The 9 Best Carry-on Backpacks of 2023

We tested 27 carry-on backpacks and evaluated them based on traits like capacity, comfort, durability, and design. Our top pick for the best carry-on backpack overall is the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack . We love the various pockets and compartments for organization, and there are several access points that make it easy to grab items from the main section when needed. The bag has comfortable straps that mold to the shape of your shoulders, and the soft rubber material makes the outside durable and resistant to damage. But if the sporty look isn’t your style, we tested plenty of carry-on backpacks ranging in style and size that impressed our travel experts.

Skip the stress of checking in a bag or lugging a traditional carry-on suitcase around an airport by adding a carry-on backpack to your travel gear. Practical, functional, and hassle-free, a carry-on backpack can fit up to a week’s worth of clothes, depending on your wardrobe and packing prowess. Whether you’re backpacking through Europe or embarking on a weekend getaway , a carry-on backpack makes your trip as efficient and enjoyable as possible.

Best Overall

Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack

5

Amazon

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View On REI

View On Backcountry.com

Our Ratings

• Capacity

  5

  /5

• Design

  5

  /5

• Comfort

  5

  /5

• Durability

  5

  /5

• Value

  5

  /5

Why We Love It: The backpack has an unstructured style that makes it easy to pack clothing and accessories, plus a plethora of thoughtful features catered to frequent travelers.

What to Consider: There isn’t a designated water bottle holder.

Salt Lake City-based outdoor gear brand Cotopaxi builds brightly colored clothing and accessories to last. The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack earned our top pick as the best carry-on backpack with its perfect performance in all categories of our testing. We loved its high capacity and thought the unstructured style was ideal for wedging clothes into every corner, maximizing packing space in the clamshell-style compartments. One side of the backpack has two small and one medium zippered pockets, while the other side consists of one main compartment for storing bigger clothing items like jackets and shoes. The rear of the Allpa 35L has a padded sleeve as well as a cleverly placed zipper for reaching items packed at the bottom of the main compartment.The front of the backpack has a large zippered pocket that our tester thought was perfect for fitting smaller electronics and a 32-ounce water bottle, but, disappointingly, there is no exterior water bottle holder. The shell is made of a TPU-coated 1000D polyester with a rubbery feel, and although it feels resistant to liquids, the backpack comes with a rain cover to ensure that your belongings stay dry while traveling. Handles on all four sides of the backpack make it easy to carry and lift into an overhead bin from any angle. 

 After our comfortability tests, our tester said, “I was so pleased with how the straps contoured to the shape of my shoulders and chest. The material used on the back of the pack is mesh, so it’s super comfortable.” Mesh also helps promote air flow and breathability for days when you’re hauling your backpack in the heat. Overall, we think this durable Cotopaxi bag will remain in excellent condition no matter how many times it hits the road, as it was not damaged at all after we repeatedly tossed it onto the ground. The rubber texture also seemed easy to clean and resistant to liquid spills. Both stylish and functional, this backpack can even be made one-of-a-kind by choosing the surprise colors option when purchased through Cotopaxi’s website.

Price at time of publish: $200

 Capacity: 35 liters | Dimensions: 20 x 12 x 8 inches

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson

Best Budget

Asenlin 40L Travel Backpack

4.8

Amazon

View On Amazon

Our Ratings

• Capacity

  5

  /5

• Design

  5

  /5

• Comfort

  5

  /5

• Durability

  5

  /5

• Value

  4

  /5

Why We Love It: It’s spacious and comes with three packing cubes to stay organized while traveling. 

What to Consider: It’s not the best when you want to quickly access your items since it opens horizontally.

Perfect for travelers on a budget, the Asenlin 40L Travel Backpack impressed us with its packing features and comfortable fit. Our tester thought the bag provided excellent organization thanks to the interior and exterior compression that provided extra room for packing. The backpack also includes three different packing cubes; small, medium, and large. “I love that this bag is spacious and includes packing cubes to make packing even easier,” one tester said. “I also like that this backpack includes both a suitcase strap and a handle to hold it horizontally. The backpack itself also includes straps in the inside and a laptop sleeve to easily hold down items and pack electronics.”

