The Best Men's Work Bags For Modern-Day Commuters (2024)

Even if you live a pretty minimalist lifestyle, there’s still a pretty good chance that there’s a set of gear that you need to get you through each and every day — especially if you commute to and from your place of work. As such, you probably also need something in which you can haul that gear, both to keep it all organized and safe in your travels.

In that case, you’re going to want a work bag to make that commute with you day-in and day-out. And while there’s not a single bag that works for everyone, there are a number of options that are handsome and tough enough to survive the daily grind of all styles — be they a backpack, messenger bag, briefcase, or otherwise. We’ve gone through the trouble of rounding up our favorites in this collection of the best work bags for men. Whatever your work life, there’s something here for you.

With work bags coming in the form of briefcases, backpacks, and messenger bags, it can sometimes be a bit intimidating knowing what to look for when shopping. Fortunately, regardless as to which style of bag, all three carry solutions share a host of traits and properties that should be taken into account when shopping —the most important of which we’ll be breaking down directly below.

Primary Construction: The material used to construct a work bag’s shell is of monumental importance, as this one single factor plays an enormous role in determining a bag’s overall quality and durability — making this an absolutely essential area to review when shopping. Modern work bags feature shells that are cut from a wide variety of constructions ranging from old-school leather and canvas models to more contemporary bags crafted from CORDURA, sailcloth, or other modern materials.

Secondary Materials: Though admittedly not as important as a bag’s shell material, you’ll still want too explore secondary constructions as these also play a major role in a bag’s overall quality and user experience. Secondary materials to review include a bag’s liner material, back pad, shoulder or crossbody straps, and any other grab handles or attachment points.

Hardware: One area that separates the more premium bags on the market from their cheaper counterparts is the hardware that they employ. As such, when shopping for a work bag, you’ll want to review the types of zippers being used, as well as any present buckles or other hardware.

Build Quality & Craftsmanship: It’s not just a bag’s material selection that plays a role in its overall quality, but also how those materials have been pieced together that matter. As such, you’ll want to review the construction technique or techniques used to make a bag. What’s more, it’s also worth exploring the brand behind each bag, as smaller more boutique outfits almost always exhibit much better craftsmanship compared to companies mass-producing their bags.

Size & Volume: A work bag’s size and volume is also of major importance, as this will directly determine how much gear it can carry, as well as other factors such as weight. We recommend considering the supplies, tech, and other essentials that you plan on regularly commuting with, as this should help you determine what size bag you’ll need in order to comfortable accommodate all of your daily kit.

Tech Storage: Technology and devices continue to increasingly permeate almost every aspect of our lives — making tech storage an area of monumental importance to consider when shopping. When reviewing this factor, you’ll want to look into whether or not a bag has a laptop sleeve, and if it does, what size it is, if it’s padded, and if it’s suspended or equipped with a false bottom. We also recommend looking out for organizational features for housing cables, cords, wireless mice, chargers, and other tech peripherals. There are also some bags on the market that feature storage for a laptop and a supplementary tablet — or a second notebook.

Organizational Amenities: Alongside storage for tech, modern work bags usually feature a wealth of additional organizational amenities geared towards modern workers, such as pen slips, compartments for files and documents, key fob leashes, and water bottle pockets.

Style: Whether you fancy an unmistakably vintage-inspired bag or have more of a proclivity for modern models, the huge diversity of options on the market practically ensure that there will be a work bag out there that will personally resonate with you — making style another crucial area to consider when shopping.

With so many different models available across a variety of sub-genres, there’s seriously no shortage of available options when it comes to new work bags. In an effort to weed out the run-of-the-mill offerings in this space from the best it has to offer, we began our search by breaking the work bag segment down into three smaller sub-sectors in the form of briefcases, backpacks, and messenger bags — i.e. the three most popular and commonly-utilized types of work bags currently on the market. Using factors such as materials, style and design, volume and dimensions, build quality, organizational features, tech storage, and weatherproofing to guide our search, we then proceeded to make roughly half-a-dozen selections from each category. From there, each shortlist of options were compared and contrasted side-by-side, ultimately allowing us to further narrow down our picks to three final selections from each category of work bags.

