Sure, you can use a carry-on backpack along with your other luggage, but they are designed to fully replace your suitcase for those occasions in which you can only bring a single bag on a flight. As a lifestyle editor used to exclusively traveling with carry-on luggage, I researched the best carry-on backpacks that comply with airline luggage size restrictions and offer space and organization. After consulting with our testing panel of avid travelers, I selected the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L as our top overall pick, thanks to a thoughtful design that keeps tech and other valuable products protected in transit. For the best organization, the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L also scored high marks, thanks to its numerous pockets and spacious interior.
After thoroughly researching and testing the top contenders, here are the five that performed the best in hands-on testing.
I chose these winners based on factors like materials, dimensions, weight, volume and interior organization. (Your backpack’s interior volume and organization are especially important if it is the only bag you’re traveling with.) For other key insights and recommendations, I spoke with Ally Gibson, a travel content creator who has visited over 30 countries—many with a carry-on backpack. Read on to see the best carry-on backpacks to travel with in 2025.
Peak Design’s travel backpack is comfortable, sleek, and holds plenty of gear, whether you’re heading out on a hiking expedition or exploring a new city with a camera in tow. It meets international carry-on size requirements and its expandable design provides up to 45 liters of space, which is more than enough room for a week-long trip. “The main storage compartment is spacious and easy to access, and I was easily able to pack it with clothes, snacks and souvenirs,” says our tester. The interior also features an internal padded laptop sleeve and can be divided into two compartments with a mesh sleeve for better organization.
For photographers or content creators, this bag also stands out for its ability to safely and securely store valuable tech items. “I used some of the brand’s camera cubes to efficiently store lenses, bodies and accessories,” says our tester. “It all packed very neatly inside, and it was comfortable to carry around thanks to the solid padding on the straps and back panel.”
The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack doesn’t feature the same expansion as our top overall pick, the Peak Design Travel Backpack, but with enough space to hold up to 35 liters of items, it’s an ideal size for mid-length trips of up to a week. It’s also built with an impressive weatherproof nylon exterior that our tester found incredibly durable. “I used this backpack on a week-long trip to Ecuador, and I felt confident that my belongings were protected—even my laptop—when it was tossed into a small boat in the Amazon rainforest or carried to a remote cabin in the woods,” she says.
This bag is ideally sized for international airline cabins, and when it unzips, it lays flat like an actual suitcase, making it easy to find your belongings. There are also multiple mesh pockets (three in total: one large and two medium-sized compartments) to keep your items organized and easily accessible, as well as a separate laptop compartment and an external pocket for frequently used items.
Priced under $30, the Coofay Travel Backpack is an affordable option for travelers seeking a spacious backpack without making an investment. “I can fit hiking boots, my toiletry bags in the wet compartment and my laptop with room to spare,” says our tester, who has used this backpack on several international trips. “It’s comfy and can easily fit under most airplane seats.” In addition to a laptop compartment, this bag also has a shoe pocket with ventilation holes and several smaller mesh pockets on the interior. Another benefit is the USB charging port, which allows you to charge your phone on the go (note that the bag does not come with a power bank or cable). With a 25-liter capacity, it’s slightly smaller than others on our list, but it’s a great size if you’re headed on a three or four-day trip or plan to take smaller, domestic flights with limited overhead space.
For outdoor-oriented trips, we recommend the Matador GlobeRider 45 Travel Backpack, which offers 45 liters of space, a helpful harness system, and secondary shoulder straps to help balance and distribute the weight. It features a clamshell design with an internal shock cord to keep everything secure, as well as an external padded laptop compartment. An exterior pocket with smaller pouches provides an organized space for stashing cords and chargers that often get lost in larger bags.
What makes this bag stand out is its robustly weatherproof exterior, designed with PU waterproofing. And thanks to its ripstop nylon material, it’s also incredibly durable. “I’m a chronic over-packer, but I managed to fit everything I needed for multiple activities and weather conditions all in this bag,” says our tester. For more details, read our in-depth review of the Matador GlobeRider 45 Travel Backpack.
