More versatile than a crossbody bag. Sleeker than a messenger bag. Better for daily life than a duffel bag. The humble tote backpack is the star of this expert gear guide. Offering the convenience of a backpack with the straps of a tote, these convenient bags have recently been added to the carry line-ups of several companies, becoming a category on their own.
To find the best for a range of uses, across a range of price points, we scoured the internet and asked our roster of pro athletes, journalists, gear obsessed contributors for references. The result is below, our top picks for 11 of the best tote backpacks from brands we know and trust (no sketchy Amazon deals of the day here, folks, sorry). Read on, dig in, then recycle that heaping pile of canvas totes clogging your closet.
What Is a Tote Backpack?
A tote backpack combines the top-loading convenience of a tote with the dual shoulder straps of a backpack. Some designs certainly prioritize their tote-mode portage, while others skew more towards hands-free backpack wear. Many designs pack in a bevy of features, and some offer the bare functional necessities, the permutations are near endless for these hybrid bags. Details aside, the versatile tote-bag-slash-backpack design is both clever and functional—and part of our EDC kit in town and traveling light.
Field Mag's Top Picks
- Best Convertible Tote Backpack: Patagonia Ultralight Blackhole Tote Pack
- Best Minimal Tote Pack: Mystery Ranch Market
- Best Tote Backpack for Commuting: Bellroy Tokyo Totepack
- Best for Urban Exploration: Fjällräven High Coast Totepack
- Best Tote Backpack for Work: Carhartt Convertible Backpack Tote
- Best Gym Totepack: The North Face Borealis Tote
- Best EDC Tote Pack: Osprey Arcane Tote Pack
- Best on a Budget: Dakine Packable 18L Tote Pack