Backpacks have long been the most popular type of daily carry solution — and for good reason. These storage and carrying solutions offer a generous amount of storage space and an equally robust array of organizational features. A more evolved take on the book bags you likely used in your youth, these bags can hugely differ in terms of style and aesthetics, practically guaranteeing that there’s a backpack out there that will jive with your personal taste.

Aer Duffel Pack 3

Best Gym-To-Office Bag: Not everyone is going to need a convertible bag that can haul up to 21.4L worth of gear. But for those who do, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better option than the Aer Duffel Pack 3. Not only is this minimalist third-gen bag beautifully-designed, but it’s got an exterior crafted from insanely-rugged water-resistant 1,680-denier CORDURA ballistic nylon, a huge variety of organizational compartments — including a ventilated shoe compartment if you need to swap your commuter sneakers for a nice pair of dress shoes — heavy-duty hardware, a 16″ laptop pouch, and so much more. Add to that Aer’s signature brand of sleek minimalist aesthetics, and you’ve got one of the best work backpacks that money can buy. And when you’re not using it for work, this bag makes an absolutely superb travel pack or gym bag, as well.

Primary Construction: 1,680D CORDURA
Volume: 21.4L
Weight: 2.9LBs
Laptop Sleeve: 16”

Peak Design Everyday Backpack

Best For Photographers: For many people, the ideal work bag is one that offers versatility in spades. And you’ll be hard-pressed to find an option better than the Peak Design Everyday Backpack if that’s a concern of yours. That’s because, while this bag has a fairly pared-down minimalist exterior, the inside boasts a 20L capacity that includes a 15″ laptop pocket, dual expandable side pockets, and a reconfigurable interior that can be customized to your daily needs. And that’s all aided by a weatherproof exterior, making this an exceptional commuter pack. This bag is also compatible with a wide array of add-ons, dividers, and packing cubes.

Primary Construction: Double Poly-Coated & DWR-Impregnated 400D Nylon Canvas
Volume: 20L (or 30L)
Weight: 4.43LBs (or 3.66LBs w/o Dividers)
Laptop Sleeve: 16”

Mission Workshop Rhake VX

Best Tech Bag: Whether your place of work is just down the street, across town, or on the other side of the country, the Mission Workshop Rhake VX laptop backpack is undoubtedly a superb work bag for you. This particular version is made from ultra-tough, weatherproof VX-21 fabric — available in three striking colorways — and it can hold up to 22L of gear. It’s also compatible with the brand’s modular Arkiv system via dual exterior integrated rails. And the rolltop closure ensures that all your stuff will stay nice and dry, even if you’re riding your bicycle through a downpour.

Check out our in-depth Mission Workshop Rhake review here.

Primary Construction: X-Pac VX-21
Volume: 22L
Weight: 3.8LBs
Laptop Sleeve: 16”

Boasting a dignified and elegant air, briefcases are a traditional style of work bags that have been sized to carry laptops, documents, and other notebook-sized office essentials. Not unlike messenger bags, briefcases typically sport a low-profile, rectangular shape that comes equipped with a shoulder strap for easy carrying. With briefcases admittedly lack the storage space and organizational amenities of backpacks and larger messenger bags, they can still make for fantastic carry solutions for work, being able to accommodate your daily essentials —and not much else.

Mystery Ranch 3 Way Expandable Briefcase

Most Versatile Pick: While Mystery Ranch got their start in the outdoor space and still thrive in that arena to this day, they’ve done a pretty solid job of expanding their lineup to include bags that might be considered more city-going. That’s the case here with their 3-Way Expandable Briefcase. With a bit more tactical styling than some of its competition, this bag can be carried like a messenger, briefcase, or backpack — all depending on your specific needs at the time. It can also hold an impressive 18L of gear, it has a padded 15″ laptop pocket, and it’s expandable to an additional 5L. Perfect for business, travel, and more, this is a brilliant work bag if there ever was one.

