The Best Travel Backpacks For Women That Are Sturdy And Stylish

With organizational pockets and easy-to-access laptop sleeves, the best travel backpacks for women are cleverly designed, functional and sleek looking, to boot. Innovative features help you get through security in a breeze, not to mention, free up your hands for your passport or a coffee as you rush towards your gate. If you’re seeking a new travel-ready backpack to add to your collection, there are several reputable brands, like Peak Design, Nomatic and Monos, whose products are both sturdy, long-lasting and stylish. That means they’ll stick with you for many years and keep you looking good as you rack up those miles.

Travel backpacks come in many styles, from one-bag carry-ons to foldable underseat luggage that can accompany you on your next flight. For female passengers, specifically, we sought out styles that are versatile and chic enough to also be used after your trip, making it an investment piece you can include in your daily rotation. Whether you’re jetting off to a big city, seeking outdoor adventures far from home, or boarding a plane for a weekend work trip, it’s always a good idea to have a solid and dependable backpack in your arsenal. Below, we’ve selected the best travel backpacks for women to get you on your way.

• Best Travel Backpack For Women Overall: Peak Design Travel Pack 30L
• Best Carry-On Travel Backpack For Women: REI Ruckpack 40L
• Best Foldable Travel Backpack For Women: Matador Freerain 22 Packable
• Most Versatile Travel Backpack For Women: Monos Metro
• Best Lightweight Travel Backpack For Women: Arc’teryx Granville 25
• Best Minimalist Travel Backpack For Women: Nomatic 40L
• Best Leather Travel Backpack For Women: Cuyana
• Best Convertible Travel Backpack For Women: Pacsafe Citysafe CX

Why Trust Forbes Vetted

Our team at Forbes Vetted has overseen the publishing of numerous travel shopping guides, connecting readers with the best backpacks, cargo carriers and more. The author of this article, Hannah Singleton, is a regular contributor with dozens of travel and gear stories under her belt. Before Singleton became a travel writer, she spent years working as a backpacking guide running multi-day trips in Yosemite, Yellowstone, Olympic, and North Cascades National Parks. Singleton tapped into her own expertise while selecting the best travel backpacks for women, including a personal recommendation for our top carry-on pick: the REI Ruckpack.

This guide is regularly updated to keep you informed on current products and prices. In its latest August 2023 update, we pinpointed key specs to help you make your decision, such as whether or not each backpack includes a laptop compartment. We also rounded up more relevant travel gear stories for you to shop, which can be found at the end of this article.

How We Chose The Best Travel Backpacks For Women

When picking the best travel backpacks for women, Forbes Vetted contributor Hannah Singleton first drew upon her own backpacking experience and industry knowledge, singling out reputable brands that are known for well-made gear. Materials were extensively researched to ensure that each pick on our list is durable and built to last. Since a trip can range from a weekend getaway to a neighboring city to a month-long backpacking excursion in a different country, we made sure to include a wide range of sizes and styles, from slim, minimalist bags to rough-and-tumble designs.

Finally, we took customer reviews into account; our picks each garnered an average of at least four out of five stars (the Cuyana Leather Backpack and Pacsafe Citysafe CX Anti-Theft Convertible Backpack don’t have customer reviews listed on their sites, but we chose to include them based on the former’s luxe leather material and the latter’s stellar anti-theft features.)

What To Consider In A Travel Backpack For Women

Travel backpacks for women come in an array of styles, but here are some of the key features to look out for when you’re shopping:

Closure Style

Travel backpacks feature closure styles that allow for easy packing so you get the organization of a suitcase but the functionality of a backpack. For example, many backpacks, like the REI Ruckpack, open like a clam-shell to provide full access to the main compartment, while others, like the Peak Design Travel Backpack and NOMATIC Travel Bag, fully unzip at the back panel. Many on this list, like the Monos Metro Backpack and Matador Freerain22, are top-loading, making them ideal as a personal item but less functional as a primary bag when you’re pairing them with packing cubes.

The closure style you chose will ultimately come down to personal preference, but consider your intended usage before you decide on the type you want.

Capacity And Dimensions

Consider the size backpack you need for your travels. Backpacks have two sizes: capacity (listed in liters) and dimensions (listed in inches or centimeters.) The dimensions will dictate whether or not the backpack fits carry-on size requirements, while the capacity will give you an idea of the amount of packing space you have.

Everyone’s packing requirements are different, but in general, weekend travel bags will be around 25 to 35 liters, while backpacks with at least 40 liters will be better suited for week-long and extended travel. However, if I were buying one bag for all my travels, I would opt for a 40-liter bag to fit a variety of clothing or outdoor gear.

Strap System

If you’ll be walking long distances with your backpack or hauling it from place to place, you may want to shop for a travel backpack that has a well-padded and ventilated strap system, which includes the shoulder straps, hip belt, chest straps, and any accessory straps like load lifters (located on the shoulder straps.) Hip belts can help disperse some weight from your shoulders, and a chest strap can also distribute the weight evenly for more comfortable carrying.

Brands that make hiking backpacks, like REI Co-Op, will have the most robust strap systems, while other brands, like Peak Design, may have more minimal straps.

What Size Backpack Can I Carry On A Plane?

Each airline has different size requirements, so the size of the backpack you can carry on a plane varies greatly. However, as a general guideline, most airlines allow carry-on bags with dimensions of around 22 x 14 x 9 inches (or no more than 45 total inches if you add all the measurements together). Keep in mind that these dimensions include the wheels, handles, and any external pockets.

To ensure compliance with your airline’s carry-on size restrictions, we recommend you check their website before your flight. Large airlines like Delta and United have standard policies, while some airlines (often smaller ones) may have stricter regulations or weight limits for carry-on bags. You’ll also encounter different rules when flying internationally, so pay close attention as you may change airlines during your overseas journey. For example, the REI Ruckpack works as a carry-on for all domestic and intercontinental flights, but you may struggle to fit it in to the small overhead bin on European flights with smaller airplanes.

What Are The Benefits Of Traveling With A Backpack?

One of the primary advantages of traveling with a backpack is the freedom it provides. Backpacks offer greater mobility than other types of luggage, and—most importantly—you can have both hands-free, allowing you to navigate crowded airports, busy streets, or uneven terrain with ease. But versatility is also notable: If you are planning a hiking vacation, a travel backpack can cross-over as your backpacking pack, too.

Unlike hardside luggage, backpacks are flexible and can be easily compressed or expanded based on your needs. Some bags, like the Peak Design Travel Backpack, have an expandable design to actually adjust the size of your pack. As you acquire belongings and souvenirs, you can just unzip for extra space. This enhances versatility; you can use the same pack for a weekend adventure as a month-long trip abroad.

Backpacks also make the perfect personal item if you like to travel with classic carry-on luggage. Picks like the Monos Metro Backpack and Cuyana Leather Backpack expand your useable space so you can pack extra clothes or keep your travel necessities close at hand so you don’t have to rummage through your luggage to find your headphones, passport or phone charger.

More Travel Stories To Shop

• Best Luggage Sets
• Best Laptop Backpacks
• Best Soft Coolers
• Best Packing Cubes
• Best Weekender Bags
• Best Travel Totes
• Best Luggage Trackers