Backpack for EDC

April 21, 2024 6:49 AM

Favourite backpack broke. Sad. Need new one. Must be 18-25L, laptop compartment, blue or green, external water bottle side pocket, good internal organisation e.g. pen holders, smaller pockets, not too outdoorsy, not too formal, water resistant and handsome looking. Not much to ask for? Any price is a good price.
posted by MT to Grab Bag (14 answers total)

I really like my Knack backpack. It's 17L (27L when expanded), and can fit a 15" laptop and a day's worth of clothes, even when not expanded. Lots of internal organization and small pockets, including an external side water bottle pocket. It looks like the small is sold out right now in the colors you want, but the medium (24L, 35L expanded) is available in blue and green.
posted by true at 7:05 AM on April 21 [3 favorites]

Best answer: I love the Bellroy Transit Workpack. EDC, travel, the works.
posted by LingeringMoon at 7:23 AM on April 21 [1 favorite]

Another vote for Bellroy- I have the Classic Backpack in navy and feel it meets all your requirements pretty well. It’s also super comfortable to wear, even when heavily loaded.
posted by Weng at 8:13 AM on April 21

So more of an urban pack than an adventure pack. Nomad's Nation and Pack Hacker on Youtube seems to have pretty good reviews of them. They seem to like Alpaka Elements Pro.
posted by kschang at 8:30 AM on April 21

I love Peak Design's Everyday Backpack. The blue isn't very saturated though.
posted by aubilenon at 9:01 AM on April 21

Peak's backpack is EXPENSIVE though. Maybe Aer Flight Pack 2?
posted by kschang at 9:07 AM on April 21

Pakt has 15 and 22 L bags. The video walk throughs are useful.
posted by dobbs at 9:26 AM on April 21

Does anything from Beara Beara take your fancy? Mine is a design they no longer stock but is going strong and I bought it in 2016. They’re gorgeously made.
posted by Erinaceus europaeus at 10:12 AM on April 21

Tom Bihn (an askmefi favorite - surprised it hasn't come up yet). They have both the Synapse 19 (holds 19L), Synik 22 (22L), and Synapse 25 (25L). One of my favorite things are all the various accessories for organizing. A Freudian Slip would be a good organizer bonus if you want lots of pockets.

I have both the Synapse 19 and Synapse 25.

The one criteria that they don't completely meet is the external water bottle side pocket. But it does have a "middle" water bottle pocket that keeps the water bottle secure and is easily accessible, although may not reachable while you're wearing the backpack, if that part is a dealbreaker.

But seriously, these backpacks are expensive, but they hold up forever, they're the right balance of not too sporty, not too formal, but still nice looking. Incredibly high quality.
posted by litera scripta manet at 10:15 AM on April 21 [1 favorite]

I love my 35L Roark, which comes in blue.

They do have smaller models, for example, this 27L which comes in multiple shades of blue and green.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 10:43 AM on April 21

I've been very happy with my Dakine backpacks. I haven't had to buy one in many years so I don't know if they've maintained the same build quality, but my first two were very sturdy and had really good internal organization. They don't describe the external side pockets as water bottle holders, but they work for it on mine.
posted by EvaDestruction at 11:23 AM on April 21

Some Timbuk2 backpacks have water bottle pockets and all(?) come customisable with a blue and green option.
posted by hoyland at 11:24 AM on April 21

I used this Wenger backpack for MANY years and it held up well. It's about $144 on Amazon now. See if the specs match what you need.
posted by forthright at 4:29 PM on April 21

I have an Eastpak CNNCT Office and I love it. It doesn't come in blue or green, however other backpacks in the same range do - one of them may suit?
posted by sailoreagle at 5:51 AM on April 22