The 10 Best Travel Backpacks as of July 2026

How we ranked these travel backpacks

Each pick earns a score out of 10 from weighted criteria:

Performance (35%) — how well each travel backpack does its core job.
Value (25%) — quality and features for the price.
Build & reliability (20%) — materials, longevity and warranty.
Features (20%) — meaningful extras that improve the experience.

We also weigh real-world owner reviews — star ratings and how many people left them — and whether each product has the features you'd expect in its class.

At a glance: top 10 compared

Swipe across to see all columns, including Amazon links →

#	Travel Backpacks	Score	Best for	Capacity	Approx. Price	Amazon links
1	Osprey Farpoint/Fairview 40	9.1	Best overall	40L	£160	View Price
2	Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L	9.0	Best for organisation	45L	£280	View Price
3	Tortuga Travel Backpack 40L	8.8	Best for comfort	40L	£270	View Price
4	Nomatic Travel Bag 40L	8.7	Best for gadgets	40L	£250	View Price
5	Aer Travel Pack 3	8.7	Best for commuters	35L	£240	View Price
6	Osprey Farpoint 55	8.7	Best with daypack	55L (40+15)	£180	View Price
7	Cabin Zero Classic 44L	8.5	Best value	44L	£80	View Price
8	Osprey Daylite Plus	8.4	Best small daypack	20L	£75	View Price
9	Decathlon Forclaz Travel 500	8.3	Best ultra-budget	40L	£70	View Price
10	Berghaus Brevin	8.2	Best budget hiking-travel	50L	£90	View Price

The full ranking

Best overall

Osprey Farpoint/Fairview 40

9.1Our number one pick.

The Osprey Farpoint 40 (Fairview 40 for women) is the benchmark travel backpack, with a comfortable suspended harness, full clamshell opening for easy packing, lockable zips and Osprey's lifetime guarantee, all in a carry-on-legal size. It is not cheap, but it is the do-everything traveller's pack.

Comfort: 9.2Organisation: 9.0Build: 9.2Value: 9.0

Pros

Comfortable harness
Full clamshell packing
Lifetime guarantee

Cons

Pricey
Few external pockets

Check price on Amazon≈ £160

Best for organisation

Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

9.0A superb runner-up.

Peak Design's Travel Backpack is a beautifully engineered, expandable pack with clever access points, weatherproof build and modular packing cubes, beloved by photographers and digital nomads. It is expensive, but the design and versatility are outstanding.

Comfort: 8.8Organisation: 9.4Build: 9.2Value: 8.2

Pros

Brilliant, versatile design
Expandable 35-45L
Weatherproof

Cons

Expensive
Heavier empty

Check price on Amazon≈ £280

Best for comfort

Tortuga Travel Backpack 40L

8.8Rounds out our top three.

The Tortuga 40L is a premium, boxy travel pack that maximises packable space and carries heavy loads comfortably with a sturdy hip belt, a favourite for one-bag travel. It is expensive, but for carrying a lot in comfort it is excellent.

Comfort: 9.2Organisation: 9.0Build: 9.0Value: 8.2

Pros

Maximises packing space
Comfortable with heavy loads
Sturdy hip belt

Cons

Expensive
Boxy looks

Check price on Amazon≈ £270

Best for gadgets

Nomatic Travel Bag 40L

8.7A standout in the upper half.

The Nomatic 40L is a feature-packed pack with countless pockets, a laptop sleeve and a clean, professional look, ideal for tech-heavy short trips. It is pricey and a bit heavy, but the organisation is excellent.

Comfort: 8.6Organisation: 9.2Build: 8.8Value: 8.2

Pros

Tons of organisation
Sleek professional look
Good laptop protection

Cons

Pricey
Heavy when full

Check price on Amazon≈ £250

Best for commuters

Aer Travel Pack 3

8.7A well-rounded mid-table pick.

Aer's Travel Pack 3 blends sleek, professional looks with excellent organisation and a dedicated laptop compartment, perfect for those mixing work and travel. It is pricey, but the build and design are top-notch.

Comfort: 8.6Organisation: 9.0Build: 9.0Value: 8.4

Pros

Sleek professional design
Great organisation
Durable build

Cons

Pricey
On the heavy side

Check price on Amazon≈ £240

Best with daypack

Osprey Farpoint 55

8.7Great value in the middle of the pack.