The design didn’t blow us away like those from some of the more costly brands, but it does feature a laptop sleeve and a water bottle holder. Another tester also liked the flexibility of being able to wear the Asenlin as a backpack, hold it like a briefcase, or use the trolley sleeve to slide it onto a roller suitcase’s handle. However, they did note that a bigger adjustment range for the chest strap would have been ideal. During our durability test, the backpack didn’t scuff or show signs of damage. We think this budget pick is well worth the low price for those looking to get a durable, comfortable, and spacious carry-on backpack. 

Price at time of publish: $80

Capacity: 40 liters | Dimensions: 18.5 x 12.5 x 9.5 inches

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson

Best for Business Trips

Nomatic Travel Bag 40L

4.6

Nomatic

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Our Ratings

• Capacity

  5

  /5

• Design

  5

  /5

• Comfort

  3

  /5

• Durability

  5

  /5

• Value

  5

  /5

Why We Love It: The bag opens from behind the straps, protecting you from theft or losing items.

What to Consider: It wasn’t the most comfortable bag to carry that we tested and it doesn’t have a water bottle pocket.

With plenty of space to pack bulky clothes, we think the Nomatic Travel Bag 40L would make an excellent carry-on backpack for business trips. Its rectangular shape makes it easy to pack folded clothing and keep them tidy. There are two separate shoe compartments, a padded laptop sleeve, and several smaller pockets for work-related items like pens, glasses, chargers, and folders. The bag also includes a laundry sack — a thoughtful touch for separating dirty garments while traveling. “I would recommend the product for anyone who enjoys backpack traveling,” one tester said. “This is much slimmer than other bags I have used in the past, and having the full zipper is so much more ideal to me rather than a top loaded backpack, which makes it hard to pack.”

The Nomatic Travel Bag can be converted from a backpack with shoulder straps to a duffel bag with tote straps depending on your carrying preference. While our tester loved the design of the backpack, they added that the straps weren’t super comfortable to wear, as they were stiff and dug into their neck slightly. However, our tester appreciated the hip belt and felt that it helped to evenly distribute the weight of the backpack. Although comfortability wasn’t the backpack’s strongest attribute, we still think it’s worth the price thanks to its durable, efficient design that can keep you organized on work trips. 

Price at time of publish: $290

Capacity: 40 liters | Dimensions: 21 x 9 x 14 inches

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thomspon

The Best Anti-theft Backpacks, Tested by Travel Experts

Best Traditional

Samsonite Silhouette 17 Backpack

4.6

Macy’s

View On Samsonite.com

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View On Bloomingdales

Our Ratings

• Capacity

  5

  /5

• Design

  4

  /5

• Comfort

  5

  /5

• Durability

  4

  /5

• Value

  5

  /5

Why We Love It: It’s like a suitcase without wheels.

What to Consider: Some of the straps weren’t intuitive to use.

The Samsonite Silhouette 17 Backpack is ideal for travelers who like the structure and sleek, minimalist style of a traditional suitcase but want the portability of a backpack. “I love that this bag opens like a suitcase, making it easy to access everything inside,” one tester reported. There was plenty of space leftover after they packed the backpack, and the classic clamshell opening allowed for easy access to items in the compression-strapped main compartment and the zippered pockets on the interior of the front flap. The tester thought all of the interior and exterior pockets, including the water bottle holder and padded laptop sleeve, were useful for traveling. The backpack can be converted to being worn as a duffel bag or a briefcase, and it has a rear strap to place on a rolling suitcase if desired. The straps were easy to adjust and our tester felt like the weight was nicely distributed thanks to the structured style of the backpack. There was a small scuff on the bag after it was tossed during our durability test, but the contents of the backpack were unharmed. We think that this can easily replace a traditional carry-on suitcase, with another tester saying, “I think this bag has gone above and beyond! It fits overhead and fits under the seat. It’s a backpack with the features of a well-compartmentalized suitcase and much more.”

