe and locking it tight. The polycarbonate shell has an equally rigid feeling but exhibits plenty of flexibility under strain. Although it’s difficult to compare polycarbonates between brands, higher-end polycarbonate feels dense to the touch even as the material flexes; in this piece of luggage, Carl Friedrik offers impressive quality.

Additionally, the Carl Friedrik Carry-On has YKK zippers internally and Hinomoto spinner wheels from Japan—both considered the top of their class.

It’s thoughtfully styled. The soft leather accents and bolted frame all have a certain maturity that’s often lacking in other, competing cases. This look carries to the inside of the luggage as well. A simple gray polyester lining accompanies two sets of compression straps and a removable compression pad, which has a zippered pocket.

It has an excellent warranty. As you might expect for the price, Carl Friedrik backs up its luggage with a lifetime warranty that protects against airline damage (assuming the airline hasn’t responded to your request for compensation within 14 days).

Dimensions: 21.6 by 14.5 by 9 inches (HWD) Weight: 8.6 pounds Volume: 40 liters

This is a brand-new pick—so far we haven’t found any flaws, but we’re keeping an eye on the latches. Luggage latches are small, complicated mechanical devices that have a myriad of ways to fail.
The handle feels just a touch loose, which, as with our upgrade pick from Briggs & Riley , can be a benefit. It can also sometimes be a hazard. Again, we’ll continue testing it.

A Yeti Crossroads 22-inch/35-liter Wheeled Luggage.

Hybrid designs like the Yeti Crossroads 22″/35L Wheeled Luggage aren’t for everyone, but if you like the flexibility of a soft-sided luggage with the hard-hitting ruggedness of a polycarbonate back and two large fixed wheels, then this bag is just right.

It’s made from tough materials and easy-to-repair parts. Yeti has a reputation for using tough, sometimes cutting-edge, materials in all its gear. The Crossroads is no exception. The 700-denier nylon is one of the better nylons we’ve tested—tightly woven and exceptionally durable. (Denier is a measure of the fiber thickness in a fabric.)

View of the inside of a Yeti Crossroads 22-inch/35-liter Wheeled Luggage.

The Crossroads comes in only a two-wheeled design, which is usually able to withstand more damage than a four-wheeled design. The wheels are also easier to service on the road and often replaceable. 5

It’s well organized. It includes a front panel organizer, similar to that of modern laptop backpacks, with two slots for your laptop and tablet plus a mesh pocket for spare gear. Fully packed, it still has room for a few magazines as well, if you like. Internally, the soft top has a zippered main compartment with a decent amount of packing space, as well as two mesh organizing pockets.

It’s a pleasure to pack. As the Crossroads is built around a molded polycarbonate base, the entire suitcase becomes, in essence, a large tray to pack and then zip shut. It’s a very satisfying design—easier to manage than many of the clamshell designs that are currently popular. Yeti’s packing cubes are designed to fit snugly in the Crossroads’s main compartment, and the bag does come with one small cube. But if you choose these, you’re spending a premium for additional packing cubes when almost any packing cube will work.

Dimensions: 22 by 14 by 9 inches (HWD) Weight: 8 pounds Volume: 40 liters

We’d love to see a better warranty. Three years is very limited when compared with other luggage brands selling similarly priced suitcases—especially for a bag that claims to be as tough as the brand’s reputation.
Occasionally, Yeti’s tough-gear reputation veers almost into absurdity, as with the inclusion here of self-sealing zippers on a bag that isn’t actually waterproof—merely weather resistant. They’re top-of-the-line zippers. But self-sealing zippers can be hard to operate and require regular lubrication, which most people aren’t used to providing.
The front-facing laptop organizer is woefully unshielded. If you’re traveling with a laptop, place it deep within the bag if you want it properly protected.
The bag feels heavy—by our measurements, it weighs about a half pound more than Yeti’s 7.5-pound estimation. It’s not the heaviest of our picks, but something about the weight distribution and shape of the bag makes it feel heavier when you’re swinging it around.

If you need a hard-sided budget bag: Look at the Gregory Quadro Hardcase 22″ , an unexpectedly high-quality suitcase from an outdoor-gear company. Gregory offers a lifetime warranty with service and repair. Although the warranty doesn’t explicitly mention airline damage, Gregory’s good reputation speaks for itself in this matter. However, the Quadro Hardcase is a pound heavier (at 6.5 pounds) and about $60 more than our budget pick.