The Osprey Farpoint 55 adds a detachable 15L daypack to the excellent Farpoint design, great for longer trips where you want a separate day bag. The combined size exceeds carry-on, but the main pack alone fits cabins.

Comfort: 9.0Organisation: 8.8Build: 9.2Value: 8.8

Pros

Includes detachable daypack
Comfortable harness
Lifetime guarantee

Cons

Combined size too big for cabin
Heavier

Check price on Amazon≈ £180

Best value

Cabin Zero Classic 44L

8.5A dependable pick if the price is right.

The Cabin Zero Classic offers a huge, simple main compartment in a lightweight, carry-on-sized pack at a brilliant price, with a global tracker tag included. It is light on organisation, but for cheap, roomy one-bag travel it is superb value.

Comfort: 8.4Organisation: 8.0Build: 8.6Value: 9.6

Pros

Huge simple compartment
Very affordable
Light

Cons

Limited organisation
Basic harness

Check price on Amazon≈ £80

Best small daypack

Osprey Daylite Plus

8.4Solid, if outshone by pricier rivals.

The Osprey Daylite Plus is a versatile small daypack ideal as a personal item or day bag, with a laptop sleeve, comfy straps and Osprey quality. It is too small for main luggage, but as a companion bag it is excellent value.

Comfort: 8.6Organisation: 8.4Build: 8.8Value: 9.0

Pros

Versatile day bag
Laptop sleeve
Osprey quality

Cons

Small for main luggage
Few compartments

Check price on Amazon≈ £75

Best ultra-budget

Decathlon Forclaz Travel 500

8.3A budget-friendly option worth a look.

Decathlon's Forclaz Travel 500 is a comfortable, lockable carry-on travel pack with a suspended back system at a remarkably low price, superb value for budget one-bag travel. It is plainer than premium packs, but covers the essentials very well.

Comfort: 8.6Organisation: 8.2Build: 8.2Value: 9.4

Pros

Comfortable suspended back
Lockable, carry-on sized
Excellent value

Cons

Plain looks
Basic materials

Check price on Amazon≈ £70

Best budget hiking-travel

Berghaus Brevin

8.2Rounds out our top ten.

Berghaus's Brevin is a comfortable, adjustable travel pack with a detachable daypack at a budget price, good for those wanting a rucksack-style travel bag. It is less refined than premium packs, but comfortable and good value.

Comfort: 8.4Organisation: 8.0Build: 8.2Value: 9.0

Pros

Adjustable comfy harness
Detachable daypack
Affordable

Cons

Less refined
Bulkier

Check price on Amazon≈ £90

Frequently asked questions

What's the best of the travel backpacks in 2026?

Our top overall pick is the Osprey Farpoint/Fairview 40, which leads on our combined score for performance, value and features. The Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L and Tortuga Travel Backpack 40L are excellent alternatives depending on budget and needs.

How did we choose these?

We weight performance, value, build quality and features, drawing on hands-on use and independent testing. See the methodology box above for the full breakdown.

Are these prices accurate?

Prices are approximate UK figures at the time of writing and change frequently. Click through to Amazon for the current price.

The bottom line

If you just want the best travel backpacks without overthinking it, the Osprey Farpoint/Fairview 40 is our top recommendation — it earns the highest overall score for performance, value and features. Have a look at the current price and see what you think.

Check price on Amazon ≈ £160

Our top picks at a glance

Osprey Farpoint/Fairview 40

Cabin Zero Classic 44L

Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

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How we ranked these travel backpacks

At a glance: top 10 compared

The full ranking

Osprey Farpoint/Fairview 40

Pros

Cons

Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

Pros

Cons

Tortuga Travel Backpack 40L

Pros

Cons

Nomatic Travel Bag 40L

Pros

Cons

Aer Travel Pack 3

Pros

Cons

Osprey Farpoint 55

Pros

Cons

Cabin Zero Classic 44L

Pros

Cons

Osprey Daylite Plus

Pros

Cons

Decathlon Forclaz Travel 500

Pros

Cons

Berghaus Brevin

Pros

Cons

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line

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