Primary Construction: Recycled 500D CORDURA re/cor
Volume: 18L
Weight: 2.7LBs
Laptop Sleeve: 16”

Filson Dryden Briefcase

Best Heritage Pick: While Filson is best known for their rugged, heritage-focused gear with a focus on the outdoors, their refined design language unsurprisingly has also paired beautifully into a range of office-friendly gear, as well. Their Dryden Briefcase is a perfect example of just that. This soft-sided work bag boasts an ultra-tough ballistic nylon construction with premium leather accents, has a double-layer base for added durability, features a padded 15″ laptop sleeve, and hauls up to 14L of gear. This bag is both rugged and refined in all the right ways

Primary Construction: 1,000D CORDURA
Volume: 14L
Weight: 2.18LBs
Laptop Sleeve: 15”

KILLSPENCER Esquire Briefcase

Best Luxury Pick: If all-black-everything is something that speaks to you, especially if you appreciate untreated full-grain leather, then the Killspencer Esquire Briefcase is certain to rank amongst your favorite work bags on our list. The brand has gone to great pains to ensure the bag does justice to its construction materials, and there is, therefore, no treatment done to the leather besides the removal of hair. That means the end result is as pleasing to the eye as it is to the touch and it will last for years and years of usage. Of course, this bag also has plenty of storage for all your gear — including your laptop. And the mil-spec quick-release buckles are definitely a nice touch.

Primary Construction: Full-Grain Cowhide & Bullhide Leather
Volume: 7.85L
Weight: 2.5LBs
Laptop Sleeve: 15”

Traditionally worn by bicycle messengers, messenger bags are a modern type of carry solution that borrows traits from briefcases, slings, and backpacks. Designed to be worn over the shoulder or across the back, messenger bags can range from compact, simple, and streamlined models to larger, more elaborate vessels brimming with storage space and organizational amenities. And, while these bags obviously still immensely conducive to cycling — and motorcycling — they still make for stellar work bags for those who commute by car, train, or on foot.

Timbuk2 Commute Messenger Bag 2.0

Best Minimalist Bag: The messenger bag, especially more modernized and up-to-date versions, are one of the best bag styles for modern men who are frequently on-the-go. And Timbuk2’s Commute 2.0 is an especially hard-working bag that goes perfectly with a lifestyle marked by hustle and bustle. It holds up to 19L of gear, weighs just 2.8 pounds, fits up to a 15″ laptop, has a water-resistant exterior, and has plenty of internal and external pouches and compartments for all your storage needs — including a water bottle pocket.

Primary Construction: Recycled Nylon
Volume: 19L
Weight: 2.8LBs
Laptop Sleeve: 15”

Chrome Industries Citizen Messenger Bag

Best For Cyclists: Chrome Industries first released its game-changing Citizen Messenger Bag back in 1995, and though nearly three decades have passed since that time, the Citizen remains one of the best messenger bags — and best choice for cyclists — on the market. Cut from 1,050-denier nylon — or laminated sailcloth — Chrome Industries’ Citizen Messenger Bag is a 24-liter vessel that features a fully waterproof floating TPE bucket liner that includes separate wet and dry compartments. Inside, the bag also features a laptop sleeve capable of storing 15” notebooks, while the outside features a crossbody strap equipped with one of Chrome’s signature seatbelt-style quick-release buckles — the latter of which bolsters the bag’s style and character as well as functionality.

Primary Construction: 1,050D Nylon (or Laminated Sailcloth)
Volume: 24L (or 28L)
Weight: 2.8LBs
Laptop Sleeve: 15”

WP Standard Meridian Messenger Bag

Best Vintage-Style Bag: Sold in a trio of color options, the WP Standard Meridian Messenger Bag is a high-end carry solutions that’s made today much like leather bags were a century ago, employ old-world craftsmanship, construction techniques, and materials. Fitted with solid brass hardware and quick-access pocket, the exterior of shell of the bag has been cut from full-grain cowhide leather. Lined with pigskin, the interior of the bag features a zippered pocket and a padded laptop compartment capable of housing notebooks as large as at least 15”. Practically guaranteed to take on a charming patina over time with regular use, this bag also ships with an included padded, adjustable shoulder strap cut from the same robust full-grain leather as its shell.

Primary Construction: Full-Grain Cowhide Leather
Volume: 14.9L
Weight: 3.2LBs
Laptop Sleeve: 15”