Back to School: 9 Best Laptop Backpacks for Students

It’s back to school time, again! It still feels like summer, but vacations are ending and kids are heading back to class. With school comes school supplies, and maybe a new book bag. Students are transporting a variety of tech with them each day, and this can include laptops. Rather than just shoving a laptop into an ordinary book bag, laptop backpacks can help to make carrying a laptop more convenient, and hopefully a little safer.

A good laptop backpack for students can fit a laptop, books, and other school supplies, all without too much weight and bulk. When selecting a laptop backpack, consider whether your child would prefer lots of organizational pockets or a simple design. Padded straps are a necessity, and the laptop pocket or sleeve should offer some protection. Consider the laptop size when selecting a bag; most student bags fit 13″ and 15″ laptops and smaller laptop pockets are a great fit for tablets, too. It should be appropriately sized for your child, durable enough to last at least the school year, and of course, it’s important that it looks cool.

Best Laptop Backpacks for Students

Mancro Laptop Backpack 
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Amazon Basics Laptop Computer Backpack
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Kenneth Cole Reaction Chelsea Chevron 15″ Laptop Backpack 
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The North Face Borealis Backpack
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JanSport Cool Student Backpack 
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Targus Legend IQ Backpack
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Under Armour Hustle II Backpack
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Herschel Supply Co. Settlement Backpack
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Top Student Laptop Bag Reviews

Overall Best Laptop Backpack: Mancro Laptop Backpack 

Mancro Laptop Backpack

The Mancro Laptop Backpack is the editor’s choice for the best laptop backpacks for college students. The value-for-money laptop bag has all the features a student would want in a backpack: plenty of space, comfortable to carry, easy access to contents, a built-in USB port, a laptop pouch, an anti-theft lock, and waterproof.

Backpacks for college students should have lots of pockets and compartments. The Mancro laptop bag has 16 storage pockets! These well-designed pockets and compartments expand to hold extra items and come in different sizes, accommodating everything students need to pack going to school, a fun hiking trip, or traveling home.

It is the ideal backpack to keep things organized and safe. Special compartments include a detachable laptop compartment for a 15.6-inch laptop. The detachable sleeve provides additional protection to the computer when outside the backpack. The primary compartment has a built-in USB charging port and the capacity to store books, gym clothes, or function as an overnight bag.

Separate pockets in the front compartment keep things organized. The organizer has a smartphone pocket, another slip pocket, two pen holders, and a larger slip pocket for notes. It’d be a great backpack for teenagers on its own.

External mesh side pockets expand to hold a compact umbrella and water bottles. An anti-theft exterior zipper pocket for personal items hides up against the student’s body. The bottom pocket stores the rain cover. The older model was also water-resistant, made from durable nylon material, but did not have a waterproof rain cover.

Student backpacks fill up quickly. The mesh padding designed with a multi-panel airflow system and adjustable padded shoulder straps offers maximum support to students’ shoulders and backs when carrying heavy loads. The college backpack has a well-padded grab handle and a luggage strap for traveling students.

The unisex backpack is one of the best backpacks for college students, with ample space, durable design, and looks good at an affordable price.

Best Organizer Type Of Laptop Bag: Amazon Basics Laptop Computer Backpack

Amazon Basics Laptop Computer Backpack

The AmazonBasics Laptop Computer Backpack comes with multiple compartments to keep books, devices, snacks, gym clothes, and smaller items separate and organized. The chambers expand, providing a lot of storage space.

With five zipper compartments, each dedicated to storing various items in different sizes, students can easily find something without unpacking the entire bag. The zippers ensure content doesn’t fall out, especially when transferring the pack from hand to shoulder. Mesh water bottle pockets on the sides secure the bottles and are immediately accessible without needing to unzip an interior compartment. Content stays dry from leaky bottles or accidental spills with the water bottles stored in the outside pockets.

The front zipper compartment comes with slip pouches for chargers, smartphones, stationary, earphones, and headphones. A small zipper pocket at the top is perfect for smaller items like keys and student id cards. Two more compartments can hold notepads, books, folders, and papers. The college backpack design supports laptops with larger screens; the internal dimensions are 12 x 4.5 x 17.5 inches. If the padded laptop compartment is too small for your 17-inch laptop, it might fit in the main compartment.

If you are looking for a classic design in basic black that offers lots of packing space, then the AmazonBasics bag is one of the best backpacks for college students. It is also an excellent choice for a backpack for school students.

