Travel Backpacks That Will Make You Want to Ditch Your Rolling Luggage

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For those who love to travel, there’s nothing like the joy of boarding a plane, checking into a hotel, or visiting somewhere entirely new. But even the most seasoned travelers can’t escape the universal pain points of packing and lugging around a suitcase.

Whether your trip is one day or one month, carting bulky luggage can easily turn the start of an exciting adventure into a stressful chore. Lugging your junk is never the best part of the trip, but honestly, how it’s done can make or break a trip. (Though even for travel backpacks, we suggest stowing an AirTag inside in the event of an unexpected gate check.)

Enter the travel backpack. These aren’t the same bags you strapped to your back in school as a kid. Rather, new innovative designs can easily let you pack for several days, and you’ll be left hands-free and able to skip a wait at the baggage carousel. They’re not only great for you, they also make a spectacular gift for your favorite globetrotter or kid going to college!

We found the best travel backpacks that are easy to pack and can hold all your essentials for every kind of getaway.

The Best Travel Backpacks

• Best Overall: Away Outdoor Convertible Backpack 45L

• Best Budget: Cor Surf Island Hopper Backpack

• Best Luxury: Tumi Alpha Bravo Search Backpack

• Best Style: Caraa Stratus Backpack

• Best for Adventures: Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack

What to Consider

Travel is subjective. One person’s idea of a great trip is to park it on a lounge chair on a beach for a week, while someone else might only want an urban adventure, and another would choose camping in the remote wilderness.

Therefore, there is no one perfect backpack, but rather the best options to suit all sorts of traveler needs. Before purchasing one, consider the following to find the right bag:

• Duration: First, think about how long you plan to travel. Make sure you have enough space to fit everything you’ll need, whether it’s a weekend, a week, a month, or more.

• Packing list: Keep your specific packing list in mind. Will you be bringing bulky items like hiking boots or several pairs of high heels? If so, you’ll need a larger pack. Or are you just throwing in some T-shirts and toiletries? Then a smaller space will suffice. If you’re not a packing expert, and like us, you tend to overpack (yes, we need all 30 pairs of underwear, thank you), go for a bigger backpack.

• Destination: Factor in where you’re going. If you’re visiting a warm-weather locale that just necessitates bathing suits and flip-flops, you can probably fit a lot. But a skiing trip somewhere cold or camping will require a lot of gear. A travel backpack can be a great alternative to your carry-on.

• Durability: Durability is about more than just material. Keep an eye out for errant straps that can get snagged on branches and factors like strap width or weight distribution.

• Comfort: Choosing a backpack over rolling luggage means you have to carry it. While you’ll eventually be able to toss it into a car or taxi when you arrive, you still have to get there, and being in transit can mean a lot of standing or walking with your backpack over your shoulders. The last thing you want to do is mess up your back when you’re trying to relax. And parents, if you’re giving it as a gift to your kids, you know they’re probably going to overstuff it.

• Dimensions: If you plan to carry your backpack onto an airplane, you’ll always want to check the measurements. Make sure it’s compliant to fit in overhead space or underneath the seat in front of you on the specific airline you’re flying with so you don’t risk a last-minute gate check.

How We Selected

We are a group of wanderlust-driven editors and writers who love weekends away and hate all-things cumbersome. When we set out to choose backpacks for this list, we wanted to make sure that they could handle the wear-and-tear of every sort of travel (save for space — yet) and provide a safe, organized place for our belongings. We prioritized durability and space, but comfort, organizational components like easy-access zippered compartments, tech sleeves, and packing cube areas are what eventually guided our top picks. We would be remiss if we didn’t mention aesthetics, which for many of us is as important as everything else. We have several options that work from the boardroom to the hotel, and others that are more rugged that would be well suited to backpacking adventures and hiking.

We’ve tested most of the travel backpacks here, taking them all over, stuffing them with everything from iPads to our kids’ soccer boots and wet swimwear. There were bags that simply didn’t cut the mustard, be it for size reasons, or they simply felt flimsy and uncomfortable. For the ones we didn’t get hands on, we scoured product descriptions and specs, using those impressions from testing to evaluate the feature sets of other backpacks and identify other options for a variety of needs and scenarios.

