Highly-Rated And Highly Functional Backpacks For Students Of All Ages (2024)

Everlane

This chic and elegantly designed transit backpack is great for college, commuting to work or travel and features a side-entry laptop pocket on the bag's exterior for easy TSA access. The flap-top has its own spacious zippered compartment for frequently grabbed items and the main interior compartment has slip pockets and water bottle holders. It's available in six different colors like baby blue, olive and charcoal.

Promising review: "I wasn’t sure if this bag could hold what I wanted to get around and living in the West Coast with the rain coming but it’s perfect in so many ways. It beads water off and it’s great to have compartments so I don’t have to rummage through a big bag to find things. It’s great for life in the city where you can easily pick up things to throw in and still look put together. It’s lightweight and straps are comfortable as I didn’t want to have to carry any more weight than I had to. The bag has a clean simple look that looks good - casual or dressed up. I bought one as a gift because I loved it so much. Can’t recommend it enough!" –– Hermione

$85 at Everlane

Dagne Dover

Dagne Dover's large capacity Dakota backpack is constructed of premium and recycled neoprene, a high-tech fabric that is washable, water-resistant and insulating. It comes with an exterior zip compartment for your laptop as well as a slip pocket on the inside for holding a tablet, notebooks and more. It comes in a small size ($145) and medium ($185) in addition to the large.

Promising review: "I’ve used my backpack for work, sticking my gym stuff in, as well as traveling. The internal pockets are a dream [and] I don’t have to use cosmetic pouches to separate my items. Also the wallet pouches on the back make it so easy to grab my metro card/passport and my money when I need it without swinging off the whole bag." –– Evangelia M.

Large: $200 at Dagne DoverLarge: $200 at Nordstrom

Perfect for festivals, camping or packing your lunch for school, this 2-in-1 backpack by Carhartt functions like a traditional bag up top and features a sturdy insulated base compartment that can keep lunches, drinks or medications cold for up to 24 hours. The main top compartment is supplemented with a smaller front-facing zip compartment, two front slide pockets and two side mesh sleeves for more organization.

Promising review: "Perfect!! This is my second attempt at a backpack/cooler combination. The cooler is sturdy and insulated which means the storage on top does not crush your food. I put four ice packs inside and my soda is ice cold seven hours later. Plenty of room up top for all my girly needs. I paid about the same for this one as I did the other and this one seems underpriced." –– SportyM16

$45.49 at Amazon

Maisonette

This simply-designed backpack for kids is available in 42 vibrant color combinations, patterns and textures and can even be customized with your child's name on the State website. The main interior pocket also has slide pockets and a larger zipper pouch as well as a front-facing zippered compartment for smaller essentials.

Promising review: "Truth: I was rather skeptical about State bags and didn’t get the “hype”… But a friend told me they really liked theirs and so I figured we would give this one a try. And we are not disappointed! What a great bag!! It’s the perfect size and can hold quite a bit. I love the different compartments. The interior has three divided compartments (s/m/l) and an additional zipped one. This allows us to easily separate and organize things for school: the books and folders fit easily into the main compartment. The second compartment is big enough to hold lunch, the third compartment is great for small notepads and an odd toy or three!, and the zippered compartment is great for extra masks and tissues. The outside also has a smaller zippered compartment, which is great for snacks and for keeping things within easy reach/access. Oh, and my kindergartner loves the print and color. I highly recommend this bag!" –– A.

$95 at Maisonette$90 at State

The Smartscan TSA-approved laptop backpack from Swiss Gear has an impressive 17,170 five-star-ratings on Amazon and is filled to the brim with pockets, integrated media sleeves, an accordion file folder and compartments both large and small for organizing all of your work and life essentials. One of its defining features is the cushioned sleeves for laptops and tablets that unzip flat for easy scanning at the airport.