Best College Backpack for Women: Kenneth Cole Reaction Chelsea Chevron 15″ Laptop Backpack 

Kenneth Cole Reaction Chelsea Chevron 15" Laptop Backpack

The Kenneth Cole Reaction Chelsea Chevron Backpack is fashionable, functional, and comfortable, the perfect stylish laptop backpack for women. The chevron-quilted polyester twill exterior is water-resistant, and gold-plated zippers give it that extra chic touch. The college student bag comes in four sophisticated colors, black, burgundy, olive, and navy. Beautiful striped polyester lining complements the exterior color. The fully lined interior is tear-resistant, and the material is durable for daily use.

The sleek design has ample storage space for technology devices, including a padded tablet pocket and a padded laptop sleeve that fits a 15-inch laptop screen. Measuring 15.25 x 10 x 1.75 inches, a 13-inch MacBook, 14-inch, or 15-inch laptops fit in the padded pocket. The roomy main compartment offers lots of space for books and files; the padded tablet pocket is large enough for most tablets.

A water bottle fits in any of the two exterior side pockets. The laptop backpack comes with two exterior zipper pockets at the front; one is a zip-around front pocket functioning as an extensive organizer with various open-top accessory pouches. A smaller zipper pocket is perfect for storing quick-access items like keys, business cards, or cell phones.

With the rear trolley strap that slides over most luggage handles, the backpack is an excellent choice for college students and business people who travel often. The backpack comes with padded shoulder straps and a carry handle. The adjustable shoulder strap design lets you adjust the straps to your height.

Most Comfortable Laptop Backpack: The North Face Borealis Backpack

The North Face Borealis Backpack

The North Face Borealis Backpack is the ultimate backpack for college students who carry lots of stuff in their backpacks, commute to school, and want a comfortable experience carrying their backpacks. College students move around all day carrying heavy loads that can stress their backs and shoulders. The backpack looks cool, has a 28L capacity, and comes with a custom-fit waist belt and a sternum strap for better weight shifting and support.

Endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association, the laptop backpack is an excellent backpack for college students. The FlexVent suspension system comprises a flexible yoke made from custom injection-molded shoulder straps. The padded back panel with the breathable mesh lumbar panel provides additional comfort.

The front compartment features a padded tablet sleeve, pockets for stationary, and secure-zip pockets. The external fleece-lined pocket keeps keys and sunglasses safe. A spacious main compartment keeps books, binders, and everything else you need; it has a dedicated laptop compartment to carry devices safely. The side water bottle pocket on each side panel is easily accessible; the mesh pockets can also double as a cell phone pocket.

Stylishly designed, the compact backpack comes in twenty-eight color choices and a lifetime warranty. The nylon ripstop material with a water-repellent finish offers water-resistance protection to the interior. If the backpack doesn’t have enough space to keep your belongings organized, the front elastic bungee system offers additional external storage. With a light load, the bungee cords secure the content and tighten the pack into a shape for easier wear.

Designed for comfort and safety, the North Face Borealis laptop bag is one of the best backpacks for college students. The whistle buckle attached to the sternum strap is an extra safety feature. Call for help by blowing the whistle.

Best Travel Laptop Bags: Matein Travel Laptop Backpack

Matein Travel Laptop Backpack

The Matein Travel Laptop Backpack is the type of laptop shoulder bag college students who travel across the country or commute daily to a college campus would consider. It is a sturdy backpack with enough storage compartments to hold everything you need for college or a business trip.

A 15.6-inch laptop fits in the dedicated laptop compartment; the internal sleeve has a safety strap that secures smaller laptops, from a 13-inch laptop to a 15-inch laptop. Matein has a larger laptop bag with a separate compartment that fits a 17-inch laptop. There is more than enough room to store books, binders, lunch, clothes, carry your laptop, and anything else a student would need in the spacious central compartment.

A front pocket features a key fob hook, pen pockets, two slide pockets, a zipper mesh pocket, and space for notes or a tablet. The laptop bag has smaller external pockets made from mesh material, two quick-access pockets on the side, and the padded zippered pocket at the back of the bag. The latter hidden pocket is perfect for storing passports or student cards. A water bottle or compact umbrella fits in the elastic mesh side pockets.

The foam-padded top handle is soft and durable to carry your laptop bag by hand. Alternatively, adjust the breathable backpack straps to fit your height, reducing the stress on your shoulders. The soft multi-panel ventilated back panel padding breathes and offers maximum support to the back. Charge your phone with the built-in USB charging port on your way to the next classroom.

