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21 Best Backpacks for College Students, Reviewed by Experts
Whether you're stashing homework, a laptop or gym clothes, these top-performing backpacks can do it all.

There are a few things you should always invest in as a college student, but none's more important than a backpack — more specifically, a good, quality backpack. With all the heavy books, laptops, pens, notebooks, extra clothes and extracurricular accessories you're constantly toting around campus, a tote bag may not cut it; it's essential you have a backpack that holds it all while keeping your shoulders, hips and back pain-free.
Of course, you might be thinking — why not use the high-school backpack that you already have and works just fine? Sure, it did the job, but after years of use, the padding is worn down, the pockets are probably stained, the fabric has thinned and there are simply not enough compartments to fit everything you need. That's why it's time to invest in something more durable this back-to-school season.
The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab tests and reviews all kinds of back-to-school essentials, including laptop bags, backpacks for kids, lunch boxes and more to find the styles that'll hold everything you need while keeping their shape use after use.
Our top picks:
We evaluate backpacks in our Lab and also have real students try them out to rate how comfortable they are to wear. To put together this list, we also surveyed current college students and recent alumni to learn more about the features they look for when backpack shopping and which styles are currently popular.
After reviewing our top recommendations, learn more about how our GH fiber scientists test backpacks and what key features to look for when shopping for the best college backpacks at the bottom of this guide.
Emma Seymour (she/her) is a senior product analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles, Paper and Apparel Lab, where she has led testing for luggage, pillows, towels, tampons and more since 2018. She graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor of science in fiber science and apparel design and a minor in gerontology, completing research in the Body Scanner Lab on optimizing activewear for athletic performance.
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