Reviewed by Jan Marek
A travel backpack isn’t the same as a hiking backpack. Hiking packs are optimised for load distribution over long walking distances and durability in extreme conditions. Travel backpacks are optimised for airline carry-on compliance, easy packing and unpacking, and carrying comfort across airports and urban environments.
What Makes a Good Travel Backpack
Carry-on compliance. The best travel backpacks fit within the strictest low-cost carrier limits, not just the more generous full-service airline allowances.
Clamshell opening. A backpack that opens fully flat like a suitcase, rather than top-loading like a hiking pack, is dramatically easier to pack and unpack quickly. This is the single feature that separates dedicated travel backpacks from repurposed hiking packs.
Laptop compartment. A padded sleeve accessible separately from the main compartment matters for airport security and working on the road.
Comfortable extended carry. A padded hip belt, well-designed shoulder straps, and a ventilated back panel make a real difference across airports and long walking days.
Organised internal pockets. Logical internal organisation reduces how much unpacking you need to do to find specific items.
Top Picks
Osprey Farpoint 40 — Best all-round travel backpack
The closest thing to a consensus recommendation in this category, and the consensus reflects genuine quality. The clamshell opening makes packing genuinely easy, the padded hip belt and harness make carrying 10 to 12kg comfortable over distance, and the separate laptop sleeve is accessible without opening the main compartment. The 40-litre capacity hits the sweet spot between enough space for two weeks and staying within most carry-on limits.
The optional attachable daypack adds useful organisation but also weight when attached, and the hip belt, while functional, remains slightly visible in urban settings rather than fully hideable.
Best for: trips of one to three weeks, travellers who want proven reliability, and budget-airline flyers with strict carry-on limits.
Peak Design Travel Backpack 30L — Best for photographers and professionals
A different approach from the Osprey: designed for urban professional use with a distinctive aesthetic and extremely considered organisation. The magnetic MagLatch closure makes it uniquely quick to access, and the organisation, a dedicated tech pocket, cube-compatible main compartment, thoughtful pocket placement, is exceptional. Build quality is among the highest in the category.
At 30 litres, it suits travellers who pack light or use it as a carry-on alongside a checked bag. It sits at the premium end of the market, and the frameless design makes it less comfortable than framed alternatives for heavy loads over long distances.
Best for: professionals, photographers, and frequent flyers who prioritise quality and organisation over maximum capacity.
Nomatic Travel Pack 20L and 40L — Best for tech-focused travellers
Nomatic designs specifically for remote workers and frequent travellers, and it shows: cable management and dedicated tech pockets are better than most competitors at this price point. The 40-litre version fits most airline carry-on limits with an extremely practical layout.
The aesthetic is functional rather than stylish, and the lack of a frame makes heavy loads less comfortable than framed alternatives.
Best for: remote workers and tech-heavy travellers wanting maximum device organisation.
What We Did Not Recommend and Why
Cheap budget travel backpacks: carry-on compliance claims are often optimistic, construction doesn’t hold up to extended use, and organisation is typically poor in practice. The gap in real-world use between a cheap backpack and a quality one is significant.
Large hiking-style backpacks repurposed for travel: often too large for carry-on compliance, top-loading and awkward to pack efficiently, and designed for load distribution patterns that don’t translate well to urban travel.
Choosing Your Size
20 to 30 litres suits minimalist travellers on trips up to a week, or as a day bag alongside checked luggage. 35 to 45 litres is the sweet spot for one to three weeks carry-on only, fitting most airline limits. Above 45 litres typically exceeds carry-on compliance on budget airlines.
Maintaining Your Travel Backpack
A quality travel backpack should last five to ten years of regular use with proper care: store clean and dry, treat zip teeth with lubricant periodically, and reapply a water-repellent treatment every year or two if you’ll use it in wet conditions. The zip is the most common failure point; a sticking zip is usually salvageable with cleaning rather than needing replacement.
Backpack vs Wheeled Luggage
Backpacks are better when you’re moving between accommodation frequently, using public transport, or navigating uneven terrain (cobblestones, stairs, unpaved surfaces). Wheeled carry-on is better for trips mostly between airports and hotels with smooth floors, static itineraries with one or two bases, or where physical considerations make a loaded backpack uncomfortable. Most experienced travellers own both and choose by trip type. If buying your first travel bag and uncertain, a 40 to 45-litre backpack is the more versatile starting point.