What do your laptop, your shvitzy gym clothes and your crumpled K95s have in common? They all belong to one of them, the best backpacks for men. You see, the right backpack should be more than just a place to store your stuff. It can be an outfit-making accessory, a mobile office, a weekend ad hoc, a TSA-ready carry-on, or all four at once.

A sturdy backpack offers peace of mind in bag form, the only accessory we know of that can comfortably accommodate all the trinkets you insist on lugging around throughout the day, plus enough H2O and mix mountaineer to feed a JV football team – you know, In case. (It will also spare you, and we don’t say this lightly, the particular ignominy of searching every pocket of your body for the little doohickey you thought you left in your jacket that morning, only to realize that ‘it’s still on your desk at home.)

So it’s time for you to treat yourself to a version that lives up to it. Whether you’re looking to upgrade the faded canvas tote you slipped from your ex (be better than the canvas tote!) or you’re looking for a shoulder bag with a lot more features, the best bags men’s backpacks have your, uh, back. Here are the 19 we can’t stop thinking about since we started writing this article.

The best budget backpack

Herschel Backpack “Dawson”

Sometimes you want to secure the bag without dropping one. Enter the Dawson, a classic mid-sized backpack from the carry-on aces at Herschel. Its dual-pocket design is reminiscent of some of the best bum bags currently on the market (spoiler alert: Herschel also makes a great one), without the old associations and with a ton of extra storage space. Don’t let the sub-$100 price fool you: it’s equipped with the same specs as its more expensive counterparts, and more. Concretely, this means drawstring closures, magnetic closure straps, a front pocket organizer larger than most New York apartments, and a fleece-lined laptop sleeve to keep your laptop comfortable. Rather visual consumer? Take a look at its unassuming beauty. Go ahead, judge a bag by its cover. For less than a Benjamin, you can afford it.

The Best Travel-Ready Backpack

Samsonite leather backpack

For hardened TSA veterans, a reliable backpack is a must. Samsonite has made a name for themselves selling spinners designed to handle the grueling nature of constant travel with barely a dent on their shells to show it. So it follows that the brand also makes a travel-ready backpack, equipped with all the storage space you need to ditch the carry-on for good. This one comes with an easy-access laptop pocket that you can unzip in a snap to security, but also a lifesaving front organizer meant to hold wired headphones, mints, eye masks and miscellaneous stuff you lost in various coat pockets. years. There’s also a handy interior mesh zip pocket designed to secure the real valuables: your passport and boarding pass. A handsome leather finish and understated silver hardware mean checking in won’t just be a breeze, you’ll also look like an airport style icon.

The Best Rugged Backpack

Nike SFS Responder Backpack

The military-industrial complex is nefarious and far-reaching, but every once in a while it inspires a tax-worthy doozy. Case in point: Nike’s SFS Responder backpack, an absolute unit of a bag made from 900D cordura nylon, one of the toughest materials on the planet, that feels all the better repurposed for civilian life. Calling it a backpack is an understatement. Better to think of it as a base you can wear over your shoulders, down to the Duraflex buckles, removable exterior pockets and drainage holes designed to drain excess water. (Rest assured, it also comes with an interior sleeve for your laptop.) It’s built for weekend hikes in treacherous terrain or year-long trips spent scrambling from grueling peak to the other, and it’s so good you’ll consider calling your congressmen to allocate more funds to the backpack department, stat.

The best backpack for storing your workout gear

Lululemon Everyday Backpack

For sworn devotees of Lululemon’s simple activewear, the brand’s no-fuss backpack is a no-brainer. We wouldn’t normally put too much stock in a product name, but the legging juggernaut’s Everyday bag lives up to the mandate. It offers ample space for an extra pair of running shoes, as well as extra space for your work computer if you need to liaise with the marketing team between sets. A rugged nylon exterior and all-important water bottle pocket ensure you always see like you know what you’re doing, no matter how frantically you search for “the best workouts for the biggest traps” from the comfort of the shoulder press. Choose from a range of downright luscious jewel tones, then throw on your sweaty post-workout exercise duds – no one will suspect the wet mess it hides.

