What’s the Best Travel Backpack for Men?

Whether it’s a necessity for your current lifestyle or you’re looking for a little nudge toward living your dreams, the right men’s travel backpack can take you seamlessly from living your life to trekking across Europe without batting an eye.

The best men’s backpack for travel will provide the mobility you need to explore the world… no matter where your path takes you! Still, fitting your entire life into one bag requires some careful consideration. Here are some key things to think about when choosing a travel backpack for men.

Why Choose a Backpack for Travel?

Just about any on the go occasion demands a travel backpack, from commuting to the office to traveling across the country. They’re tough, spacious, and designed for organization - kind of like the Swiss Army Knife of travel luggage. And they’re versatile… you don’t always have to pack them full, unless you want to.

But not just any backpack will fit the bill. You might be able to get away with any old bag when you’re just going to the gym, but the best travel backpacks for men take things to a whole new level with multiple compartments and the extra capacity to carry your essentials and more.

Even better, a men’s travel backpack is compatible with any mode of transportation, from plane to bus to bicycle, and everything in between. A versatile travel backpack will take you from a weekend in the city to a month in the backcountry without breaking a sweat. 

How to Choose the Right Travel Backpack for Men

Traveling with just a backpack is incredibly freeing and choosing the perfect backpack is the first step to getting there. Comfort and mobility are key, but you also need plenty of room for all of your gear and travel accessories. Here’s what to consider as you explore your options.

Size and Capacity

Deciding what size travel backpack you need is a good place to start. This will basically come down to your traveling style. Are most of your trips weekend getaways, business trips, or do you need a pack that will hold enough for weeks on the road? Most men will find that a versatile carry-on backpack designed for travel offers the best of both worlds and will work for just about any trip. 

Padded Laptop Compartment

Most of us travel with a laptop these days, so choosing a backpack with a padded laptop compartment is key. Not only will it give your valuable device some extra protection, but it also saves time when you’re going through airport security and TSA checkpoints. Be sure to consider the size of your device when choosing your backpack. 

Top-Loading vs Clamshell

There’s a lot of debate around top-loading vs clamshell backpacks, but we’re obviously big fans of the clamshell style backpack for travel. Not only does this style offer more space to work with, but it also functions just like a suitcase for organization and easy access to your travel gear.

Weather Resistance

When you’re carrying all of your tech gear and important possessions on your back, weather resistance is a top priority. You want a pack that can handle anything from a light rain to a sudden monsoon, but you’re probably not going to leave your pack outside in a torrential downpour. 

A water-resistant bag will get you through most situations without compromising your gear. If you do want some additional weatherproofing for certain items, consider choosing a bag with a waterproof pouch. It will give your sensitive electronics an extra layer of protection and separate them from the rest of your gear.

Function

Whether you’re traveling for a weekend or week’s at a time, your travel backpack is basically your home. The last thing you need is to find out you lost your phone because a zipper broke during the journey from one destination to another. Invest in a backpack that’s built to last a lifetime to prevent loss and damage to your gear.

You want a travel backpack that will serve you in all situations, from navigating city streets to hopping on a plane. A comfortable backpack is an absolute must when you’ll be carrying your bag on your back from destination to destination.

Look for a high-quality harness with adjustable straps for the perfect fit. Padded shoulder straps with load lifters can make a huge difference when carrying heavier loads. A hip belt and sternum strap are also essential for even weight distribution and taking some of the strain off your shoulders and back. 

Security

Choosing a travel backpack with some built in security features is a great idea. Look for one that has lockable zippers and a separate security compartment for things like extra cash, an emergency credit card, and your passport. It’s best if the outer pockets are minimized to make them difficult for a thief to unzip, grab what they want, and get away unnoticed.

Aesthetics

We would lean towards function being more important than aesthetics, but there’s no reason you can’t have both. Gone are the days of traveling with a big, clunky blazing orange hiking pack. Minimalist, urban style travel backpacks are much more popular these days.

It’s much easier to blend in when you’re in an urban environment when you’re carrying a stylish backpack in a neutral color. Bonus points if you can roll into a meeting with your travel backpack in tow.

The Pakt Travel Backpack: The Best Travel Backpack for Men

Now that you know what you’re looking for, allow us to shamelessly plug The Pakt Travel Backpack. It checks all the above boxes with a thoughtful design that keeps all of your important stuff within arm’s reach.

The 30L Pakt Travel Backpack is perfectly sized to meet carry-on requirements, so you can move from location to location without any fuss. It offers ample space for all of your gear with a dual-compartment clamshell design and mesh divider so you can easily see the contents of each side. Interior mesh pockets provide the perfect place to stash smaller items. 

This bag features an anti-theft pocket, a removable stand-alone hip belt, and a waterproof pocket for leaky items - or to protect sensitive electronics. There’s also an exterior water bottle pocket for when you’re on the go.

Airport security can be a pain, but the Pakt Travel Backpack features a TSA pocket designed to make air travel easier. Simply pull it out, stash your items and breeze on through. Grab your backpack by the contoured side handles and walk right past the other travelers fumbling in their bins.

The quick-access top loading zippers allow for easy retrieval of items in the main compartment and the padded laptop sleeve without opening the entire bag. This pack’s harness system was designed for all cay carry comfort, including load lifters and removable sternum straps.

Pakt stands behind this product with a lifetime warranty, so you know it’s built to last. It’s made from durable, earth-friendly materials and shipped in plastic free packaging, too. You can read a full breakdown of the Pakt Travel Backpack’s features here. 

Parting Thoughts

Of course, there’s no one perfect travel bag that works for every person or every trip. From the 30L Pakt Travel Backpack to the 35L Pakt One travel duffel to the Anywhere 50L duffel-backpack hybrid, we’ve designed a bag to complement any on the go lifestyle. If you’re still not sure which travel bag is for you, check out our Travel Bag Comparison Guide to help you decide!