16 Best Laptop Backpacks (2023): Weatherproof, Eco-Friendly, Stylish

When I (Adrienne) travel for work, I usually carry a Tom Bihn bag with me, and the Synik 22 bed is my favorite. It has many pockets, and they are all carefully thought out. For example, the zippered water bottle pocket is located in the middle of the backpack instead of on the side, so it won’t throw you off balance. The pen pockets are located in the flaps on the side, instead of in the middle at the top, for easier access. The exterior is made from Bluesign certified 400 denier ballistic nylon with premium water repellent YKK zippers. Each bag comes with a lifetime warranty.

Since the bag is so small, the rear access opening is only 7 inches wide – too narrow to fit over a carry-on handle. A dense fabric and an abundance of accessories – zippers, o-rings and buckles – make it a little heavy. But in the amount of 22 liters, I did not notice any extra weight. It’s the perfect companion for organized conferences, but it’s on the high end of what we think is worth spending on a bag.

★ Roll-top Tom Bean: Tom Bean Addax ($285) became one of my go-tos. Drop-top bags are more versatile than zip-top bags. Not enough space? Unfold it and insert the bike helmet. Too much? Roll it up to compress the space. And if you live in a rainy area, the flip tops keep water from seeping through the top zippers.

Like all Tom Bihn bags, pockets of metaphysical perfection, with a huge double-access laptop pocket that also has a tablet pocket for my Kindle, and front o-ring pockets for key hooks and other small items. It has a huge luggage passage and hefty padded shoulder straps. It’s also hand-sewn in the USA from PFC-free material and comes with a lifetime warranty that rivals the durability of ballistic nylon fabric. This is good because at this price you only want to buy it once.