Interior organization is one of the top features to prioritize in a carry-on backpack, and the Topo Designs Global Travel Bag offers it in spades. This backpack stands out for its impressive array of mesh pockets, including expandable side pockets perfect for a water bottle and umbrella. “It was massive; it felt like the space kept going and going and you could put more and more in it,” says our tester, who used this bag on a recent week-long getaway to Washington.
Despite its capacity, the padded back panel and shoulder straps ensure you remain comfortable when on the move. Load-lifter straps and a sternum strap help balance the weight, making it more manageable. Plus, there are multiple grab handles on the sides and top.
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
The Forbes Vetted travel team has researched, written and published dozens of in-depth roundups on luggage, including the best luggage, best carry-on luggage and best lightweight luggage.
- Katherine Louie, the author of this piece, is a lifestyle editor with extensive experience covering travel and lifestyle topics.
- All picks in this story were reviewed and approved by deputy editor Jane Sung, who oversees the travel, beauty and fashion verticals.
- This article was edited by Forbes Vetted executive editor Dave Johnson. He has decades of travel experience as an avid scuba instructor and photographer, frequently traveling across the Caribbean and Pacific with too much luggage.
- Louie also gathered key insight and guidance from Ally Gibson, a travel content creator who has visited over 30 countries.
- We regularly update this story to ensure our recommendations remain relevant. In the September 2025 update, our editorial team re-evaluated our selections and refreshed the frequently asked questions.
How We Tested The Best Carry-On Backpacks
To find the best carry-on backpacks, we researched dozens of best-selling options, compared features and had our team of experienced editors test each bag.
- Our travel editorial team evaluated more than a dozen different bags for this review. Our winners were evaluated based on their materials, dimensions, weight, volume, interior organization and durability.
- We researched all the brands featured on this list to ensure each has a strong reputation and positive reviews, focusing on models with an average rating of at least four stars and a negligible number of concerning reviews, if any.
- Forbes Vetted editors and staffers tested our top five selections for several months. They provided detailed feedback on the luggage, scoring each piece on a scale of 1 to 5. We narrowed our final selections by focusing on the luggage that scored higher than 3.
- The final products on this list reflect in-depth research conducted by our writer and meticulous vetting by the editorial team.
What To Consider In A Carry-On Backpack
When traveling with a carry-on backpack, it’s essential to find one that can withstand frequent handling, accommodate all your essentials and still meet airline size requirements. Remember that an ideal carry-on backpack can serve as a replacement for your suitcase if you find yourself on a budget airline or other situation in which you can only travel with one bag.
Dimensions
The most important consideration when selecting a carry-on backpack is its dimensions, as it should meet the airline’s size requirements to avoid unnecessary baggage fees. Your bag should fit comfortably in the overhead bin and should not exceed 2 x 14 x 9 inches. However, be sure to check the size requirements of the airline you’re flying before you begin packing. The Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L has an expandable design, which is helpful if you plan to pick up souvenirs on your journey, and the Coofay Travel Backpack is slightly smaller than the other options on this list if you’re looking for something to bring on a smaller aircraft.
Materials
Carry-on backpacks are available in a range of materials, but the most common are rip-stop nylon, polyester or a blend of the two. “Water‑resistant nylon or polyester is ideal because they’re durable yet lightweight,” says Ally Gibson, a travel content creator who has visited over 30 countries. Both nylon and polyester can withstand rough handling as well. It’s also a good idea to look for a bag that has a waterproof or water-resistant coating, especially if you plan on using your backpack for outdoor activities like hiking. (We recommend the Matador GlobeRider45 Travel Backpack, which features a weatherproof and durable exterior, for outdoor-oriented trips.)
Interior Organization
The best carry-on backpacks have thoughtful organization that makes it easy to find your belongings. “Inside, you want multiple compartments to help keep clothes, electronics and toiletries organized,” says Gibson. “Compression straps or cubes inside the pack also make it easier to maximize space.” A padded laptop sleeve is also a valuable feature, and an exterior pocket allows you to stash items you reach for frequently, such as a passport or wallet.