8 Best Backpacks for Traveling in 2026

The best backpack for traveling fits a budget airline's cabin-bag sizer, carries well on cobblestones, and slides into a train's overhead rack. Below are eight real, currently sold travel backpacks. We checked size and weight against Ryanair and easyJet, the two carriers that trip up US travelers most.

A wheeled bag works fine on flat airport floors and hotel lobbies. It struggles the moment you hit old cobblestones, a station with no elevator, or a narrow train aisle. A backpack keeps both hands free and carries better over a full day on foot.

European budget carriers measure bags more strictly than US airlines do. A pack labeled carry-on size in the US can still be too deep for a European gate sizer. Every pick below lists real dimensions, so you can check it against your own airline before you fly.

#1. Osprey Farpoint 40: most trusted all-around travel pack

Osprey Farpoint 40 Travel Pack

Our verdict:

Most trusted all-around travel pack

Best for one-bag travelers who want a padded hip belt for long walking days.

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• Stowaway harness and hip belt for check-in or travel days
• Zippered 16-inch laptop and tablet sleeve
• External zip pocket for toiletries
• Sized as a domestic carry-on

Keep in mind: at about 23 cm deep it runs over Ryanair's depth limit on both the free and Priority tiers.

Product details checked September 2026

The Farpoint 40 is the pack most one-bag Europe travelers already own. It weighs about 3.5 lb (1.6 kg) and measures roughly 21.7 x 13.8 x 9.1 in, about 55 x 35 x 23 cm. The main compartment opens flat like a suitcase, and a quick-access sleeve fits up to a 16-inch laptop.

Its 23 cm depth fits comfortably inside easyJet's large cabin bag allowance. On Ryanair, plan on checking it or paying for the Priority add-on and packing it thin. The padded hip belt and load-lifter straps keep weight off your shoulders on a long day of walking.

The main pocket opens flat, so it packs like a small suitcase. That makes it a good match for packing cubes. The harness and hip belt zip away behind a panel, which protects them if you check the bag or it gets taken at the gate. The torso length also adjusts, so you can set it to your back before the trip.

Osprey sells the Farpoint 40 as a men's pack. It fits most average and taller frames. If you have a shorter torso, the Fairview 40 below is the same bag on a shorter frame. The Farpoint also works with Osprey's matching Farpoint and Fairview daypacks, which clip on to the front.

Who it suits: a one-bag traveler on a trip with long walks between stations and hotels. The hip belt is the reason to pick it over a lighter pack.

#2. Osprey Fairview 40: best women's fit for standard cabin limits

Osprey Fairview 40 Travel Pack (Women's)

Our verdict:

Best women's fit for standard cabin limits

Best for travelers who want a shorter-torso frame and a slimmer profile.

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• Women's-specific frame with stowaway harness and hip belt
• Zippered 16-inch laptop and tablet sleeve
• External zip toiletry pocket
• Sized as a domestic carry-on

Keep in mind: it is still deep enough to exceed Ryanair's cabin-bag depth limits, so check it at the gate.

Product details checked September 2026

The Fairview 40 is Osprey's women's-specific version of the Farpoint, built on a shorter torso with a shaped hip belt. It weighs about 3.4 lb and measures around 21.7 x 13.8 x 9.1 in, roughly 55 x 35 x 23 cm.

That depth fits comfortably inside easyJet's large cabin bag. It carries a 16-inch laptop in a padded sleeve and has dual front compression straps to cinch the load down for a train's overhead rack.

The fit is the point. A pack that is too long for your back sits low and pulls on your shoulders. The Fairview's shorter frame and shaped hip belt put the weight on your hips, where it belongs. The torso length adjusts too, so you can fine-tune it.

Like the Farpoint, the harness stows away for checked travel, and there is an outside zip pocket for toiletries. The two packs share the same size and layout. So the choice comes down to which frame fits your body.

Who it suits: women and shorter travelers who find unisex packs sit too low. It is also a good pick for anyone who wants the Farpoint's layout in a slightly lighter bag.

#3. Nomatic Travel Bag 40L: best backpack that converts to a duffel

Nomatic Travel Bag 40L

Our verdict:

Best backpack that converts to a duffel

Best for trips of 3 to 7 days where your shoulders need an occasional break.

