Any good durable backpacks?

Hello everyone,

College is coming soon for me, and I have been doing some shopping for my college supplies. I have been looking for a backpack as well, as I have been using my Jansport backpack for about 7 years. I am probably going to buy a 15 inch laptop, something like a Clevo P650SG. I have been looking at the Everki Beacon, and I think it's pretty nice for its features.

I am not too aware of other good backpacks that are out there, what do you guys think of other good backpacks that might be good for my needs? I am probably looking somewhere under $120, but I will be fine with a bit higher, if it's worth it. Thanks.

 

Might be a little out of budget but this is one of the best you can buy:

http://www.tombihn.com/laptop-bags/TB0111.html

It looks very plain but it's very well designed and built and will last years.

 

For non-professional use, I'd recommend you look into a backpack from a hiking gear company like North Face or Patagonia. I've gone through a lot of backpacks and briefcases over the past 15 years from Tumi, Victorinox, Coach, etc. But the best "general purpose" backpack I have is a North Face Borealis backpack.

The material is a light-weight synthetic, both thinner and lighter than woven ballistic nylon. These types of backpacks have tons of pockets and compartments (unlike some business-oriented backpacks), which means that you can have a separate pocket for each individual charger, USB flash drive, mouse, cable, cell phone backup battery, spiral notebook, etc that you can carry. It's lasted me for the past 8 years, and is my "go-to" backpack for general purpose use when I am not in a professional work environment. It also retails for under $100, which is something I consider to be an absolute steal, considering that I've spent $200 - $300 on Tumi backpacks in the past.

It's one of those items that's versatile and reliable enough to last you for the next 4 years, until you graduate and are ready to buy your first laptop briefcase / shoulder bag / backpack for your first job as a new graduate.

 

Go with missionworkshop backpacks or the Tom Bihn Brain bag. I have the missionworkshop Fitzroy 40 L, its weatherproof and it comes with a life time warranty. http://missionworkshop.com/products/bags/backpacks/rucksack/fitzroy.php I still have the brain bag still a great bag. These bags are pricey but they are worth it.

 

Personally, I've had excellent luck in terms of durability with my Timbuk2 bag. Wasn't hat expensive as well (~$60 retail, though I forget the exact model name).

 

