The Best Work Bags for Men, According to Daily Commuters
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Technically, any bag carried to and from a job is a “work bag.” It’s a sack that tows essential supplies to and from the office. But the term, in the style world at least, refers to white-collar professionals touting laptops and desk paraphernalia on and off the subway. Work bags aren’t strictly utilitarian. Sure, they have lined pockets and padded laptop sleeves, but they also look good hanging from soft leather handles.
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Work bags don’t stick out against the rest of an outfit, they complement and even enhance it. After the tech industry brought eclectic style to workspaces, and offices became less formal, work bags carved out a niche within accessories that’s only expanded with time.
The best work bags have all the hallmarks of great bags for travel — durable, comfortable, and useful — while fitting the professional needs of the wearer. They project a sense of confidence and competence. Brand identity is important here. Rugged bags for the outdoors are more at home in tech than finance, and a custom leather briefcase tows the line between trendy vintage and outright stuffy. There is a work bag for every person and every profession.
What the Experts Say
Sources who use work bags in their professional lives have some strong opinions on what makes a great work bag. SPY spoke with Niklas Göke, founder of Four Minute Books, and Tom Carbone, an adjunct professor in the Fashion Accessories Design program at the College for Creative Studies, to help sort through the best product types available now.
Göke says that any work bag worth buying will offer materials that afford water resistance and durability as well as a design that prioritizes useful storage and comfort for the wearer. “Day-to-day, I need to transport my laptop, often several books, and a multitude of personal items,” he says, calling his work bag “an extension of my office.” This kind of on-the-go readiness is what makes a great work bag. It eases, rather than adds to, the daily stress for urban professionals.
Carbone isn’t a booster of one kind of work bag over the other. His expertise and advice come down to how they’re constructed and what that means. For instance, vegan leathers “aren’t predictable,” while the best leathers are sourced from transparent supply chains and treated with methods that show off rather than hide the quality of the material.
“A messenger bag widens the scope of what can be used as a briefcase,” he says. “The very term briefcase brings alive this, well, demographic. A white-collar or a CEO or something uses a briefcase. The rest of us just use messenger bags.”
The salient point here is that what a work bag means is an important consideration that separates buying one from buying a bag that’s purely functional and whose aesthetics are only important in terms of the buyer’s personal taste.
BEST OVERALL
Filson 24-Hour Tin Briefcase
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This Filson briefcase has a more minimalist look, but the additional storage offered by the roomy external pockets on the 24-Hour Tin Briefcase gives it a slight edge for those who have a lot to carry to and from the office. Clay Cary, a senior trends analyst at CouponFollow, says that it “balances professional and rugged aesthetics, making it great for office settings and travel.” Whether in green, black, or tan, it’s a nice-looking briefcase.
Filson says the oil finish Tin Cloth uses to make this bag has “excelled at sheltering foresters, miners, and sportsmen from wet, abusive conditions” for decades, so it’s more than enough to protect laptops and documents when you’re forced to scurry across the parking lot in a thunderstorm. The fabric is also resistant to tears and abrasions without feeling too heavy. Cary calls its durability “unmatched” and adds that the leather touches on the handles and suede shoulder strap add comfort.
It’s worth noting that the use of these materials, often associated with luxury, dresses up the whole bag into something that will look and function very well in most white-collar workplaces.
BEST BACKPACK
Stubble & Co. Roll Top Backpack
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Made For: Business casual workplaces. Traditionally the domain of schoolchildren and hikers, backpacks have become increasingly acceptable work bags in recent years, particularly models like this one that aren’t aggressively branded or decorated.
ROI: It’ll keep your cargo dry. This backpack is made of a synthetic material derived from recycled plastic bottles — an environmentally-conscious choice that’s also plenty durable and waterproof. Göke recalls that he was once caught in a heavy downspout while cycling to a speaking engagement. “The ultra-reliable water-resistant zips and waterproof bound seams of my backpack ensured that all my electronic gadgets, my laptop, and even the hard copy of my presentation remained completely dry.”
BEST MESSENGER BAG
Manhattan Portage NY Messenger Bag
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Made For: Cycling commuters. This bag isn’t big enough for modern bike messengers, according to Kevin Bolger, one such messenger, but it’s a great choice for someone who bikes to work and needs to get their stuff there safely. It’s made of Cordura, a heavy-duty synthetic fabric that can also be found in workwear, motorcycle apparel, and military gear. Bolger, who worked with Manhattan Portage on another bag, says that this classic silhouette is an “easier bag to manage while you’re out and about. You don’t have to take it off your back to access and you can just slide it around in front of you.”
Why It Stands Out: The main flap on this bag has two closures: hook-and-loop straps and hard plastic buckles. When walking around the office or to a meeting somewhere, the former is secure enough while offering easy access to what’s inside. Use both when on the bike to ensure that everything gets there safely.
BEST LEATHER BRIEFCASE
Von Baer Essential
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Made For: Formal offices. A leather briefcase is a classic choice, and the high-quality leather used in this particular briefcase fits in at more traditional, formal offices.
Why It Stands Out: Carbone says that Von Baer only uses leather that meets the brand’s strict standards. “They literally could track it back to the farm where the cow came from,” he says. “They know every aspect of it. Every aspect of it is controlled and environmentally sound.” While you might find this level of quality control at a bespoke bag maker, getting it from a company of this size is unusual.