If the Away Carry-On is sold out: Consider the Monos Carry-On Plus . Picking between these two models came down to splitting some very fine hairs. Both use YKK zippers. Both have lifetime warranties. The handles and interiors are almost identical. Monos even hides the stitching that attaches the zipper to the polycarbonate frame, which is a nice aesthetic touch. The difference came down to the Away Carry-On’s wheels, which spun just that much more freely in our testing, and the underside handle, which made it easier to pull out of overhead bins. And we’ve tested the Away Carry-On for longer. However, if it’s unavailable, the Monos model is a good, nearly identical substitute.

If you want a bag made of recycled materials: We suggest the Paravel Aviator Carry-On . Paravel is attempting to design luggage with recycled materials and some environmentally minded transparency to the company’s production methods. However, you pay a premium for the effort. Quality-wise, the bag is similar to our other hard-sided picks, for about a hundred more dollars. And much of the Paravel branding is built on carbon offsets, which we are deeply skeptical of (though we wish they worked).

If you’re an infrequent adventurer: Try the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag Roller , which could almost be an also-great pick under our hybrid pick . It’s cheaper, has a better warranty (but no explicit coverage for airline damage), and is made from recycled materials. However, the overall build quality is wanting. For example, the polycarbonate shell doesn’t fully cover the tubes for the extendable handle as it does with our hybrid pick. It seems an oversight for bags that are built to knock around.

If the best possible suit-packing experience is all you want, and money is no object: The Vocier C38 Carry-On Luggage is worth a look, despite a few flaws and an $800 price tag. The C38 takes a unique, fold-free approach to packing clothes. Rather than folding garments in on themselves to fit in the bag, it bends the suit around the outside of the luggage frame in a U shape. This packing method creates no creases and therefore no wrinkles. The case is protected by a limited lifetime warranty that doesn’t cover airline damage.

We hope to take a look at the European brand Floyd , which is currently popular on Instagram. At first glance, it’s another piece of luggage looking to appeal to a younger mass audience. But the easy-to-replace polyurethane wheels and bearings—similar to skateboard wheels—do have “user-serviceable parts inside” curb appeal.

We’re currently testing Level8’s Voyageur series of luggage, which features an extra-wide handle. It’s a design trend we’re starting to track with a few lesser-known brands (and, incidentally, a Louis Vuitton case costing several thousand dollars). A wide handle should do two things: It should free up a little more space inside the luggage, and it should improve handling.

Lastly, we’re considering expanding our coverage to include equipment cases like those made by Pelican . Though their appropriate use is very specific, when you need to travel with high-end gear or fragile valuables, Pelican cases more or less set the standard.

Soft-sided carry-on luggage

Cotopaxi Allpa 38L Roller Bag : We’re generally fans of Cotopaxi’s Allpa line, but this two-wheeled bag falls short. Specifically, the bottom of the bag is split by the zipper, which gives the bag an unstable feeling when it’s standing upright.

Eagle Creek Tarmac XE 4-Wheel 22″ Carry On Luggage : If this bag were about $150 cheaper, it would be a good price for the quality. We like the recycled materials, but the bag lacks framing.

Solo Re:Treat Carry-On Spinner : I appreciate any bag made entirely out of recycled materials, but this model (from a brand owned by the same company that manages Briggs & Riley) felt awfully flimsy. Even with its five-year warranty, I just don’t trust that this bag can go the distance.

Thule Subterra : The clamshell design—similar to the ones you find on hard-sided bags—makes this bag difficult to close if you’re trying to fill it to its full capacity. It just isn’t as easy to use as our soft-sided picks.

Timbuk2 Copilot Luggage Roller : The balance on this bag was decent, and it stood up well unloaded or loaded. Its wheels had a cheap ball-bearing rhythmic chatter, though, and the abundance of zippers and internal compartments made it tedious to pack.

Tumi Aerotour International Expandable 4 Wheeled Carry-On : At about half the price, this would be a great bag. But paying nearly $700 for a five-year warranty and a bag that doesn’t do nearly as much as a Briggs & Riley suitcase seems a bit silly.

Hard-sided carry-on luggage

Amazon Basics 24-Inch Hardside Spinner : This bag is a surprisingly good carry-on for about $90. However, its ABS plastic shell is not as tough as a polycarbonate shell. It’s worth investing more in your luggage—the bag you choose will last longer and work better.

Arlo Skye The Frame Carry-On : The Arlo Skye carry-on is a decent piece of luggage, but it’s hard to square the bag with its cost: $200 more than our pick from Away .

Away The Carry-On: Aluminum Edition : 10 pounds! At this weight, you’ve lost a quarter of your allowable luggage weight to the suitcase alone, unpacked. And it’s nearly as expensive as our upgrade pick, with a much less satisfying compression system.

