The Best Backpack Brands for Travelers, Tested and Reviewed

Herschel earns our pick for top backpack brand thanks to the wide range of styles and sizes, all crafted from high-quality materials that are designed to last a lifetime. From slick, weather-resistant weekenders to compact everyday bags made from recycled plastic, there’s something for everyone with a size range of 5 to 30 liters.  

As you shop the various silhouettes, you’ll spot a variety of vintage-inspired designs — the brand is instantly recognizable for its signature front straps with magnetic buckle closures — as well as more modern styles. The Kaslo Backpack Tech is our favorite of the bunch, thanks to its impressive capacity. We found that it fits a few days’ worth of clothing, as well as multiple laptops, toiletries, and a small camera. It’s perfect for travel days, as it slips right onto your carry-on via a luggage trolley sleeve, plus it has three compartments to help with organization and ensure your passport and other airport essentials stay within reach. It also passed our durability tests with flying colors when we threw the fully packed backpack off a table multiple times to see if anything would break.

For over 40 years, Gregory has been one of the leading names in outdoor gear, producing rugged and lightweight bags for day hikes or months-long backpacking trips — the Katmai 55 Pack even made our list of ideal bags for backpacking. What sets the brand apart — beyond high-performance material that’s moisture-wicking, quick-drying, and ventilated for maximum breathability — is its size-inclusive range of backpacks, which runs up to 6XL. These bags feature extended padding, easier access to pockets, and larger hip belts for additional comfort. 

Gregory is also a favorite for sports enthusiasts thanks to revolutionary hydro tanks. Designed for hikers and cyclists, these 3D reservoirs make it easier than ever to hydrate on the go, without stopping to take off your backpack, and they also dry quickly and easily. When done, you can slip them into a dedicated pocket that doubles as a small laptop or tablet sleeve.

The Swift 22 H2O (pictured below) was one of our favorite Gregory backpacks that we’ve tested, featuring ample padding and custom-fit straps that make it an extremely comfortable pick for hikers of all levels and body types. Aside from hiking backpacks, we also loved the Alpaca Duffel 60 for travel days, which you can wear as either a backpack or a duffel bag, because it packs down small into the included packing cube.

Samsonite is a legacy brand that has been making its mark on the luggage industry for over 100 years, crafting some of the most durable and functional pieces on the market — a reputation which extends to its backpacks as well. Whether you’re looking at a rolltop or a convertible leather bag, it’s bound to have ample compartments for all of your belongings, from a protected laptop sleeve to easy-access external pockets for travel essentials like a passport and boarding pass.

We’re big fans of the Samsonite Elevation Plus Backpack, which has the perfect amount of pockets for organization and a sneakily large capacity thanks to the expandable zipper that adds extra space. It has everything a traveler would want in a functional backpack, and it looks nice, too. We appreciated that the front pocket has a magnetic flap over the zipper to make it more secure, and we loved how easy it was to It was adjust the backpack straps (which is not always the case). There is also a ton of padding on the back of the bag and on the shoulder straps, making it comfortable to carry on long travel days.

Known for brightly colored outdoor gear prominently emblazoned with a llama, Cotopaxi strives to make a positive impact on the planet through a number of sustainability initiatives. Ninety-four percent of the carbon-neutral company’s products are crafted from recycled, repurposed, or responsible (GOTS-certified) materials at factory partners with exceptionally high codes of conduct. Through the Cotopaxi Foundation nonprofit, the brand is able to allocate one percent of its annual profits to support communities in need, providing health care and education to underserved areas in Latin America. 

Cotopaxi produces everything from barely there drawstring bags to 42-liter packs that can fit everything you’d need for an extended trip. One of our favorite Cotopaxi backpacks is the Allpa 35L Travel Pack, which is so comfortable and loaded with handy features, like a hidden external laptop sleeve (so there’s no need to open up your entire bag in the TSA line). There’s also an easy-access zip pocket for your passport and keys, and four interior zippered sections to keep everything organized. We also recently tested the larger Allpa 42L Travel Pack (pictured below), which we love as a carry-on backpack. Cotopaxi recently refreshed the Allpa line with more durable materials, air mesh shoulder straps, better weight distribution, a new exterior stretch water bottle pocket, and a luggage pass-through strap.

One of the most trusted names in outdoor gear since 1911, L.L.Bean has been innovating on classic forms for over a century. The brand’s school book packs in particular are the prototype for so many dupes on the market, thanks to their lightweight yet hardy material and features like padded straps and ample pockets of various sizes.

For younger kids in particular, the L.L.Bean Deluxe 32-liter Book Pack (pictured below) is a game changer in terms of staying organized and not feeling weighed down. The weatherproof, capacious bag has enough pockets to keep small belongings safe without losing track of them and space to comfortably fit several folders and binders, a textbook, some library books, a water bottle, and a snack  — plus, we found that there’s even room to stuff a packable winter coat inside. We also loved the L.L.Bean Stowaway Day Pack for a versatile, packable backpack (with tons of pockets) that is equipped for all types of adventures.