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• Built for trips of about 3 to 7 days
• Fits up to a 16-inch laptop and tablet
• Converts between a backpack and a duffel
• Carry-on size with a luggage pass-through

Keep in mind: at roughly 23 cm deep it also runs over Ryanair's tighter depth limits.

Product details checked September 2026

The Nomatic Travel Bag 40L is built for trips of about three to seven days and converts between a backpack and a duffel. It weighs about 3.42 lb and measures 21 x 14 x 9 in, roughly 53 x 36 x 23 cm, with a laptop and tablet compartment sized up to 16 inches.

It fits easily inside easyJet's large cabin bag. It has 12 internal compartments, including a dedicated shoe space, plus a luggage pass-through strap and a removable set of waist straps you can pack away once you are off the plane.

The shoe space keeps dirty soles away from clean clothes after a day on wet cobblestones. Nomatic also includes a laundry bag and an internal water bottle pocket with a waterproof lining. The fabric is water-resistant, and the zips are reinforced.

The duffel mode is handy on short walks. Stow the straps, grab the side handle and carry it like a weekend bag through a hotel lobby. On a long walk from a station, switch back to backpack mode.

Who it suits: an organized packer who likes a set place for everything. With 12 compartments, it needs fewer packing cubes than the other picks.

#4. Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L: best pack that shrinks and grows

Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

Our verdict:

Best pack that shrinks and grows

Best for travelers who want one bag that stays small for flights and grows on the ground.

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• Expands from a 35L profile to 45L
• Weatherproof 400D recycled nylon shell
• Top, side, and rear access points
• Tuck-away shoulder straps, hip belt, and a luggage pass-through

Keep in mind: even compressed it runs over Ryanair's depth limit, and expanded it is too big for easyJet's large cabin bag too.

Product details checked September 2026

The Peak Design Travel Backpack is the one pack on this list built to change size on purpose. It compresses to a 35L profile at 56 x 33 x 24 cm, or expands to 45L at 56 x 33 x 29 cm. It weighs 4.5 lb (2.05 kg) and carries a 16-inch laptop in a padded sleeve.

Compressed, it fits inside easyJet's large cabin bag, though the 56 cm length sits right at that ceiling. Tuck-away shoulder straps, a hip belt, and a luggage pass-through keep it easy to carry through a terminal either way.

The shell is a weatherproof 400D recycled nylon canvas with a reinforced bottom. You can reach the inside from the top, the side and the back panel, so you rarely need to unpack to find something. The side pockets stretch to hold a bottle or a small tripod.

The trick is to fly it small and use the extra room on the ground. Keep it at 35 liters through the airport, then expand it for a train leg or for souvenirs on the way home. Just remember to compress it again before your next flight.

Who it suits: a photographer or a heavy packer who wants one bag for many kinds of trips. At 4.5 lb it is the heaviest pick here, so it suits trips with less walking.

#5. MATEIN 40L: lightest budget pick on this list

MATEIN 40L Carry-On Travel Backpack

Our verdict:

Lightest budget pick on this list

Best for travelers who want a light pack for shorter trips or lighter loads.

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• Unzips to expand for extra packing room
• Padded shoulder straps stow in the back panel
• Air-mesh ventilated back panel
• Water-resistant polyester shell with lockable zippers

Keep in mind: it skips a hip belt, so it suits lighter loads more than a full week of packing.

Product details checked September 2026

The MATEIN 40L carry-on backpack measures about 19 x 13 x 8 in, roughly 48 x 33 x 20 cm, and weighs close to 2.2 lb (1 kg). Unzipped, it expands for extra packing room, and hideaway padded shoulder straps stow away in the back panel.

At those dimensions, it comes close to fitting Ryanair's and easyJet's smaller cabin allowances. An air-mesh back panel and a front compartment for small items round it out, though there is no hip belt for longer carrying stretches.

Its 20 cm depth is its big strength. That matches the depth limit on Ryanair's paid Priority bag, so the MATEIN fits that allowance when you keep the expansion zip closed. It also has four outside compression straps and top and side grab handles. A strap on the back slides over a rolling suitcase handle.

Who it suits: a traveler on several budget flights who wants the lightest bag here. Our budget travel backpacks guide covers it in more detail.

#6. Osprey Daylite 44: most organized entry-level Osprey pack

Osprey Daylite 44L Carry-On Travel Pack

Our verdict:

Most organized entry-level Osprey pack

Best for travelers who want Osprey's build quality without the Farpoint's extra padding.

