The Best Leather Backpacks of 2024

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These backpacks have all the functions of your favorite carryall, but upgraded with the luxe look of leather.

Ashley is a writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience reporting on products in the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle space. Along with Travel + Leisure, you can find her work in Business Insider, WWD, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Best Products, and About Amazon.

In This Article

Travel + Leisure / Marcus Millan

Backpacks have long been the top choice of students, travelers, and commuters for their rugged durability and spacious interiors. While backpacks excel in storage, they often lack the looks needed to take the place of a sleek handbag or briefcase. Leather backpacks change the rules by elevating the sporty favorite to something you wouldn’t mind carrying straight from the airport to a nice dinner reservation.

Though often pricier than their synthetic counterparts, well-made leather backpacks can deliver years of service with a bit of care. And in many cases, you’ll still have all the necessary spots for things like laptops, tablets, and water bottles built in. If you’re ready to upgrade your backpack to the leather variety, we hand-selected the best options that pack tons of style and won’t weigh your shoulders down.

The classic silhouette is highly customizable with multiple colorways, sizes, and options to add initials.

Personalization options start at an extra $35 and go up to $150.

With Leatherology’s many personalization options, your leather backpack will be anything but cookie-cutter. We named the brand’s Sloan bag as the best pick for its timeless silhouette, multiple colorways, and the option to add your initials in three different styles: foil stamped, hand painted, or trapunto stitching.

We’re also a fan of how the bag has a neoprene laptop sleeve inside that fits most tablet and laptop sizes, plus side pockets on the outside that keep water bottles within easy reach. If you’re constantly between the office, airport, and gym, this is a pick that will move with you seamlessly. There’s also a mini size for those who don’t need the laptop space.

The Details: 12 x 5 x 16 inches | 15-inch laptop pocket

The convertible design feels like you’re getting two bags for the price of one.

The slouchy design is less supportive for heavier items like laptops and books.

Who doesn’t love to get more and spend less? M.Gemi’s The Laura convertible backpack offers a two-in-one design that transforms from a tote to a backpack just by sliding the straps. Simple yet elevated, this roomy bag has plenty of interior space, plus three pockets (though there isn’t a laptop-specific one). It’s a great travel option when you need a bag that can pull double duty, and there’s a zipper across the top to keep your packed items secure. In addition to changing on the fly to match your needs, we also appreciate that it’s handmade in small batches with Italian leather.

The Details: 15.7 x 14 x 3.9 inches | 1.7 pounds

This leather backpack offers a lot of value in its mini size and comes in four bright colors.

The interior is unlined and only has one pocket.

Whether you’re festival-bound, exploring a new city, or just prefer to keep your hands free during the day, a mini backpack is the perfect alternative to a purse. This leather backpack comes in four bright colors so you won’t easily get lost in a crowd, and it also has adjustable shoulder straps. It’s not the best option if you need tons of space or pockets, but it’s just the right size for carrying basics like a phone, travel-size sunscreen, and sunglasses. At less than half the price of other full grain leather backpacks on our list, it’s also a great value.

The Details: 9 x 8 x 4.5 inches | 1.5 pounds

With clean styling and jewelry-like hardware, this is a backpack that’ll blend in at dressier events.

The top doesn’t have a zip closure for extra security or room for a laptop.

Any leather backpack will feel more upscale than its nylon cousins, but this bag from Strathberry is luxe enough to carry in place of a designer tote. And at less than $1,000, it’s much less pricey than many other high-end options. Without room for a tablet or laptop, this isn’t going to be the ideal work bag, but we like it as a comfortable option you can get away with in a more formal environment. We also give it extra points for having protective metal feet on the bottom.

The Details: 10.8 x 9.8 x 6.3 inches

It’s equipped for work and travel with tons of compartments and dedicated slots for two laptops.

Even with padding, this bag might feel heavy if every pocket is put to use at once.

If you’re in search of a workhorse that can withstand daily commutes and still look nice, the Samsonite Classic Leather Backpack is an excellent mix of form and function. This bag is designed with professionals in mind with its many mesh zip pockets, a tablet pocket, and space for two laptops (looking at you, business travelers). Plus, there’s padding on the shoulders and back (along with a suitcase sleeve) to keep you comfortable while hauling around all that tech gear. Note that it weighs a tad less than 4 pounds empty, so it could feel a bit heavy when fully packed.

