What are the types of backpacks, and which one should you choose?

Backpacks are crucial companions for trips, adventures, commutes, and outdoor activities. Modern backpacks are designed with more creativity to hold stuff while being comfortable and lightweight, but we have a ton of options.

Some backpacks are designed for adventurous folks, while others are for techie guys and lightweight usage.

Here are all the different types of backpacks available for different needs and different usages you can choose from. 

Travel Backpack 

If you want a backpack that lets you pack enough stuff for your trips without carrying a suitcase and paying extra luggage fees on flights, travel backpacks are designed especially for that purpose. 

They give you a lot of freedom to keep all kinds of stuff, such as small things like snacks, laptops, phones, other important things, clothes, and so much more.

The surprising part is that they aren’t as heavy as you might think because of their space freedom. Depending on the model, travel backpacks can weigh around 35 to 60 liters. 

They have many compartments designed to be spacious and organized, so you can keep extra stuff without being bulky. 

• Special padding compartment to keep and protect your laptop. 

• Small pockets where you can keep small stuff like phones and earbuds. 

• Outside pockets for water bottles and more. 

• Extra compartments for clothes and other garments. 

These compartments let you organize stuff easily, as you’ll know where to keep certain stuff. 

That’s how you’ll keep more possessions while benefiting from easy mobility. Travel bags are mostly water-resistant with nylon material and also come with a rain cover. 

This means if you're on a trip with sudden, unexpected weather conditions, your belongings will be protected. 

Keeping your tech stuff:

The bag has separate spaces and compartments for your tech gadgets, such as cameras, mobile phones, tablets, and other devices. 

For garments:

Most travel backpacks are organized well, with multiple spaces that can be merged together outside and inside. 

That will allow you to easily keep your clothing items that you can wear for days on your trips! 

Extra small stuff: 

You can keep extra small stuff in so many small compartments inside the bag like wallets and even delicate stuff. 

Most travel bags have a suspension system that easily provides stability and comfort, even if you’re walking on a bumpy road with your bag full. 

The suspension system used in cars helps this bag balance the weight properly and also absorbs sweat from the wearer's back, so you won’t get sweat on your back while wearing it. 

For folks who want a dynamic bag that is not too heavy but will help you take most of your stuff on your trips and not be too heavy, a travel backpack is the best bet. 

Tote bags

Well, tote bags aren't as typical and ideal backpacks as you want; they’re like shopping bags. 

Tote backpacks are good if you don’t have a problem with side-carrying bags.

You can use them as a student to take around books or as a gym goer carrying your clothes. 

They can also be great for professionals as there’ll be ample space for keeping all your documents, notebooks, and work-related stuff. Some tote bags are simple, while others are made with leather in different colors and have multiple compartments.  

Tote bags aren’t weak; they’re sturdy and durable (especially leather ones), great for everyday usage, and have a good lifespan. They're also cost-effective.  

They are also available in leather and multiple materials in many styles, designs, patterns, and colors. 

If you need a bag for keeping essential stuff, a tote bag is an excellent choice. 

Drawstring backpack:

Drawstring bags are for you if you don’t have heavy usage and want a lightweight and minimal backpack you can carry easily. 

Not only are they lightweight, but they are also low-priced. 

Drawstring bags are like shoppers, with a string to pull and close their mouths. 

While some may have an extra small pocket, most are simple without any pocket. They’re best for daily commutes where you have a small amount of stuff you want to carry. 

Some drawstring bags also have more pockets and inner compartments. 

Remember that drawstring bags aren’t made for heavy items but for lightweight ones, and they will put a lot of pressure on your shoulders if you put something heavy into them. 

The stylish mini backpacks

Mini backpacks are stylish, trendy, lightweight, and compact backpacks that are especially popular among girls and teens. 

It’s designed to take essential stuff while commuting or for casual outings. 

Compared to drawstring bags, mini bags can hold more items and have more compartments for keeping small things separate, such as wallets for your keys, makeup, small gadgets, wallet, and phone.

The mini backpack’s lightweight nature makes it easy to carry around with a weight from 5 to 15 liters only. 

Apart from functionality, they’re stylish and come in different colors and prints, so they’ll look more fashionable as well. 

You can also find them in leather. But if you want more storage, you should consider tote bags. 

Single-strap backpack

Unlike other backpack types, they’re compact, lightweight, and have one strap.

• They have one big zip on the front, inner compartments, and pockets for your wallet and phones. 

• They aren’t as bulky as other backpacks will feel by balancing the weight. 

• They’re super accessible. You can keep them at the front and have direct access to your stuff. 

Drawstring bags are best for photographers and for folks who want easy access to their stuff.  

In addition, single-strap backpacks are more secure. If you commute in buses, you can keep the front zipper part on your chest and protect your stuff from thieves or pocket pickers. 

