A laptop bag is something you carry most days, so the right kind makes a real difference to how the journey feels and how well the laptop survives it. The five common kinds, backpacks, messenger and shoulder bags, briefcases, wheeled bags and waterproof bags, each suit a different sort of day. This guide goes through what each one is like to carry, what it is good at, what it is less good at, and what to look for, then matches them to the days people actually have.
Backpacks
A laptop backpack is a rucksack with a padded compartment for the laptop, usually against the back panel. It is the most popular kind of laptop bag, and for good reason: it carries the most weight with the least strain, because two straps spread the load across both shoulders and leave both hands free.
Good for
- Walking and cycling to work, school or university.
- Heavier loads: a large laptop, a charger, books, a packed lunch and a water bottle.
- Busy trains and buses, where both hands are useful.
- Travel, as a cabin bag on many flights, if it fits your airline's size limits.
Less good for
Getting things out quickly. You have to take a backpack off to reach most of what is in it. In a smart office or a client meeting, some people feel a backpack looks too casual, although there are plain, structured backpacks made for work.
What to look for
Padded shoulder straps that are wide enough not to dig in, and a padded back panel with some shape to it. A chest strap helps keep a heavy pack steady when walking or cycling. Look for a laptop compartment that is padded on every side and raised a little above the bottom of the bag, so the laptop does not take the jolt each time you put the bag down. A separate front section for the charger and small things keeps them off the lid. Side pockets for a water bottle and an umbrella keep wet things away from the laptop. A strap on the back that slides over a suitcase handle is useful when travelling. Wear it on both shoulders and pack the heaviest things closest to your back, where they are easiest to carry.
See laptop backpacks. For younger pupils, children's laptop bags are smaller and brighter and made for school laptops and tablets. Many schools issue one particular laptop, so check its size before buying.
Keeping things safe on the move
Some backpacks are designed to be harder for someone else to open: zips that sit against your back, a laptop compartment opened only from the back panel, or a hidden pocket for a phone and wallet. They will not stop a determined thief, but they make it harder for anyone to open a pocket in a crowd without you noticing. If you often stand on busy trains or walk through crowded places, these details are worth looking for.
Messenger and shoulder bags
A messenger bag is a flat bag with a flap over the top and a long strap, worn across the body. A shoulder bag is similar, often with a zip top and worn on one shoulder. Both open from the top or the front without being taken off, so they are quick to get into.
Good for
- Short journeys and moving between meetings, where you take the laptop out often.
- Lighter laptops and smaller loads.
- Getting a ticket, phone or notebook out on the move.
- A slightly smarter look than a backpack.
Less good for
Heavy loads and long walks. All the weight hangs from one shoulder, which becomes uncomfortable with a large laptop and a full bag. A messenger bag can also swing round when you cycle, unless it has a stabilising strap.
What to look for
A wide, padded strap with a non-slip shoulder pad. A strap long enough to wear across the body, which is steadier and more comfortable than one shoulder. A padded laptop compartment with its own closure, and a flap that covers the zips from rain. A grab handle on top is useful for carrying the bag by hand for a short walk. If you cycle, look for a second, smaller strap that clips round the body to stop the bag swinging. Browse messenger and shoulder bags.
Briefcases
A laptop briefcase is a structured case with carry handles, usually a detachable shoulder strap too, and a padded laptop compartment. It is the traditional business bag, often in leather or a leather-look finish, or in a hard-wearing fabric.
Good for
- Office work and meetings, where it looks the part.
- Carrying papers flat alongside the laptop, without bending them.
- Journeys by car or train with short walks at each end.
- Business travel, especially with a strap on the back that slides over a suitcase handle.
Less good for
Walking any distance with a heavy laptop, because you carry it in one hand or on one shoulder. A briefcase usually holds less than a backpack of the same footprint, and has less room for bulky things like a lunch box or a jumper.
What to look for
Comfortable handles that meet over the top, a shoulder strap that can be taken off, and feet or a stiffened base so it stands up on the floor and does not slump over. Several sections help: one padded for the laptop, one for papers, and pockets for a charger, pens and a phone. A briefcase that opens wide makes it easier to take the laptop out at airport security. Leather and leather-look finishes are smart but heavier than fabric. See laptop briefcases.
