There are hundreds of backpack brands in the modern age, making it challenging to know which companies are reputable and which just drop-ship. Lucky for you, we've tested hundreds of backpacks and tried thousands more, so it's safe to say we know a thing or two about which brands are worth your time.
Before deciding what brand to choose, you need to consider what you'll use the bag for. Just because a company makes a good travel backpack doesn't mean its daypack suits commuting. Once you know why you need a new bag, you can look for a pack by a company that'll meet those needs.
Let's dive in!
Aer has consistently been one of our favorite brands to test since Pack Hacker began in 2017. The company was formed in 2014 with a crowdfunding campaign by a founder who previously worked at Incase and Box Clever. That creative background is the X factor for Aer, which is known for its clean design and iterations based on user feedback from every new model released. In addition to thoughtful organization, the brand makes almost every kind of travel product you could ever need, from a tech pouch to a Dopp kit.
Their packs, slings, and pouches have great organization, their comfort and fit are top-notch, and their bags use sturdy materials, so you know they’ll last. Pack Hacker’s founder, Tom, backed the first Kickstarter and recommends them to friends and family more than any other brand. For example, a friend recently visited Pack Hacker HQ in search of a new bag and checked out 40 different backpacks before settling on the Aer Travel Pack 3, which Tom had recommended from the jump. Most iterations of our Digital Nomad Packing list have included at least one Aer product, too.
The Aer Travel Pack 3 has an updated harness system that remains comfortable all day, has enough pockets for your clothing, tech, and daily essentials, and is durable enough to work as a companion for one bag travel. The 35-liter capacity works for trips of all sizes, though the 28L Travel Pack 3 Small works better for personal item travel or smaller frames.
The Aer Tech Pack 3 is a daily bag that carries comfortably, even if it is full of heavy tech. The exterior shell is durable enough to keep all your gear safe, and the internal organization is thorough enough to ensure you can find all your gear at a moment's notice while working at the local coffee shop. A luggage pass-through makes this a solid item to pair with Aer's or any other brand's rolling luggage.
If you’ve followed Pack Hacker long enough, you’ll know about GORUCK’s ties to our origin story. Our founder, Tom, traveled the world for two years carrying only a GORUCK backpack, wrote an article about it, and now we’re here. Thanks, GORUCK!
Incorporated in 2008 by U.S. Special Forces and CIA operatives, GORUCK was founded to build a rucksack that could withstand any conditions from New York City to Baghdad. Their bags are incredibly durable (and heavy) and offer a tactical look that inspired the tacticool movement that’s still rolling today. The brand stands by the durability of its packs, offering one of the best warranties in the backpack world, which adds more peace of mind to the already exceptionally durable shells of these packs.
In addition to Tom’s experience traveling with the bag for two years, we’ve dragged their bag behind a car for incredibly scientific research and love the customizability that the PALS webbing and hook-and-loop fastener offers.
The 40L GORUCK GR2 is incredibly durable and has enough space to adequately work as a one bag travel backpack or rucking pack. With CORDURA® Nylon and YKK zippers, this thing will last a lifetime. You can fit larger items inside the sizable clamshell opening, and there's a dedicated laptop compartment, too.
The GORUCK GR1 is less tactical than some of the brand’s other offerings but still utilizes some of the most durable materials we've seen on a backpack, ensuring long-term durability. At 26L, you might even be able to use it as a personal item on your next flight.
Peak Design became well-known as a photography brand but offers significantly more than that. Their design team is consistently upping the ante, and it feels like the phrase, “often imitated, never duplicated,” was invented to describe them. Though their bags were built for one thing, snapping photos, they have become an excellent option for one bag travel and urban commuting.
Peak Design’s bags are highly modular, allowing you to modify and add to them as you see fit. Additionally, they’re compatible with many accessories, from phone mounts to camera holsters. Peak Design products are sustainably sourced, highly water resistant, and at the forefront of working with modern tech, from laptops to drones.
We’ve been using Peak Design gear for years—inf act, we got our first-ever brand sample to test from the company! We still use their gear for long shoots around Detroit and even took their sling to Thailand to ensure our camera gear got there safely. Though the company is only a decade-and-a-half old, it makes some of the most reliable camera equipment on the market. They offer bags that transform from camera to travel pack and daily use more easily and usably than others we’ve tested.
The Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L offers innovative features that work for camera gear and travel, together or separately. The harness system is comfortable, and we dig the metal hardware. You can stow the shoulder straps away, which is handy for travel, and the internal organization makes it easy to carry clothing, camera gear, and tech.
A newer addition to the family, the Peak Design Outdoor Backpack 25L was the brand's first foray into the adventure market. The pack has all the innovative features we're used to seeing from Peak Design, with the addition of incredibly lightweight and water-resistant materials, handy side straps, camera compatibility, and a comfortable harness system.
TOM BIHN has a huge following online, and for good reason. The brand designs and manufactures its bags in the United States, with extensive customization options. Multiple colorways and numerous material choices are available for every pack. This makes it easy to get the durability and vibe you’re looking for from a pack. Inside, their organization gives every piece of gear a home, from pockets to compartments and O-rings. Plus, you know how many rings there are before you purchase, which gives you an idea of how modular every bag is.
The company has been around since the early 1970s, a testament to its dedication to making functional bags that last. TOM BIHN bags look like something your dad would carry, and we don’t mean that as a diss. They’re functional and look like it; however, that doesn’t mean they aren’t stylish—in a heritage way. In recent years, we’ve seen TOM BIHN experiment with more modern fabrics and hardware, which makes it easy to know that they’ll be around for another 50 years.
The TOM BIHN Synik 30 is an excellent small carry on, daily bag, or commuter, and it knows it. There are a ton of pockets for gear storage, so you'll always have access to your essentials without having to go into the main compartment. Plus, it's compatible with other TOM BIHN gear so you can combine it with their slings and pouches. There aren't any strap keepers, but considering the polish of the rest of this pack, we don't mind.
The TOM BIHN Daylight Backpack is a daypack that keeps things simple. There are only a couple of pockets, though the internal organization remains as strong as ever. The small capacity makes it great for commuting or as a personal item. It's comfortable to carry and organizes your gear for everything from work to travel, making this a great shout for all your needs.
Two childhood best friends founded Tortuga after a trip to Europe together in 2009. Their bags imploded on arrival, and after returning home, they set out to make a new travel gear company that would help ensure that didn’t happen to other travelers. Over a decade later, Tortuga has limited offerings, though they are all thoughtfully designed and organized. Its bags are built for digital nomads and long-haul travelers who love the experience of one bag travel, though you can use them with rolling luggage, too.
We love the harness systems on Tortuga backpacks and enjoy their simple but effective organization. Additionally, the founders have been very transparent with us when we asked questions about products, and Fred, one of the founders, is active in our Pack Hacker Pro Community. We’ve reviewed almost every iteration of their packs, and we’re still rocking with them into the second half of the 2020s.
The Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 40L has a large main compartment that lets you organize how you want to and doesn't hold you back with segmentation. The materials are highly durable, the harness system is perfectly tuned for long days wandering around a new city, and it has a water bottle pocket to ensure you stay hydrated all day.
The Tortuga Travel Backpack Lite is a lighter version of the brand's popular Travel Backpack. Though more lightweight, it retains the durability we expect from a one bag travel pack, and the harness system is still incredibly comfortable. For a 'lite' bag, it isn't crazy lightweight, but it is when compared to other travel backpacks in the 40-liter range.
We love EVERGOODS bags because you can do anything with them. Well, maybe not anything, but you can try. Their bags are crafted from durable and sleek-looking materials, and their organization is minimal and unrestrictive, so you can use the same bag to carry hockey skates one day and your camera equipment the next. No matter what you bring, the harness system is comfortable, easy to use, and breathable, ensuring you can wear it all day. There aren’t many colorway options, and the harness system is tailored to a masculine body, so keep that in mind before making a purchase.
The company has been around since 2016, with origins tied to GORUCK and Patagonia, which feels like the perfect way to describe EVERGOODS. When they started, the company had just two bags, and though their line is still limited, they now offer bags for every occasion, from cycling through the city to trekking through a village during the rainy season. On top of that, they often refine their existing lines in small ways instead of doing full redesigns (if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!). In addition to backpacks, the company makes pouches, slings, and accessories that work well with their packs, which is helpful when traveling.
