My Hunt for a Backpack That Doesn’t Make Me Feel Like an Eighth-Grader

When I started this hunt, I spied Quince’s Marlow backpack on an Amtrak and thought it was a serious contender. It comes in five colors, though I went with the basic black; I was initially impressed by the quality of the leather and the super-sturdy yet slim construction. Not only does it have a dedicated zipper compartment on the back for a laptop, but it is also perfectly laptop-shaped. While it was ultimately a bit too square for my tastes — I felt a bit like I had strapped SpongeBob to my back — it’s hard to beat at the price point.

After I first pitched this story idea, Strategist senior editor Ailbhe Malone pitched me on her personal backpack. She had gone on a bit of an exhaustive hunt of her own before settling on the Samsonite. Her favorite feature? The padded straps, which she says are basically “unavoidable,” if you want to keep your shoulders comfortable. Yet the straps are nylon instead of leather, which did make me look like I was going to algebra. It is exceptionally roomy and has a convenient top zipper that made it super-easy to see and access all my stuff, with additional front and side pockets for even more organization. Unfortunately, it also make me feel slightly too turtle-y, but for its price, comfort, and size, I really wish it hadn’t.

Maison de Sabre uses a full-grain leather dyed in very nice neutrals like slate gray and a warm pecan brown. As the name suggests, the bag is more on the soft side than structured, but it holds its shape well and I appreciate that it expands a bit without looking overly stuffed. The straps are fairly thin but slightly padded. And lots of small details make it feel very functional, including plenty of external and internal pockets and a padded laptop sleeve. One thing to note is that the bag closes with magnetic snaps. Personally, I’m not concerned about anti-theft measures, but I do prefer the security of a true drawstring.

I did test both the medium and large backpacks. While the medium size is still plenty roomy, springing for the large is worth the extra real estate if you’re an overpacker.

Montreal-based brand Want Les Essentiels makes minimalist backpacks that are a favorite of stylish professionals. The Kastrup, first designed in 2013, is its most famous style. And it’s easy to see why: As the sleekest of the bunch, it’s the one I would be most comfortable taking from the office straight to dinner. I think this is the backpack version of those corny day-to-night outfits that used to make up the bulk of women’s magazines back in the days before WFH. And if you’re looking to save a few bucks, the exact same backpack comes in a slightly smaller size or a canvas style with leather trim for several hundred dollars less.

While Longchamp is best known for its nylon Le Pliage tote bag, an unimpeachable classic for Strategist staffers, commuters, and travelers alike, I have always felt its leather goods are really where the brand shines. I have an all-leather weekender and a growing collection of secondhand pocketbooks I’ve purchased over the years that have gotten only better with age. So when I saw the brand had not only a Le Pliage backpack on its site but one in buttery chocolate-brown leather, I had to try it out. Like the Le Pliage tote, the backpack is basically one big pocket, though it does have a dedicated zipper compartment that can fit up to a 16-inch laptop plus another sleeve. It’s roughly as low-profile as the Quince but looks much better on the body, and I think it will also make an excellent travel backpack.

For comparison purposes, I also tried the brand’s nylon backpack. Praised for its durability and waterproofing, it will be a good option when the forecast calls for rain. It’s a bit smaller than the backpack above, designed for up to a 14-inch laptop and features only two smaller pockets. Like its tote-bag counterpart, it can fold up to about the size of an envelope, which makes it great for traveling, too. While it doesn’t hold its shape as well as its all-leather sister, this one is nearly a third of the price and still quite nice. I especially love all the colors it comes in. Strategist senior editor Hilary Reid has a very dashing tomato-red Longchamp — with Le Pliages, never go with a neutral — which inspired me to get the olive green.

While I said at the beginning of this hunt that the goal wasnotto look like a middle-schooler, I indulged in a bit of Y2K nostalgia with this Coach backpack. I’ve often scoured eBay and Etsy for vintage Coach backpacks, but the resale prices have skyrocketed in the past few years. So until I stumble upon one at a thrift store, I thought I would see what the brand’s new collection has on offer, which led me to the Hitch backpack. Another tip I discovered while on this hunt: Don’t discount the men’s section if you need a more spacious silhouette. Some of the backpacks I was looking at in the women’s section were downright puny compared with some of the men’s backpacks I found.

Usually, this style — a front flap with ample side pockets — is too rugged for me, but the double-C logo motif dresses this one up. I don’t think I looked like I was going on a hike. While the bag is technically made from the brand’s signature coated canvas, it is also available in all-leather. I really appreciated that both the straps and the back are padded, which made it supercomfortable all across my shoulders. And unlike the Samsonite above, the straps are still leather on one side.

The Mulberry Bayswater — carried on the arms of Brit “It” girls like Alexa Chung and Kate Moss in the mid-aughts — is having a bit of a revival these days. I’ve been drooling over it myself for the past year, but a work bag designed to be carried in the crook of one’s arm is just not realistic for my lifestyle. So I decided to take one of the Mulberry backpacks for a test-drive. The brand is known for its craftsmanship, and this backpack is no exception. Of all the silhouettes I tried, I found this front-flap to be the nicest-looking. It still felt like my things were well secured, but the lack of a zipper is what sets it apart from my preteen JanSport.

The unpadded straps are admittedly thin, but they are very well attached to their O-ring hardware, so I’m not worried about chucking my laptop in. This bag is really all about the little details: The top cinches closed with two smaller leather straps, and the buckle closure is sewn in, not attached with a magnet. Is it the most practical when I’m trying to rifle through it for my stuff? No, but it is beautifully made. This is also somewhat mitigated by the two pockets in both the back and front to hold my most reached-for items like house keys, iPhone, and wallet, though it feels almosttooluxe to have my loose pens and lipsticks rattling around inside it. I set out to find a backpack as stylish as my other work bags, and the Chiltern fulfilled that brief in spades.

Obviously, the Mulberry Chiltern is a luxury bag and priced accordingly. I did try another flap-front backpack from French brand Le Tanneur that is similarly well made. It has the same silhouette, though it’s larger and less structured with a softer leather. It also features a true drawstring closure and a magnetized buckle so it’s easy to open and close. The straps are also padded, and there is a dedicated padded laptop sleeve. The Le Tanneur is like the more practical big brother of the Chiltern above. This one can definitely fit a lot — my laptop, workout clothes for the gym, a water bottle — and still have plenty of room for other bits and bobs. Though I preferred the slightly smaller size and overall design of the Chiltern, at nearly half the price, the Le Tanneur is also a great buy.