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• Full-zip clamshell opening with lockable zippers
• Padded laptop sleeve and an external toiletry pocket
• Ventilated AirScape back panel
• Dual water bottle pockets and a luggage pass-through sleeve

Keep in mind: at about 23 cm deep it runs over Ryanair's free personal-item limit.

Product details checked September 2026

The Daylite 44L Carry-On Travel Pack is Osprey's simpler travel pack. It weighs about 2.34 lb (1.06 kg) and measures roughly 21.7 x 14.2 x 9.1 in, about 55 x 36 x 23 cm, with a full-zip clamshell opening and lockable zippers.

It clears easyJet's large cabin bag comfortably. A padded laptop sleeve, an external toiletry pocket, and a ventilated AirScape back panel make it a practical pick for weekend trips or business travel.

Osprey says the Daylite 44 meets most airline carry-on limits when compressed. The shoulder straps tuck away, and it has two water bottle pockets and reinforced grab handles. At about 1.06 kg, it weighs about a third less than the Farpoint 40. The trade is that it has no padded hip belt.

Who it suits: a traveler who wants a simple, light 44-liter bag with Osprey's warranty. It suits trips where the pack spends more time in racks than on your back.

#7. Osprey Fairview 55: best women's pack with a detachable daypack

Osprey Fairview 55 Travel Pack (Women's)

Our verdict:

Best women's pack with a detachable daypack

Best for women who want a main pack and a day bag in one purchase.

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• 55L total volume with dual front compression straps
• Detachable 15L daypack with a lockable sleeve for up to a 16-inch laptop
• Meets carry-on size with the daypack detached
• Stowaway harness and hip belt on the main pack

Keep in mind: with the daypack attached it is too big for a cabin bag, so plan to detach it or check the main pack.

Product details checked September 2026

The Fairview 55 is two bags in one. The main pack and a detachable 15-liter daypack add up to 55 liters. With the daypack off, Osprey lists the main pack at 22 x 14 x 9 inches, about 56 x 36 x 23 cm. That meets most airline carry-on limits.

The main pocket opens with a large panel zip, and two front compression straps cinch it down. The harness and hip belt stow away when you check the bag. The daypack has its own lockable sleeve for most 16-inch laptops and a tablet. It also has two mesh bottle pockets and an inside zip pocket.

On a Europe trip, the setup works well. The main pack stays at the hotel, and the daypack goes to the museum. On a flight, the daypack can be your personal item and the main pack your cabin bag, if your fare allows both. At 23 cm deep, the main pack fits easyJet's large cabin bag. It is too deep for Ryanair Priority.

Who it suits: a woman on a longer trip who wants a proper day bag without buying a second one. It suits a checked-bag or two-bag fare best.

#8. tomtoc 40L: best pack for a 17-inch laptop

tomtoc 40L Travel Backpack

Our verdict:

Best pack for a 17-inch laptop

Best for remote workers and students who travel with a large laptop.

View on Amazon

• Separate sleeve for up to a 17-inch laptop
• Laptop section opens flat for security screening
• Recycled PET fabric with YKK zippers
• Padded back panel and adjustable chest strap

Keep in mind: at about 23 cm deep it runs over Ryanair's Priority depth limit, and it has no hip belt.

Product details checked September 2026

The tomtoc 40L measures about 20.5 x 13 x 9 inches, roughly 52 x 33 x 23 cm. tomtoc says usable space runs 38 to 40 liters, depending on how you pack. Its tech section takes up to a 17-inch laptop and a 13-inch tablet, the largest laptop space on this list.

That laptop section opens from 90 to 180 degrees. At airport security, you can lay it open or slide the laptop out without touching your clothes. The main pocket opens like a suitcase, and a quick-access front pocket reaches into it. The fabric is recycled from plastic bottles, and the zips are YKK.

It has a padded back panel and thick shaped straps with a chest strap. There are top and side handles and a luggage pass-through strap. At 52 cm tall and 23 cm deep, it fits easyJet's large cabin bag and Wizz Air's paid trolley bag. On Ryanair, it needs to be checked.

Who it suits: anyone who works on the road with a big laptop. For a lighter bag with a smaller laptop, the MATEIN or Daylite 44 is the better pick.

