When you purchase a backpack, you expect it to perform a certain way. You need it to be able to withstand the rigors of daily use. It should have enough padding to keep your sensitive items secure, yet have plenty of interior space so you can carry everything you need for any given day. The best backpacks of 2017 will help you meet these needs and so much more.
The Best Chart for Backpacks in 2017
How can you tell which backpacks are going to be the best? Through public reviews and in-depth product trials. The chart below offers you a look at what people that were in your position found to be the best products to meet their needs.
| Picture | Name | Our Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | AmazonBasics Backpack for Laptops | 4.4 | $ |
 | Under Armour Hustle Backpack | 4.7 | $$ |
 | High Sierra Loop Backpack | 4.5 | $ |
 | Mountaintop 65L + 10L Internal Frame Pack | 5.0 | $$$ |
 | Osprey Packs Quantum Daypack | 4.7 | $$$ |
 | Tumi Alpha Kingsville Deluxe Backpack | 4.7 | $$$$$+ |
 | SwissGear Laptop Backpack | 4.3 | $$ |
 | The North Face Vault Backpack | 4.7 | $$ |
 | Jansport Backpack | 4.4 | $ |
 | Teton Sports Internal Frame Backpack | 4.5 | $$ |
| Picture | Name | Our Rating | Price |
How To Find the Best Backpack for Me This Year
If you’re looking for a new backpack, then don’t settle for whatever you find on the discount shelf. Backpacks are highly personal items, which are designed to meet specific needs that you have. You might save money by shopping deep sales, but that doesn’t mean your new backpack can actually meet the needs you have. We recommend looking at 3 specific areas when shopping to find the best backpack possible.
- Capacity. The size of the backpack you need is determined by what your daily needs happen to be. How long will your trip be? How many classes do you have each day? Are you willing to carry a lot of bulk? If you can’t fit everything in your backpack, then you’ve just wasted your money.
- Features. Backpacks are refined to affect how it will work for each person. From electronics pockets to mesh pouches to secure cash compartments, you’ll want to determine your personal needs first before shopping for your next backpack.
- Fit. Many people think their height is the most important measurement to consider when shopping for the best backpack possible. It’s not. Your torso length is the most important measurement to have because that is what will be supporting the bulk of the weight you’re planning to carry.
Add these components to the information you’ll find in reviews about your preferred backpacks and you’ll be able to find something that works for your budget.
The Features of the Best Backpacks in 2017
Today’s backpacks are rich in features. If your budget is tight, then you’ll need to shop for specific features to have your needs met instead of investing in an all-around heavy duty backpack that can do just about everything. Here are the 5 most important features you’ll want to think about having included with your backpack purchase today.
#1. Access
How you can get into your backpack is incredibly important. Most packs are designed with a top-loading opening, but not all of them. Consider a panel access design for a little extra security.
#2. Pockets
Side pockets are pretty common on the modern backpack. The structure of that pocket, however, can be very different. Some have mesh pockets. Others have zippered pockets. Elastic pockets are even available. Think about what you want to carry and how you want to carry it with this feature.
#3. Ventilation
Backpacks without ventilation will make your back sweaty. For some materials, your sweat can even degrade the quality of the backpack. Search for something comfortable with this feature.
#4. Frame
Some of the best backpacks offer an external frame that makes long-term carrying a lot easier to do. Internal framing can support heavier weights, like a day’s worth of textbooks.
#5. Attachment Points
This is the best new feature that backpacks have been including as of late. With a carabiner hook, you can attach virtually anything to your pack. Adventurers might bring along an ice pick. You might attach a water bottle.
What Are the Prices of the Best Backpacks for 2017?
The best backpacks this year have a wide range of pricing options. You’ll find some with entry level pricing that hovers around the $25 mark. Some backpacks are going to be $200+ just because the goal of the pack is to give you everything you’ll need for years to come. If you’re willing to shop for some specific features and don’t need something that can stand up to backcountry use, then most folks will be able to find a high-quality backpack in the $50-$100 range that does everything they need it to do.
What Do Our Reviews Have To Say?
AmazonBasics
If you need a laptop backpack quick fast and in a hurry, then we highly recommend this option. It’s a large backpack that holds up to a 17-inch notebook or a 15-inch laptop. You’ve got plenty of compartments that will keep your writing utensils and other electronic accessories within easy reach. Mesh side pockets are perfect for a water bottle or other small items you may need to carry. It’s easy to clean, is reasonably durable, and highly affordable – which is why it is one of the best backpacks for 2017.
Click here to look at prices on Amazon and find the best deal.