Hot Take: There is such a thing as too many pockets. There aren’t a ton of ornamentations to distract from the gorgeous leather of this case, but the lack of external pockets isn’t an issue. Nick Valentino, a VP at Bellhop, says after a year and a half of using the case, he thinks it’s the “perfect combination of durable and classy,” adding that he appreciates “how flexible the simple, durable design is.
BEST LAPTOP
Think Tank My 2nd Brain
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Made For: Laptop minimalists. This is a great bag for those who have to carry a laptop and maybe a couple of accessories, but otherwise want to travel unencumbered. Professional photographer Tim Daniels uses his to carry a small Wacom tablet for on-the-go photo editing, and he says that it’s the perfect size for the extra gear and his laptop. “Think Tank seems to be one of the few brands that actually measure the products that their bags and cases are designed to hold, so there’s no sliding around from my laptop.”
Coolest Feature: Because it’s vertically oriented, this bag aligns more snugly to one’s side, decreasing the chance that it bangs into something forward or backward while slung on one’s shoulder. “The real game-changer for me is that the laptop is held in the vertical position,” Daniels says, “with a handle in the right place and a shoulder strap so I can free up my hands for my camera.”
BEST FOR BUSINESS TRAVEL
Tortuga 40L Travel Backpack
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Made For: Business travelers who need to carry more than one day’s worth of workplace essentials.
Why It Stands Out: Travel writer Kevin Groh says this backpack is “intelligently designed to optimize space without surpassing carry-on-size limitations.” He says what makes the Tortuga stand out as a valuable time saver is “its front-loading design, which allows access to packed items without the need to search through from the top.”
Coolest Feature: Unzip the long middle zipper and the bag falls open like a classic suitcase, exposing all of its contents at once and making it ultra-simple to pack and unpack. There’s even a mesh bag for dirty clothes — a standard feature in rolling suitcases that’s nicely repurposed here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Work Bags for Men
What’s a work bag?
Literally, a bag that one brings to work or helps them accomplish their work. The term typically connotes, however, a bag that a white-collar worker uses primarily to commute to and from the office.
What kind of bag can be a work bag?
Again, literally, it could be any kind of bag, but most white-collar workplaces will have norms that suggest a grown-up backpack, messenger bag, or briefcase fits the bill, with some more formal than others. A good policy is to look around the office, see what people are carrying, and then get a work bag that matches (or surpasses!) them in terms of quality and formality.
How much should a work bag cost?
Premium materials like top-grain leather can push up the cost of a work bag to many hundreds of dollars, but there are also plenty of bags made of synthetic materials like Cordura that cost a lot less, say $200 and under, but are made to hold a lot and last a while.
Can’t I just use the same backpack I used in college?
Peter Pan didn’t want to grow up either, but at least he could fly.
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1. Solo New York Urban Carrying Case
Solo's streamlined Duane briefcase converts from a briefcase to a backpack. The backpack straps tuck away when not in use, allowing you to carry it like a briefcase. In addition to the handles, there's a shoulder strap as well. The front of the bag has pockets to keep your essentials within reach, and there's a padded laptop compartment for storing up to a 15.6" laptop. Plus, the bag is economical and stylish.
Pros: Three ways to carry it. Padded laptop sleeve. Sleek design.
Cons: Limited color options. Dark interior fabric can make it harder to see what's inside the bag.
Solo New York Urban Carrying Case
2. Carhartt Tote
When we tested the best tote bags, Carhartt’s came out on top for its style, versatility, and economical price. It’s made from durable and water-resistant polyester and is a good pick if you want a more casual, everyday bag. The lightly-colored striped lining makes it easy to see what's inside the bag and find what you're looking for, and there are handy pockets for items like pens, notebooks and other items. Plus, the bag stands upright on its own, so you can set it down without worrying about it tipping over.
Pros: Stylish everyday bag. Versatile design. Internal and external pockets.
Cons: No internal laptop sleeve.
Carhartt Tote
3. TIMBUK2 Classic Messenger Bag
Timbuk2 was built as a brand for bike messengers, and they still make great bags for your bike commute. This everyday bag is one of the brand's most popular options; it comes in a wide range of colors and there are four sizes to choose from. The bags have adjustable shoulder straps for comfort and a dedicated sleeve for your laptop.
Pros: Variety of colors and sizes available. Adjustable shoulder strap for comfort. Handy features like an internal key clip.
Cons: Some options are more economical.
TIMBUK2 Classic Messenger Bag
4. Herschel Gibson Briefcase
Herschel's bags are an on-campus staple, but this sleek, minimal bag proves the brand is all grown up. It's made from durable Cordura nylon and can be carried in hand or over the shoulder. The inside of the bag utilizes Herschel's classic pinstripe pattern, making it easier to find what you're looking for. The back of the bag can slip over suitcase handles, making this a great option for travel.
Pros: Stylish, minimalist design. Includes a detachable shoulder strap. Plenty of compartments.
Cons: Limited color options.
Herschel Gibson Briefcase
5. Topo Designs Rover Pack
If you work in a more casual setting, Topo design's retro-inspired hiking bags are also great options for work. They have sleeve for storing your laptop and there are smartly designed internal pockets for stashing your essentials. There's a zipper on the top flap for quick access, plus another zip pocket in front. The bag also has expandable compression straps and pockets for water bottles.
Pros: Stylish, retro design that comes in a range of colors. Compression straps on the sides.
Cons: The bag is smaller than it looks. The laptop sleeve isn't padded.