Briggs & Riley Torq and Sympatico : Though these collections seek to solve a different problem, neither is as impressive as the Baseline series.

Calpak Ambeur Carry-On Luggage : We preferred sturdier polycarbonate shells over Calpak’s blended ABS polycarbonate shell. Also, the bag’s handling felt jittery against normal airport floor surfaces.

Delsey Rempart Expandable Spinner Carry-On : At just around $200, the Rempart is a decent budget option. However, the external styling (like layers of pressed sheet pans) is an odd choice. It has some practicality, but only if you’re stacking identical Delsey cases one on top of another, which might happen, I suppose, at some point … maybe.

July Carry On : In the lineup between July, Monos, and Away, July falls just short. We appreciate the lifetime warranty, YKK zippers, and flexible but dense-feeling polycarbonate. But the overall design doesn’t do much to improve on the category (as the Monos bag subtly does).

Level8 Road Runner Pro Carry-On 20″ : This is potentially a decent budget pick at just around $200. But the one-year warranty and the somewhat fiddly TSA lock and front latching panel give us pause.

Lojel Cubo Medium : Although we liked the uncommon top-loading design, the internal organization of the lid made packing this carry-on difficult. We also weren’t impressed by the zippered expansion system, which made the suitcase feel bulkier than our picks.

Lojel Voja Medium : An odd suitcase, this would be a great children’s suitcase or a budget pick—especially if it were under $200. But its current price is steep for a polypropylene blend with a couple of latches.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Chris Ryan.

Airline policies vary, but a general rule is that the bag must be under 45 linear inches—the total sum of the bag’s length, width, and depth. Here’s the current sizing breakdown among the major US airlines:

Alaska Airlines: 22 by 14 by 9 inches
Allegiant Air: 22 by 14 by 9 inches
American Airlines: 22 by 14 by 9 inches (the dimensions of soft-sided garment bags are allowed to add up to 51 inches)
Delta Air Lines: 22 by 14 by 9 inches
Frontier Airlines: 24 by 16 by 10 inches (and less than 35 pounds)
Hawaiian Airlines: 22 by 14 by 9 inches
JetBlue Airways: 22 by 14 by 9 inches
Southwest Airlines: 24 by 16 by 10 inches
Spirit Airlines: 22 by 18 by 10 inches
Sun Country Airlines: 24 by 16 by 11 inches
United Airlines: 22 by 14 by 9 inches

We double-checked the measurable packable space of our top picks against the manufacturers’ listed volumes by filling each piece of luggage with hundreds of Ping-Pong balls: 144 Ping-Pong balls weigh exactly 0.5 pound, and each Ping-Pong ball represents approximately 2 cubic inches (PDF) . After weighing each piece of luggage three times to establish an average empty weight, we filled the bags as full as we could with Ping-Pong balls and measured the change in weight. For every half-pound increase in weight we estimated 288 cubic inches of packable space.

His five-day travel kit included the following:

1 two-piece linen suit on a hanger
1 dress shirt on a hanger
1 pair of jeans
1 pair of khakis
5 medium-weight to lightweight shirts
1 heavy sweater
2 flannel shirts
5 pairs of boxer briefs
5 pairs of sport socks

Her five-day travel kit included the following:

1 dress on a hanger
1 blazer on a hanger
1 blouse on a hanger
1 pair of heels
2 pairs of jeans
1 pair of light sneakers
5 pairs of underwear and 3 bras
1 pair of yoga pants
1 flannel shirt
1 hair dryer
1 curling iron
1 jewelry/makeup kit
3 pairs of sport socks
4 lightweight shirts

You use a garment folder by laying a suit or dress across the panels, folding them into themselves, and zipping up the inner compartment. A folder should be wide enough that a suit isn’t cramped, and it should include hanger straps (which should fit around everything, even larger plastic hangers) to keep things from shifting around too much. Some folding boards have 0.75-inch-diameter foam rolls in them to help prevent creases along the packed clothes’ fold lines. When you aren’t traveling with fancy clothes, you can take the whole apparatus apart and use it as luggage dividers in the main bag itself, or leave it at home, converting the suit/dress compartment into an extra packing cube.

Yeti doesn’t seem to have an easy way to order replaceable wheels. But the 3.5-by-1-inch wheels are fairly common, and we’re looking at the best possible alternatives.

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.

Wirecutter’s 100 Most Popular Picks in September 2022

by Wirecutter Staff

These 100 useful things were the most-purchased Wirecutter picks in September 2022.

Our six choices for best luggage tags displayed on a wooden surface

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A Travelpro rolling suitcase, next to clothes and a purse.

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The Away Carry-On in front of a pink field, surrounded by a globe, a beige duffel, and some paper cacti.

