Favorite Laptop Backpacks Reviews-2
If you commute with your laptop, a backpack is the most convenient and ergonomic way to carry your computer, your cables, and everything else you need for the day. Unlike briefcases, messenger bags, or totes, backpacks spread the weight of your gear across both your shoulders, which is more comfortable and better for your back over the course of a long day.
Why it's great: After spending 10 hours researching the best backpacks for bike commuting, we spent a total of six hours testing the top contenders, including weighing them on a digital scale, stuffing them full of gear and biking around Central Park, and having a panel of five Wirecutter staffers examine and opine on each one. Of the eight backpacks we tested, Chrome's Urban Ex Rolltop 28L Backpack was the clear favorite.
It's fully waterproof, it has a rugged exterior, and it fits 28 liters' worth of gear—the bag is big enough to carry everything a bike commuter needs but not so large that it's unmanageable. It has a rolltop closure that allows you to easily expand the main compartment when you need to cram in lots of gear, or even to shrink it for lighter loads. In addition to its padded laptop sleeve, which is big enough to fit a 15-inch MacBook Pro, it has another internal pocket with slots for a phone and a couple of pens plus a key ring, as well as a handy and watertight zip-up pocket on the top.
Why it's great: Like our top pick for bike commuters, the Timbuk2 Custom Prospect Laptop Backpack meets all of our major requirements. It has a limited lifetime warranty, offering peace of mind on a purchase that will need to withstand a lot of wear and tear. Its rolltop closure allows you to extend the main compartment or make it smaller, depending on how much gear you're carrying. The version we tested had both waterproof paneling and an internal plastic liner, ensuring that our laptop and our other important office supplies stayed dry. The chest straps are easy to adjust and buckle, keeping the pack securely attached to your torso while you're riding or walking. And reflective details on the straps help with visibility, keeping you safe during low-light rides.
The Custom Prospect has a sleek exterior and a slim profile that some people might like more than the Urban Ex Rolltop's hefty, industrial-chic look. Plus, it has water-bottle pockets on either side, whereas the Urban Ex Rolltop has none. As for ventilation, this Timbuk2 bag has mesh on the shoulder straps and back while the Chrome bag has it just on the straps, though the geometric padding on the back of the Chrome bag still offers plenty of breathability.
Why it's great: The durable Fjällräven Räven 28 Backpack has a water-resistant exterior and a plethora of pockets, and it's extremely comfortable to wear. Interior and exterior organization spots are plentiful and convenient, including a pair of external water bottle pockets that are equally handy as holsters for travel documents such as a boarding pass or a customs form. It'll fit neatly below your seat as a personal item, yet it has the room for a 15-inch laptop, your business gear, a change of clothes or two, and a pair of slim shoes or flats.
In our tests we easily zipped a laptop in and out of the bag while in a TSA line, saving precious seconds and avoiding glares from fellow travellers. The laptop compartment has a spacious open area and a second pocket for organizing documents, tucking in a binder, or holding a tablet for in-flight entertainment.
Why it's great: The Briggs & Riley Kinzie Street Slim Expandable Backpack looks at home in a professional office—but it looks even better at the five-star resort stay you've earned with all your points. It offers excellent organization for a compact daily commute bag, and it expands to hold a change of clothes for overnight trips. It also has a lifetime warranty that covers even accidental damage. Although it's typically three times the price of the Fjällräven Räven 28, for someone who travels constantly and needs a bag that looks extremely professional, it's worth that cost for its refined business-appropriate style, its excellent construction, its travel-specific amenities, and a warranty that will cover it even if it gets run over by a baggage cart at the airport.
Briggs & Riley's Kinzie Street slim backpack looks like a portfolio bag with two shoulder straps. The flap cover has magnets to keep it in place, so it's easier to undo than covers with buckles and straps. The finely textured fabric and the soft leather accents on the top handle and flap feel luxurious.
An integrated strap on the back of the bag is designed to slip over the telescoping handle on a rolling suitcase. We were able to run through a hallway with the backpack secured to the suitcase, a nice contrast to having it flopping all over the place like a traditional laptop case just hanging on the carry-on by its top strap. It's a welcome feature on those occasions when you're rushing to make a tight connection between flights.
