Just because we’re broke backpackers doesn’t mean we don’t have bags full of technically advanced equipment. When you live and work out of a bag, every inch of space becomes extra essential. Even if you don’t plan on heading far from home, it’s vital that you show up for work without your cords in a tangle.
We’ve had to deal with massive, unwieldy compartments for years, but the industry is finally starting to catch on.
Whether you’re looking for an everyday carry, international travel, or the ultimate electronic protection package, 2022 brings more high-tech bag options than ever before.
Why trust any cheap backpack with your most valuable electronic equipment? Your gear is bound to get rained on, mishandled, and manipulated. Many backpack styles can technically carry a laptop, but few manufacturers have built their bags specifically around protecting expensive and fragile equipment.
These proud options are tech bags. Bags, messengers, and satchels chock full of handy pockets and shoulder reinforcements that make your life easier.
Our Epic Guide To The Best Tech Bags
Here’s a quick snapshot of a tech bag at work:
My tech bags make my life easier ten times before breakfast. On a typical trip, I’d be lost without my bag. It saves me precious moments heading through security, fits everything I need for the flight while snugly resting under the seat, and keeps an easy-to-reach home for my chargers and headphones, so I don’t have to dig through my belongings to catch an in-flight movie.
With a crisp pocket just big enough for all the paperwork I’ll need to get through immigration, I can have one less thing on my mind as I try to navigate increasingly messy entry requirements and get my passport stamped.
Once I exit the terminal, my tech bag fits snugly yet loosely on my shoulders, giving me the freedom to dodge opportunist bag carriers and omnipresent taxi hustlers and get to my final destination with as little frustration as possible.
There, I can quickly shift everything I need to find a bite to eat into my hip belt without having to unpack an entire suitcase and be on my way to exploring a new place.
That’s just one scenario where the right backpack saves you time and money throughout the day. Even if your commute is just around the corner, there is no need to travel with a black hole gear bag that mangles chargers and scratches lens.
Take a look at this list of the best technologically advanced backpacks in the business. We’ll cover the whole spectrum, from hardcore camera bags that can protect your DSLR through a storm to hip belt pockets that keep your valuables close through crowded foreign streets.
Quick Answers – These Are The Best Tech Backpacks
#1 Best Camera Bag – WANDRD PRVKE
#2 Best Overall Tech Bag – AER Tech Pack
#3 Best Leather Laptop Bag – Harber London Slim
#4 Best Messenger Tech Bag – Nomatic Messenger
#5 Best Anti-Theft Tech Pack – Pacsafe Anti Theft Tech Bag
#6 Best Packable Tech Sling – WANDRD Detour
#7 Best Leather Messenger Tech Bag – Kodiak Katmai Laptop Case
Harber London Slim
- > $$
- > Plenty of organisational pockets
- > 100% full-grain leather exterior
Pacsafe Anti Theft Tech Bag
- > $
- > Theft-proof pouch
- > Protected by a lockable zipper and childproof zip clips
Kodiak Katmai Laptop Case
- > $$
- > Different carrying options
- > Zippered compartments
Lets Meet The Best Tech Backpacks
From hip bags to overnighters, these are the best in the business. A great tech backpack can mean many different things, but all these bags have one thing in common; nobody excels in their niche better than these options.
We’ve broken down the field so you can see the best in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Your valuable technology requires high-tech storage, and these bags all provide powerful protection while keeping everything you need close at hand.
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View on REI#1 Best Camera Bag – WANDRD PRVKE
WANDRD PRVKE is our top pick for the best camera bag
- Best Use: Photography
- Volume (Litres): 31
- Weight (KG): 1.3
Taking everything you love about a sleek roll-top backpack and adding on an optional camera cube, rainfly, and waist belt, this backpack is custom-built for modern nomads. This pack is uniquely suited for long-range hikes and daily commutes, providing a perfect home for your most valuable gear no matter where the road takes you.
You won’t find many TSA-friendly backpacks that pack in the same amount of weather resistance as the PRVKE, which sets it apart. Down to the exterior zippers, everything is weather-resistant and seal off moisture from reaching your sensitive materials.