Are Away Carry-Ons Worth the Hype?

Although we still prefer the better durability of soft-sided luggage, if you want the look and feel of a hard-sided case, we recommend the Away Carry-On .

Our Favorite 15 Backpacks With Trolley Sleeve For Luggage Handles

Many of us frequent travelers have a good idea on how to make the voyage as convenient as possible. One of our favorite ways to reduce the hassle is purchasing a backpack with a trolley sleeve or strap. This allows us to pass the luggage handle right through the strap with ease. Giving us the freedom to stroll with backpack and luggage in hand.

As I travel more and more I realize that many travelers I meet are unaware of the many helpful products available to us on the market. I always notice flyers constantly fixing their bags while they’re walking or creating all types of knots with the extra flap from the straps of their bags.

I am sure you’ve experienced moments on a flight when a fellow passenger cannot get a hold of their bags and is bumping into everyone on the way out. The unfortunate truth is that many of us, if not most of us have been in that same position.

Before you hit the road again try to take some time to look at some of the helpful products that are out there to help you organize your travels. In this review we will look at a simple purchase you can make to help you glide through the airport or wherever you may be.

Purchasing backpacks with trolley sleeve makes carrying your bags a breeze and this why they are one of our top backpacks when we are on the go. They make it very easy to get from one place to another without the hassle of constant adjustment.

They give you the added ability to avoid damaging your backpack since you never have to put it on the floor. You simply just slide the luggage handle through the strap and let it rest

If you ever had to repair or clean a backpack, I am sure you’re aware it’s not the most enjoyable experience. With this type of backpack you will seldomly have to clean your bag if at all.

They also help in making sure you never forget your backpack when you go to put it down for a second. You simply take off the bag, slide on the trolley sleeve and comfortably take out your documents and get going.

What Is a Trolley Sleeve

You can think of trolley sleeve as a slip on to a luggage handle. It’s an awesome feature some bags have to make it easy to travel with a backpack and a luggage.

Instead of hurting your shoulders or back while walking in the airport or anywhere you may be hauling your luggage, you simply slide the bag over the handle of a rolling luggage for example and get going.

Once the sleeve is attached you can just float around with your luggage and backpack. Its basically an added addition to a backpack if you’re ever traveling with a luggage.

Having a backpack with a trolley sleeve just makes it easy to travel. We will show you some of our top picks below.

SOCKO Shockproof Laptop Backpack (US $39 )

Brand: Socko
Weight: 2.65 Pounds
Pros: USB port,anti-bump, shockproof, anti-scratch water resistant and 17- inch laptop
Cons: Water bottle can fall out. Not for a narrow frame.

This is a very cool and stylish bag that features a USB 2.0 Charging Port. Made of a high grade nylon material you can be sure to avoid scratches and resist water. The spacious design provides you with a laptop sleeve, multi-compartments, and pockets. It’s very functional for travel or everyday use.

Samsonite Luggage Tectonic Backpack (US $59 )

Brand: Samsonite
Weight: 3.09 Pounds
Pros: All around very functional bag. Laptop ready.
Cons: Some laptops may be too big. Small front pocket.

This Samsonite is a very spacious bag with many pockets and compartments. You can carry your laptop, headphones and other electrical without a problem. The extra padding on the shoulder strap gives it a very comfortable feel when walking. All around a decent bag for the price.

Eddie Bauer Voyager. 3.0 (US $109 )

Brand: Eddie Bauer
Weight: 2.3 Pounds
Pros: Perfect for daily use. Durable, sleek, and functional.
Cons: Slightly rigid tough squeeze under an airplane seat.

This laptop ready backpack is ready for the move. This bag is made to travel with a fresh look and a very durable build. It’s comfortable, simple, and functional the way a bag should be. You can’t go wrong here.

Hynes Eagle 40L Carry on Backpack (US $4 9)

Brand: Hynes Eagle
Weight: 2.9 Pounds
Pros: Fits under plane seat. Heavy-duty.
Cons: Lack of pockets

This bag is designed for the multi-day traveler. No matter if your flying, using it as a weekend carry or you just need to pack for a day trip. Easy to organize and fit items. Built with a wrinkle free design and many compartments and pockets on the inside and out.

Renwick Genuine Leather Backpack (US $93)

Brand: Renwick
Weight 3.9 Pounds
Pros: Genuine leather fabric. RFID protected.Laptop ready.
Cons: Good for laptops up to 13 inches.