Deuter has a high-quality array of backpacks for hiking, backpacking, trail running, mountaineering, and other activities, including some models specifically designed for women. They’re lightweight, comfortable to carry, and packed with thoughtful features, like breathable mesh backs for airflow, multiple back lengths for different heights, pockets on the straps, and emergency information printed inside the bag. Deuter will also repair any Deuter backpack free of charge beyond just defects or replace it with something comparable if the damage is beyond repair as long is it was purchased through an authorized dealer (just make sure to read the full warranty policy because it doesn’t cover cosmetic aging or misuse of product). The company is also known for its sustainability practices.

Travel + Leisure outdoor gear editor Taylor Fox hiked the Camino de Santiago in Spain with the Deuter Aircontact Ultra loved how lightweight, spacious, and durable it was, though the back panel stained after becoming sweaty. Testing editor Jackie Cucco opted for the Ascender 13 while hiking through Grand Tetons National Park in Wyoming (pictured below) and loved it as a dayback, though it’s technically a trail-running backpack. It was also incredibly lightweight and packed with pockets both inside (including a spot for a water bladder) and on the shoulder straps, including a holster pocket on the front shoulder strap for bear spray or collapsible trekking poles.

Launched in 1974, Osprey has earned its reputation as one of the most trusted backpack brands on the market thanks to its enormous selection of styles, which are tailored to all sorts of activities, and we love how they don’t add unnecessary weight. Whether you’re a cyclist, climber, hiker, winter sports enthusiast, or world traveler, there’s a backpack made to suit your style. Osprey’s bags range in size from 9 to 70 liters and are mostly compatible as attachments so you can mix and match sizes to find your perfect fit. The environmentally conscious brand also strives to minimize waste, preferring to repair rather than replace applicable warranty products. 

For both day hikers and travelers looking for a small personal item, the Osprey Daylite Plus Pack is one of our top picks thanks to a number of features that can be interpreted based on your desired usage. A padded laptop sleeve doubles as space for a hydration reservoir, while a removable webbed hip belt allows for a custom fit. The best part about this water-repellent bag is how lightweight it is — just 1.3 pounds — and how evenly it distributes weight across your back. We also loved the Osprey Ultralight Collapsible Stuff Pack (pictured below) as a supremely lightweight bag that packs down into an itty-bitty square that feels as light as a feather.

Solo New York has a range of travel-ready backpacks that are designed to make city living and commuting easier, thanks to their sleek designs and an impressive number of compartments and zippered closures to offer additional security. While these aren’t the best choice for serious hikers — they’re not quite as breathable as other lightweight bags designed for more active outdoor use — they’re ideal for anyone looking to stay organized on the go. 

For daily use and on shorter trips, we love the Solo Re:Define Backpack for its deceptively slim design and exceptional storage capacity. There are plenty of zippered pockets to keep your valuables organized, plus modern details like an external USB port, a headphone jack, an RFID-blocking pouch, and a laptop compartment with lockable zippers.

Paravel is one of the chicest brands on the market, making it a stylish and lightweight choice for travelers who are looking for a way to tote around just the essentials. The brand, which is famous for its luxurious luggage and coordinating duffel bags, offers two sizes of folding backpacks made from upcycled plastic bottles — and we’ve tested both.

For days when you’re looking to carry a few personal items (think: your phone, wallet, keys, plus sunscreen, a book, and a light sweater), the Paravel Mini Fold-Up Backpack (pictured below) is ideal for stashing your things without weighing you down. We especially love how it folds flat and zips up right into itself to fit into another bag or coat pocket without requiring a separate case. The larger Paravel Fold-Up Backpack is also a polished option for when you need to carry a little bit more but still fit it underneath your airplane seat or in another bag with ease. Since the material isn’t rigid, you aren’t sacrificing any legroom when it’s not packed full.

If you’re looking for something sturdier and more durable, we also loved the Paravel Alta Via Backpack, which is more of a splurge but is more of a do-it-all backpack with premium features, such as a padded back, a 16-inch laptop pocket (and plenty of other pockets), a trolley sleeve, and a timeless design.

Jansport is one of the most beloved, well-priced backpack brands for students of all ages, thanks to ultradurable packs that are structured enough to keep your things safe, yet flexible enough to stuff full without losing their shape. The brand is also famous for its generous warranty policy that will replace your bag under a wide range of circumstances, which only adds to the overall value. 

Everyone from travelers to students will appreciate the Jansport Main Campus, which comes in a variety of colors and features mesh straps for better breathability, an external water bottle holder, and a cushy laptop sleeve. We especially appreciated how the front zippered pocket comes with an organizer to keep your pens, phone, wallet, and other small essentials always close at hand.