As its name suggests, Oakley’s Kitchen Sink backpack is for the student who wants to bring everything with them. With its dimensions of 20 x 14 x 8 and volume of 34L, you quite easily could fit a kitchen sink in it, but that would be a total waste of this brilliantly compartmentalized pack.
It has a side-access sleeve for up to 15-inch laptops, a front organizer panel, a mesh sunglasses pocket, a media pocket, a bottom shoe compartment, and side pockets galore.
This does make the pack extra bulky, but it can house everything you could need in a day. You can pack away your laptop, a full bibliography, a 1 gallon Camelbak, two footlong sandwiches, a head-to-toe change of clothes, and still have room leftover for whatever else you need.
The Kitchen Sink pack makes carrying heavy loads easy too, with a compression molded back panel and adjustable shoulder straps. It also has horizontal sternum and waist straps to evenly distribute the load.
The North Face Jester is a backpack that can meet all needs, with a multitude of pockets and a simple, breathable design. With dimensions of 22 x 15 x 5 inches and a volume of 26L, the Jester competes with other hybrid commute/hike packs, although it is best for light campus use.
This pack has a chest strap with a safety whistle buckle, but no condenser belts or waist belts, which means you can’t overpack it or else your shoulders will hate you.
But they probably won’t hate you, as the FlexVent injection-moulded shoulder straps are quite comfortable, even when using the padded laptop sleep to carry laptops up to 15 inches with no trouble.
The main compartment also has plenty of internal organization pockets, including a secure zippered pocket and a velcro pen pocket.
In addition to the large main pocket, this pack has a front pocket for sunglasses or small items, a front elastic bungee, and two water bottle pockets.
The backpack as a whole is very well padded, but the largest compartment has a heavy foam tube to absorb shock as you set your pack on the ground.
SwissGear backpacks like the highly rated Travel Gear ScanSmart Backpack warrant a comparison to the globally recognized Swiss Army knife. They fit an unreal amount of utility into a sleek, sizable package.
This durable travel pack works as well for international travel as it does for walking across campus, with a variety of useful features.
This pack has a mobile phone pocket, sunglasses holder, side water bottle pocket, organizer pocket, accessory pocket, and a padded laptop sleeve for laptops up to 15 inches.
This bag can use its full 30L of storage when expanded to its max dimensions of 18.5 x 15 x 8.5 inches, or it can be cinched down with its condenser straps to support a smaller load.
Its back offers plenty of airflow, and its padded straps are nice, minus the lack of waist or sternum strap. The glasses holder on the strap is a nice touch, as is the headphone hole and media pouch for storing a phone or mp3 player.
The laptop compartment has a side entry, and best yet, full-length zippers that allow the pockets to be fully opened. No corner of the bag shall remain inaccessible when you are looking for the granola bar that you are sure you packed this morning.
In addition to making durable water-resistant clothing, Under Armour also makes water-resistant backpacks, and the Storm Hustle II is one of their most popular designs.
This backpack gets its name from the multi-layered water-resistant material, which keeps your goods dry whether they are in one of the two spacious main pockets, or one of the two slip pockets for smaller items.
The total volume of the pack is 30L, not counting the two side water bottle pockets, or the extra storage potential of the side straps from which you can clip water bottles and keys.
The main pocket has a laptop sleep that will fit most 15-inch laptops. There is also a deep pocket on the bottom of the bag that is a great place to put shoes or a sweatshirt.
One considerable downside to this otherwise durable pack is that it lacks a padded or otherwise reinforced bottom panel. There are very few reviewers who have actually encountered a problem with this
The adjustable HeatGear shoulder straps are quite comfortable, and don’t necessarily beckon the need for extra support, but those who need a sternum strap will need to look on further.
If you live in a rainy climate like I do, this backpack is a life saver. You have to be a little more gentle when plopping it on the ground.
You also have to be okay with some hefty UA branding, but aside from those issues, the Storm Hustle II is a winner.
When you think of school backpacks, JanSport is a name that will immediately come to mind, as you’ve likely owned one of their packs at one point before.
Their most common backpack model is just a little small for the increased bookload of college use, but JanSport also makes this Big backpack with a massive 34L storage volume.
The Big Student Classics pack has two almost equally-sized main pockets, plus a smaller front pocket with an organizer for school supplies and portable devices.
One downside is that this pack does not have a padded laptop sleeve, which means if you carry a laptop around, you will need a separate protective sleeve for it.
This does create more space for books though, which is likely going to make up the bulk of your load.
This backpack has ergonomic S-shaped straps that contour to shape of your upper torso, which helps a lot for dispersing the pack’s weight.
The pack has a single mesh water bottle holder, and the material comes in a variety of different colors. It is lightweight and fairly sturdy, even though the bottom panel could use some extra reinforcement.
If you’ve had a JanSport before, you know that the zippers can sometimes get stuck in nearby material, which is still a problem for this larger pack. Granted, it’s a hiccup worth overlooking.