The best backpack for your morning commute

Troubadour Explorer “Apex” canvas backpack

Hauling ass to catch the subway is the last place you should dwell on the condition of your bag. Troubadour’s backpack is therefore designed to make the morning grind as seamless as possible, leaving you free to bash EST Gee in noise-free serenity. The Apex is a tour de force of streamlined ergonomics housed in lightweight, waterproof canvas accented by clean lines and a minimalist eye for aesthetics. It does the rounds around your rattling briefcase in utility and your DTC-branded holdall in sexiness, and it looks so good you’ll be proud to leave it parked by your cabin. Sending an endless stream of compliments to your backpack is just slightly less annoying than riding with level two luggage, but it’s a compromise you should make every time.

The best backpack for tackling the great outdoors

Patagonia Black Hole Waterproof Backpack

Spend enough time scouring the internet for the best men’s backpacks and you’ll come across dozens of options promising some variation in alliterative versatility. (The train to the trails is the new bar meeting room!) In this case, however, all that marketing hype is true. Patagonia’s recycled polyester backpack is big but not bulky, merging a durable, water-repellent exterior with a roomy interior you can pack with a trail mix and first aid kit or the trappings of city life. (The padded laptop compartment and phone pocket come in handy.) Its authenticity for the outdoors—see: the two-way zippers and tie-down points—means it’ll serve you well while you explore the outdoors wild, but it’s compact enough that your colleagues won’t mistake you for the team member who logs into Zoom from a different location every week.

13 other backpacks we love

Backpack Tumi Traveler “Carson”

Already own a carry-on, duffel bag and briefcase from the legendary American luggage brand? Prepare a backpack to complete the set.

Yohji Yamamoto “Discord” Y Backpack

This grained leather backpack from Yohji-san hides a host of features (adjustable shoulder straps and strap closures) beneath its sleek architectural surface.

Visvim cordura nylon backpack

If you spend countless hours on the road and need a bag that won’t break on the go, cordura nylon is the way to go. There are cheaper options on the market than Visvim, but for peace of mind, better trust a brand that (un)famous leaves no detail unattended.

Prada black multi-pocket logo plaque backpack

In the late 80s, Prada single-handedly elevated nylon to haute couture status. Today, the brand’s bags remain museum-worthy grails that you don’t need to handle like precious cargo.

And the Wander X-PAC 30L backpack

Raisins and peanuts sold separately.

Filson Tin Canvas Backpack

The kind of backpack your frontier ancestors would have sworn by, if your frontier ancestors also needed a laptop sleeve and a front pocket to store their spare mags.

Jansport “Cool Student” school bag

Your one-way ticket to college stardom is always a winner.

Epperson Mountaineering Recycled Cordura Backpack

Prove that your passion for caving is more than a pandemic hobby.

Snow Peak Side Attack Ripstop Backpack

Traverse sliding subway doors and slippery ravines without breaking a sweat.

Nike “Brasilia” Training Backpack

Need a place to store your gym clothes that’s slightly less bulky than the Nike option above? The Swoosh also has plenty of sportier bestsellers, little better than this icy blue version.

Porter-Yoshida & Co Tanker Quilted Nylon Backpack

Porter-Yoshida’s Japanese-made bags are inspired by the classic MA-1 bomber jackets and designed for military-grade durability.

Topo Designs Rover Backpack

It’s hard to beat Topo Design’s value proposition as is, but in an assortment of cheerful colors, they look all the tastier.

Rick Owens Organic Cotton Backpack

Working with a closet full of sullen, draped clothes? Need a bag that goes well with your refined gallerist aesthetic? Craving a backpack that only Rick Owens can satisfy? Consider this your lucky day.