Top travel backpacks of 2025 for laptops, electronics, and other essentials

Top travel backpacks of 2025 for laptops, electronics, and other essentials

We evaluate the top travel backpacks designed to carry laptops, electronic devices, and all your necessary items.

Man and woman standing by the sea wearing a travel backpack

Whether you’re a globetrotter, a jet-setter, or simply someone who values staying connected while traveling, choosing the ideal backpack can significantly enhance your experience. Modern travel backpacks have transformed from basic carriers to feature-rich companions, incorporating built-in power banks, RFID-protected compartments, smart tracking technology, and adaptable expandable sections tailored to your journey. Yet, with countless choices available, selecting the right one can be a challenge.

This guide highlights the top travel backpacks of the year, specifically those built to carry laptops, tech accessories, and everyday necessities. We evaluated factors like toughness, ergonomic design, safety elements, and cutting-edge advancements. Want a TSA-compliant pack for hassle-free airport security? It’s included. Prefer a sleek, featherlight choice for quick trips? You’ll find it here. Searching for a tough, weather-resistant powerhouse ready for any challenge? That’s covered too.

No matter how you prefer to travel, there’s a backpack designed to protect your electronics, keep your belongings neatly arranged, and ensure a smooth journey. Whether you’re traveling to the office, exploring Europe with a backpack, or attending a corporate meeting, discover the ideal bag for your needs.

At Stuff, you can rely on our commitment to accuracy and integrity.Our specialists thoroughly evaluate every product and deliver fair, impartial assessments to assist you in making well-informed choices. To learn more, explore our process for testing and rating products.

Top picks: Which travel backpack stands out as the best?

The Stubble & Co’s Hybrid Backpack 30L (purchase now)The backpack is a fashionable, adaptable, and long-lasting option, offering plenty of storage and comfort, ideal for daily travel and brief getaways.

The Carl Friedrik Traverse Backpack (purchase now)This backpack offers a sophisticated, high-end design combined with cutting-edge functionality, perfect for brief to moderate journeys. Its timeless aesthetic seamlessly integrates with contemporary technological elements.

The Mous Optimal Travel Backpack (purchase now)This backpack can serve as your carry-on luggage. It’s a sturdy, meticulously designed travel bag with the storage space of high-end suitcases, suitable for all types of trips.

The top travel backpack available for purchase right now:

Top travel backpack for keeping your belongings neatly arranged

Stubble Travel Backpack on a white background

1. Stubble & Co Hybrid Travel Backpack

Stuff Decision

A functional, fashionable, and long-lasting backpack offering plenty of storage and ergonomic support, ideal for daily travel and brief getaways.

  • Countless pockets abound
  • Built to last with a focus on comfort and ergonomics
  • Ample storage capacity
  • Far from the pinnacle of opulence

The Stubble & Co Hybrid Backpack 30L has emerged as our top choice for daily commutes and brief getaways, effortlessly blending fashion, practicality, and resilience. Many backpacks tend to be overly large, poorly designed for storage, or unable to withstand regular use. This model excels in every aspect.

For daily travel, the cushioned laptop sleeve keeps your device protected, while multiple pockets help organize everything—from wireless earbuds to boarding passes—neatly. The clamshell-style main section is a standout feature, offering quick access to necessities without the need to search.

Whether it’s a short getaway or a business trip such as IFA in Berlin, the Hybrid 30L demonstrates its value. It accommodates clothing, tech gear, toiletries, and an extra pair of shoes while maintaining excellent organization. Easy-to-reach pockets allow for quick retrieval of chargers and documents, and the adjustable straps along with the airflow back panel ensure comfort, even when the bag is packed to capacity.

Constructed from waterproof, recycled fabrics, featuring weather-resistant stitching and water-repellent zippers, it effortlessly manages erratic conditions. Though a hint more refinement in its aesthetics—maybe a leather version?—wouldn’t hurt, this backpack is designed for durability. Priced at US$240 / £165, it’s a worthwhile purchase that greatly simplifies both travel and everyday routines.