Manfrotto DSLR Camera Backpack (US $99)

Brand: Manfrotto
Weight: 2.43 Pounds
Pros: Fits a camera, multiple lenses and accessories.
Cons: Could have a more secure buckle

Vera Bradley Campus Tech Backpack (US $108)

Brand: Vera Bradley
Weight: 1.65 Pounds
Pros: Beautiful design patterns available.Laptop ready.
Cons: It is not waterproof. Not very big.

Hedgren Kayla Women’s Convertible Laptop Backpack (US $120)

Brand: Hedgren
Weight: 2.18 Pounds
Pros: Good under normal rainfall. Can be used a a shoulder bag or backpack.
Cons: Zippers could be stronger.

Kipling Micah Backpack (US $124)

Brand: Kipling
Weight: 1.5 Pounds
Pros: Laptop ready

Rawlings Heritage Collection Leather Backpack (US $200)

Brand: Rawlings
Weight: 3.4 Pounds
Pros: Heavy-duty, soft leather, excellent workmanship
Cons: A bit heavier than your average backpack.

Briggs & Riley Kinzie Street (US $269)

Brand:Briggs & Riley
Weight: 4 Pounds
Pros: Well designed, stylish and durable. Open access.
Cons: Two hands to unzip the top zipper.

Briggs & Riley Kinzie Street Flapover Expandable Backpack (US $269)

Brand: Briggs & Riley
Pros: Luxurious design, magnetic flap, strong carry handle.
Cons: Laptop pocket could have more padding.

Briggs & Riley @work Large Cargo Backpack (US $319)

Brand: Briggs & Riley
Weight: 3.3 Pounds
Pros: Laptop ready, open main compartment, very durable build.
Cons: For average to bigger frames.

Tumi Women’s Voyageur Sacha Flap Backpack (US $380)

Brand: Tumi
Weight: 1.49 Pounds
Pros: 15″ laptop ready, adjustable straps, side and front zippers
Cons: For smaller frames.

P.MAI Premium Valletta Leather Laptop Backpack (US $450)

Brand:P.MAI
Weight: 3 Pounds
Pros: Comfortable, Laptop ready, Extremely good quality and design.
Cons: Good for laptops up to 15 inches.

Key Features To Look For In a Trolley Sleeve Backpack

If your purchasing a backpack with trolley sleeve, we assume you’re planning on traveling with it occasionally. For this reason the size of the bag is something you should really consider.

If you travel for business you may want to think about different options like laptop sleeves and what size laptop can it hold. Is their additional room for documents and compartments for pens and other tool you may use on a daily basis. Does it have space for chargers you most likely will bring.

If you need a backpack for carrying clothes you may want to look a the total volume of the bag. Think about if your clothes are big or small. Will you be carrying sweaters that may take up a lot of space. Does it possibly have compartments for other devices you may bring.

Maybe your a photographer and your ideal backpack is used to carry photography equipment. Does this backpack contain specialized compartments for cameras or lenses. How many lenses can you fit and what size lenses may fit. Do you have room for any other items you may ned to take.

From what we found in our research, the price range of these trolley sleeve bags can vary. We found items as low as $10, which we didn’t recommend due quality concerns. We also found products in the multiple hundred dollar range that we showcase above.

You can get a decent bag for under a $100 that will last you for some time. You may not get the high-end quality, but the bag will serve it’s purpose. If your open to spending a little more you can get some serious quality in a backpack. Anything from highend leathers to a very detailed and thought out design.

Whatever your budget may be, we have found a number of bags in all price ranges that are sure to suit your needs. Just remember if you can spend a little more on a bag that will last you for many years to come then go for it. If not, you can still make a decent purchase at a lower price.

How It Fits

For the average consumer most of these bags will fit just fine. If your a bigger or taller person and you’ve had issues in the past with backpacks, just make sure the bag has adjustable straps that can help make the bag more comfortable.

If your looking for a more gender specific bag they will obviously be geared toward the body of that particular gender. Our best advice is to read reviews on what previous users have commented on regarding that particular product or use you’re previous experience on design and function and apply that towards your next purchase.

These bags will not need the ultimate in design reinforcement as the bags will not be used for outdoor extreme sports. However, good quality build and design is needed as these bags will be used frequently and will be placed onto hard floors that can cause damage.

You may be interested in bags with reinforced areas that may be more susceptible to scratches and abraisions or fabrics the may be resistant to water.

In our opinion, most of these bags will be used for personal use, so be sure to weigh your options as far as size, comfort and durability.

The best backpacks with trolley sleeve come in many different shapes, sizes and materials. It will be up to you to choose your perfect match.