looking at these three backpacks from North Face, 1̶̶̶ ̶̶̶f̶̶̶o̶̶̶r̶̶̶ ̶̶̶1̶̶̶7̶̶̶"̶̶̶ ̶̶̶l̶̶̶a̶̶̶p̶̶̶t̶̶̶o̶̶̶p̶̶̶ ̶̶̶a̶̶̶n̶̶̶d̶̶̶ ̶̶̶t̶̶̶h̶̶̶e̶̶̶ ̶̶̶o̶̶̶t̶̶̶h̶̶̶e̶̶̶r̶̶̶s̶̶̶ ̶̶̶a̶̶̶r̶̶̶e̶̶̶ ̶̶̶f̶̶̶o̶̶̶r̶̶̶ ̶̶̶1̶̶̶5̶̶̶"̶̶̶ ̶̶̶l̶̶̶a̶̶̶p̶̶̶t̶̶̶o̶̶̶p̶̶̶ ̶̶̶b̶̶̶u̶̶̶t̶̶̶ ̶̶̶I̶̶̶ ̶̶̶d̶̶̶o̶̶̶n̶̶̶'̶̶̶t̶̶̶ ̶̶̶s̶̶̶e̶̶̶e̶̶̶ ̶̶̶t̶̶̶h̶̶̶a̶̶̶t̶̶̶ ̶̶̶m̶̶̶u̶̶̶c̶̶̶h̶̶̶ ̶̶̶s̶̶̶i̶̶̶z̶̶̶e̶̶̶ ̶̶̶(̶̶̶w̶̶̶i̶̶̶d̶̶̶t̶̶̶h̶̶̶)̶̶̶ ̶̶̶d̶̶̶i̶̶̶f̶̶̶f̶̶̶e̶̶̶r̶̶̶e̶̶̶n̶̶̶c̶̶̶e̶̶̶ ̶̶̶a̶̶̶m̶̶̶o̶̶̶n̶̶̶g̶̶̶ ̶̶̶t̶̶̶h̶̶̶e̶̶̶m̶̶̶,̶̶̶ ̶̶̶1̶̶̶3̶̶̶.̶̶̶7̶̶̶5̶̶̶"̶̶̶ ̶̶̶>̶̶̶ ̶̶̶1̶̶̶3̶̶̶.̶̶̶5̶̶̶"̶̶̶ ̶̶̶>̶̶̶ ̶̶̶1̶̶̶3̶̶̶.̶̶̶2̶̶̶5̶̶̶"̶̶̶.̶̶̶ ̶̶̶S̶̶̶o̶̶̶ ̶̶̶w̶̶̶o̶̶̶u̶̶̶l̶̶̶d̶̶̶ ̶̶̶a̶̶̶ ̶̶̶1̶̶̶7̶̶̶"̶̶̶ ̶̶̶l̶̶̶a̶̶̶p̶̶̶t̶̶̶o̶̶̶p̶̶̶ ̶̶̶f̶̶̶i̶̶̶t̶̶̶ ̶̶̶i̶̶̶n̶̶̶ ̶̶̶a̶̶̶ ̶̶̶1̶̶̶5̶̶̶"̶̶̶ ̶̶̶b̶̶̶a̶̶̶c̶̶̶k̶̶̶p̶̶̶a̶̶̶c̶̶̶k̶̶̶?̶̶̶ ̶̶̶T̶̶̶o̶̶̶ ̶̶̶b̶̶̶e̶̶̶ ̶̶̶s̶̶̶p̶̶̶e̶̶̶c̶̶̶i̶̶̶f̶̶̶i̶̶̶c̶̶̶,̶̶̶ ̶̶̶m̶̶̶y̶̶̶ ̶̶̶l̶̶̶a̶̶̶p̶̶̶t̶̶̶o̶̶̶p̶̶̶ ̶̶̶i̶̶̶s̶̶̶ ̶̶̶S̶̶̶a̶̶̶g̶̶̶e̶̶̶r̶̶̶ ̶̶̶N̶̶̶P̶̶̶8̶̶̶6̶̶̶7̶̶̶1̶̶̶,̶̶̶ ̶̶̶s̶̶̶i̶̶̶z̶̶̶e̶̶̶ ̶̶̶1̶̶̶6̶̶̶.̶̶̶4̶̶̶2̶̶̶”̶̶̶ ̶̶̶(̶̶̶w̶̶̶)̶̶̶ ̶̶̶x̶̶̶ ̶̶̶1̶̶̶1̶̶̶.̶̶̶3̶̶̶”̶̶̶ ̶̶̶(̶̶̶d̶̶̶)̶̶̶ ̶̶̶x̶̶̶ ̶̶̶1̶̶̶.̶̶̶1̶̶̶8̶̶̶”̶̶̶ ̶̶̶(̶̶̶h̶̶̶)̶̶̶.

https://www.thenorthface.com/shop/e...ckpacks/big-shot?variationId=0Z1#pr-container
https://www.thenorthface.com/shop/equipment-backpacks-mens-backpacks/borealis?variationId=A7U
https://www.thenorthface.com/shop/equipment-backpacks-mens-backpacks/pivoter?variationId=BTG

EDIT: Stupid question, didn't see sleeve dimensions. The smallest sleeve is 12" x 13" so it will probably fit my laptop. Also, I suppose sleeve isn't necessary?

 

Basically any backpack+sleeve = laptop backpack. Laptop backpack without sleeve it's just an expensive backpack...

So, if you come across a nice bag, get it. Then add laptop sleeve and you are good to go.

Not so long ago I upgraded my work bag, went from this to this. I just put in a 17" sleeve and now I have a laptop bag with huge space for tools and comfortable to carry when it's really heavy. Second reason for the upgrade was simple: new bag opens from the sides all the way, so I don't have to take out everything if I want something from the bottom. Whatever I needed, it's always somewhere in there, under everything else.

Timbuk2 HAL backpack could take up to three laptops (one 17" and two 15") at once, so it wasn't small at all. It serves as my free time bag now.