  • Explore further: Stubble & Co Hybrid Backpack 30L

Top-tier travel backpack for upscale journeys

Carl Fredrik Traverse Backpack no white background

2. Carl Fredrik Traverse Backpack

Stuff Verdict

A stylish, high-end backpack that combines timeless aesthetics with cutting-edge technology, perfect for brief to moderate journeys.

  • Exquisitely opulent design
  • Ample storage space with numerous compartments
  • Retrieving items stored deep within a packed space can often prove challenging.
  • At the higher end of the price spectrum

The Carl Friedrik Traverse Backpack exemplifies the perfect fusion of practical design and contemporary utility. Drawing inspiration from 20th-century military and technical backpacks, it offers an exceptional balance of space, durability, and elegance, securing its place as our top choice for aesthetic appeal.

Designed for optimal organization, this bag features 11 strategically positioned pockets. It includes a specialized laptop sleeve (accommodating devices up to 16″), a designated space for a water bottle, and several smaller compartments for accessories. The distinctive Smart Holder allows it to effortlessly attach to a suitcase handle, minimizing travel fatigue.

Designed for journeys lasting up to 72 hours, the Traverse Backpack features dual-layer protection, blending a drawstring fastening with a fold-top snap clasp—ensuring belongings stay safe while delivering a polished, tailored appearance. The high-end nubuck leather choices (charcoal or chocolate) radiate elegance, whereas the black nylon version embraces a refined, modern vibe.

After bringing this backpack on a trip to New York, we can attest that it’s both functional and fashionable. Its roomy layout, tough construction, and polished look position it as a top choice for travelers in search of a premium accessory. Priced at US$745 / £545, it’s a significant purchase—yet one designed for long-term durability.

Top spacious backpack for travel

3. Mous Optimal Travel Backpack

Stuff Decision

Upgrade to this sturdy, meticulously designed travel backpack that replaces your standard carry-on. It offers the same spacious storage as high-end luggage, perfect for any journey.

  • The vast expanse offers limitless potential for growth and scalability.
  • efficient organization and AiroFoam technology safeguarding
  • Too bulky for daily use as a backpack
  • Could feel more upscale

The Mous Optimal Travel Backpack is designed to serve as an alternative to your carry-on suitcase, combining the adaptability of a backpack with the storage and structure of hardcase luggage. Tailored for tech-oriented, adventure-seeking travelers, this expandable 40L carry-on (extendable to 45L) ensures seamless organization.

Say goodbye to packing hassles. Featuring AiroFoam impact-absorbing technology, 840D ballistic nylon, and water-resistant YKK zippers with locking mechanisms, this backpack is designed to safeguard your belongings, not just transport them. The TSA-approved clamshell tech compartment streamlines airport checks, and a modular organization system—complete with a tech pouch, toiletry kit, and compression wardrobe—ensures everything stays tidy and accessible.

The design prioritizes travel convenience, featuring adjustable shoulder straps, a detachable hip belt, a ventilated back panel, and several grab handles for effortless maneuvering. With 25 organized sections, each item stays secure, including a specialized sleeve for laptops and tablets, plus a discreet AirTag pocket.

Designed for business travel, extended journeys, and all occasions in between, this streamlined, modern backpack combines elegance with practicality. Priced at US$320 / £300, it represents a worthwhile investment, potentially eliminating the need for a suitcase altogether.

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About

As Buying Guide Editor, Spencer oversees all e-commerce content for Stuff, managing buying guides and reporting on deals and new product releases.

With over eight years of experience in consumer tech journalism, Spencer has contributed to major UK publications, writing about topics ranging from the rise of smartwatches to advancements in autonomous vehicles.

His career has turned him into a frequent traveler, accumulating air miles as he journeys globally to review cars, attend product unveilings, and report on major trade shows, including Baselworld, the Geneva Motor Show, CES, and MWC.

Though tech remains a primary interest, Spencer also loves exploring high-end watches, testing new grooming gadgets, and putting various vehicles—from electric scooters to high-performance supercars—through their paces.

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