The metal zippers and durable polyester materials are water-resistant. The stylish design in various color options is an excellent choice for school, as a college student bag or a fashion backpack for teens. The backpack with USB charging port, water bottle pockets, exterior pockets, a separate padded laptop sleeve, storage options, and comfortable straps is also one of the best personal carry-on bags for adults with a traveling lifestyle.

Most Reliable Classic Laptop Backpack: JanSport Cool Student Backpack 

JanSport Cool Student Backpack

The JanSport Cool Student Backpack carries the backpack tradition from a school bag to a specially designed college backpack. The iconic backpack with the signature leather bottom comes in various color combinations and fabric designs reflecting different styles, from floral patterns to vintage stripes to herringbone and plain weaves.

If you went through elementary school and high school with a JanSport stylish backpack, no need to change brands, JanSport has you covered for college too. With over 50 years of experience, JanSport backpacks are reliable, durable quality products, and the company backs their bags with a lifetime guarantee.

Two large main compartments have enough space to stash textbooks and everything else a college student needs for the classroom; there’s even room for workout clothes. An internal laptop sleeve holds a 15-inch MacBook Pro or smaller 13 or 14-inch laptops. Two zippered front pockets feature an organizer for gadgets and other essentials, and the side pocket has a water bottle compartment for easy access.  It’s a great backpack for kids too.

Ergonomic S-curve shoulder straps rest comfortably on a student’s shoulders, and a fully padded back panel ensures comfort and less stress on the back. The lightweight bag weighs only 1 pound 5 ounces and has a capacity of 34 L. The web haul handle makes it easy to carry your stuff around on campus, and the drawstring closure keeps everything secure.

Best College Bag For Media: Targus Legend IQ Backpack

Targus Legend IQ Backpack- laptop backpacks

A lightweight laptop backpack, the Targus Legend IQ Backpack boasts sturdy construction, comfortable padded straps and back, and lots of extra pockets for more organization so it will fit all your books and more. The padded laptop pocket fits up to 16″ laptops and kids can connect an MP3 player through a cord in the shoulder strap. Comes in several colors for both boys and girls. Just as with any product it should last for more than a year if you take care of it.

It is the kind of bag to pick if you enjoy listening to podcasts or music while on the move. An internal media pocket with an integrated cable gives easy access to the cell phone or headphone port on the shoulder strap. There is a lot of space in the main compartment for standard laptops, devices, textbooks, and files. The bag features a laptop sleeve and dedicated space for a tablet. Five exterior pockets at the front and side panel come with zippers to ensure any article you need is easy to access.

Best Heavy-Duty College Bag: Under Armour Hustle II Backpack

Under Armour Hustle II Backpack- laptop backpacks

A large selection of bright, kid-friendly colors, lightweight construction, and laptop pocket that holds a 15″ computer make the Under Armour Hustle II Backpack a good choice for students. It’s water-resistant and has several pockets both inside and out—plenty of room for books and accessories. As well as this, an abrasion-resistant bottom will prevent tearing. It’s the perfect size for college-goers. As with all Under Armour products, this bag is very comfortable and adjustable and should hold up to the rigors of college life.

The 100% polyester fabric features a soft lining on the inside and fabric strength on the outside. The bag is ideal for college students who commute often, like to sit on college lawns and move over uneven terrain. The tough fabric protects the content and the material from damage when placed on sharp objects.  In a pinch it’d be an excellent book bag for college as well.

Best Vintage Laptop Bag: Herschel Supply Co. Settlement Backpack

Herschel Supply Co. Settlement Backpack- laptop backpacks

The Herschel Supply Co. Settlement Backpack may not have as many bells and whistles as other laptop backpacks, but it has a dedicated laptop pocket for a 15″ laptop and has by far the largest selection of fun, unique colors, and patterns. This backpack’s simple style and sturdy construction make it a good choice for kids. It couldn’t be cuter as well as more functional!  It’s a great teacher bag as well.

The vintage look is completely modern on the inside with the tech-safe padded sleeve, large enough for a 15-inch laptop, an internal media pocket for the smartphone, cable, and a headphone port to listen to your favorite playlist. The exterior pocket has a key chain and space for accessories.

Breathable air-mesh back padding and contoured shoulder straps ease the effect of carrying heavier loads on the back and shoulders. With a 23L capacity, the pack is sufficient for all items and accessories a person needs for college. The Herschel Supply Co. Settlement Backpack offers the best of both worlds, a classy vintage look with all the space and padding for modern technology.

Laptop backpacks are a great way for kids to transport their expensive computers to and from school. Does your child use a laptop backpack? Share it in the comments below!

Feature image adapted from image courtesy of Flickr, Jinx!.

 

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