Promising review: "The backpack came exactly as described. It is made of high quality materials, and looks very nice. I just used it while traveling for business through airports so I was able to test out the TSA scanning feature for my laptop. It was super convenient to be able to just unzip the back part of the backpack and not need to take it out. It also fit well with a little extra space, and it is a 15.6" laptop. There are many other pockets and compartments, and that helps to keep everything organized. The front small bottom pocket has compartments for pens/pencils, business cards, ID's, etc. The middle pocket has a few dividers included, almost like a file folder system, and that is convenient for notepads, binders, etc. There are water bottle pockets on each side and zip compartments behind them which should be able to fit a shoe each. The top front small pocket fit my phone and sunglasses. The padding on the back is also very nice, and it has vents to allow for airflow. I needed to rush through the airport a few times during my trip and the backpack was comfortable on my back and shoulders the whole time." –– BrownEyedGirl87

$95.99 at Amazon$69.99 at Target

Target

Sleek, stylish and versatile, this slim backpack has two large top-sided handles for carrying versatility and one main interior compartment which contains a large zippered pocket, a cushioned laptop sleeve and mesh pockets for your smaller essentials. There's also a luggage sleeve that allows the bag to slide over suitcase handles and an exterior zip pocket that holds a swivel ring holder for your keys.

Promising review: "I use this bag not just for traveling, but for everyday use. This backpack is so sturdy, neat, classy looking, minimal, and gives a fashionable look! It's so great. I use it for work, school, and for church ministry things. I want to buy another one all because of how great the quality is." –– Mary Hnub

$49.99 at Target

Caraa

This delightfully squishy rucksack-style backpack from Caraa Travel fits an 11-inch laptop, has a slide luggage sleeve for attaching it to your wheeled bags and features four different external zippered compartments, including a secret anti-theft pocket in the back. The main interior compartment also has a number of different organizational pockets, including a water bottle sleeve. Aside from this sweet custard color, this backpack comes in pastel pink and a larger size.

Promising review: "Perfect small backpack, great squishy fabric. Love that it's waterproof and easy to clean too. Holds day essentials., wallet, large water bottle. And so lightweight." –– Jag

$175 at Caraa

This vintage-inspired backpack has a deceptive amount of storage and features a main compartment outfitted with several small interior pockets for organization including a laptop sleeve, pen pockets and a larger zippered compartment. There is also an outer pocket for your water bottle and umbrella, and the scratch-resistant nylon is available in 32 different color variations.

Promising review: "I was a little on the fence about this bag because I couldn't find anything about the company at all but the other reviews were so positive, I gave it a shot. Honestly this is the best small backpack I've ever had! It's sturdy and has the perfect amount of pockets. I compared it to my Fjallraven Kanken backpack and it barely stacked up to this bag.

Promising review: "First of all: padded straps - thank god! They don't dig into my shoulders or give me friction burn. Second: pockets!! Where the Kanken is horribly lacking in organizational elements, the Himawari has a beautiful compartment system.
Third: back padding. I don't entirely mind that the Kanken doesn't have any back padding because I rarely carry my computer in it, but now that I have a bag that does have this padding, I'm really loving it. My 13" macbook and little LG tablet fit nice and snug together, but not so tight that they get squished.
Fourth: price." –– Alexa

$40.99 at Amazon

This durable bag features a cavernous interior compartment with a drawstring closure in addition to an interior padded laptop sleeve and a front pocket with a hidden zipper. There is contoured padding and both the straps and back. The full-volume version has a 25-liter capacity while the mid-size has a 17-liter capacity.

Promising review: "This is by far my favorite backpack. It has the ability to carry so much, and it's very comfortable to wear. The padded pocket for the laptop is really nice to provide some protection, I'm able to fit a lot more in there then just the laptop, whether its the charger or an iPad, or even an external hard drive. I use this as my daily backpack because of how much I can fit in without it being a huge bag on my back." –– Jared Roden

Full-volume: $131.99 at AmazonMid-volume: $110 at Nordstrom

Enjoy plenty of compartment space and pockets for organization with this highly rated business backpack that's perfect for travel, work or school. There are two cavernous main compartments, an interior laptop sleeve and two additional smaller compartments. There's even a built-in USB charging port and a secret anti-theft pocket at the back of the bag for things like passports, wallets and cell phones.

