The Best Backpacks for College and High School Students

We used to recommend the small, stylish Rains Backpack Mini for college and high school students. Although we still appreciate its good looks and fully waterproof exterior, we’ve concluded that it’s better suited as a fashion backpack or a purse alternative. The bag’s unpadded straps are difficult to adjust, and its small capacity and subpar ergonomics are hard to overlook—especially in comparison with our new picks, such as the equally stylish but much more functional Everlane ReNew Transit Backpack—and these days we aren’t fans of the Rains pack’s lack of organizational pockets and its carabiner closure. In addition, the Rains pack doesn’t have enough room to accommodate the amount of stuff that the average college or high school student totes around—and even if it did, this wouldn’t be the bag to tote all of that in. When full, the Rains Backpack Mini tilts away from the body, increasing strain to the neck and upper back, and its thin straps dig into the shoulders.