Factors to consider when choosing a backpack for traveling

Front-to-back size first

Airlines list three measurements, but depth is the number that catches people out. A pack labeled carry-on size in the US can still be too deep for a European gate sizer. Check the third number in a pack's dimensions before anything else.

A hip belt for cobblestone days

Cobblestone streets and stairs with no elevator put weight on your hips whether you plan for it or not. A pack with a real hip belt, even a light one, carries better over a full day than one without.

Compression straps for train racks

European train overhead racks are narrower than most US airline bins. A pack that cinches down when it is not full packs into that space more easily than one that stays fully expanded.

A laptop sleeve you can reach fast

Airport security in Europe often asks you to pull a laptop out separately. A dedicated, quick-access sleeve saves you from unpacking the whole bag at the security belt.

A grab handle on the side

You will lift this bag onto a train rack sideways more often than you carry it by the top. A side handle makes that one-handed lift much easier. Most of the picks here have one.

Zips you can lock

Not every pack ships with a lock, but most have zipper pulls that take a small travel lock. That matters more in a shared hostel dorm or on an overnight train than at security. The Osprey Daylite 44 and MATEIN list lockable zips.

Compression that shrinks the outside

Straps inside the pack keep clothes tidy. Straps on the outside pull the whole bag in. Those are what help a full bag pass a strict gate sizer.

How we picked the backpack for traveling

Every backpack here comes from the brand's own product page or the listing for the exact pack we link to. We used size and weight facts, plus materials, that we could verify directly. We converted inches to centimeters ourselves where a brand only lists inches, since that is the unit gate sizers use. We left out prices and star ratings because they change often, and a stale number does not help you decide what to buy.

We did not hand-test these packs. Where a fact comes from somewhere other than the brand or the listing, we name the source. Earlier versions of this page listed more packs. We removed those we could no longer match to a current listing, rather than keep a pick we could not back up.

Sizing against Ryanair and easyJet limits

• Ryanair free personal item: 40 x 30 x 20 cm, under the seat.
• Ryanair Priority cabin bag (paid add-on): 55 x 40 x 20 cm, up to 10 kg, overhead. Ryanair uses metal sizers at the gate, so a bag that is close on paper can still get pulled.
• easyJet free cabin bag: 45 x 36 x 20 cm, up to 15 kg, under the seat.
• easyJet large cabin bag (paid add-on): 56 x 45 x 25 cm, overhead.

A pack close to 20 cm deep has the best shot at Ryanair's tighter limits. Most 40L travel backpacks run 22 to 24 cm deep, which fits easyJet's large cabin bag but usually means checking or paying extra on Ryanair.

Backpack or rolling luggage

Rolling luggage works well on smooth, flat ground: a modern airport terminal, a hotel lobby, a paved street. It works worse the moment you pull it over old cobblestones, up a station staircase with no elevator, or down a narrow train aisle. If your trip is mostly trains and old city centers, a backpack usually wins. If it is point-to-point between airports and hotels with elevators, rolling luggage can still make sense.

Stairs are the part people forget. Many smaller stations have steps down to the platform, and a lift that is out of order is common enough to plan for. Old city centers add cobblestones and narrow lanes. A wheeled case takes both hands on stairs and rattles over stone. A backpack goes up the stairs with you and leaves a hand free for the rail.

Trains add one more test. Regional trains often have narrow aisles and small racks. A backpack about 35 cm wide slides into the rack above your seat. A large rolling case often has to go in the rack at the end of the carriage, out of your sight.

Loading a pack for a full day

A few habits make any of these packs carry better:

• Put heavy items, like shoes and a laptop, closest to your back and near the middle of the pack.
• Tighten the hip belt before the shoulder straps, so your hips carry the weight, not your shoulders.
• Snug the load-lifter straps at the top of the shoulder straps, at roughly a 45-degree angle.
• Cinch compression straps down even when the pack is not full, so the load does not shift on cobblestones or stairs.

Pack in the same order every time. Shoes and heavy items go in first, against the back panel. Clothes in cubes fill the middle. Your rain layer and day bag go on top or in the front pocket, where you can grab them. When every item has a fixed spot, you can repack in ten minutes on a hotel bed and spot at once if something is missing.

Check the fit again after the first day. A pack that felt fine at home can ride differently with a real trip load. Loosen everything, put it on, and tighten the straps in the same order: hip belt, shoulder straps, load lifters, then the sternum strap.