Promising review: "If I could give this backpack a 10 stars I would. It completely exceeded my expectations in quality, design, color, and price. The amount of pockets and space that this backpack gives me is amazing!! I needed a new backpack that would hold my laptop, textbooks, binders, etc for nursing school and this was beyond perfect! Especially since I’m only 5’2 and most backpacks ride low and make my shoulders slouch forward when it’s heavy but this backpack sits perfectly on my spine and I don’t slouch. There is so much padding on the straps, back, and inside for the laptops that I feel comfortable and my laptop is properly supported. The side pockets fit my huge water bottles and they don’t fall out of the pockets like it did with my last backpack (HUGE PLUS). I can even fit my 40oz hydro flask in the side pockets! The phone charger connection works (that is my own white portable charger) and I was charging my phone on the backpack while taking photos. Although I got this backpack for school I will definitely be utilizing it for travel this summer as well! I still can’t believe I only paid $29 for this!! Best purchase I’ve ever made on Amazon so far!" –– Rose C

$29.99 at Amazon

Tumi

Tumi is a long-standing name in luxury bags that are recognized for their quality and convenience. This two-compartment nylon backpack features an interior laptop sleeve, a water-resistant bottle holder that can be accessed from both inside or outside the bag, and plenty of smaller zippered compartment storage for your smaller essentials. It's available in five colors and three hardware options.

Promising review: "I searched for a backpack that wasn't too big and wasn't too small. This one is perfect. The quality is far superior to any of the lesser priced brands. I've learned, if you can pay the extra money.....invest in quality. This should last for quite sometime. I'm over hard leather bags!" –– Trippie

$345 at Tumi$345 at Nordstrom

This simple backpack by Jansport has remained a well-loved classic after all these years for its no-fuss practically — it currently holds over 24,520 five-star-ratings on Amazon. It has one roomy main compartment, adjustable straps, and a smaller zippered pouch in the front and is available in 26 different colors and patterns.

Promising review: "My high school aged son has been looking for a bag that isn't too big, too compartmented, too zipper-y, etc. After a few tries, we went back to basics with Jansport. He loves this bag! It is the perfect size and has the right number of pockets. He uses it every day to carry books and his laptop to and from school. He also loves that it is a 'blank canvas' for him to decorate with Velcro and patches. I highly recommend this bag for anyone looking for a classic that is durable." –– D Hall

$36 at Amazon

You may have seen this boxy travel backpack, with its generous compartments and functional design, making the rounds on the internet. The interior is made up of two separate sections, including one that contains a padded pocket that accommodates a 15-inch laptop. It’s made from faux leather and has a back sleeve so it can be securely carried on top of rolling luggage.

Promising review: "I love the look of my new laptop backpack! I work in hospital administration and get lots of compliments on it. It holds my laptop safely in its own compartment along with all of my notes and chargers. Plenty of room in the front zipper for my keys and cell phone." –– Jordan R

$128 at CalPak

This affordable, water-resistant and highly rated backpack is great for people who tote around a lot of electronic devices at once. It has a total of six different compartments, including various laptops and tablet sleeves, and an external USB charging port with a set-in charging cable so you can charge your electronic device when walking.

Promising review: "Awesome backpack works great for my needs. It fits my 13-inch MacBook Pro, my DJI Mavic Pro drone that i have inside an Adidas lunch bag, both laptop and drone fit inside the large bag. Then I put my iPad pro in the outside pocket. It also had two side pockets perfect for cell phones. I put my battery back inside connected to the USB cable and charge my phone while it sits in the side pocket. Really like how it's padded all around and makes me feel like all my electronics inside are well protected. Would recommend to anyone looking for a similar setup." –– ignacio amezcua

$27.99 at Amazon

The North Face's classic Jester backpack offers simplified organization and extreme comfort thanks to straps made from an injection-molded flexible yoke and a padded mesh back panel that offers lumbar support. The main interior compartment features several mesh pockets for smaller items, a padded laptop sleeve and an extra zipper compartment.

Promising review: "This backpack has everything and need and nothing that I don't. It is very comfortable, has plenty of space for a laptop WITH a portable monitor (a thin one) in the laptop sleeve, plus probably 3-4 textbooks in the rest of the space and some other stuff crammed in there. The front pocket also has plenty of space. The drink pockets are fantastic; I never struggle with them." –– Jordan Wagge

$68.95 at Amazon$69 at Nordstrom$69 at The North Face