Best High Quality & Stylish Backpacks for 2023

by Albert Varkki updated 07-07-2023

Table Of Contents

Everyone needs a sturdy and fashionable backpack, whether it's for hauling around a laptop or a fun weekend away.

But how do you choose the best one?

In this post, we'll show you the best backpacks for 2023, as well as how to choose the best one for you.

Best Backpacks for 2023

Here we go over the best types of backpacks in 2023 by different types and use cases.

Best Backpack for College or School 2023

Winner: Liberty Leather Backpack

The Liberty backpack is the perfect mix of style and durability, and looks great for both men and women. The high quality full grain leather is timeless, and helps you stand out from the crowd of canvas and lower quality bags at school. It has a dedicated laptop compartment, so you can take notes in class on something other than a pen and paper. We love it in brown, but it's available in a range of colors too.

Pros:

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Best Large Leather Backpack 2023

Winner: Prime Leather Backpack

The Prime backpack is a larger leather bag that's ideal for commuting to work or taking tech to school. It has a 14 inch dedicated laptop sleeve, as well as multiple compartments to help keep everything you need on the move. The red full grain leather version is immaculate, but it's also available in black, brown, and tan.

Pros:

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Best Convertible Laptop Backpack 2023

Winner: 10X Leather Laptop Backpack

Although a slightly different shape than most backpacks, the 10X is very unique. It can be converted between a backpack, a messenger bag, and a briefcase, making it a really versatile bag for both travel and work. It has a large main compartment with separated sections, helping to keep all of your items organized. It also has a dedicated laptop compartment, and a removable shoulder strap which is very useful.

Pros:

Full grain leather
Can convert from backpack to shoulder bag
Top and side handles.
Backpack straps hide in zip compartments.
Fits up to 15.6 inch laptop or tablet.
Handmade in Italy
Can be personalized
Available in brown, tan, black, or red leather.
Unisex.

Click here to check the price

Best Mini Backpack 2023

Winner: Bella Small Leather Backpack

If you like a mini backpack, then the Bella is perfect for you. It has one main compartment opened from the top zip, as well as a smaller outer compartment on the back. The full grain leather is really high quality, helping you stand out from the crowd. It can also be personalized, helping to make it unique to your personality.

Pros:

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Best Work Backpack 2023

Winner: Liberty Leather Backpack

Pros:

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Best Satchel Backpack 2023

Winner: Minerva Leather Satchel Backpack

Pros:

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Best Travel Backpack 2023

Winner: 10X Leather Laptop Backpack

Pros:

Full grain leather
Can convert from backpack to shoulder bag
Top and side handles.
Backpack straps hide in zip compartments.
Fits up to 15.6 inch laptop or tablet.
Handmade in Italy
Can be personalized
Available in brown, tan, black, or red leather.
Unisex.

Click here to check the price

When to Choose a Backpack

It would help if you took precautions to keep your laptops and tablets secure, as they are getting increasingly portable and light. There's nothing quite like a backpack or laptop bag when it comes to full-on security for your valuables. A bonus is the ability to store all of your chargers and batteries and other electronic devices like selfie sticks and fidget spinners in designated pockets.

While this is an excellent option for a weekend bag, you might want to explore a more luxurious designer option. While large logos are now in style, lesser-known manufacturers provide a wide range of traditional and high-quality bags that should last a lifetime or more with a bit of care.

A wide range of backpacks is available, whether you're seeking luxurious designer backpacks or durable, water-resistant rucksacks for your adventures.

Shop Men's Leather Backpacks Here

Backpack Considerations

Whether you're shopping for a new satchel for business or preparing to begin a new school year, selecting the appropriate bag is critical to success. Not only does it need to look attractive, but it also has to be comfy and, of course, large enough to accommodate all of your belongings.