Crossbody backpacks only have one main compartment. You can even use them for trips if you don’t take many belongings, or they’re best if you go on short trips like camping and picnics. 

Thief-secured bags

Anti-theft bags are for you if you commute in buses or want overall security for your belongings anywhere. 

These bags are secured enough that no thief can open them. They have locked zippers and slash-proof nylon and Kevlar material. 

This fabric can’t be torn easily, so pocket pickers will have a tough time if they try to steal something, and they won’t be able to open the bag due to the lock.

Besides the security, anti-theft bags are also waterproof and have tons of compartments to keep extra stuff. 

They have special compartments to keep laptops and your tech gadgets and has locked compartments as well as hidden ones for extra security. All your books can easily fit inside it without any worries. 

Unlike other bags, anti-theft bags are also lightweight, flexible, and robust. The strong fabric gives them more durability and a longer lifespan. 

Some high-budget anti-theft backpacks have next-level features like password protection, USB charging, and a pocket for the power bank. 

Special bags for laptop

Now, laptop-carrying lovers must opt for a laptop bag. It provides special padding for protecting their laptops. 

If you keep your laptop in a normal bag, there’s a high chance of it being pushed and the screen getting damaged, especially if you commute a lot. 

On top of that, if you keep a water bottle and other sharp stuff in the bag, your laptop can get scratched and damaged. 

And a normal bag with a laptop inside can make your shoulder feel uncomfortable. That’s when the laptop bag will save you from all this. 

It has fat and soft padding on both sides of the compartments, which are shockproof, so they’ll protect your laptop even if your bag is pushed from the back or any other impact. 

They’re designed for comfort. You won’t feel your bag is heavy as the weight will be balanced equally. 

Laptop bags have many more compartments for students to keep notebooks and other study materials. 

Hiking backpack:

As the name already suggests, hiking backpacks are designed for hiking lovers with belts and a special focus on comfort on your back and robust grip. 

Manufacturers have designed hikers bags while keeping the needs and struggles of hikers. 

This includes giving the space for keeping extra gear and the sturdiness and durability to make the wearer feel comfortable during long hike adventures. 

The larger weight limit is 60 liters and guarantees the enough space for keeping the camping gears like sleeping bag, your food and other essentials while separate compartments for their organization. 

Normal bags wear out the wearer’s shoulder because of weight. But hiking bags evenly distribute weight to keep you comfortable. 

Hiking bags also have features like rain covers and special compartments with more storage than a normal bag, so you’ll be able to keep more gear and supplies for trips. 

Framed hiking backpack: 

The difference between a hiking backpack and a framed hiking backpack is the frame and more compartments. 

It has a special frame in the back, including the hip belts and back ventilation system for longer hikes and multiple-day camping trips. 

The extra padding helps divide the weight on your back for comfort. This will not cause pain in your back while hiking for longer distances, even if you’ve kept a lot of stuff in your bag. 

Unlike the simple hiking backpack, it has more compartments and storage space so that you can keep extra stuff like sleeping bags, clothes, food, and other camping gadgets. 

Most hiking bags have multiple purposes. They include hydration backpacks, which allow users to store and drink water hands-free. 

They also have rain covers to protect the bag and your gear from damage. 

This backpack should be your first choice if you go on longer camping trips or for long hikes in nature. It can carry your sleeping bag, fire gear, food, and more.

In case you have a light need and go for shorter trips, the normal hiking bag is better.

Travel backpack with wheels

You should consider a backpack with wheels or rolling backpacks if you commute while walking, go shopping, or have joint pains and trouble carrying normal bags. 

You can easily carry them around smoothly thanks to the wheel that will carry all the load.  

They can be turned into normal bags when you pull out their straps and wear them on your shoulders. 

Wheeled backpacks have normal travel backpack structures, but they give you the functionality of a suitcase. 

However, you may have to compromise on comfort, as they can be a bit heavier due to the weight added to the handle. 

They also don’t have the option of compression to decrease their weight like other backpacks.

They have a ton of compartments, from small to large ones, where you can keep your laptop, garments, and more, just like a good backpack. 

Sporty Backpacks

Sports backpacks have the same compartments and weight distribution functionality as other backpacks, but the compartments are specially designed for athletes and gymgoers. 

For example, a basketball sports backpack has a special zipper for keeping the ball and shoes while also having compartments for keeping tech gadgets.

A gym sports backpack will have more space for keeping gym clothes and protection from odors. 

If you’re an athlete, you’ll love the special functionality and comfort of sports bags designed specifically for you. 

Gaming backpacks

Gaming backpacks have the most features for gaming lovers. They are designed with the delicacy of the electronic equipment in mind, with padded compartments and a tough outside layer. 

So, they stay protected from any shock or impact while you travel with them. 

