

We have a backpack that’s durable and designed to fit in anywhere, a waterproof pick for withstanding the elements, and a lightweight and (yes!) inexpensive pick. But our picks, while more expensive, are built to withstand conditions beyond what an average bag can.Īlthough many people have their own criteria for what makes a great buy-it-for-life backpack, every bag we recommend here is spacious enough to hold a laptop, comfortable to carry over long distances, and backed by a lifetime repair-or-replace guarantee. (5) Ergonomic shoulder straps for comfort and New Luggage Pass-through. A regular backpack is cheaper and just as ergonomic as anything in this guide. A quick-access pocket is designed at the top for you to grab stuff quickly on the go. These daily-carry bags are meant to be flexible enough in their design that even as your needs change, your backpack can change with you. But for those who do want-and can afford-such a bag, it can travel with you to the office and to any corner of the globe, for any activity, year after year. Not everyone needs a backpack so tough that it will survive decades of abuse.

Running requires wearing pieces that are extremely light. They’re also frequently marketed with the unfortunate label of “tactical,” and they carry with them a fetishization of armed forces and militaria-which masks the fact that they’re often great (but expensive) bags. To narrow down your search, I rounded up 15 of the best below. Such bags do exist: They’re made of durable materials and backed by warranties that promise to repair or replace them no matter what happens. The prospect of buying a backpack that can last you for the rest of your life is a tempting one.