Size

First and foremost, let us consider the capacity and dimensions of your backpack. Typically, the capacity of a small backpack main compartment is between 6 and 10 liters. It may be used with children, on trips, and for sports use. Daypacks with capacities ranging from 10 to 30 liters are perfect for commuting. It would help if you did a hiking or overnight camping excursion with a volume of more than 35 L, as that’s far more appropriate.

You may also want to consider the size of easy access exterior pockets, if you need water bottle pockets for example, how large is your water bottle? If your needs change day-to-day, then consider a backpack with an expandable section, which gives it the versatility to be multiple different sizes.

If you’re carrying your laptop, then you’ll need a backpack with a padded laptop sleeve that can fit your laptop, as many won’t be able to fit a large 17-inch laptop as standard, so check the descriptions to make sure it’s the right size.

Use

Shopping for a backpack may be overwhelming, especially when there are so many options to choose from, such as daypacks, rucksacks, and travel bags.

It's essential to choose an appropriate bag for your needs, aside from acquiring the perfect size.

Are you sure that the backpack will have enough compartments for all of the essentials you'll be carrying?
Will you be traveling to and from classes, or will you spend most of your time sitting in a classroom? Then you need a college backpack.
Wearing a backpack, what kind of weather can you expect to encounter? Is it a daypack, travel backpack, or just a backpack you'll carry to the office?

This item must be appropriate for the activities you will be participating in.

Canvas backpacks are the perfect choice if you want to use your bag mostly for short excursions or school. However, when cycling is your primary mode of transportation, a water-resistant nylon bag will be necessary.

Whatever your class load entails, a multifunctional backpack is your best bet. It can hold anything from a camera and lenses to textbooks with 700 pages and a 15-inch laptop.

Padding & Water Resistance

Your backpack needs to be somewhat waterproof and requires padding to protect electronic or delicate equipment.

Water Protection: However, in an emergency, a bag composed of semi-waterproof materials will preserve the contents better than a non-waterproof one, and could be the difference between damaged tech and not. For backpacking and outdoor experiences, nylon and polyester bags are preferable.
Padded Pockets: Laptops and tablets are commonly held in cushioned compartments in backpacks. For the sake of protecting your electrical devices, make sure they're correctly fastened.

Zip pockets are also going to offer mild protection, but remember they aren’t waterproof.

Durability

Durable materials are used in the construction of high-quality backpacks.

Heavy-duty backpacks are often composed of ultra-strong nylon material, with YKK-grade zippers and nylon straps to keep the weight down. Packing materials like nylon and polyester are the most frequently used. Bags made of heavier fabrics, such as canvas, will last for years and will be passed down from generation to generation. Even leather can be used, but at a higher cost due to the increased weight of the bag.

Most guys discard their old backpacks because they have breaks in the shoulder straps, damaged zippers, and stitching that has come undone, which are the most prevalent causes.

The shoulder straps are the most prone to tearing when using a backpack. Pay attention to the stitching and thread material. Double stitching is favored over a single seam. It is best not to pack the bag with items that it is not meant to carry. A seamstress may readily repair these rips for as little as $10.

For a daily commuter backpack, a briefcase backpack can look smarter than a softer version.

Materials

A backpack composed of the appropriate materials to meet your requirements will guarantee that it lasts for years to come.

These are some of the most often encountered backpack components:...

Cotton Canvas: It's made of heavy-duty, coarse-weaved cotton. Using both natural and synthetic components, the modern canvas is lighter and stronger than traditional canvas. Its primary selling point is its low cost. With college students and hikers, canvas backpacks are in demand.
Nylon: To the touch, backpacks are gleaming and sleek. In addition, packcloth nylon has high puncture and abrasion resistance and can acquire a waterproof coating readily.
Polyester: UV deterioration is more resistant than nylon; however, it's not the most durable material for a backpack. But it is sturdy enough for tiny kids. In addition, polyester backpacks are inexpensive and good at preserving their color (meaning they can be very vibrant in color).
Leather: A more fashionable, if more expensive, the option to the ordinary backpack is the backpack. Vegetable-tanned leather in its full-grain form is the most common material used in backpacks. Over time, the bags develop a distinct patina that gives them an organic feel. Leather backpacks are ideal for the job because they are often the most formal bags, and they're much more stylish.