Small flaws aside, this backpack is a classic for a reason. Its time-tested design holds up to the rigorous use of higher education, and it looks absolutely awesome while doing so.| Product Name | Image | Reviews | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakley Kitchen Sink Backpack |  |
Ratings 4.6 |  |
| The North Face Jester Backpack |  |
Ratings 4.6 | |
| SwissGear Travel Gear ScanSmart 1900 |  |
Ratings 4.6 | |
| Under Armour Storm Hustle II Backpack |  |
Ratings 4.6 | |
| JanSport Big Student Backpack |  |
Ratings 4.6 | |
| Herschel Supply Co. Little America Backpack |  |
Ratings 4.5 | |
| eBags Professional Slim Laptop Backpack |  |
Ratings 4.5 | |
| Outlander Packable Handy Lightweight Travel Backpack |  |
Ratings 4.5 | |
| Amazon Basics Laptop Backpack |  |
Ratings 4.4 | |
| High Sierra Swerve Backpack |  |
Ratings 4.3 | |
Herschel Supply Co.’s Retreat backpack is as known for its reliability as it is for its distinct design. You will never have to worry about a caught zipper, as this pack uses stylish straps to cover a large opening.
This makes it easier to load your pack in a rush. The top flap is closed by sturdy magnetic pin clips, and underneath, this pack is fully padded and fleece-lined in its characteristic pinstripe design.
This pack’s internal dimensions are 17 x 12 x 5.75 inches (19.5L volume), which can expand to easily hold two 3-inch thick books, one 2-inch book, and some other items.
Those who expect an above average bookload may, however, prefer Herschel’s larger Little America pack.
There is a laptop sleeve inside for laptop, but it does not offer enough extra padding to protect a laptop from drops, so be sure to grab a laptop sleeve.
The shoulder straps are contoured and air mesh padded, making this pack comfortable as well. This is the kind of bag that is a breeze to carry around all day, and one that can last against years of use/abuse as well.
If you want to escape the bright neon colors and superfluous doodads of camping packs, the eBag slim backpack is a piece of luggage that offers a more professional and refined style.
The eBag backpack is made from a fairly heavy material, making it a little heftier than it needs to be but also giving it a nice rigidity. The backpack straps feel comfortable, and the bag has a sternum strap for added support.
When it is preferred, you can tuck one backpack strap away, and use this bag more like a briefcase.
The main pocket makes up the bulk of this bag’s 21.6L volume, and has a brightly colored lining to help you find objects at the very bottom.
It houses both a laptop sleeve and a tablet sleeve. Each one is well padded, and very spacious. The bag also has a “2D” secondary pocket with room for documents, and a Napoleon pocket with an organizer.
Beneath this main compartment is a removable hardshell pouch for carrying sunglasses or other delicate goods. The slim bag even has a zip-out water bottle holder that is there when you need it.
The eBags slim backpack is a versatile dress code pack that checks all the boxes for a great bag without packing any any bungee cords, exterior mesh pockets, carabiner clips, or other outdoorsman bling.
If you don’t mind the higher price tag, this school bag can transition into your office space companion for years to come.
Outlander’s Packable Travel Backpack can have limited applications in a school environment, but is honestly too cool to pass up mentioning.
The special thing about this backpack is that it is made from lightweight nylon material that allows it to be rolled up into its own pocket for easy storage.
Given its lightweight build and 30L volume, you might end up using this pack every day, but between semesters or when you’re traveling home for breaks, it can be handy to have a backpack that stows away easily.
Because of its ability to shrink down significantly, it does not have any special padding for laptops, though it could still store one easily in its main pocket.
It does have deep water bottle pockets, plus two front zipper pockets for smaller items. Shoulder padding is still sufficient, but will obviously lack any supplemental support because of its lightweight nature.
Nonetheless, a light and easy to use bag is just what some people need.
When it comes to offering what you need at the right price, AmazonBasics products usually deliver. The AmazonBasics Laptop Backpack is no exception as a #1 Best Seller for laptop backpacks.
Its external dimensions of 15 x 7 x 19 inches allow this pack to hold up to a 17 inch laptop, something really seen in backpacks of this price.
You can fit a week’s worth of class materials in its 32L of storage volume. Additionally, you have organizational compartments for pens, keys, your cell phone, and even a smaller padded pocket for tablets.
These sub-compartments are practically distributed throughout the five main pockets of the pack, except for two water bottle pockets on the side.
The backpack is devoid of branding, and consequently, does not look particularly interesting. This is expected, considering this is clearly a functionality-first kind of pack.
It is comfortable to wear with padded straps, but its padding to protect the main pocket could be a little more robust. Again considering the fantastic price, your gear will be well-protected behind the otherwise sturdy material used.
High Sierra’s Swerve Backpack is a versatile pick for any kind of class load, whether you’re packing some 600 page textbooks, a laptop up to 15 inches, a change of clothes to the gym, or all three and then some.
Condenser straps allow you to flatten out this high-volume 31L pack, but you will most likely be using it at full size, given its fully padded laptop compartment, tablet sleeve, multiple large compartments, shoulder strap media pocket, two water bottle pockets, and padded bottom panel.
Its dimensions of 19 x 13 x 7.75 inches are fairly average, but High Sierra backpacks do offer an above-average level of comfort with their S-shaped should straps and suspension system to manage larger loads.
Additional load-supporting straps are absent, but not particularly missed, as the padded back panel makes carrying this pack very manageable.
Coming home from late night classes feels safe, as reflective piping increases visibility when walking alongside roads, and the shoulder strap pocket for a phone or mp3 player is a great addition.
The zippers are bulky, though sometimes a little finicky, and the material is built to last, making this an all-around solid pick.