Traveling with a backpack on European trains

Trains are easier on a backpack than planes. There is usually no sizer and no weight limit on most European trains. You still have to lift the bag, find a place for it and keep an eye on it.

Board with the pack in your hands, not on your back. A pack on your back hits people in a narrow aisle. Lift it onto the rack above your seat by the side handle, with the straps facing the wall. If the rack is full, the racks at the end of the carriage take bigger bags, but you lose sight of them.

On high-speed trains, seats are often assigned and space fills quickly. Board early if your ticket allows it. On regional trains, racks are smaller, and a pack 23 cm deep or less fits best. That is one more reason the slimmer packs here work well on a rail trip. Our Europe train guide covers what to expect on each kind of train.

Stations can be large, with long walks between platforms. That is where a hip belt earns its keep. If your pack has one, do it up before you step off the train, so you are ready for the walk.

Warranty coverage

Osprey backs the Farpoint, Fairview, and Daylite with its All Mighty Guarantee, which covers ordinary wear and even airline damage for the life of the pack. Peak Design's lifetime warranty covers defects that affect how the bag works, not cosmetic wear. Nomatic's lifetime warranty covers defects, but asks you to register the bag after you buy it.

MATEIN backs its packs with a defects warranty for as long as you own the pack. The Fairview 55 carries the same Osprey guarantee as the other Osprey packs. For tomtoc, check the warranty terms on the listing before you buy, and keep your order record for any claim.

For a similar list built specifically around Ryanair and easyJet cabin sizers, see our best travel backpack for Europe guide. If you want picks grouped by fit, our men's travel backpack guide covers frame-specific sizing.

Which size: 35, 40 or 45 liters

Liters tell you how much a pack holds, but not its shape. Two 40-liter packs can have very different depths. Still, the number is a useful guide.

• About 35 liters: fits a trip of up to a week for a light packer. The Peak Design at its 35-liter setting sits here.
• About 40 liters: the sweet spot for most one-bag Europe trips of one to three weeks. The Farpoint 40, Fairview 40, Nomatic, MATEIN and tomtoc all sit here.
• 44 to 45 liters: more room, but the bag gets harder to keep inside cabin limits when full. The Daylite 44 and the expanded Peak Design sit here.
• 55 liters and up: usually a checked bag. The Fairview 55 only fits as a cabin bag with its daypack removed.

Bigger is not safer. A bigger pack tempts you to fill it, and a full pack is heavier on stairs and harder to fit in a sizer.

Common mistakes when buying a travel backpack

Trusting a US "carry-on size" label. US limits are looser than European budget carriers. Check the centimeter numbers against your own airline.

Looking only at height. Depth is what fails a gate sizer most often. A bag can be short enough and still too deep.

Skipping the hip belt for a long trip. A light pack with no hip belt is fine for short walks. For a trip with many hotel changes, a hip belt saves your shoulders.

Forgetting the day bag. A 40-liter pack is too big for a museum day. Plan a small bag that packs flat, or pick the Fairview 55 with its built-in daypack.

Buying the pack a week before the trip. Give yourself time to pack it fully at home, try it on and return it if it does not fit.

Empty weight, side by side

Empty weight counts against a strict cabin limit, like Ryanair's 10 kg Priority bag. From lightest to heaviest, the picks line up like this:

• MATEIN 40L: about 2.2 lb (1 kg).
• Osprey Daylite 44: about 2.34 lb (1.06 kg).
• Osprey Fairview 40: about 3.4 lb.
• Nomatic Travel Bag 40L: about 3.42 lb.
• Osprey Farpoint 40: about 3.5 lb (1.6 kg).
• Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L: 4.5 lb (2.05 kg).

The lightest two skip a padded hip belt. The heavier packs add a hip belt, a frame or an expanding shell. So a lighter pack gives you more room for clothes, and a heavier one carries better on a long walk. tomtoc and the Fairview 55 listings we checked do not state an empty weight, so we leave them out of this list.

Backpack or duffel-backpack hybrid

Most picks here are fixed backpacks with a harness built in. The Nomatic Travel Bag is a hybrid. It carries as a backpack or a duffel, with waist straps you can remove.

The difference shows on the ground. A fixed backpack carries better over a long walk from a station to a hotel, since the harness is part of the frame. A hybrid is nicer to carry by hand for a short walk, and it looks more like a weekend bag in a hotel lobby. Neither is better for everyone. It depends on how much of your trip you spend walking with the bag on.