The Details: 18.5 x 12 x 6.5 inches | 3.73 pounds | 15.6-inch laptop pocket

The leather drawstring design lets you travel light without sacrificing style.

There’s no dedicated laptop sleeve to keep it from moving around.

If you love the sporty style and ease of a drawstring backpack, you can opt for an upscale version with Bandolier’s all-leather design. While there’s technically room for a laptop, it falls on the smaller side in terms of interior space, so we recommend this pick for occasions like concerts and day trips where you want to travel light and look good doing it. We also like how this backpack has a D-ring on the front so you can personalize it with charms and keychains.

The Details: 16.8 x 15.5 inches | Fits a 13-inch laptop

Along with its elegant looks, this leather backpack can be carried as a shoulder bag.

Thin shoulder straps may be better suited for short commutes and non-adventure travel.

It’s no easy feat to find a spacious backpack that has a dedicated laptop space and still looks good enough to take the place of a handbag. Cuyana pulls it off with this leather backpack that can also be worn as a shoulder bag. It’s big without being bulky, so it’s a great companion for trips that don’t require a ton of gear, but you can just as easily tote it to and from the office. Plus, the simplicity means it's a bag that will still feel current several years from now.

The Details: 15.1 x 11 x 7 inches | 16-inch laptop pocket

This leather backpack has style, storage space, and removable straps that convert to a shoulder bag.

There aren’t many pockets for keeping pens or a laptop from moving around freely.

If you want a leather backpack that doesn’t look like a backpack, here’s one that has the elements of a handbag, but with more convenience. The square body feels a bit more unique than traditional backpack styles, yet it’s classic enough to get tons of mileage in your wardrobe. Though the interior is plenty spacious, keep in mind the bag’s three pockets aren’t laptop-sized if a dedicated spot is important to you. We’re always a fan of a phone pocket, and you’ll find a small slip pocket on the exterior back that keeps your cell within reach but out of sight. The best part of this leather backpack is that the adjustable straps can be swapped out to turn it into a shoulder bag, or you can skip the straps altogether and carry it by the top. Fossil also makes a smaller size if you prefer mobility over space.

The Details: 14 x 13 x 5.13 inches | 1.72 pounds | Fits a 16-inch laptop

A leather backpack is an investment you’ll use for years, so it’s important to check the specifications and choose the best size for your needs. If you plan to use your leather backpack for work or travel, we suggest looking for something a bit larger with plenty of pocket organization. If your leather backpack will be used as a handbag alternative, you can probably get away with something smaller that’s easier to carry around all day.

We also recommend paying extra attention to laptop space. If you have a 15-inch laptop, note that some leather backpacks only fit a 13-inch laptop, while others don’t have room at all.

Before making a decision, keep in mind what you’re most likely to be carrying in your leather backpack and where you’ll be going. Padded shoulder straps may be an important feature for travelers and commuters, along with laptop and suitcase sleeves. If you’re never without a water bottle, having a backpack with its own pocket will prevent spills. A convertible bag design may be a better value if you’re also in the market for a tote. And if you’re looking to travel light, a bag without bells and whistles may shed unnecessary ounces.

In terms of material, we suggest everyone look for a full grain leather, which is the highest in quality, or at minimum a pebbled texture that’s better at hiding nicks and scratches.

Using a leather conditioner can keep your backpack in better shape for longer by preventing it from drying out or cracking. For extra protection against spills, you can also use a waterproofing spray made for leather. In between treatments, a damp cloth can be used to lightly buff away dirt and stains.

Since leather is more susceptible to damage than nylon, we suggest storing it inside a dust bag when not in use, or rotating it out with other bags so it doesn’t wear out as quickly.

Just like any other backpack, a leather backpack counts as a personal item. Different airlines have different size guidelines, so be sure to check the airline’s website before traveling. The most important thing to consider is if it will fit under the seat in front of you.

Travel + Leisure contributor Ashley Phillips is a fashion writer and editor with more than a decade of experience writing about handbags and accessories. She has owned several leather backpacks over the years and extensively researched product specifications and ratings before narrowing down the best options for work, travel, and every day.

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