The backpacks you had in middle school don’t feel the same when you hit adulthood. A technical backpack features sophisticated design elements that offer enough storage to hold all your technology and belongings. Built with the most modern fabrics, they are designed to be durable and fashionable. 

 In the world of long commutes and coffee meetings, it's important to have a versatile and elegant bag that can withstand daily wear and tear. Here are our top three choices for technical backpacks.

Aer City Pack Pro 2

When dragging your laptop around the urban landscape, you want to make sure that your bag can hold up as well as you do, and Aer delivers. Their City Pack Pro 2 is built with the highest-end technology around, never skimping on quality. 

Composed of 1680D CORDURA® ballistic fabric, which is designed to be durable and lightweight, coming in at a bit under three pounds. Even the little things are high-end, with YKK zippers and Duraflex hardware. 

The exterior features a front pocket with a waterproof zipper line, which is lined with ripstop nylon and contains a key tether. Right above is a quick-access pocket, which houses a couple of slip pockets and a zipper pocket. On each side is an elastic pocket big enough to hold most water bottles or portable chargers. 

The main compartment is easily accessible, with a zipper line that extends to the bottom, allowing the top to open all the way and lay flat for easy packing and unpacking. There’s a panel, a single, large, elastic open pocket on the back, multiple smaller zipper pockets, and a single large compartment that opens up to reveal a suspended laptop sleeve with a soft, fleece-like lining.

To lug around all that hardware, you get quick-grab handles on the top and the back, two broad, thick shoulder straps and a Fidlock system chest strap.

Overall, if you are looking for a lightweight bag that you can trust on trips and work days and don’t mind splurging, then give the Aer City Pack Pro 2 a shot. 

• Dimensions/Capacity: 18 x 12.5 x 7 inches, 24L
• Materials: 1680D CORDURA® ballistic fabric
• Notable features: Durable, YKK® zippers, Duraflex® hardware
• Best for: Citygoers and travelers
• Price: $209

Black Ember Citadel 25 Max

A mechanically designed bag for the modern explorer, Black Ember has outdone itself with its Citadel 25 Max. The hardware is built of aircraft-grade aluminium, and the exterior is made from an EmberTex nylon fabric and Hypalon, making it both lightweight and incredibly durable. There are several Fidlock components, which are magnetic and easy to open with one hand. 

On the inside, there’s a large slip pocket designed to safely store your technology. On the front of the bag, there’s a front flap that seems to have been designed to feature quite a few options for organization, including a large magnetic slip pocket that snugly fits most tablets. Above that, there’s a zippered pocket, an open pocket, and an even larger zippered pocket.  

This is by far the largest bag of the day, with a 25-liter capacity. But its size doesn’t add too much weight, weighing a measly three and a half pounds. The main compartment might not be as deep as the City Pack Pro 2, but it does offer more pockets to hold the little things. 

If you have ever had to lug around a heavy bag, you’ll be happy to use Black Ember’s strap support system. There’s a load lifter system at the top of the shoulder straps, which is designed to redistribute the load across the shoulders. And there’s also a management system to handle those pesky dangling extra straps at the bottom, 

Though it's a bit pricey, the Citadel 25 Max offers a larger, stronger bag that you’ll be happy to show off in public. 

• Dimensions/Capacity: 20 x 12 x 7 inches, 25 Liter capacity 
• Materials: aircraft-grade aluminium, nylon fabric
• Notable features: Magnetic hardware
• Best for: If you need a larger bag
• Price: $309

Peak Design Everyday Backpack

This Everyday Backpack by Peak Design is one of the most unique bags we’ve ever messed around with. Coming in at four and a half pounds, it's designed to handle delicate equipment for photography and film. The 400D nylon canvas shell is covered in hardware made from aluminum and glass-reinforced nylon.

Your eyes are immediately attracted to the main section’s Maglatch opening system, which allows for quick access that can easily be closed or opened with one hand. There’s a handle at the top and a handle on each side of the bag, with pockets on both sides, perfect for water bottles or even camera gear or tripods. 

The zippers on the sides that allow access to the main compartment incorporate a two-way system that can be opened from either end. Each side also has a magnetic slip pocket and a zippered pocket directly below.

The shell design and multiple pockets are engineered to keep your camera equipment safe. There’s a stowaway compartment that hides a cord hook system, anchor points all over the bag, and a shoulder harness with incorporated magnets that keep the strap sucked tightly against the bag. 

What Makes a Bag Technical?

Design- Technical bags are highly engineered, created with the intention it's going to be used to lug around expensive equipment. Some bags look straight out of a Cyberpunk game, and others belong on the Western front. It's up to you to decide which aesthetic fits your style. 

Material Quality- From highly durable nylon to airplane-grade aluminum, Technical bags also use the most high-end material. They are almost always on the cutting edge of their field, offering bags that will last years, even with constant use. 

Cost- That quality doesn’t come cheap, and there’s a reason all of these bags cost between $200 and $300