Price at time of publish: $200

Capacity: Not listed  | Dimensions: 13 x 20.5 x 10.5 inches

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson

The 11 Best Backpacks With Shoe Compartments of 2023

Best Style

Everlane ReNew Transit Backpack

4.3

Everlane

View On Everlane.com

Our Ratings

• Capacity

  3.5

  /5

• Design

  3

  /5

• Comfort

  5

  /5

• Durability

  5

  /5

• Value

  5

  /5

Why We Love It: This lightweight backpack has a sleek and contemporary design that comes in several earthy colors.  

What to Consider: It has a smaller capacity than many backpacks and can only fit a day or two of clothes.

 If you’re looking to travel in style, Everlane’s The ReNew Transit Backpack is the perfect fit. Functional and contemporary, we found it to be best suited for weekend trips because of its smaller capacity. The bag fit all of the packing items during testing, but it would be difficult to fit much more in the main compartment. Our tester thought the ReNew Transit was comfortable to wear thanks to its lightweight polyester material and compact build. The front flap of the backpack has an external pocket for smaller items, and it folds over to attach magnetically to the front of the backpack. During our durability tests, the front magnets stayed securely together, and the body of the backpack didn’t get crushed or damaged. We liked how it can fit under an airplane seat, making it a versatile backpack for traveling with or without other pieces of luggage. There is a laptop sleeve in the back of the bag as well as a water bottle holder on the side and a front zippered pocket below the folding magnetic lock. With six earthy tones to choose from, this is a bag to fit all travel style preferences. 

Price at time of publish: $95

Capacity: 27 liters | Dimensions: 12 x 17.5 x 7.25 inches

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson

The Best Carry-on Luggage of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Best Large

Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

4.9

TripSavvy / Conor Ralph.

View On Amazon

View On Zappos

View On Adorama.com

Our Ratings

• Capacity

  5

  /5

• Design

  5

  /5

• Comfort

  5

  /5

• Durability

  5

  /5

• Value

  4.5

  /5

Why We Love It: You can access the main compartment on the bag from four different exterior zippers.

What to Consider: This is the most expensive backpack on our list.

This 45-liter backpack has a main compartment that is spacious enough to fit clothes for at least four days, and its expansive design is helpful for packing bulky items like jackets and shoes. Placing the clothes and shoes into the bag during testing was efficient and simple thanks to a removable divider sleeve and compression straps to hold everything down securely. Designed with photographers in mind, the backpack can fit camera cubes, and four points of entry to the main compartment allow travelers to quickly grab clothes or accessories without unzipping the backpack. There is a padded laptop sleeve and stretchy side pockets for water bottles or a camera tripod. 

Our tester appreciated having handles on all four sides of the backpack, which made lifting the bag into the overhead compartment easy. Peak Design didn’t let any space go to waste on its backpack, so even the hip belt has a small pocket on it for storage and can be packed away when you’re not looking for extra support. It’s also easy to adjust all of the straps to prevent weight imbalances and pinching, according to our tester. Made of weatherproof and water-resistant recycled nylon, the bag held up perfectly after we tossed it on the ground, showing no signs of scuffs or damage. Although the price of this bag is steep, it comes with plenty of helpful features for travelers, and the stellar performance leads us to believe that it would last a long time. 

Price at time of publish: $300

 Capacity: 45 liters | Dimensions: 13 x 22 x 9.5 inches

Travel + Leisure / Conor Ralph

Best for Foot Travel

Osprey Fairview 40

5

Amazon

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Our Ratings

• Capacity

  5

  /5

• Design

  5

  /5

• Comfort

  5

  /5

• Durability

  5

  /5

• Value

  5

  /5

Why We Love It: The compartments and various straps made packing effortless. 

What to Consider: It’s a large bag, but it wasn’t so heavy that it was uncomfortable to wear.

For travelers journeying on foot, the Osprey Fairview wowed us with its spacious interior and comfortable fit. One tester even said, “The straps for walking longer distances are really the best part. It makes your bag feel like your carrying less since the weight is so well distributed.” The bags have the same storage capacity and general style, but Osprey’s women’s backpacks are designed to fit a smaller torso with waist and chest harnesses that sit upward and outward for a more comfortable carry. In testing, the main compartment and mesh zippered pouch on the front flap proved to be spacious, with another tester saying, “it just kept swallowing everything I had planned on packing and there is more than enough space to add more items; pockets on pockets and all the space you need.” There are two internal compression straps and one external strap that kept belongings secure through our rough handling, so we think the bag would provide sufficient protection if you do need to check it in for a flight. 

