For many in the EDC community, laptops are the most important (and most expensive) part of their daily carry, and figuring out how to bring one along safely and conveniently can be a big problem. Good laptop bags tend to be bigger and designed with protection in mind, with dedicated spaces for your tech hardware and enough padding to help make sure your computer survives life’s bumps and scrapes. You’re also likely to be carrying a lot of other office, school, or work-related gear like documents, stationery, and the gadgets that help you get work done away from home, so the added capacity and organizational space comes in handy. Water resistance is important too, because electronic tech doesn’t work well if it gets wet, after all. With that in mind, your choice of a bag to hold your laptop is very important, and to help you on your quest to find one that suits your everyday carry, we’ve rounded up a list of 10 of our favorite EDC laptop bags that you can buy today.
If you’re familiar with Dell and their Alienware line of laptops, you’ll see flashes of their design aesthetic in this armored, water-resistant hardshell gaming laptop backpack made in collaboration with Mobile Edge that’s been sized up to fit up to a 17" desktop replacement machine with ease. There’s an internal pocket for your large laptop as well as a smaller tablet or ultrabook device, and there’s plenty of organizational area and a total of about 40 liters of space to carry other accessories like your wireless Bluetooth mouse and cables along. With its molded and vented back panel, you’ll be able to carry this laptop bag around with ease no matter where you need to go.
The Thule Crossover has a dedicated laptop compartment for up to a 15" current-gen Apple MacBook Pro, and there’s a smaller tablet pocket as well to segregate your gear. But it also keeps your smaller essentials safe, with a crush-proof SafeZone designed to protect delicate glasses or small camera gear you need. The high-visibility grey and blue interior helps you locate specific items like cables and chargers quickly, and there’s a slip pocket for documents to hold them all in one place. For your convenience there’s water bottle storage pockets on the side of the bag, and the padded back panel and adjustable harness also includes a sternum strap to help ease pressure against your chest when the bag is packed to the brim.
If you carry a slim laptop or tablet on the daily, a big bulky bag may not be the best option, and you might want to opt for a more streamlined bag like the Incase ICON Slim, which also has a low-profile minimal look that works well in an urban locale. While the bag doesn’t have the bulk of other packs, it can still fit a full-size 16" laptop PC in its fully-padded compartment. And because the bag is made out of ultra-durable 840D ballistic nylon, you can be confident in this bag standing up to the rigors of a daily commute and more for some time to come.
With a name like the Transit Workpack, it’s clear Bellroy had the office commuter in mind when designing their new line of sleek streamlined urban laptop bags. There’s a dedicated laptop section designed to accommodate up to a 16 inch device, and the full-zip clamshell mechanism makes it easy to reach the interior of the bag for loading and unloading your gear. And for those who want to hit the gym after work, there’s a shoe pocket designed to keep a separate pair of athletic shoes around and away from the rest of your stuff and especially far away from your next change of clothes too.
Hazard 4’s tactical designs make for bombproof reliability and extreme customization options that make them very versatile for laptop use, and their Drawbridge is one of the most unique of their bags. The soft-molded back panel features a dedicated laptop area that’s designed to fit up to a 17" laptop, and the main compartment is designed to be opened via either the top or the side depending on your needs. The top pocket feature’s Hazard 4’s hallmark thermoformed molded technology to add extra rigidity and protection for small optics and sunglasses. The Drawbridge’s name comes from the load bearing panel on the front of the pack, which can expand to fit oversize items like a helmet or other gear, and the panel itself can fit a small tablet or laptop on its own. Lots of MOLLE webbing and hook and loop options on the exterior of the bag complete the modularity of the whole system.
The Topo Designs Rover Pack Tech retains the traditional rucksack design of the rest of their backpack line, but with a laptop and tech carry in mind from the start. The external padded laptop sleeve holds most 15" laptops securely and safely as you move, and the interior has lots of room for notebooks and office gear and other tech items as well. The expandable side pockets hold water bottles at the ready and are easily reached while the bag remains on your pack, and the cinch top opening helps keep the water out along with the inherently water-resistant use of 1000D nylon for the exterior shell.
If you need a smart-looking laptop briefcase for your professional life but want a more modern, minimal look, the Aer Commuter Brief is your best choice. Its compact 13 liter size makes it not too bulky for daily use, but there’s plenty of space inside for your office essentials, and its padded interior pocket is designed to fit most 15" laptop computers. The dual top handles allow for a secure short-term carry option, but the removable shoulder strap is the best bet for extended use. The back pocket provides quick access to valuables, and there’s plenty of small pockets and organization space for stationery and important business documents. And unlike the traditional leather briefcases of old, the smart technical 1680D CORDURA and 840D nylon materials used in constructing this bag make it far more durable and water-resistant.
The Timbuk2 Project Backpack was made to be the perfect backpack for carry-on laptop travel. With luggage passthrough slots in the back that let it synergize well with a traditional roller bag, and a size that won’t exceed domestic carrier requirements for overhead storage on most planes. The external laptop pocket fits most laptops and tablets up to 16" in size, and the premium leather and waxed canvas makes this bag highly resistant to light rain and it lends the bag a touch of rustic class that most laptop bags cannot offer.
As its name implies, the NutSac Muy Grande is a big traditional messenger-style shoulder briefcase with a padded internal sleeve that is designed to fit up to a 17" desktop replacement machine for heavy-duty mobile work. But while it’s set up to carry your modern tech gear, its traditional full-grain leather and water-resistant waxed canvas construction makes it look like the classic bags of old that your grandad would be proud to carry into work too.
The simplicity of the EVERGOODS Civic Half Zip isn’t a limitation: it’s an indicator of just how well designed the bag is that it doesn’t need to be complicated in both design and appearance. It lends itself to having a low-profile design that doesn’t stand out in a crowd too, which is great when you factor in just how expensive your laptop is and how much more valuable the data contained within is, too. The padded and suspended interior compartment fits up to a 17" MacBook Pro, and the padding also helps segregate it away from the rest of your gear. The angled main body zipper allows it to hold its shape and makes it easy for you to access the organization zippered areas for gear while you’re on the move. At the top of the bag there’s a pocket for small items and a key leash for your keys helping prevent against loss, and the EVA padded back panel and adjustable harness make this a comfortable bag for long-term wear.
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