Our 6 favorite travel backpacks for your next trip

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When it comes to travel, a backpack is essential in my book, especially one featuring a side water bottle holder, a computer slot, and interior and exterior pockets. And it probably comes as no surprise, but I have a few different travel backpacks in my closet — each one with a different purpose, depending on the trip at hand.

For shorter trips, I've even been able to leave my suitcase behind and simply pack all my clothes in my backpack by using packing cubes. But with so many backpacks on the market, which ones are the best? Here are my 6 favorites, all of which include my must-have features.

The well-known Cotopaxi brand makes one of the best travel backpacks you'll find. Their Allpa 42L Travel Pack is incredibly comfortable even for an entire day of traveling, offering a mesh back panel and straps, enhanced weight distribution, and a luggage pass-through strap to easily slide the bag over the handle of a roller suitcase.

The Allpa 42L also offers an interior suitcase-style design, stretch water bottle pocket, and a fleece-lined computer pocket. The bag is incredibly burly and one of my absolute favorites, especially for overnight trips.

But this bag is on the larger side, so if you're looking for something slightly smaller — and one that will definitely fit underneath the seat in front of you — you might want to instead consider the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack or the Cotopaxi Allpa 28L Travel Pack.

Get the Cotopaxi Allpa 42L Travel Pack at Amazon

With a mid-tier price, the Osprey Daylite 35L Travel Pack is a great backpack option. You'll find it has many similar features to bags being sold at a much higher price, such as an ergonomic design, organization pockets, a laptop sleeve, water bottle holder, multiple grab handles, and much more.

The Osprey Daylite 35L also features a suitcase-style interior for easy packing, along with internal tie-down straps and a mesh pocket.

But if you're looking for a simpler backpack — and one that doesn't replace a suitcase — the Osprey Daylite Plus Commuter Backpack is another option. It's perfect for carrying your everyday travel items throughout the airport, and it can even be used as a daypack at your vacation destination.

Get the Osprey Daylight 35L Travel Pack at Amazon

The tech-loving traveler will adore the Timbuk2 Authority Laptop Backpack Deluxe. This bag is filled with organizational pockets and sleeves, which can keep not just one, but two laptops (or tablets) safe during your travels.

Travelers will enjoy the padded straps, a ventilated mesh back panel, luggage passthrough, and a water-resistant bottom. And while the Timbuk2 has a water bottle pocket, many reviewers have noted that it works best with thinner water bottles.

Get the Timbuk2 Authority Laptop Backpack Deluxe at Amazon

The 17-inch SwissGear laptop backpack is the perfect travel bag for navigating your way through the airport.

This bag features a laptop compartment, a padded back panel with venting technology for comfort, quick access top pocket, side pockets for your water bottle, and an integrated media pocket with a headphone port. And with its scansmart design, you can breeze through security without having to remove your electronics.

Get the SwissGear 1900 Scansmart Laptop Backpack at Amazon

If you're looking for a decent backpack at an incredibly low price, you can't go wrong with the MATEIN Carry On Backpack.

Thanks to its many compartments, you can keep all your items organized while traveling. There's even a separate footwear compartment, where you can fit up to a size 12 shoe — or use it as a place to keep your dirty laundry.

And similar to many other backpacks, the MATEIN Carry On Backpack also features a laptop pocket, interior and exterior pockets, a water bottle pocket, a luggage pocket, and a hidden anti-theft pocket.

Get the MATEIN Carry On Backpack at Amazon

While the Northface Borealis Commuter Laptop Backpack isn't one to replace an entire suitcase, it's a great option for carrying the items you want easy access to while on the airplane.

This has often been my go-to backpack, and I've always appreciated its comfort while traveling. The Northface Borealis Backpack offers a plethora of internal organization pockets, two external water bottle pockets, a padded laptop sleeve, and many fleece-lined pockets.

This bag is built to last, and comes in over 30 colors, so it's easy to find one that both fits your personality and won't get lost in a crowd.

Get the Northface Borealis Commuter Laptop Backpack at Amazon

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