Backpacks have come a long way in the last hundred years. Granted, people have been carrying things on their backs forever, but it wasn’t until the arrival of companies such as Gerry Outdoors and Jansport did backpacks take the form they do today. Those early designs were made for the great outdoors – constructed from nylon shells and built with zippered compartments, they were later turned into everyday carries by hippies and students in the 1970s. Today, much like sneakers and jeans, backpacks have become fashion items. No longer just canvas school bags or techy outdoor gear, you can find a backpack style for almost any kind of causalwear that might be in your closet.
Of course, none of these are usable with tailored clothing. Besides possibly ruining your jacket’s shoulder line, backpacks are much too informal – no matter how sleek the design. Still, for running errands or spending a few hours at a cafe in a pair of jeans and a bomber jacket? Backpacks can be just the thing. Here are five that I rely on.
THE MINIMALIST PACK: The minimalist pack is simple. It’s streamlined and often monochromatic, giving it a more modern feel. Depending on the design, they can be worn with almost any kind of casualwear, although I mostly like them with contemporary labels such as Maison Margiela and Stephan Schneider.
My own include Brooks England’s Pickwick and Master Piece’s Tenor. The Pickwick is a roll-top bag with a spacious interior, which makes it great when you have a ton of stuff to carry. The only downside: the bottom and side pockets are a bit cumbersome to use for anything besides u-locks and computer chargers. Still, with the large main compartment, you hardly miss them. You can find the putty-colored model above at Chain Reaction Cycles, as well as other colors at Mr. Porter and Unionmade.
The Master Piece bag is a little sleeker, and it includes some really great details. The shell is water resistant; the side has a clever opening for easy access to your laptop; and the hardware is beautifully well-made. I mostly use it these days with black leather jackets, or just chunky, cream-colored sweaters and jeans. It’s on sale this week at No Man Walks Alone, but should that sell out, you can find other all-black, minimalist options at Mr. Porter and End.
THE NEOVINTAGE BACKPACK: For something more classic-inspired, check out neovintage brands such as South2 West8, Epperson Mountaineering, and Mr. Rainier. They take inspiration from the heydays of outdoor backpack designs, making them natural companions to the kind of parkas and bomber jackets you might see from Engineered Garments and Nigel Cabourn.
My own includes a Kelty Mockingbird, which is a re-release of something Kelty sold in the 1970s. It mostly stays true to the original design, although it has a couple of modern updates – some added zippered compartments for easy access to your cell phone, as well as a sewn-in laptop sleeve. Best of all? You can find them on sale sometimes for about a hundred bucks, making them the most affordable model mentioned here.
If you have a bit more money to spend, Ralph Lauren’s Yosemite backpack is even better. Same neovintage design, but with much better detailing. The leather straps are backed with thick, wool pads, while the metal hardware has been oxidized to show a beautiful green patina. The navy one I own has long been sold out, but Ralph Lauren has one in safety orange this season. If you don’t like the RL label at the bottom, you can remove it with a seam ripper. (Some resulting holes will show, but they’ll be hardly noticeable).
THE IN-BETWEEN: For something vintage inspired, but not necessarily a reproduction, I like Visvim’s 20L Lamina backpacks. They feature a ton of great details, such as an ergonomically shaped, hard-sided back, chunky zippers, and lots of unique compartments and internal organizers. The design has a modern streetwear feel, but the details make it a bit more comfortable to use than some heritage-inspired designs.
The shell is also made from Cordura, which is a brand name for a collection of fabrics used in luggage, parkas, and even safety equipment. Cordura, which is a shortening of “core of durability,” specializes in producing abrasion resistant fibers with high-melting points. Those fibers then get sent to various mills, who weave fabrics according to each product’s end-purpose. So, you might find a certain Cordura fabric on a military jacket, and then a different Cordura textile on a bag. The thing that links those two fabrics are the durable fibers.
Of course, you can get a Cordura bag from any number of companies (they’re not uncommon, even in JanSport type lines). Along with Visvim, see Namamica, Epperson Mountaineering, and Master Piece.
OTHERS MODELS TO CONSIDER:
- APC: This one feels more like a school bag, but it’s also wearable with the kind of high-end, warm minimalism that APC champions.
- Makr: The teardrop shape on this daypack is inspired by hiking bags of the 1960s, but it comes without all the excessive detailing that might limit it to the trail. One nice feature: you can strap things to that Horween bottom, such as a blanket for weekend picnics or lightweight jacket for day hikes.
- Aldadena Works: Another teardrop daypack. This one is made from Cordura fabric and Horween leather, and features a diagonal zip that makes it less spartan than Makr’s design. I also like the company’s top-loading rucksack.
- Porter x Undercover: The price on this thing is absurd, but it admittedly looks pretty cool. Stick four, shaken-up soda cans in those pockets and open them up. Then see if you take off like the jetpack this thing must have been modeled after.
- 3sixteen: Two new backpacks from my favorite denim label. The waxed cotton body and militaristic, rucksack design make this feel a bit more modern and rugged than some of the options on this list.
- Vintage: Obviously, the coolest option is to go vintage, but using a dirty pack isn’t everyone’s … erm, bag. If you’re willing to go second-hand, search eBay for brands such as Gerry, Alp Sport, Alpine Designs, Holubar, North Face, and REI. You can also check Urban Outfitters. Their Without Walls label offers a ton of vintage outdoor gear.
