The Best Laptop Backpacks

If you commute by bike with a laptop, you need a comfortable bag that can stand up to the elements. In previous versions of this guide, we recommended the Chrome Urban Ex 2.0 Rolltop Backpack for bike commuters. Although we didn’t focus on bike bags for this update, we still think the Urban Ex 2.0—which comes in 20-liter and 30-liter versions to suit a variety of wearers—is a great bag, albeit light on organizational features. Its rugged, waterproof exterior features handy loops for hanging a helmet or U-lock, and the bag’s roll-top closure allows you to expand and shrink its capacity as needed. Both the back panel and the shoulder straps are comfortable and well padded, and an adjustable chest buckle keeps the pack secure as you whip around turns. Wirecutter senior staff writer Tim Heffernan has biked with this Chrome pack on his back for more than two years (and thousands of miles) and can attest to its durability: “It’s tough. Probably a lifetime purchase.”