If you’re looking for a travel backpack for yourself or someone else, there’s one on this list that will match your needs.

Outdoor Convertible Backpack

Away is an internet darling for stylish, cleverly designed luggage meant to last a lifetime. We love their checked-size bag and were curious how their travel backpack matched up.

It’s now our go-to for any trips under a week. The interior compartments had enough space for us to fit two extra large packing cubes containing three pairs of pants, three light sweaters, three t-shirts, two pairs of pajamas, two sundresses, two bathing suits, five pairs of underwear, three pairs of socks, two pairs of shoes, two dopp-style toiletry bags, a small purse, and still had room for more. We could easily pack this backpack for five, even seven days, and it can also convert to a duffle bag to carry by hand or with an included strap.

Away earned the best overall distinction given that the price was quite consistent with other options on the list, yet it has one of the largest capacities (beaten only by the eBags backpack). The 45-liter capacity is impressive given that it can easily fit a week’s worth of items. We tried to pack the same exact load in other bags and failed. Also, other comparable bags on the list that came at a similar price point (Osprey, Cotopaxi, Aer) had a smaller volume for the same, or in some cases, more money. Plus, the zippers and materials felt durable and heavy duty and held up while fully packed. We never felt like it risked tearing, like we did with Cor, for example. And we kept discovering so many features — from loads of pockets to scores of organizational features, it really felt like there was no downside to giving up a traditional suitcase. And since it can also be carried as a duffle, it kind of is one, too.

We’ll choose this over the brand’s rolled bag if we find ourselves navigating quick connections, cobblestone streets, or busy city centers. Plus, it’s loaded with so many pockets for organizing. It’s really a workhorse, and we can’t think of a traveler who wouldn’t love to get this for their birthday or holiday.

Island Hopper Travel Backpack

The Cor Surf Island Hopper Backpack is a do-it-all kind of bag at a surprisingly low price. It had the widest, most comfortable straps of any backpacks we tried, and the plush mesh back panel made it comfortable and breathable, even when fully packed. Swamp back avoided!

The main interior’s split-style opening was not unlike a small rolling suitcase, with multiple zipped compartments that reminded us of built-in packing cubes. We were constantly discovering new features, from hidden spaces to tucked away documents to duffle and top-carry handles. There are also pockets aplenty to stash a phone, chargers, book, or whatever you might need. We were able to fit enough clothes and toiletries for three days. This bag straddles the sweet spot between a bag that can carry everything for an extended getaway and a comfortable, lightweight option for a quick trip. And at $98, it costs a fraction of its luxury competitors.

We wanted to test a bag that was more budget-friendly than Away but had similar features — for example, more of a rugged-style pack with the clamshell style. That’s how we selected Cor. It’s significantly cheaper and is a very similar style, albeit smaller. We liked how one half of the bag opened clamshell-suitcase style, while the other half opened to reveal a shock-proof, padded laptop sleeve, though we thought it could easily also be used to throw in sandals, toiletries, or other slim items. The materials did not feel quite as premium as Away, and certainly not as high-end as the Tumi. But at a price of under $100, choosing this instead is not a huge compromise, either.

The built-in packing cube-like compartments were really smart and made it stand out from a regular, run-of-the-mill open space with a zipper. It made us pack more thoughtfully and saved some room as we were able to ditch our own separate packing cubes. The Island Hopper was also the most comfortable, as it has the widest, plushest straps, which Away and Tumi lacked (their straps were surprisingly narrow). That’s significant, given their prices. And since it is smaller than the Away, it feels more useful for both small and big trips, while the Away, given its size, just felt like a better option to reserve for long getaways.

Alpha Bravo Search Backpack

Tumi has always been a luxury luggage brand we longed to tote, so we were excited to test its Alpha Bravo Backpack and finally see what the hype (and cost) is all about. At $595, it might be the most expensive backpack anyone will ever own, but we can’t deny the quality and performance.