Leather or fabric
Leather briefcases look smart and many people like the way they age, but they are heavier than fabric, need keeping out of heavy rain and benefit from occasional care with a product made for leather. Leather-look finishes, often made of polyurethane over a fabric backing, give a similar look for less weight and less care, though they do not age in the same way and can crack or peel with years of use. Nylon and polyester briefcases are the lightest and the easiest to live with in bad weather, and are often the more practical choice for travel.
Wheeled bags
A wheeled laptop bag has two wheels and a pull-up handle, like a small suitcase, with a padded laptop section. Some are upright like a cabin case, others are wheeled briefcases.
Good for
- Long journeys through airports and stations with smooth floors.
- Heavy loads that would be uncomfortable on your back: a large laptop, several devices, files and an overnight change of clothes.
- People who cannot or would rather not carry weight on their shoulders.
Less good for
Stairs, cobbles, gravel and crowded trains. The wheels and handle add weight, so a wheeled bag is heavier to lift than a backpack of the same size. Under the desk, it takes up more room.
What to look for
Smooth, sturdy wheels set into the corners, a handle that locks firmly at more than one height, and carry handles on the top and side for lifting it up steps and onto a luggage rack. A padded laptop compartment that you can reach without opening the whole bag saves time at security. If you plan to use it as a cabin bag, check your airline's size limits first, because they are set by each airline and differ between them. Browse wheeled laptop bags.
Flying with a laptop bag
Whatever kind of bag you use, the Civil Aviation Authority says phones, tablets and laptops should normally travel with you in the cabin, unless they are completely turned off and protected from damage. GOV.UK asks you to make sure electronic devices are charged before you travel, because a device that does not switch on when you are asked will not be allowed onto the aircraft. Depending on the airport, you may be asked to take the laptop out of the bag at security, so a compartment that opens quickly helps. Power banks must always be in the cabin, never in checked luggage, and the CAA says no more than two per person. If yours is above 100Wh you need your airline's approval. Check your airline's rules before you go. There is more in the guide to charging a laptop on the move, and laptop power banks are a range of their own.
Waterproof bags
A waterproof laptop bag is made to keep rain out completely, not just to shed a shower. They come as backpacks, messenger bags and, less often, briefcases. Many use a coated or laminated fabric with welded or taped seams and a roll-top closure, which is folded over several times and clipped shut.
Good for
- Cycling in all weathers.
- Long walks to work, or waiting at bus stops and on open platforms.
- Outdoor jobs and site visits, where the laptop goes with you.
Less good for
Quick access. A roll-top takes a few moments to open and close, and a fully sealed bag has fewer outside pockets. Some waterproof fabrics are stiffer and noisier than ordinary bag fabric, and the look is sportier than many people want in an office.
What to look for
Read how the bag is closed, not only what it is made of. Water usually gets into a bag through the zips, the seams and the opening, not the fabric. A roll-top, water-resistant zips with a covered or sealed track, and taped or welded seams are what make a bag properly waterproof. Water-resistant or water-repellent means less: a fabric that sheds light rain for a while. A padded laptop sleeve inside the bag is still worth having, because a waterproof bag is not always well padded. If you cycle, reflective panels or a loop for a rear light help you be seen. See waterproof laptop bags.
Which suits your day
Most people's choice comes down to how they travel, how far they walk, how much they carry and where they are going. This table puts the common days side by side.
| Your day | Usually suits | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Walk or cycle to work or study | Backpack, or a waterproof backpack | Weight on both shoulders, hands free |
| Car or train, short walks, meetings | Messenger bag or briefcase | Quick access, smarter look |
| Office with papers and client visits | Briefcase | Papers kept flat, stands up, looks the part |
| Long trips through airports and stations | Wheeled bag, or a backpack with a luggage strap | Heavy loads off your shoulders |
| Outdoors in all weathers | Waterproof bag | Keeps rain out of seams and openings |
| School or university | Backpack | Carries books, lunch and laptop comfortably |
| Laptop moves from desk to desk | A sleeve inside any bag | Take the laptop alone, leave the bag |
Working from home and the office
If you split the week between home and an office, the bag does most of its work on two or three days, but on those days it carries everything: laptop, charger, mouse, perhaps a hub. A backpack or a briefcase with several sections stops the charger getting left behind. A tech pouch keeps the small things together, so they move from the desk to the bag in one go.
