The best backpacks of 2023

Mandi Pacer - School, travel, hiking, this backpack is made to hold up for a long time! I love anything from Carhartt.

Susan Smith - Any thing Carhartt is great!

Victoria Grinde - I got this for one-bagging while flying and it has been great on the three trips I've had it on. Plenty of space for me to pack all of my clothes, electronics, and toiletries for a week long trip. The inside organization helps keep smaller things easy to find and the larger areas fit packing cube...

Ryan Bruss - This is my luggage now. I initially bought this for taking international trips lasting 2 to 3 weeks and it was perfect for that. But, I just started using it for everything. I've had it for 5 years and it's been on every trip I've taken since then via plane, train, or automobile. It looks and fun...

Dakota Stern - There's no contest: This is by far the most comfortable and spacious backpack I have ever owned!

Emily Midgley - The Pottery Barn Backpack is our go-to pack. It is spacious, has a separate area for a laptop/chromebook, and holds up so well that we don't need to buy a new one every year.

Lindsey S - I have a Travelon backpack that I've used for school/laptop/work and still holding up strong after four years of constant use. It has a shielded laptop sleeve and plenty of pockets for pens, calculators, glasses, phone, snacks, airpods, etc.

Ryan Burke - This Swedish based outdoor gear and clothing company manufactures exceptional products with a sleek Scandinavian vibe.

I own a jacket that keeps me warm regardless of rain, sleet, snow, and in temperatures that hovered in the -10 to -20 range.

Also, their outdoor pants are incredibly durable an...

Elexa Martinez - We recently purchased this back pack for my daughter to return to in person school and I am super impressed with the quality of the bag. It has a secret sip zipper in the back for secure electronic storage and has so much space and water bottle holders on the sides. Also with amazon it was so aff...

Melissa Gallagher - Whether you use this backpack for your camera equipment (its design goal) or just as a travel backpack, there's a lot to like. It's padded & water proof with interior dividers that you can velcro into place to create compartments. Want to separate your shoes from your coat or your camera from you...

Heather Smith - Best day hike backpack with a reservoir.

Liz Pearce - I asked for a day pack for my birthday and received the Cotopaxi as a gift. There's a lot to love about this pack. It's made from repurposed material (scraps of fabric from other manufacturers' production runs). This has the added benefit of making each one bright, colorful and unique looking. An...

Joyce Ling - Love love love this backpack! I got it in Golden Spice, but honestly all the colors really pop. I wanted a lighter option than my Nomatic bag for day-to-day use, and I love it so far! The material is Cordura, so it's pretty sturdy. The zippers all look chunky and stylish. Plus, it fits my large M...

Carol Mullins - On Vacation in Mammoth Lakes and needed room to take home "stuff" on the plane. Found this collapsable back at the Bass Outlet and now carry it in my car and in regular pack for all those emergency carry needs. Great for in the car and especially when you have a pack but want to take extra snacks...

Tom Laramee - There's a lot to like about this backpack. It's easily the most comfortable pack I've ever owned. It's big enough to a Pacific NW day hike (meaning, you know you should pack some rain gear, gloves, and a hat on nearly every hike) and has plenty of room for a couple of quarts of water, some snacks...

Alexa Kim - Many travel lessons are learned the hard way. You should always have a collapsible backpack and a kind of day bag, like a tote. When you work hard to travel light, you will find that you can't just empty out your primary carry-on and use that for touring. You need to have a smaller bag to throw y...

Kate Leroux - I'm a huge fan of local company Tom Bihn. They make super high-quality bags and accessories that are functional and well-designed. My commuter backpack is the Synapse 19 which, despite its streamlined size, can fit 2 laptops and all my stuff due to the clever design.

They sell lots of backpacks ...

Sarah Colton - I love the Journey Backpack for hikes! It's lightweight even when stuffed with things I need for the kids (and the dog!). Pockets galore, adjustable straps, and easy to wipe clean! This backpack is a must-have for hiking mamas....as well as travel, days at the park, etc etc...

Pair it with an Al...

Michael Tubicsak-Lane - Perfect for race weekend!

Kelsy Horn - Great!