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Pink 8L insulated cooler bag with multiple exterior pockets and water-resistant lining; ISCS2401-PINK-SAND

Insulated 8L Soft-Sided Cooler

Green daisy print 17L insulated cooler bag with multiple exterior pockets and water-resistant lining; ISCL2401-DAISY

Insulated 17L Soft-Sided Cooler

Luka Key Pouch

Luka Duffel

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CALPAK Luka Laptop Backpack for school in dark brown walnut; BPL2001-WALNUT

Luka 15 inch Laptop Backpack

Convertible Stroller Caddy Crossbody

Diaper Backpack with Laptop Sleeve

Diaper Tote Bag with Laptop Sleeve

CALPAK small diaper backpack with insulated bottle pockets, convenient transport handle, and magnetic closure in oatmeal; BPC2401-OATMEAL

Convertible Mini Diaper Backpack

CALPAK Stroller Straps for Diaper Bag made with Oeko-Tex certified, recycled, and water-resistant materials in hazelnut brown; STP2401-HAZELNUT

Stroller Straps for Diaper Bag (Set of 2)

Portable Changing Pad Clutch

CALPAK Water Resistant Zippered Pouch Set of three in green daisy print; PCZP2401-DAISY

Water Resistant Zippered Pouch Set (3 Pieces)

CALPAK 5 piece set packing cubes for travel with labels and top handles in beige; PC1601-OATMEAL

Packing Cubes Set (5 Pieces)

Tech Organizer

Small Compression Packing Cubes

CALPAK compression packing cubes in lime viper; PCC2201-LIME-VIPER

Medium Compression Packing Cubes

Large Compression Packing Cubes

Insulated Lunch Bag

CALPAK Luka Laptop Backpack for school in metallic brown; BPL2001-COPPER

Luka Mini Backpack

Front view of CALPAK Terra Hydration Backpack in canyon; BPT2201-CANYON

Terra Laptop Backpack

Terra Small Sling Bag

CALPAK shoe bag set of two; KSB2001-GROOVY-BLUE

Compakt Shoe Bag - Set of 2

CALPAK Compakt zippered pouches in palm; KZB2001-PALM

Compakt Zippered Pouch Set

CALPAK Starter Luggage Set with Carry-On, Large Luggage, Packing Cubes, Pouches and Luggage tag in green; LCO8000-PISTACHIO

Evry Starter Bundle

CALPAK Luka expandable bag with zippered pockets and laptop compartment in green; ALT2201-GREEN-APPLE

Luka Large Duffel

CALPAK Luka key pouch with carabiner clip in pink; AMB2201-BUBBLEGUM

Kaya Mini Backpack

CALPAK 13-14 Inch water resistant Laptop sleeve in Cheetah; ALP2213-CHEETAH

Padded Laptop Sleeve

Compakt Tote Bag

CALPAK travel wallet in croc textured black; TWC2201-BLACK

Croc Wallet

CALPAK clear plastic cover for 24 inch medium luggage; ALC2124-CLEAR

Clear Luggage Cover

CALPAK gold travel vanity case for makeup; CC1801-GOLD

Ambeur Vanity Case

CALPAK Ambeur: 3 piece lightweight expandable silver hard shell luggage set with carry on; LAM3000-SILVER

Ambeur 3-Piece Luggage Set

CALPAK Ambeur 2 piece lightweight expandable copper hard shell luggage set with carry-on in copper; LAM2000-COPPER

Ambeur 2-Piece Luggage Set

Stevyn Rolling Duffel

Side view of dark brown large travel duffel bag with wheels and top handle extended; DRL2301-WALNUT

Stevyn Large Rolling Duffel

brown CALPAK Luka duffle bag; DSM1901-CHOCOLATE

Terra 26L Laptop Duffel Backpack

CALPAK Insulated Lunch Bag in walnut; ALB2001-WALNUT

Haven Laptop Tote Bag

caramel brown CALPAK Kaya laptop backpack for women; BP1702-SQ-CARAMEL

Kaya 15 inch Laptop Backpack

CALPAK small transparent cosmetics case with handles in pink; CCM2001-MAUVE

Small Clear Cosmetics Case

CALPAK Medium clear makeup bag with zippered compartments in stone; CMM2201-STONE

Medium Clear Cosmetics Case

Model with CALPAK Luka expandable travel bag with laptop compartment and trolley sleeve in black

Stevyn Duffel Bag with Shoe Compartment

Water Bottle Holder

Terra Hanging Toiletry Bag

CALPAK electronics cord organizer in green moss color; ATC2001-CHEETAH

Hue Carry-On Luggage

“ Perfect weekender. Holds a lot and is comfortable to carry. Easy to pack and get into with lots of pockets for organizing. ”