Airline by airline: which packs fit

Here is how the eight picks line up against the main European budget carriers, at their smallest setting:

• Ryanair Priority (55 x 40 x 20 cm): only the MATEIN, at 20 cm deep with the expansion zip closed. Every other pick is 23 cm deep or more.
• easyJet large cabin bag (56 x 45 x 25 cm): all of the 23 cm packs fit, including the Farpoint, Fairview 40, Fairview 55 main pack, Nomatic, Daylite 44 and tomtoc. The Peak Design fits at its 35-liter setting, with its 56 cm height right at the limit.
• Wizz Air trolley bag (55 x 40 x 23 cm): the MATEIN fits with room to spare, and the 23 cm-deep tomtoc sits exactly on the depth limit. The Daylite 44, Farpoint and Fairview 40 sit right at the 55 cm height limit. The Nomatic, at 53 cm tall, also fits.
• Free under-seat bags (about 40 x 30 x 20 cm on Ryanair and Wizz Air): none of the eight. These are cabin bags, not personal items.

None of this is a promise. Airlines change their limits, and gate staff can measure strictly on a busy day. Check your own fare before you fly.

How your route changes the right pick

A trip built around one home-base city is easy on any pack. You unpack once and take day trips. A slightly bigger or heavier pack costs you little.

A city-hopping trip is different. If you change hotels every two to four days, you carry the bag up stairs and onto trains far more often. That is where a hip belt and a lighter empty weight pay off.

A mixed trip with trains and one or two budget flights should be sized to the strictest leg. If one flight is on Ryanair, that flight's depth limit sets the size for the whole trip.

Packing one of these bags for two weeks and four cities

A 40-liter pack is about the limit for a carry-on-only trip of two weeks. Here is how the space breaks down:

• Clothes, about half the pack: four or five days of clothes that mix and match. Use two packing cubes for tops and bottoms and one small cube for socks and underwear.
• One packable layer: a rain shell or light mid-layer in the fastest pocket to reach.
• Two pairs of shoes: wear the bulkier walking pair on travel days and pack the lighter pair.
• A day bag that packs flat: for museum days and train rides. The Fairview 55 has one built in.
• Papers and electronics in one place: most of these packs have a front pocket for this. It saves digging at a check-in desk or a station.

The packs that make this easiest are not always the biggest. They are the ones with real compression straps and a layout that opens flat, so you can repack in minutes. For cube sets that fit a 40-liter bag, see our packing cubes guide.

Checked bag or carry-on

Not every trip should be forced into a cabin bag. If a pack is close to your airline's limit and you have several flights, checking it can be less stress than a gate fight. Tuck the straps away first. The Farpoint, Fairview and Daylite 44 all let you stow the harness for this.

On a trip that is mostly trains with only one or two flights, carrying on matters less. You will not face a bag drop over and over. Match the choice to your mix of trains and flights, not to a rule that carry-on is always better.

Cleaning a travel backpack between legs

A pack that goes through stations and cobbled streets needs a wipe, not a wash. A damp cloth with mild soap handles daily grime on these synthetic shells. Let it air dry away from a heater.

Do not machine wash a framed pack. It can damage the foam, the frame or the hip belt. If a pack picks up a smell or a stain on the road, spot clean it with a soft brush and let it air out overnight near an open window. Save a full clean for home, and follow the brand's care notes.

How to choose between these eight

Four points narrow the list fast:

1. Your airlines: for Ryanair Priority, only the MATEIN fits. For easyJet and Wizz Air, most picks work.
2. How far you walk with it: for long carries, pick a pack with a padded hip belt, like the Farpoint 40, Fairview 40, Fairview 55 or Peak Design.
3. Your frame: for a shorter torso, the Fairview 40 or Fairview 55. For an average or tall frame, the Farpoint 40.
4. What you carry: for a 17-inch laptop, the tomtoc. For camera gear or a heavy load, the Peak Design. For a built-in day bag, the Fairview 55.

If two packs still fit your needs, let weight and warranty break the tie. The MATEIN and Daylite 44 are the lightest. Osprey's All Mighty Guarantee is the broadest coverage on the list.

Travel backpack or hiking backpack

A hiking pack and a travel pack can hold the same number of liters. They are built for different jobs. A hiking pack usually loads from the top, like a tall sack. To reach something at the bottom, you pull everything else out first. It is also often taller than a cabin-bag sizer allows.

