The end of the holiday season means a return to work for most of us, and if you weren’t lucky enough to receive a new EDC work bag as a gift this time around, perhaps it’s time to treat yourself. A new year also brings around a time to think about upgrading your kit, too. But what to pick? A good everyday carry work bag should have enough space to carry your essentials, and it should especially accommodate a work laptop or tablet as well. It should also probably be a bit stylish while looking appropriate for business use. To help you out in your search for your next EDC work bag, we’ve rounded up some of our favorites for you in this guide.
InCase AllRoute Daypack
PurchaseKey Features
3-D foam back panel and padded shoulder straps for comfort
Side water bottle pockets
Sleek, low-profile design
Specifications
Capacity
19L
Materials
Water-resistant ripstop nylon
Laptop Size
15“
InCase is renowned for making quality bags made to keep laptops safe during the rough and tumble of an everyday commute. Their AllRoute Daypack features a dedicated laptop compartment that can fit up to a 15″ device. That special tech compartment and the main compartment feature water-resistant zippers, and the ripstop nylon shell is also designed to keep water out. There’s lots of internal organization space to keep smaller items and stationery secure while moving around.
Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip 15L
PurchaseKey Features
270-degree wrap-around zipper
Configurable with FlexFold padded dividers
Carry handles on top and sides
Specifications
Capacity
15L
Materials
100% recycled 400D weatherproofed nylon canvas shell
Laptop Size
13″
Peak Design revamped their Everyday line of EDC bags for the new year, and their new Zip Backpack packs quite a punch. It has a versatile wrap-around zipper that allows for easy loading and unloading of your gear. Its design also allows for quick side access when you’re on the move. The internal structure of the bag is easily configurable to your needs thanks to Peak’s signature FlexFold dividers. It’s padded enough to keep valuable electronics like cameras and small drones safe. And its dedicated laptop sleeve is perfect for 13″ ultra-portable laptops or tablets as well. Grab handles on the top and sides of the bag make reaching for it in awkward places like under seat or overhead storage bins in buses and trains an easy task to accomplish, and its minimalist look makes it well suited for any situation.
Bellroy System Work Bag
PurchaseKey Features
Luggage passthrough sleeve
Roll-top closure
Dual front zip pockets for quick access to small gear
Specifications
Capacity
16L
Materials
Water-resistant weaved nylon fabric
Laptop Size
15“
Bellroy’s known for their fine leather works, but they also make quality nylon gear as well. Take their System Work Bag for example, a clean looking messenger bag with room for a 15″ laptop and featuring a roll-top closure that keeps the rain out too. When you’re not going to and from the office, you can use the System Work Bag as a personal carry-on bag, and it has a pull through sleeve that lets you slot it into the handle of a roller bag for ease of use.
Chrome Industries Citizen Messenger
PurchaseKey Features
Quick-release buckle and secure shoulder strap
Reflective for night visibility
Compression straps to secure and minimize cargo footprint
Specifications
Capacity
26L
Materials
Weatherproof tarp liner with durable nylon shell
Laptop Size
17“
The Chrome Industries Citizen Messenger bag is made for a fast-paced lifestyle, and its unique carrying modes make it well suited in that regard. Aside from the standard over-the-shoulder carrying mode, the Messenger Satchel can be used as a sling, and for added security you can buckle the bag in a three-point style that secures it while you move about or bike around the city. The high-visibility reflective material on the strap also help for making sure drivers can see you in the dark, and you can fit up to at 17″ laptop in its spacious and padded main compartment along with your work essentials.
Filson Weatherproof Original Briefcase
PurchaseKey Features
Made in the USA
Solid brass hardware
Padded shoulder strap
Specifications
Capacity
13L
Materials
Weatherproof bridle leather by Wickett & Craig
Laptop Size
15“
With most leather briefcases, you have to worry about getting them wet when it rains, especially when they’re heirloom quality in terms of quality. But to Filson, that type of quality also comes with immensely practical durability: their Weatherproof Original Briefcase does as listed. Their vegetable-tanned boot-grade leather bag was made by Wickett & Craig to offer you a permanent waterproof protection that gets even better with age, making this a quality bag that you won’t have to worry about actually using on a day-to-day basis.
Fossil Buckner Convertible
PurchaseKey Features
Slim profile
Stowable straps to convert to a shoulder bag
Easy access exterior pockets
Specifications
Capacity
~9L
Materials
Polyester and PU trim
Laptop Size
15“
This slim and stylish polyester cloth bag fits up to a 15″ laptop, and its main draw is its ability to transform from shoulder bag to daypack backpack with little fuss. The two external zippered compartments allow for quick access to important documents and small electronics like your cell phone or a small camera on the fly.
Unbox Therapy x PacSafe Anti-theft Briefcase
PurchaseKey Features
Low-profile black on black minimal design
Wide access main compartment zippered opening
RFID blocking
Specifications
Capacity
19L
Materials
Puncture- and slash-resistant shell
Laptop Size
15″
Getting your gear stolen is one of the worst things that can happen to your everyday carry, and even worse if it happens to the gear you need for work every day. This special edition of PacSafe’s unique anti-theft convertible pack makes for a low profile work bag that’ll let you carry your essentials without advertising their contents for all to see. And if someone is unlucky enough to try for your bag, the hallmark anti-theft features of this bag, like the cut resistant straps, help make sure it’s hard to make you part with your stuff unwillingly.
Manhattan Portage Deluxe Computer Bag
PurchaseKey Features
Luggage passthrough sleeve
Limited lifetime warranty
Hook-and-loop closure
Specifications
Capacity
21.2L
Materials
1000D Cordura Nylon
Laptop Size
17″
Weighing just a pound fully unloaded, Manhattan Portage’s Deluxe Computer Bag gives you enough space to fit a full size 17″ desktop replacement laptop into its protective sleeve. But from the outside, it doesn’t look like a laptop bag, letting you move incognito when you don’t want to draw attention to the gear you placed inside. The rear pocket allows for quick access to documents as well, but if you unzip the bottom you can use it as a luggage pass through sleeve for travel.
Topo Designs Commuter
PurchaseKey Features
Convertible from shoulder bag to backpack
Made in the USA
YKK zippers
Specifications
Capacity
~13L
Materials
1000D Cordura and Horween leather
Laptop Size
15″
Topo Designs’s take on the convertible briefcase firmly straddles the line between fashionable luxury and durable travel-ready construction. The exterior of the Bag features super-sturdy 1000D Cordura nylon with gorgeous Horween leather trimming. The bags internals are lined with 420D nylon pack cloth, which is far less abrasive than the exterior shell, so packing more delicate gear is safe to do with this bag, especially if you’re using it on vacation when you’ve ditched the office digs for a while.
Mission Workshop The Khyte
PurchaseKey Features
Made in the USA
Fidlock V-buckle closures
Arkiv rail extensibility
Specifications
Capacity
24L
Materials
2-layer weatherproof HT 500
Laptop Size
15“
The Khyte is designed to be the ultimate shoulder bag for work or play, with a generous 24L of space for gear protected by a 2-layer weatherproof HT500 technical fabric shell. Fidlock V-buckles make for a secure closure that’s actually more convenient to open than the standard buckle you find on other bags. And The Khyte is also compatible with Mission Workshop’s unique Arkiv accessory packs, letting you further expand and configure the bag to your liking.
How’s your transition back to work been so far this year? Did a fresh take on your work EDC help you out? What bags did we miss? Sound off in the comments below!