“ I spent two weeks traveling in Europe and this was a lifesaver ! It fit my phone, charger, kindle, and passports! I love the back zip pocket. ”

“ Perfect backpack! I really like this bag. It is very comfortable and I can put all I want in it with all the space! So cool it was made with 27 recycled bottles!! ”

“ Very cute and functional. I love it! Very unique and cute for a lunch bag but also very spacious and has good insulation ”

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CALPAK Kaya Laptop Backpack for women in ginger; BP1702-SQ-GINGER

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CALPAK Luka Mini Backpack for essentials for everyday use in brown; BPM2201-CHOCOLATE

Luka 17 inch Laptop Backpack

Luka Hanging Toiletry Bag

Luka Mini Belt Bag

Which carry-on will you pick.

Luka Soft-Sided Carry-On Luggage

lightweight rose gold CALPAK Ambeur 22 inch rolling spinner carry on luggage; LAM1020-ROSE-GOLD

Ambeur Carry-On Luggage

CALPAK Ambeur front pocket lightweight carry-on luggage in gold; LAM1020-FP-GOLD

Ambeur Front Pocket Carry-On Luggage

Black carry-on luggage made from an ultra-durable polycarbonate shell and expandable by up to 2"; LCO1020-BLACK

Evry Carry-On Luggage

CALPAK Hue hard shell carry-on spinner luggage with laptop compartment in brown hazel color; LHU1020-HAZEL

Hue Front Pocket Carry-On Luggage

CALPAK Terra Carry-On Luggage front soft shell view with 360 spinner wheels in juniper; LTE1020-JUNIPER

Terra 45L Carry-On Luggage

Trnk Carry-On Luggage

CALPAK gold marble hard shell carry-on luggage; LGM1020-GOLD-MARBLE

Gold Marble Carry-On Luggage

Find the best toiletry bag for traveling.

CALPAK white transparent makeup bag; CCC2001-STONE

Large Clear Cosmetics Case

CALPAK Ambeur Vanity Case for makeup and cosmetics in copper; CC1801-COPPER

Trnk Vanity Case

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Portable Charger

Luka Zippered Passport Wallet

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CALPAK Astyll white marble hard shell rolling carry on suitcase; LAT1020-MILK-MARBLE

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Set of small bags for storage and travel in polka-dot; KZB2001-POLKA-DOT