Tons of tech bags have great pockets and handy accessories, but not many are just as comfortable in the wilds of Wyoming as they are at the office. Get you a bag that can do both, and take your camera and your photography skills to new heights. If you need more info, then check out our epic WANDRD PRVKE full review.
#2 Best Overall Tech Bag – AER Tech Pack 2
Our pick for best overall tech bag is AER Tech Pack 2
- Best Use: Everyday
- Volume (Litres): 17
- Weight (KG): 1.7
There are loads of modern backpacks that promise the world but few that can deliver like the AER Tech technical pack. We fell in love with the wide range of applications and loads of customisation options inside this slim frame and have had a tough time thinking of scenarios where this bad boy wouldn’t come in handy.
It may be technically advanced, but it pays homage to all backgrounds with a toolbox-inspired freestanding design. Keep both hands free while you sort through the organisational pockets split between two main compartments that provide a place for everything.
The main compartment features a laptop bag, book, and journal storage, while the easy access front panel can store everything you need to get through a flight without digging through your entire belongings.
The tech pack 2 improves on AER’s original groundbreaking design by shrinking down the overall size without sacrificing storage volume and keeps the minimalist look that initially pushed this pack to the top of the food chain.
#3 Best Leather Laptop Bag – Harber London Slim
Meet the best leather laptop bag: Harber London Slim
- Best Use: Messenger
- Volume (Litres): 5
- Weight (KG): .8
Slim is the keyword of this high-quality laptop bag come tech backpack. One external zippered compartment and one main storage area are all that comprise this workday-ready lightweight companion. The sleek look makes a perfect carry-on companion, and an additional back strap allows you to hook your laptop bag easily to a larger piece of luggage.
This backpack delicately walks the line between bag and laptop case, but it really makes the most of its limited space; it would be a really efficient commuter backpack. In addition to the laptop sleeve, the main compartment has plenty of organisational pockets that provide space for pens, tickets, and phone chargers.
All of these unassuming benefits are protected and highlighted by the bags 100% full-grain leather exterior handsewn in Spain by Harber London.
#4 Best Messenger Tech Bag – Nomatic Messenger
For best messenger tech bag, checkout Nomatic Messenger
- Best Use: 9-5
- Volume (Litres): 15
- Weight (KG): 1.7
There are over 20 organisational quirks and features that make the most out of this slim messenger bag. You could throw this bag over your shoulder for the next ten years and still find new ways to store the important things in life.
Nomatic makes loads of tech-savvy products built for the modern world that just keep giving, and this messenger bag is a great example of the companies success. The list of features just keeps going. There are multiple carry options, organisation panels galore, RFID blocking pockets, a TSA-ready laptop compartment, and the cherry on top, a lifetime warranty.
This messenger can trace its origin to Kickstarter funding project that set out to do one thing; make the best bag possible for carry-on and daily commute use. The result exceeded our team’s incredibly high expectations for this messenger bag that serves as a supersized laptop case or slimmed-down backpack.
Looking for more of the same? Check out our rundown of the best messenger bags.
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#5 Best Anti-Theft Tech Pack – Pacsafe Anti Theft Tech Bag
Pacsafe Anti Theft Tech Bag is one of the best anti-theft tech pack
- Best Use: Day tours
- Volume (Litres): .2
- Weight (KG): .18
Environmentally friendly and tough on crime, this bag is one great healthcare policy away from being elected to high office. Pacsafe cranked out a theft-proof pouch from recycled fishing nets and other nylon materials to make a cut-proof tech bag built for peace of mind.
Thin pieces of wire are laced throughout the shoulder strap of this bag that prevents any funny business or cut and runs. Inside the main compartment are RFID blockers that block scanners while keeping your cash close. Every access point is further protected by a lockable zipper and childproof zip clips.
Pacsafe makes the best portable safes of all shapes and sizes, and as their smallest offering, this slim tech bag is the perfect pick-pocket-proof home for your sensitive documents.
