The Best Travel Backpacks of 2026

• Size: 21.9 in. x 14 in. x 9.1 in.
• Weight: 3 pounds
• Material: Nylon
• Top features: comfort, carry-on friendly

The Tom Bihn Technonaut 45 is an iteration of one of our favorite travel pieces of carry-on luggage, the Aeronaut 45. As its name suggests, the Technonaut is a 45-liter bag, designed to fit into the overhead bins of most major airlines.

This bag is built to perform, primarily, as a travel backpack. During testing, I found that its edgeless, 1/2-inch thick backpack straps were well-made and comfortable to wear over a long distance while carrying a heavy load. Alternatively, in situations such as navigating airport security, or waiting to hand off the bag to be stored on a bus, the Technonaut can also be hauled around by its built-in duffle handle or, using a shoulder strap.

I found that its padded, ventilated back panel was comfortable and thick enough to keep any hard-sided items inside the bag from poking me in the back. The back panel provides some structure to the bag, but not as much as I’d like. Adding an internal frame to the mix goes a long way towards correcting this issue. What’s more, the frame panel acts to protect the contents of the Aeronaut's laptop compartment, which can hold devices as large as a 16” MacBook Pro.

The Technonaut's main storage compartment is accessed via a large, suitcase-style U-shaped opening, equipped with water-resistant zippers. If you’re using packing cubes with the Technonaut, the U-shaped design makes it possible to locate what you’re looking for inside the pack, without having to remove every last item before you find it. For those who prefer to forgo packing cubes, you’ll find compression straps inside the main compartment to help you keep your clothing and other goods in place. The Technonaut's end pocket is well-sized for a pair of hiking running shoes. Quick access pockets, located on opposite sides of the exterior of the bag, provide space for stashing a passport and larger items such as a water bottle.

The only complaint that I can level at this travel pack is that it doesn’t come equipped with a smaller excursion bag to use as you explore the area surrounding your destination.

• Size: 20 in. x 12.8 in. x 7.5 in.
• Weight: 4.3 to 5.15 pounds
• Material: Cordura
• Top features: water resistance, space

GoRuck makes Seamus’ favorite everyday carry rucksack, the GR1. So it's not surprising that he was excited to test their 45-liter travel backpack. The GR3 is made of the same heavy-duty, water-resistant materials as the GR1, but boasts a large enough volume to carry everything a traveler might need for weeks or, if you wash your clothing frequently, even months of travel.

It boasts wide, padded shoulder straps as the company’s other rucksacks do, but also comes with a heavily padded hip belt designed to mitigate the weight of what you’re carrying. We were pleased to find that the hip belt was held in place with a generous amount of Velcro, making it possible to remove it for easier storage of the GR3 in a closet at home or the overhead compartment of an airplane.

However, during testing, we found that while the hip belt helped to distribute the weight of the bag’s heft to Seamus’ hips, it quickly became uncomfortable. After an hour of wearing it, he discovered that the muscles in his lower back had been tweaked to the point that it took a long soak in a hot bath to unbind them.

Depending on your point of view, the inside of the GR3 will either make it the best travel pack you’ve ever used or one of the most disappointing. While it does boast a large mesh pocket and a built-in zippered pocket in the lid and at the top of the main compartment, respectively, the majority of the GR3’s internal space is a blank slate.

You’ll find several MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) attachment points and a back panel-wide swath of Velcro for attaching special-purpose pouches, like a first aid kit, or general use ones to help better organize your traveling life. Unfortunately, if you don’t already own several such pouches, like Seamus does, purchasing them will add to the GR3’s already substantial price. It is possible to use packing cubes with the backpack—GoRuck makes some good ones to fit the bag’s dimensions exactly.

However, Seamus found that, unless the GR3 was packed to capacity, cubes made by other manufacturers, such as Tom Bihn and Arc’teryx, tended to all slide to the bottom of the bag during transport, making for an unbalanced load that might well have been the cause of the pulled muscles he sustained during testing.

Despite our disappointment with this incredibly well-built backpack, it could be exactly the sort of travel backpack that someone who visits destinations where other backpacks might not survive is looking for.

• Size: 21 in. x 14 in. x 9 in.
• Weight: 3 pounds, 8 ounces
• Material: Recycled Polyester
• Top features: durability, comfort

Whether you’re hiking on vacation or rushing to catch a bus, this lightweight and durable Osprey Farpoint 40 pack is made to keep up with fast-paced travelers. It includes a mesh harness and hipbelt, as well as a torso adjustment feature. If comfort and speed are your priorities, then this is the backpack for you.

• Size: 22.8 in. x 8.6 in. x 14.5 in.
• Weight: 3 pounds, 10.4 ounces
• Material: Recycled Polyester
• Top features: water resistance, space, carry-on friendly

Carry all of your belongings for a road trip, flight, or weekend away with this Patagonia Black Hole MLC Bag. At 45 liters, it passes most carry-on size requirements. The water-resistant and ripstop fabric makes this a durable bag that’ll last for years to come. You can easily store your tablet and other travel items in the spacious storage compartments.

• Size: 22 in. x 14 in. x 11 in.
• Weight: 4 pounds, 2 ounces
• Material: Ballistic Nylon
• Top features: compartment space, packable

At first glance, the Cotopaxi Allpa 42L Travel Backpack appears to have its act together: It comes with a removable hip belt that’ll help to guarantee it won’t get caught up in the conveyor belt at an airport security checkpoint. It’s a feature we both appreciate. As for pockets and other organizational aids, the Allpa 42L is a neat freak’s dream. Inside the pack, you’ll find two large, zippered mesh compartments and two sub-pockets to keep your clothing, grooming goods, and other items easily accessible.

The exterior of this travel bag is no slouch either, offering a laptop sleeve, a top zippered pocket to stow sunglasses, AirPods and other small items, sleeves for a tablet and one for a smartphone, and, finally, several lashing points where, with the help of a carabiner or a bit of twine, it’d be easy to attach a pair of sandals, wet rain gear or any number of other items to.

We liked how easy it was to compress the Allpa 42L when it’s not in use: It can easily be folded up and placed into a drawer or the back of a closet to forget about until your next adventure.

All of this, however, couldn’t make up for how uncomfortable and hot the pack was to wear during testing. Part of what made it awkward for both of us to wear was that, unlike our main pick, the Allpa has a frame sheet that is only rigid over the wearer’s spine and comes with no internal frame.

This allows the contents of the pack to rest directly against your body, making for a sweaty, uncomfortable carry. We were also disappointed in how adjusting this backpack’s load lifters failed to make a noticeable difference to Allpa’s weight distribution or overall comfort.

• Size: 20 in. x 12.5 in. x 7 in.
• Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Material: Recycled Nylon
• Top features: packable, carry-on friendly

This Topo Designed Global Travel bag will make flying much more comfortable and convenient. Its 30-liter, carry-on size makes it easy to carry this bag onto a plane, while the suitcase attachment sleeve allows for hands-free travel. This bag can be taken three different ways to suit your favorite traveling style: with the shoulder strap, as a backpack, or with grab handles. Plus, there are enough pockets to fit your carry-on essentials, such as a water bottle, and laptop.