The Best Weekend Travel Bags

A weekend may not seem like a long time, but when you’re traveling somewhere exciting, those two or three days are ripe with possibility. Whether you’re going to the beach, a cabin in the woods, or across town for a multi-day hang with your bestie, you’ll need a bag that can handle all your adventures. Every trip is different, so we’ve selected some of our favorite bags of all sizes and capacities to take on a weekend away. 

From Transit To Trail

If you can’t bear to leave your tech behind for the weekend, the Odyssey Backpack has a padded sleeve that can hold a 15-inch laptop, plus a tablet sleeve. These features will keep your devices safe on the way there, but when it’s time to head out for an adventure, you’ll be pleased to find that that same laptop sleeve doubles as a pouch to hold a 3L hydration system.

With a tuck-away hip belt and body-hugging shoulder straps, this super comfy backpack is awesome from transit to trail. It has a 39L capacity and double water pockets, plus an ice axe loop you can also use to hold a tripod or trekking pools.

All The Gear

There’s no shame in having a lot of stuff, especially if you’re traveling for a big event and need to bring a lot of gear or are planning on doing a fashion shoot with your whole closet. If you need a lot of space, the Good Vibes Gear Hauler 45L is the perfect backpack/duffel for maximalists. The U-shaped zipper will help you stay organized and the backpack straps—which can convert to a single strap are padded for comfort. This heavy-duty bag is particularly handy for athletes who may be hauling back sweaty uniforms and dirty sneakers, since they can keep them separated in the zippered shoe pocket.

Long Distance

If you’ll be navigating long airport corridors or unexpected bus station staircases, you need a bag that can be worn on your back or rolled alongside you. The Driver 8 Backpack—available in many pretty floral patterns, is a laptop backpack on wheels. Compact but spacious with 36L of capacity and built for function on-the-go, this backpack has a front organizational pocket, water bottle pocket, and a padded sleeve that can hold a 15 inch laptop. The best part of this rolling backpack is that the straps tuck away when it’s in rolling mode, eliminating the chance of unexpected snags slowing you down. 

The Ultimate All-Rounder

We’re not sure what love more about the Far Out 40, its hyper-functional system of pockets or the smart-looking Black Matrix print. This 40L backpack is one of the heftier bags on this list, but it earns its spot with its organizational prowess. It’s super spacious and can hold a ton of stuff, including a 3L hydration system and a full-sized sleeping bag.

The ultimate backpack for camping and hiking, it even has special attachments for your trekking pole and is covered in pockets made for stashing the items you need to grab quickly. This bag is also hiding a nifty trick. The aluminum stay in the center of the mesh panel gives you extra support and doubles as a multi-function tool you can use to do everything from roasting hot dogs to opening bottles.

Ready For Adventure

With a capacity of 32L, the Agave Backpack is always ready for adventure and can hold enough clothes for a week or a weekend with a lot of outfit changes. The padded sleeve can hold a laptop or a 3L hydration system and there’s a bonus tablet pocket. Flat and wide shoulder straps use AirCore tech to keep the fit light and breezy and there’s a sternum and hip strap to relieve pressure on your back. The side compression straps come in handy if you’re prone to overstuffing your backpack and need to fit it into a small space. If you find the bag is on the larger side, you can try out the smaller Women’s Agave Backpack.

City Breaks

For urban excursions or college visits, you’ll need a weekend bag that makes a bold statement. The Suede Campus bag is a super cute and fashionable bag available in cute prints like Giddy Up, Daisy Park, Prairie Blue Dusk, as well as solid colors like black and navy. The Campus has an extra-large 32L capacity and a suede leather bottom, which means it’s more durable should you have to frequently plop it down on a rough surface. Going beyond the average bookbag, the back panel and shoulder straps are fully padded and webbing on the handle makes it easy to tote around comfortably. Multiple pockets in addition to the large main compartment make it easy for you to stay organized and quickly grab your essentials.

Traveling Light

If you plan to pack on the lighter side, but still want a backpack that’s up to a challenge the 25L Gnarly Gnapsack 25 is perfect. Available in black, tan, and an orangey camo pattern, this is a great backpack for the outdoors, and is made with recycled ripstop polyester that repels water and is easy to clean. On the inside, you’ve got a padded laptop pocket with a hydration port in one compartment and another with a zippered mesh pocket and organization panel. On the outside, this backpack boasts double water bottle pockets, gear loops, a sternum strap, and a stash pocket with a plush lining—ideal for storing your sunglasses in a safe and scratch-free zone. 

What are your travel plans for the year ahead? Tag us on social media in all your adventures at #LifeUnzipped.