Interior Organization

On the interior of some backpacks, there is nothing. However, some are incredibly well-organized, with several pockets and compartments for maximum storage space.

Depending on your preference, you could pick a minimalist approach for a lighter-weight backpack or a backpack with several sections to store and readily access your utilities. Of course, the greater the number of compartments and pockets in a backpack, the more easily your belongings are distributed and easily accessed.

Lots of Compartments: make it easier to find what you're looking for by dividing the bag into smaller portions. A laptop compartment is a modern backpack essential, as well as space to put your phone, wallet, keys, clothes, sunglasses, snacks, water bottles, work stuff, sports geat, books/notebooks, and even shoes in some situations.
Side Pockets: When they're empty, these pockets are flat, but they expand to accommodate a water bottle and other small objects.
Front pockets: It's not uncommon for shovel pockets to have additional pockets on the outside that are used to store smaller, less heavy objects.

Organize your belongings so that you only have to carry what you really require with you in the bag.

You should remember that a backpack isn't an alternative to luggage in most situations, as they are completely different sizes. A lightweight backpack is useful as carry-on luggage, as it's really easy to carry around an airport, leaving your hands free for your passport and boarding pass.

Price

It would be a shame to sacrifice quality for the sake of saving money. Having your rucksack break apart down the side and all of your belongings tumble out while riding the bus or strolling down the street is the last thing you want to happen to you.

It seems like it's a limited edition backpack. Do you want it hand-assembled, or do you want it mass-produced in a factory? Naturally, these considerations will impact the price of the bag.

Some simple backpacks may be purchased for less than $30, while higher-end backpacks made of leather can be purchased for as much as $1500 or more. It is recommended that you spend between $200 and $500 on a mid-range backpack.

Backpack costs are highly dependent on size, fabric, and brand factors. For example, leather is the greatest quality material, yet it is also the most expensive.

Related post: Cute Leather Backpacks

Style

Do you want to be the object of other people's bag envy? Your decision may be influenced first and foremost by the backpack's design.

A bag for the discriminating gentleman should strike an appropriate balance between functionality and refinement.

This item should be professionally designed so that it blends seamlessly into your overall outfit, whether you're wearing it to the gym or on the daily commute to and from work.

An all-leather backpack is the most fashionable alternative; nylon is the least fashionable, while ballistic nylon in black is a reasonable choice for the man on a tight budget.

The colors of your backpack also play into this, where you can opt for a more sleek black color, a more fashionable and easy-going brown color, or something that's going to stand out like red.

Comfort

It's important to compare the style to comfort as well, as there's no point in having a stylish bag that hurts you when your wear it.

A padded back panel and compression straps can add to the comfort of your backpack when on longer journeys through the backcountry. Breathable materials also help to avoid sweat build up.

Related:

Best Alternatives

If you're not interested in a backpack or it simply doesn't work for you, then there are plenty of alternatives. One of the best alternatives is a shoulder bag, which allows your hands to be free in a similar way to a backpack.

You can learn more about shoulder bags at the link below:

You could also consider a messenger backpack.

Final Thoughts

That's the end of our best backpacks post! We hope you found all of the information useful. If you ever need any help with anything to do with bags or fashion, feel free to contact the Von Baer team, at info@vonbaer.com.

You can read some of our other popular posts, such as our best laptop bags, best briefcases, and best messenger bags posts.

Author: Albert Varkki

Albert Varkki is the co-founder of Von Baer. He understands leather products as a consumer, supplier, and a manufacturer, helping you with the inside knowledge you need, to choose the perfect leather product for you.

We always aim to have the highest editorial standards, and only publish accurate information on our website.