Students
Students carry their bags more than almost anyone, often all day. A backpack with two padded straps, a strong base and a separate pocket for a water bottle is usually the right choice. The laptop kit list for students covers the rest of what a student needs.
Cycling
Cycling with a laptop asks more of a bag than any other journey. A backpack is the usual choice, because it stays in place when you lean and turn, and a chest strap and waist strap keep it from shifting. A messenger bag can work for short rides if it has a stabilising strap, but it tends to slide round. Rain and road spray are the other problem, so a waterproof backpack, or a backpack with a rain cover and a sleeve inside, is worth having for anyone who rides in all weathers. Reflective details and a loop for a rear light help drivers see you. Some cyclists prefer a pannier made for a laptop, which takes the weight off their back altogether.
The weight of the bag itself
Every bag adds its own weight before you put anything in it. A plain fabric backpack is usually the lightest. Leather, thick padding, a rigid frame, metal fittings and especially wheels and a pull-up handle all add weight. If your laptop is already heavy, or you walk a long way, look at the bag's own weight on the listing and compare it with the others you are considering. The difference between a light bag and a heavy one is felt every day.
What wears out first
On most bags, the parts that fail first are the zips, the places where the straps join the bag, the corners of the base and any fabric that rubs against clothes. When you are choosing, look at the photographs for strong stitching where the straps meet the body, a reinforced base or a base panel in a tougher material, and zips that look substantial rather than thin. A bag that you overfill every day will wear faster whatever it is made of, so choose one with a little room to spare rather than one that only just takes everything.
Organising what goes inside
A bag with good pockets saves time every day. A padded laptop compartment, a section for a tablet or papers, a few small pockets for a charger, cables and a mouse, and a key clip are the most useful. A bag with one large open space tends to become a jumble, with the charger ending up on top of the laptop. If you like to move between bags, keep the small things in a pouch so you can lift them out together.
Adding a sleeve
Whatever bag you choose, a laptop sleeve inside it gives the laptop a second layer and lets you carry it on its own. Check that the bag's compartment is big enough for the laptop in its sleeve. The guide to laptop sleeve sizes shows how to measure.
Check the size before you choose
Every bag is made for laptops up to a certain size, usually given as a screen size such as 14 or 15.6 inches. Like sleeves, bags differ in depth and thickness for the same size label, so compare your laptop's measurements with the compartment if the listing gives them, particularly for 16-inch and thick gaming laptops.
Questions people ask
Is a backpack or a messenger bag better for my back?
For heavier loads and longer walks, a backpack worn on both shoulders spreads the weight more evenly. A messenger bag puts it all on one shoulder, which is fine for short journeys and lighter laptops.
Can I use a laptop backpack as cabin luggage?
Often, yes, but cabin bag sizes are set by each airline and differ between them. Check your airline's limits before you buy, and remember the laptop should travel with you in the cabin.
Do I still need a sleeve inside a laptop bag?
If the bag's laptop compartment is well padded and raised off the bottom, you do not need one. A sleeve helps if the compartment is thin, or if you often take the laptop out to carry it on its own.
Is a wheeled bag a good idea for a daily commute?
Only if most of the journey is over smooth floors. Stairs, kerbs, crowded carriages and small luggage racks make a wheeled bag harder to manage than a backpack, and it is heavier to lift.
Is a waterproof bag worth it if I only walk a short way?
Probably not. A good water-resistant bag, or a backpack with a rain cover, will handle a short walk in the rain. Waterproof bags earn their place for cycling and long journeys outdoors.
Leather or fabric?
Leather and leather-look bags look smart and suit an office, but are heavier and need more care in the rain. Fabric bags are lighter and easier to live with in bad weather.
Where to go next
All the bags are in laptop bags: backpacks, messenger and shoulder bags, briefcases, wheeled bags and waterproof bags. If you travel a lot, there is a range for travellers, and one for students. Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Other guides that help:
- How to choose a laptop sleeve or bag: the whole choice in one place
- Laptop sleeve sizes: how to measure your laptop: getting the fit right
- Charging a laptop on the move: power banks, car chargers and flying
- The laptop kit list for students: what to pack for study