Everything about it feels premium, from the luxe nylon exterior with leather touches to the multiple interior, exterior, and side zipped compartments. The pockets were made to hold media items like a laptop or tablet and credit or key cards and are quick and easy to access via the multitudinous exterior zippers. We had more than enough room to pack clothes, shoes, and toiletries for one or two nights. The mesh back panel and padded straps made carrying it comfortable, too.

Tumi really impressed us with how well made the Alpha Bravo is. There is nothing flimsy about this backpack. It has a nice structure (even when empty, it holds its shape nicely) that makes it just as suited for a weekend trip as it is for daily commuting, which really helps bring value to the high price. We can’t say the same of other bags we tried. This isn’t a backpack you’re going to stash in your closet and only use for trips once or twice each year. We were able to pack and comfortably carry enough items for a weekend, helping bridge the gap between a good everyday option and a go-to carry-on to place under the seat in front of you on an airplane. Most options on the list struck us as ones you’d want for big vacations or overnighters. This felt like a good in-between that we wanted to use for everything.

Allpa 35L Travel Pack

For outdoorsy adventures, this rugged pack is top of the line. The clamshell design opens like a suitcase with roomy compartments to fit multiple days of clothes, shoes, toiletries, and gear. Contoured shoulder straps, a sternum strap, and optional padded hip belt means the weight from so many things packed away will be distributed evenly.

Padded sleeves for a laptop or tablet are added features, as are smaller compartments for storage, a rain cover, and theft-proof zippers.

Senior editor Cat Bowen’s husband uses this bag as his go-to travel pack, and he adores it. His favorite bit is the rain cover, but the massive interior volume has been a real boon when their children inevitably pack too much in their own bags and he needs to provide overflow space for their stuff. He also loves how adjustable the sternum and shoulder straps are, and the ability to move the sternum strap as need be, depending on the weight of the bag. (No one wants to be choked by their backpack.)

Stratus Travel Backpack

We’ve had this bag for the past three years and use it whenever we have a quick getaway. We’ve also used it as a diaper bag, and it stood up to all you’re thinking it had to stand up to.

We especially like this backpack for travel because it makes a strong style statement and is vegan-friendly if you’re buying this for an animal lover. It’s made from 100% recycled nylon and has a shiny gleam with a clean, minimal look that stands out from other bags. The large size has 12 total inside and outside compartments, including a laptop pocket, it comes with a separate zipped shoe pouch, and there is a sleeve to slide on top of a luggage handle.

We bought it in a neutral beige, but it’s currently available in black, gold, or clay, depending on the size.

Ultra Lightweight Hiking Travel Backpack

Regularly $25, but available now for $14, even at full price this Zomake bag is far and away the cheapest option on this list. And with a weight of just 7.8 ounces, it might be the lightest, too.

The nylon material is water- and tear-resistant, it has a front zippered pocket and mesh pouches on each side, and it comes in 14 different colors. It even folds into itself and zips up into a little pouch.

This Zomake is designed with novice hikers in mind, but that’s a category that translates well to travel. Whether you’re hiking a trail in bad weather or going through Kennedy Airport, the bag will see roughly the same level of abuse.

Dakota Travel Backpack

Right away, Dagne Dover’s Dakota stands out from the rest thanks to its plush, durable, neoprene exterior that comes in a collection of attractive colors. If you’re not familiar, neoprene is the material often used in wetsuits worn by scuba divers, so you know it’s tough enough to stand up to the elements while still feeling comfortable.

The Dakota comes in three sizes, but we recommend the large for traveling. It has a shoe bag (which also works as a laundry bag) and a removable zipper pouch, and it has both a laptop sleeve and a sleeve at the back to fit over a luggage handle. While the exterior is neoprene, the bag’s lining and included shoe bag and zippered pouch are made from recycled polyester (old bottles turned into bags).