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Suitcases, Accessories & More
Macy's Selection Of Luggage & Travel Accessories Makes Travel Easier Than Ever Shop Now. Save on Best Brands in Apparel, Home, Beauty & More. Extra 10-30% off W/ Code VIP.
Shop travel backpack luggage
Find deals and compare prices on travel backpack luggage at Amazon.com. Browse & discover thousands of brands. Read customer reviews & find best sellers
Travel Backpacks
Garnet Triple Compartment Backpack. $168.00. Extra 30% use: VIP. Shop Travel Backpacks at Macys.com. Browse our great prices & discounts on the best Travel Backpacks. Free Delivery Available!
Backpacks
Elevation Plus Destination Backpack. $239.99. Sale $119.99. Extra 25% use: VIP. With offer $89.99. (24) Buy Backpacks at Macy's and get FREE SHIPPING! Shop for laptop backpack, leather backpack, rolling backpacks and designer backpacks.
Travel Backpacks
Michael Kors. Men's Malone Adjustable Solid Nylon Backpack. $198.00. Olivia Miller. Women's Belinda Small Backpack. $70.00. (1) Shop Travel Backpacks at Macys.com. Browse our great prices & discounts on the best Travel Backpacks. Free Delivery Available!
Macy's Westfield Valley Fair Luggage Gallery in Santa Clara, CA
Find the perfect travel bags & travel gear from carry-on's, backpacks and luggage sets from top brands for your next trip! Plan your visit to 2801 Stevens Creek Blvd, Santa Clara in California! 2801 Stevens Creek Blvd. Santa Clara, CA 95050. (408) 248-3333.
The 14 Best Carry-on Backpacks of 2024, Tested and Reviewed
Macy's. View On Samsonite.com $200 View On Macy's $135 View On Bloomingdales $400. ... During a rainy overnight camping trip, the Tortuga Travel Backpack essentially sat in a puddle for hours, yet ...
Macy's Eastridge Luggage Department in San Jose, CA
Macy's Eastridge selection of luggage & travel accessories makes travel easier than ever! Find the perfect travel bags & travel gear from carry-on's, backpacks and luggage sets from top brands for your next trip! Plan your visit to 2210 Eastridge Loop, San Jose in California!
Luggage: Travel Bags & Travel Gear
Pick out the best bags to pack your essentials in with Macy's selection of luggage and travel bags. From softside and hardside to carry-on and underseat luggage, we've rounded up the most durable travel companions from some of the best brands in the game. Ready to Roll You're going to need some travel luggage when wanderlust strikes.
The 17 Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks to Make Packing Easy 2024
Monos Metro Backpack. $200 at monos.com. The unique feature on this pack from Monos is the detachable, interchangeable pouch that fixes to the front of the bag. This smaller bag is the perfect ...
The Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks for 2024
Best small carry-on bag for most situations: Cotopaxi Allpa 35L. Best large bag for most situations: Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L. Best bag for document organization: Topo Designs Global Travel ...
5 best carry-on backpacks to use when traveling
Editor's Note. TPG received complimentary backpacks from Arlo Skye, Away, Briggs & Riley and Solo for test purposes. My purple camo Trans by Jansport backpack served me well for 20-plus years. It accompanied me to several countries, on countless road trips and along many hikes.
The 35 best travel backpacks in 2024
Away F.A.R Backpack 26L. Away. Away's got another versatile take on a backpack with its F.A.R. bag. Underscored Senior Travel Editor Emily McNutt swears by this bag, thanks to its multi-use ...
20 best travel backpacks, plus expert travel tips
To help you choose, we researched and interviewed travel pros for the best travel backpacks for all trips and budgets. ... Macy's. Material: Polyester | Dimensions: 19 x 12.6 x 7.7 in. ...
We Found Black Friday-Level Prices on Luggage, Crossbody Bags ...
Luggage and Shoe Deals at Macy's. Calvin Klein Lyam Lace-Up Round Toe Casual Sneakers, $70 (originally $99) Steve Madden Campo Retro Lace-Up Jogger Sneakers, $63 (originally $89) Easy Spirit ...
The Best Travel Backpacks of 2024
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 ...
Backpacks for Travel
Outdoor Products. Grand View H2O Backpack. $180.00. Sale $89.99. Extra 25% use: VIP. With offer $67.49.
The 6 Best Carry-On Luggage of 2024
Our pick for the best carry-on luggage: Travelpro Platinum Elite. Our pick for the best hard-sided carry-on luggage: Away The Carry-On. Budget pick: Travelpro Maxlite 5 Carry-On Spinner. Upgrade ...
Travel Backpacks
Sale $67.57. Extra 30% use: VIP. With offer $47.30. (41) TUMI. Alpha Bravo Endurance Backpack. $875.00. Shop Travel Backpacks at Macys.com. Browse our great prices & discounts on the best Travel Backpacks. Free Delivery Available!
Top 10 Best Travel Backpacks for One Bag Carry-on Travel
We're fans of one-bag travel, and investing in a reliable travel backpack makes all the difference. After having our hands on hundreds of them, we've narrowe...
Our Favorite 15 Backpacks With Trolley Sleeve For Luggage Handles
Brand: Kipling. Weight: 1.5 Pounds. Pros: Laptop ready. Cons: Good for laptops up to 13 inches. The trolley sleeve design helps you to easily slide your luggage handle through. It also has a very fun and appealing look good for all ages. Easily fit your laptop and a water problem as you stroll with confidence in this hip bag.
Travel Looks Good on You
Water Bottle Holder. $48. Kaya 15 inch Laptop Backpack. $138. Packing Cubes Set (5 Pieces) $68. Luka Belt Bag. $58. Search by Category.
Travel Backpack
New York Downtown Grand Travel TSA Backpack $240.00 Sale $119.99
Backpack Travel Backpacks
Extra 25% use: VIP. With offer $242.99. (78) Polo Ralph Lauren. Men's Leather Backpack. $348.00. (30) Shop Travel Backpacks at Macys.com. Browse our great prices & discounts on the best Travel Backpacks. Free Delivery Available!
Amazon.com: Travel Backpacks
MATEIN Carry on Backpack, Extra Large Travel Backpack Expandable Airplane Approved Weekender Bag for Men and Women, Water Resistant Lightweight Daypack for Flight 40L, Black. Options: 3 sizes. 7,656. 3K+ bought in past month. $3999. List: $51.99. Save $6.00 with coupon. FREE delivery Fri, Apr 5.
Travel Backpack
Car Seat Travel Backpack, Airport Travel Bag for Radian Car Seat $69.99 Bric's Milano
CHAMPS Travel Backpacks
Shop Travel Backpacks at Macys.com. Browse our great prices & discounts on the best Travel Backpacks. Free Delivery Available! Skip to main content. Extra 30% off with VIP + open a Macy's Card & save 25% today, up to $100. Details. Gift Registry; Shop Your Store