The EVERGOODS Civic Panel Loader 24L (CPL24 V3) is the perfect small carry on bag, though it also works as a daily commuter. The sizable main compartment can hold ample packing cubes, a camera kit, or daily essentials for work and the gym. There are enough secondary compartments for your quick-use gear, too, and the harness system is comfortable enough to wear all day, even if you've got it loaded with rocks.
The EVERGOODS Mountain Panel Loader 22L (MPL22) has a capable harness system that enables a comfortable fit, whether hiking up a mountain or cycling through the city. Thanks to the clamshell opening, you can fit more inside the main compartment than you'd expect for a 22-liter pack, and its size works perfectly as a personal item on your next flight. The water bottle pockets are massive, so you can stay hydrated and stow an extra item, like a tripod, for quick access.
While Bellroy makes significantly more than just backpacks, some of our favorite products are their daypacks and travel backpacks. Bellroy has an extensive lineup of backpacks, making finding something that works for your needs easy. Plus, they utilize a plethora of materials, colorways, and designs, so you can find something that matches your vibes, too. If you often get decision paralysis, this can be a challenge when choosing which bag is best for you.
The company has been around since 2010 and focuses on sustainably sourced materials, a perk of shopping at Bellroy. While we don’t have many large travel backpacks that we love from the brand, their large daypacks make great weekend trip bags. You can pair their accessories, like wallets and slings, with their bags for a more convenient and dynamic carry.
The Bellroy Lite Travel Pack 30L is designed like a suitcase, making it easy to stow larger items inside for your next weekend trip. There are multiple secondary compartments, too, so you can keep your quick-use items easy to reach at the airport or on the plane. However, there is no external water bottle pocket to hold your hydration.
The Bellroy Venture Ready Pack 20L is crafted from water-resistant materials and features a comfortable carry. It is a daypack that you can carry around all day in the elements without worrying about your gear staying safe. The water bottle pocket is handy for hydration or other gear, like a travel tripod, and the mesh on the harness system keeps you cool.
Osprey was founded in 1974 and has been one of the biggest names in backpacks for decades. The brand was originally called Santa Cruz Recreational Packs. However, it has expanded from its outdoorsy roots to offer bags for every occasion, from backcountry camping or backpacking in Europe to commuting to work or cycling through the city. Since selling to Helen of Troy in 2021, we haven’t noticed any significant changes in production, which is a solid sign of more good things to come.
Osprey offers masculine and feminine fits for most of their packs and often comes at a more budget-friendly price than other travel backpack companies. They provide both vibrant and sleek colorways, and many of their bags are modular with other Osprey gear, from slings to daypacks and pouches. Though Osprey gear rarely cracks the top of our rating system, almost everything we review from them is above average, making them a solid budget option that’ll work well and last a long time.
The masculine Osprey Farpoint 40 and the feminine Osprey Fairview 40 are two of the most popular backpacking travel packs on the market. They're budget-friendly, modular, and easy to pack to the brim with gear. In addition to a cheaper price tag than most 40-liter bags, the packs utilize hardware from top brands and durable materials to handle the bumps and knocks of travel. For one bag travel on a budget, the Farpoint/Fairview is one of the best options on the market.
The Osprey Daylite Expandable Travel Pack 26+6 is one of the most recommended personal-item sized packs on the internet, and for good reason. It expands from a compact 26 liters to a boisterous 32 liters, making it a good option for people who love bringing home souvenirs or traveling to climates cold in the morning and hot during the day. After all, you don't want to have to tie your jacket around your waist, right?
Other Brands We Love
Though you may think of clothing when you hear The North Face and Patagonia, they’re two of our favorite backpack brands for people who love to be active because they’re often breathable, water-resistant, and lightweight.
Able Carry bags are also a solid choice for travelers who love everything “everyday carry,” and you could write a book about all the accessories compatible with their bags.
For fun colorways, look no further than brands like Topo Designs and Cotopaxi, which both offer sustainable fabric options.
Minaal packs have a unique take on the organization, making packing tech a breeze.
If going ultralight is your goal, ULA Equipment (Ultralight Adventure Equipment) is an excellent shout for crazy light bags that retain durability. Plus, they’re designed and made in the United States.
If you think that’s all, we’re just getting started. In addition to everything we’ve written here, we have hundreds of reviews from the brands mentioned here that’ll knock your socks off (and hopefully help you find a bag for your next trip, commute, or adventure). Enjoy the hunt and, more importantly, the journey and usability.
