The New York Times - Your new fall bag

(Is a backpack) ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌

The best backpacks

Our picks for best laptop backpack pictured with school supplies.

Photo: Connie Park

The backpack your kids need for kindergarten, the one older students need for carrying textbooks, and the one you take to work all need to do different things. Our experts have spent hundreds of hours finding the best for every situation:

For young kids: Since 2015, we’ve tested 35 backpacks for kids, in some cases sending the packs to school with our own children year after year. These durable and comfortable options are suited for kids in a range of ages, from preschool through middle school.
For college and high school students: Beyond being spacious enough to carry books and laptops, our picks for older students are durable enough to handle a long day of classes, clubs, sports, internships, and more. We particularly like this dependable backpack to get students through the semester—and beyond.
For the office: A laptop backpack is more ergonomic than a tote or messenger bag, it holds more than a briefcase, and it looks more stylish than a rolling bag.

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All the backpacks we recommend→

We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more ›

You’re probably wearing your backpack wrong

A graphic displaying on the left, a person wearing a backpack with the straps higher than the bag on their back, the incorrect way of wearing a backpack, and on the right, a person wearing a backpack with the straps and the bag at an even height, the correct way of wearing a backpack.

Photo: Connie Park

Plagued by back pain? While there are many factors outside our control (the march of time, our evolutionary past), it’s worth looking at how you wear your backpack.

How to properly wear your backpack→

More for the fall

Three of our favorite laptop tote bags that we tested, shown with a laptop, sunglasses, keys, a pen, and a notebook.

Laptop tote bags we love

If you prefer a more polished option than a backpack, these tote bags look great and offer ample storage space.

A lunch box, a water bottle, and a rash guard with labels on them, shown next to three sheets of labels.

Labels: The unsung hero of back-to-school season

For a one-time, nominal cost, labels can help your kid and their teacher spot objects with ease, and ensure that often-pricey goods don’t end up in the lost and found.

Half a dozen of our best headphones picks arranged on a wood surface.

All the headphones we recommend

Whether you’re looking for noise-cancelling headphones for your studies or an affordable pair of wired buds to toss in your backpack, we’ve got you covered.

Great deals on some of our favorite bags

LOWest PRICE we’ve ever seen

A messenger bag for bikers

Deal price: $96 | Street price: $150

Use promo code TEAMCHROME

This bag is a cult classic among bike riders. In our tests, it stood out from the rest because of its great weight distribution, comfortable shoulder strap, and organizational features.

Buy now from Chrome Industries

RARE DEAL

A rugged laptop backpack

Deal price: $64 | Street price: $140

Use promo code TEAMCHROME

The Chrome Urban Ex 2.0 is tough, durable, and comfortable. It has a rugged, waterproof design, and the roll-top closure lets you shrink and expand the bag as needed.

Buy now from Chrome Industries

The best backpack for middle schoolers

Deal price: $30 | Street price: $60

This backpack has great organizational features—including a smartphone pouch and padded laptop sleeve. And it comes in plenty of fun designs.

Buy now from PB Teen

Thanks for reading.

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The New York Times - Your new fall bag

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