We appreciated the padded shoulder straps and back that made wearing the backpack comfortable, despite the weight of its contents. The Osprey Fairview bags have an internal suspension the brand calls “LightWire” that distributes the weight from the harness to the hip belt, and our tester noted that their shoulders didn’t hurt after carrying the backpack since most of the weight shifted to their lower body. “If you like to travel light and agile, you will enjoy this bag,” the tester added.

Price at time of publish: $240

Capacity: 40 liters | Dimensions: 22 x 14 x 9 inches

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson

Best Compression

Tropicfeel Shell Backpack

4.4

Tropicfeel

View On Tropicfeel.com

Our Ratings

• Capacity

  5

  /5

• Design

  4

  /5

• Comfort

  4

  /5

• Durability

  5

  /5

• Value

  4

  /5

Why We Love It: It can be converted from 40 liters for traveling to 22 liters to use as a daypack. 

What to Consider: The handle on the top of the bag wasn’t as comfortable to hold onto as we hoped. 

We love this backpack’s thoughtful features geared toward all types of travelers. The Tropicfeel Shell Backpack has the ability to store 30 to 40 liters worth of clothing for a weekend or week-long trip, but it can also be used as a 22-liter backpack for day trips, sightseeing, and everyday use. Our tester had no issues fitting the number of clothing items and added that there was plenty more room thanks to the variety of buckled straps that allow you to adjust the size of the bag. The front buckle can be loosened to allow the roll-up opening flap to expand to fit more items, and there is a kangaroo pouch at the bottom of the backpack that provides an additional 6 liters of space for shoes or other items you want to keep separate. There’s also a padded compartment in the back of the backpack that can fit laptops up to 17 inches long. We thought the backpack was comfortable to wear after adjusting the shoulder and waist straps, but we found that it might take some effort to get the buckles into your desired setting. One tester said, “I have back pain and it really helps especially with the way it sits on my lower back.”

The Shell Backpack didn’t show any signs of damage throughout testing, and the material is weather-proof. For travelers looking to add upgrades to their backpack, the brand has an organization system and accessory pouches that can be added for additional fees. If you need an all-in-one kind of carry-on backpack, we think this backpack’s versatility makes it well worth the higher cost. 

Capacity: 22 liters compressed | Dimensions: 12 x 20 x 7.5 inches

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson

The 10 Best Waterproof Backpacks of 2023

Best Organization

Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 30L

4.4

Topo Designs

View On Amazon

View On Topodesigns.com

Our Ratings

• Capacity

  4

  /5

• Design

  5

  /5

• Comfort

  5

  /5

• Durability

  5

  /5

• Value

  3

  /5

Why We Love It: It comes with packing cubes in a variety of sizes to organize your belongings and an expandable water bottle pocket. 

What to Consider: The material of the bag feels stiff and doesn’t have much give for overpacking.

Packing for a trip can often feel tedious, but the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 30L helps make it easy and efficient. The backpack comes with a removable packing system that includes two compression bags, two accessory bags, and one toiletry bag. The compression bags are designed to fit inside the main compartment along with the toiletry bag, and the accessory pouches can be placed in the zippered mesh pockets along the inside of the front flap. Our tester said, “I could easily see places to stash cords, travel docs, electronics, water bottles, and more.” We loved how convenient it is to store a laptop up to 15 inches in the padded compartment in the back of the bag, and there are two front pockets for easy access to a tablet or phone charger. The adjustable shoulder straps helped evenly distribute the backpack’s weight, making it easier and more comfortable to carry around. Our tester, who is very familiar with how rough baggage is handled after working in aviation, noted that the 100 percent recycled nylon material felt durable and would likely stay in good condition over time. 

Price at time of publish: $189

Capacity: 30 liters | Dimensions: 12.5 x 20 x 7 inches

Travel + Leisure / Jhett Thompson