About two years ago, we ran an article in which Verge staffers talked about their favorite backpacks and other bags. It’s time for a new one, and so we asked the staff to tell us about their favorite travel packs, day-to-day bags, and other ways to carry stuff around. Here’s what they told us.
Backpacks
I like to travel light, but as a dad, that’s almost impossible. I bought a Tom Bihn Synik 30 a few years ago and found that there’s a reason it’s on almost every backpack list you’ll find. (Any serious one, that is.) It holds everything I need for a day out with the kids or a weekend traveling… or longer if I travel light. Tom Bihn bags are known for their high-quality materials — mine still looks brand-new after about six years — and the Synik 30 has a ton of pockets for storing anything from a change of clothes to a small first-aid kit or whatever else dads carry. I also love that there’s a water bottle pocket right in the front-center of the bag, that the large main pocket has straps to buckle down clothes for a weekend trip, and that it has a dedicated laptop sleeve.
I could keep going on about all the clip-on caches you could buy, the super-comfortable straps, and more. There are 26-liter and 22-liter sizes too if you don’t need as much space. — Todd Haselton, deputy editor
Just to tag onto Todd’s writeup, I was gonna recommend my Tom Bihn dad bag, which still looks good after almost 18 years, but it’s so old they’ve redesigned it twice since I got it. I wish it had a water bottle pocket, but it’s in such great shape I can’t justify replacing it just for that. That’s the flipside of buy-it-for-life bags, I guess. Anyway, Tom Bihn makes a great dad backpack. — Nathan Edwards, senior reviews editor
My criteria for a good work backpack essentially includes: it’s not a black hole, it’s comfortable enough to carry everything I need for a full day out, and it still looks professional. The Lo & Sons Rowledge backpack fits the bill.
This bag is comfortable to carry even when loaded up with my laptop, water bottle, and power bank. Its zippers are smooth and sturdy, the metal details and leather pocket give it a sleek look, and numerous organizing tools and pockets help me find anything I need quickly, even when I need to pull out all my electronics to go through a security line in order to enter a courthouse. Pro tip: Lo & Sons occasionally has online warehouse sales during which I previously was able to score this bag for about $150. — Lauren Feiner, senior policy reporter
NANANANANANANANA BAT BAG!!
Childish whimsy aside, Killstar has a decent selection of bags and purses to suit those with alternative fashion tastes, and this Vamped Up backpack is one of my favorites. It can’t fit devices like laptops or larger tablets through the zipper, but it’s plenty roomy enough for phones, wallets, e-readers, and a good handful of pocket-sized essentials. That back-facing zipper placement makes it tricky to steal from, and I find the rubber-like bat design on the front is pretty effective at keeping all the contents dry when rain hits. I’ve linked to the black version, but I own it in a striking red color that gets me hounded with cheerful compliments every time I wear it. — Jess Weatherbed, news writer
Slings and totes
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