Gaming backpacks have special compartments for your console, controllers, gaming laptops (about 17 inches), and more. 

If you choose a high-budget gaming backpack, it will come with more protection from the rain, including rain covers, and even tougher protection, including thief protection. 

So, if you are a gamer or tech gadget lover who often carries gadgets like gaming laptops or even consoles, a gaming backpack is just designed for you. 

Cooler backpack

A cooler backpack is not for keeping other types of belongings. It’s for picnics, camping, and other trips where you want your food (especially drinks and water bottles) to stay cold. 

Cooler backpacks can help you keep your food cool for hours. Cooler bag will rid you of the problem of not having cold water on picnics. 

Best part about cooler bags? They come with straps just like the normal backpack to help you carry it around on your back easily. But don’t worry, they won’t be bulky because cooler backpacks are lightweight. 

Even if you fill the bag, shoulder straps and padding help keep your shoulders comfortable while walking. 

Some cooler bags even have more pockets for storing your plates and other utensils. 

A cooler bag isn’t an electronic freezer and doesn’t require a power source. It has insulation properties that keep food at the right temperature for several hours.

Remember that cooler backpacks can hold minimal food for shorter trips a day, but they won’t keep your food cool for days. 

If you go on longer trips and want more cooling power, you should opt for a mini freezer instead. 

Hydration backpacks

If you love going out in nature for camping, hiking, mountain biking, or picnics, hydration backpacks are ideal for you. 

A hydration backpack is especially for storing water. But unlike a bottle you can carry, it helps you drink water without stopping your activity, like hiking. 

These bags have a bladder that stores water, and a pipe attached to the bladder reaches the shoulder strap of the bag. 

And at the end of the pipe, there’s a hose. Whenever you feel like drinking while hiking, riding, or doing other activities, you can just bite that hose pipe, and the water will start filling your mouth. 

A hydration backpack’s bladder storage can carry more water than a bottle. 

This helps you drink water while doing your activities and with no interruption. 

While the bag is completely designed for hydration purposes, it also has pockets where you can store important stuff like a phone or any other gadget without any trouble. 

So, if you’re a hiking, cycling, or camping lover, a hydration backpack will solve the pain of a lack of water. 

But remember, it doesn’t have more storage or compartments like the other bags for carrying more stuff and big gadgets like laptops or tablets. It’s best for someone who just goes out for hiking or short camping trips.

How will you refill the water in it?

To refill, you will have to open the part where the water storage container is. Take it out, open the cap, and refill it easily. 

Does it keep the water cold? 

Most hydrogen backpacks have an insulation feature to keep the water cold for a while.  

So, choose the hydrogen backpack with the insulation properties to keep your water cold. 

You can also pour cold water or add ice cubes, which will help it stay cool for a long time. 

Duffle backpack

A duffle bag is a square backpack with more space and a single strap to carry on one side of your shoulder. 

These bags are purposeful and good for many needs like camping, sports, or gym folks. 

As they are square and wide in length, they have a big main compartment and capacity. Compared to normal bags, you can keep more clothes and other stuff in them. 

Every compartment has more capacity to store, which makes it ideal if you want a bag to keep a lot of things for longer trips. 

But they aren’t lightweight. You can’t carry them on your back like a normal bag. You might also feel discomfort if you wear them on your shoulder, especially if you have filled your bag. 

You could also get tired of holding it in your hands. For someone who is going on trips in a car where they won’t have to hold the bag for too long, it’s the best choice. 

The good news is that some models of duffel backpacks can also be worn like a bag on your back after tilting it. 

Tactical backpacks

Tactical backpacks are rugged backpacks made of the thickest and strongest fabric, 1000D nylon, which can easily survive harsh conditions and won’t tear. 

Because of its ruggedness, tactical backpacks are often used in the military and other professions. Like travel backpacks, they have multiple compartments for gadgets, clothes, and other stuff. 

One main feature that comes with it is the detachable pockets; you can attach and detach pockets and compress them when you don’t need more storage. 

Tactical bags have outside compartments for keeping the things you need quick access to. Their toughness can withstand harsh conditions. 

If you go on longer camping trips, your bag won’t tear down from scratches of sharp objects and will help you survive in cold and rainy conditions because the fabric of tactical bags is very strong. This also includes more tolerance for heavy loads. 

A tactical bag is best for hiking or camping trips, but it can be bulky and heavy and is not suitable if you need a lightweight bag. 

Tactical bags come in military-style designs and black colors and can be more expensive. 

Wrap up

Different backpacks are for different needs like for hiking, daily use, shopping, and trips. 

You should choose the one which is specially designed for your needs. For multiple purposes and longer trips, a framed hiking backpack is good as it has many features and compartments you need. However, it is heavy and has around 60 to 70 liters of weight.