A travel pack opens like a suitcase. The whole front panel unzips, so you can see and reach everything. Most also hide the harness for checked travel and add a laptop sleeve. For a trip of trains and hotels with a few flights, a travel pack is easier to live out of. A hiking pack makes more sense if your trip includes multi-day treks away from towns.

Fitting a travel pack to your back

A pack that fits well feels lighter than one that does not. Here is how to set one up:

1. Find your torso length. Measure from the bony bump at the base of your neck down to the top of your hip bones. Packs with an adjustable torso, like the Farpoint 40 and Fairview 40, let you set the harness to this length.
2. Set the hip belt first. It should sit on top of your hip bones, not your waist. Tighten it until it holds most of the weight.
3. Snug the shoulder straps. They should wrap your shoulders with no gap on top, but not carry the load.
4. Pull the load lifters. These are the small straps at the top of the shoulder straps. They pull the pack toward you.
5. Clip the sternum strap. Set it about a hand's width below your collarbone.

Do this at home with the pack loaded. Then walk around for half an hour. Small aches show up fast, and you can fix them before the trip.

Security and liquids with a backpack

Security in Europe works much like it does at home. Laptops often come out of the bag. Liquids usually need to be in containers of 100 ml or less, inside one clear bag. Some airports now use newer scanners that relax these rules, but many do not. Plan for the old rules unless your airport says otherwise.

Pack for the belt. Put the liquids bag in an outside pocket, like the toiletry pocket on the Osprey packs. Keep the laptop in its quick-access sleeve. Then you only open two pockets at security, not the whole bag.

Rain and a travel backpack

Most of these packs use water-resistant fabric. That sheds a shower between the station and the hotel. It will not keep a laptop dry through an hour of steady rain.

For a spring or autumn trip, carry a slim rain cover or line the main pocket with a dry bag. Both weigh very little. The Peak Design's weatherproof shell does better than most here, but a cover still helps in a real downpour.

Keeping your bag safe in hostels and on trains

Theft from bags is most common in busy stations and on crowded trains. A few habits lower the risk. Lock the main zips when the bag sits in a train rack or a hostel dorm. Keep your passport and phone in a small bag on your body, not in the main pack. On a train, sit where you can see your bag, or use the rack above your seat.

A lock will not stop a determined thief. It does slow down a quick grab, and that is often enough.

Break in a new pack before the trip

A pack straight out of the box can feel stiff. The straps and hip belt foam soften with use. Load the pack with about what you will carry and wear it for a few walks at home. Two or three outings of an hour each are enough to find any spot that rubs. It also teaches you where everything goes, so the first hotel repack is quick.

More in this guide

• Backpack and Travel: picks for bigger trips where the pack needs to grow past a single work week.
• Best Budget Travel Backpacks: lower-cost packs that still fit Europe's cabin-bag rules.

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Questions people also ask

What size backpack fits Ryanair's free personal item?

Ryanair's free personal item allows 40 x 30 x 20 cm under the seat. Most 40-liter travel backpacks are too deep for this, so budget for the Priority cabin bag add-on or a slimmer pack instead.

Do I need a rain cover for a travel backpack?

Most travel backpacks use a water-resistant shell that sheds light rain and spills, not a long downpour. If your trip has hours outdoors in wet weather, pack a slim rain cover as backup.

Should I check my travel backpack or carry it on?

A carry-on saves time at baggage claim, but a bag that is close to a budget airline's size limit is safer checked than gate-checked at the last minute. Match the bag to your specific fare's allowance before you fly.

Will a 40-liter travel backpack fit a 16-inch laptop?

Most of the packs here fit up to a 16-inch laptop in a padded sleeve. The tomtoc 40L takes up to a 17-inch laptop. Check the exact sleeve size before you buy if you carry a larger machine.

Is a 40-liter backpack big enough for a two-week Europe trip?

For most travelers, yes, if you plan on laundry once or twice and pack layers that mix and match. Four or five days of clothes in packing cubes fits in any of the 40 to 45 liter picks here.

Should I buy a pack with a detachable daypack?

It helps if you want one purchase to cover both bags. The Osprey Fairview 55 pairs a main pack with a 15-liter zip-off daypack. It adds weight and bulk, so it suits a checked-bag trip more than a strict cabin-bag one.