#6 Best Packable Tech Sling – WANDRD Detour
Our top pick for the best packable tech sling is WANDRD Detour
- Best Use: Large wallet tiny day pack
- Volume (Litres): N/A
- Weight (KG): .25
WANDRD is an upstart company that wants to make bags better, and the detour takes aim at the humble fanny pack and revolutionises what a hip bag is capable of storing. Slip it into your more oversized luggage, and it condenses down to the size of a sandwich, and it’ll be ready to roll when you get to your final destination.
While travelling, I’ll never leave the house without some sort of hip belt, but most of the options on the market were fairly straightforward until the Detour came along. This slick bag brings carrying choices, weatherproof zippers, DSLR size compatibility, and an exterior storage compartment to take the fanny pack into the 22nd century.
Sling packs don’t exist to carry laptops or days worth of supplies, so don’t expect this detour to replace your main bag, but this bag’s incredibly packed down size and storage enough for your wallet, water bottle, and camera, give it a place on every trip.
#7 Best Leather Messenger Tech Bag – Kodiak Katmai Laptop Case
For best leather messenger tech bag, checkout Kodiak Katmai Laptop Case
- Best Use: Everyday
- Volume (Litres): N/A
- Weight (KG): N/A
The kings of leather Kodiak are out to prove that this old-school luxury has plenty of high-tech capability. If anyone can get the most out of top-grain cowhide, it’s the folks at Kodiak who have a wide-ranging selection of the best leather bags in the business.
This tech bag option takes timeless top-grain and combines it with different carrying options and zippered compartments that carry your weight in style. These features rank this slim pack as a perfect business bag suitable for any boardroom or departure lounge.
Leather only gets better with time, so you can expect this bag to climb with you as you make your way to the top.
Now, you could spend a fat chunk of $$$ on the WRONG present for someone. Wrong size hiking boots, wrong fit backpack, wrong shape sleeping bag… As any adventurer will tell you, gear is a personal choice.
So give the adventurer in your life the gift of convenience: buy them an REI Co-op gift card! REI is The Broke Backpacker’s retailer of choice for ALL things outdoors, and an REI gift card is the perfect present you can buy from them. And then you won’t have to keep the receipt. 😉
Buy on REI!| Name | Best Use | Volume (Litres) | Weight (KG) | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WANDRD PRVKE | Photography | 31-36 | 1.5 | 191.20 |
| AER Tech Pack 2 | Everyday | 17 | 1.7 | 210 |
| Harber London Slim | Messenger | 5 | .8 | 419 |
| Nomatic Messenger | 9-5 | 15 | 1.7 | 259.99 |
| Pacsafe Anti Theft Tech Bag | Day tours | .2 | .18 | 59.95 |
| WANDRD Detour | Large wallet tiny day pack | 0.26 | .25 | 32 |
| Kodiak Katmai Laptop Case | Everyday | – | – | 199 |
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Final Thoughts on Choosing The Best Tech Packs
All that’s left to now is to get your shoulder straps adjusted to a snug fit and get on your way!
I don’t care where you’re headed, the right bag will make the road less daunting and give you valuable inches of freedom in all the right places.
You may have noticed that most of the best tech packs won’t come cheap, but they still provide more bang for the buck than some of the most inexpensive backpacks on the market. Whether it’s through handy ingenuity, sturdy weather-proof exteriors, or a lifetime guarantee, it’s only a matter of time before your investment in the best tech bags on the market pays off.
If you’re still on the fence about choosing the best for your gear, I have one question for you. Why entrust the safety of your 1500$ laptop, camera equipment, or passports and paperwork with a bag that cuts corners to save a few dollars?
Just like you shouldn’t trust a pair of cheap boots to protect your body on a through-hike, you shouldn’t trust any old piece of gear to protect your valuable equipment. Everything you bring with you is a conscious decision when you live out of a bag, so the bag itself is arguably the most important choice of all.
Losing your valuables while on the road can spell disaster, and the easiest way to make sure everything arrives at your final destination in one piece is to choose one of the tech bags on our list to get the job done.
One of my favourite things about this fledgling industry is that new bags are popping up all the time that make big promises, so let us know in the comments below if you’ve found the next real deal.
And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!