Under Armour
Made from a durable polyester/nylon combination, this water-resistant backpack is about as tough as they come at its price point. We really like the reinforced bottom on this pack, giving users an added level of abrasion resistance. It also has a laptop sleeve that can hold a 15-inch computer if necessary. 3 interior pockets work with 5 exterior pockets so you can carry everything you need. It works just as well for a trip to the gym as it does taking it to class all day long. There’s also a surprising amount of ventilation incorporated into this design so you won’t get your good clothes sweaty as you hurry to your next appointment.
Click here to look at prices on Amazon and find the best deal.
High Sierra
This loop backpack is made from 100% polyester, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t durable or versatile. The multi-compartment design helps you to keep your day organized. Dedicated media pockets and a tablet computer sleeve will let you pack your electronics for your trip. A monster hook and bottom straps allow you to connect this pack to other items if needed as well. There are 10 pockets in total, a wide variety of designs from which to choose, and this makes it the perfect pack for your next day trip.
Click here to look at prices on Amazon and find the best deal.
Mountaintop
Sometimes you need to pack a lot of stuff to take with you. This internal frame backpack might be designed for hiking or backpacking, but its water-resistant design can do much more than that. It is large enough to fit a sleeping bag with a divider, yet has tool attachment points and an internal design that will let you carry whatever you need to have with you throughout the day. The weight balance is wonderful with this pack, but for those with a larger waist size, there could be some attachment issues with the hip belt to beware of before purchase.
Click here to look at prices on Amazon and find the best deal.
Osprey
This is the most versatile backpack that we’ve seen to date. Not only does it give you media pockets and the option to pack your laptop or sensitive documents, it also has external locations for blinker lights so you can wear the pack safely while riding a bicycle. We love the mesh harness that helps to keep you cool with the AirScape back panel for extra breathability. It also makes travel a lot easier, including airline travel, and is durable enough to be an everyday work bag if needed. If you make one good investment this year, make it this backpack.
Click here to look at prices on Amazon and find the best deal.
Tumi Alpha
This backpack is the epitome of luxury, design, and durability and that is why it is one of the best backpacks of 2017. It has a premium price point, but in return, you receive a ballistic nylon shell with dedicated space for your electronics. Instead of a mesh pocket for your water bottle, you’ve got a 100% waterproof pocket that is large enough to store an umbrella. There are tons of organization pockets on the interior and the craftsmanship is beyond compare. If you want a sturdy, well-constructed backpack that will do everything you need it to do, this is the best backpack for you.
Click here to look at prices on Amazon and find the best deal.
SwissGear
If you do a lot of traveling for business, then we highly recommend giving this backpack a close look. It unfolds to a flat position so that you can have a security checkpoint quickly go through your items if necessary, yet there is enough interior padding to make sure you electronics stay safe. Padded straps help to secure laptops of virtually any size below 15 inches with ease. The air flow system for the back keeps you comfortable and the flip-down design of the exterior pockets makes it easy to access your pencils and notebooks for class. It’s comfortable, affordable, and gets the job done.
Click here to look at prices on Amazon and find the best deal.
The North Face
When you’ve got to carry a backpack all day long, the weight can cause pain in your shoulders and cause your back to feel like it is a leaking faucet. With the FlexVent suspension system, the compression-molded shoulder straps help to keep the weight balanced a lot better than your standard backpack. The mesh back panel stops bothersome back sweat, giving you a maximum level of ventilation and support. You’ve even got a floating laptop sleeve for a 15-inch computer you can use with this backpack in the main compartment.
Click here to look at prices on Amazon and find the best deal.
Jansport
This might seem like a basic backpack at first with only a few features, but don’t discount the durability this pack can provide. It’s got enough interior space to fit a day’s worth of school books and keep the weight balanced well. You do need to be a little careful with the zippers as they can catch on the material from time to time, but that’s really the only issue we have seen with this particular backpack. It’s a straight cut pack with padded straps and it does what it is intended to do, which is why it is one of the best backpacks of the year.
Click here to look at prices on Amazon and find the best deal.
Teton Sports
This polyester hiking and travel bag holds 55L and has an adjustable torso length for added comfort. Compression straps on the front and sides will keep your items secure. Bungee stash storage is available on the back of the pack, plus there’s an added front storage compartment as well. You can storage your shoes, your climbing accessories, or pretty much anything else you need to take with you thanks to the reinforced internal frame and helpful side pockets that don’t stick out. It takes a little to get used to wearing this pack, but that is really our only complaint.
Click here to look at prices on Amazon and find the best deal.
The best backpacks for 2017 will help you to see the world, take your textbooks to school, or safely back the project you need to deliver at work. Find the one that works best for you and you’ll be making a wise investment.