Our deputy editor, Joana Mascioli, loves this bag for its size and durability. “I’m seriously obsessed with Dagne Dover’s fabric,” she says. “It makes the shape of the bag uniquely flexible while also being lightweight and durable. It fits everything I need on the go perfectly and is super comfortable to wear.”

Travel Gear 5977 Scansmart TSA Travel Backpack

Going through airport security is a requirement of air travel, and taking items in and out of your carry-on to be scanned can be a long process.

If this is of particular concern, choose a backpack with features designed specifically with TSA procedures in mind. A go-to is the SwissGear ScanSmart Travel Backpack. It has a TSA-friendly tech compartment with a padded 17-inch laptop sleeve and a floating tablet pocket so you can scan your computer without taking it out.

It is going to last thanks to the reinforced construction and tough-as-nails material. The zippers are coated well, too, keeping them easy to glide open and closed.

Travel Pack 3

Aer makes sleek backpacks for pretty much any occasion, including travel. The 33-liter Travel Pack 2 has some of the most thoughtfully designed features we’ve seen that make it easier to access all your essentials on the go.

It has a luggage strap to slide onto the handle of your rolling suitcase, comfortable shoulder straps, and a complete organizational panel at the front. The main section opens like a suitcase, so it’s easy to access everything inside. There’s even a separate compartment on the bottom for shoes or dirty clothes.

Like the Cotopaxi, the Aer is a massive hauler. What the Aer has that the Cotopaxi doesn’t, is the ease of collapsing a portion of the exterior if it isn’t fully filled. Aer has multiple side-straps for this very job.

Mother Lode Travel Backpack

For a more affordable price than other top models, the Mother Lode has all you could ever want from a travel backpack. It has convenient compartments like a 19-inch laptop sleeve, two exterior pockets for easy access, a water bottle pocket on the side, and four compression straps that help it cinch down to fit inside an overhead bin, even when stuffed.

And the bag also comes in a slew of other colors. We love this one as a gift, filled with a bunch of other travel necessities, making this not only a part of the gift but the wrapping as well.

Farpoint 40 Travel Backpack

This front-loading travel backpack from Osprey will fit in all the clothes you’d need for a weekend away. It has an organizer compartment for all your smaller items and even a lockable laptop compartment. The Farpoint 40 backpack also comes with a ventilated back panel, along with a harness and hip belt on the side to reduce chafing.

Osprey makes goods that mean business. They are hikers, and they know how to make a bag that can handle whatever you throw at it. If you’re the adventurous type, but you also need your stuff in its place, look no further.

Indi Diaper Travel Backpack

If you like the look and feel of our previous Dagne Dover pick for comfort but wished it came as a family-friendly diaper-style bag, you’re in luck. The brand also makes the Indi Diaper Backpack, with a more modern, unobtrusive style than most diaper bags. Many features solve potential parent problems, too, to make traveling with young children easier than ever (not that it was ever easy, but it can get better).

For example, the handles or back straps can attach to a carriage. It’s designed to fit most electric and manual breast pump models, has an extra zipper pocket for easy access to wipes for unexpected messes, and even includes a pouch perfect for small tablets or e-readers.

“I could not live without this bag,” says mom and senior editor Cat Bowen. “It has a place for everything, and in spite of my greatest attempts at ruining it, it has prevailed.”

Anti-Theft Laptop Travel Backpack

Our tech has become part of our lives, and despite what some dystopian sci-fi movies might tell us, that’s not inherently bad. Maybe you want peace of mind, knowing that you can be reached in an emergency. Maybe you’re traveling abroad where translation apps and GPS can be literal lifesavers. Or maybe you just want to have more entertainment options than the nine channels on the hotel TV.

Whatever the case, you’ll want a bag that’s not only designed with your tech in mind but one that can keep those valuable electronics safe. This backpack features a dual-layer, anti-puncture, lockable zipper to protect your laptops, tablets, and other devices.

Better still, the built-in USB port allows you to attach a portable charger inside the backpack and plug your charging cable into the external USB. This lets you charge your phone or other devices without ever having to open a zipper.

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