The 15 Best American Made Backpacks

This backpack packs a pretty big punch in a lightweight bag. The bag measures up to 11 inches wide by 20.5 inches high and 6 inches deep, and offers a total capacity of 19 L, so it is perfect for carrying all of your personal items and accessories. The bag includes an interior laptop pocket that fits computers up to 15 inches, which makes it great for commuting back and forth to class. It also includes a durable YKK zipper and is made from 500D Dupont Cordura Nylon and features a premium Urethane coating that provides water resistance, so this backpack is the perfect choice for exploring the great outdoors. The bag features a padded top panel and padded shoulder straps that are easily adjustable to help you get a comfortable fit. The D rings are great for attaching your favorite accessories and a sternum strap helps take the load off your neck and shoulders. The top haul loop gives you alternate carrying options, and the bag stays organized thanks to an interior mesh pocket, interior bottle holder, and two wide mouth U-shaped zippered pockets.

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This is the bag you can take anywhere, and trust us, it’s so attractive that you’ll want to take it everywhere. Fashioned from high-density ballistic nylon material, the bag is easily water resistant and abrasion resistant, making it the perfect bag even for rugged terrain. The bag is reinforced with a rugged Twill design, and the bag features webbed shoulder straps that are padded for extra comfort. The bag also features a padded back panel that makes heavy loads more tolerable. Enjoy one large main compartment with a drawstring closure and one smaller interior pocket that helps you keep up with your little gadgets and accessories. The bag has a 21-liter capacity and is perfect for an everyday carry, especially for daily commutes to school or work. The bag only weighs a little over a pound, too, so it doesn’t add much to the total weight of your load. Grab this bag in a gorgeous navy color that includes brown leather accents that give it a contemporary flair.

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This awesome bag measures in on the slightly smaller side, offering a capacity of 26 liters, but still has plenty of premium features that helped land it on this list. The bag is made for the outdoors, featuring room for a 3-liter hydration bladder with hydration tube exit port for keeping hydrated while on the go, as well as multiple different pockets to help you stay organized. This includes an interior laptop pocket large enough for computers up to 17 inches, a large main compartment with several internal pockets, and an external slack pocket with a drawstring that gives you easy access to the items you use most. The two rows of MOLLE webbing on the front offer the best accessory system you could ask for and the 2-inch by 3-inch velcro section gives you the chance to add your own custom patch. The GoRuck is tested and approved at over 400 pounds capacity and is built from extra tough 1000D Cordura fabric, which provides water resistance, making this the perfect bag for inclement weather. The bag is expertly designed to ride high on your back, which helps balance the weight to take the stress off your shoulders and neck. The GR1 comes with a lifetime guarantee, so you can be sure that its an investment you can count on.

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This is another option if you need a medium sized bag with a whole lot of endurance. Matador’s Beast28 is made from 500D Ripstop Nylon that is PU coated for water resistance. The bag has a capacity of 28 liters and features waist and sternum straps to help you comfortably carry the bag, even when you’ve got a full load. It only weighs just over a pound, so it adds virtually nothing to your load’s total weight. The bag includes all the works: compression straps, gear loops and daisy chains for extra accessories, and space for a water bladder with exit hose ports. A large main pocket with a fold over lid and a small front pocket give you several storage options. This bag is probably the most sporty way to do outdoors, and the attractive navy design with slate blue undertones will accent all of your favorite sporting gear.

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The Rover Backpack by Topo Designs is everything you could ask for in a small sporting bag, offering just over 16 liters of capacity packed into a bag that is built to last. The bag is made from 1000D Cordura with a rain resistant coating, so you can take it anywhere you need without risking water damage to your belongings. The bag features several pockets to help you keep everything in place, including one large main pocket, a small zippered exterior pocket and a side pocket that is geared up for holding your sports bottle or water bottle. The main drawstring pocket features a foldover top with buckle closures and also has another, smaller exterior pocket with a zipper located directly at the top of the bag for securing your most frequently used items. The shoulder straps are made from quality mesh material with built-in padding that makes even heavier loads more comfortable. Compression straps on either side help you securely carry smaller loads, too. The bag comes in solid black and looks just as sporty as it sounds.

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The OHM 2.0 is built to be incredibly lightweight. At a total weight of around 35 ounces, it adds virtually nothing to your total load. Don’t let that fool you though, because this backpack still has a massive capacity of 63 liters, so it can pack up anything you need to take with you. Plus, it’s built to go anywhere you take it, with high-density ULA 210 Robic fabric that is water resistant and tear resistant, so it holds up to most tough situations. The bag is versatile, too, features a slew of organizations options to keep all your items in their place, including the main pocket with a large mouth for easy loading and unloading, as well as a front mesh pocket that grants you easy access to your most frequented items. The extension collar and left and right hipbelt pockets offer even more room for organization. The bag is great for heavy loads and long treks, since it utilizes the expert combination of a heavy duty suspension strap and full body compression straps that help balance the bags total weight, making it easier to carry. The bag is available in several different neutral and sporty colors, so you can choose one that best matches your other sporting gear.

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This bag is made for dressing up, but still looks great when you’re dressing down. The medium sized bag is made from 19.8 oz waxed canvas and features 9 0z bridle leather accents that pair well with the durable brass and solid copper hardware. The main compartment opens wide for easy loading and unloading and the interior pocket helps keep you organized. Plus, a small exterior front pocket is the perfect place to store important items that you’d like to keep in arm’s reach. The fold down top keeps out rain, and a side drink pocket is a great place to keep your sports bottle. An extra set of side straps lets you add on accessories or attach a sleeping bag or other gear. There aren’t many bags this trendy that are built with the sort of durability Bradley Mountain packed into The Wilder, and the three neutral color schemes give you plenty of options.

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Topo Designs did it again with their popular Core Pack, offering a backpack that is just as durable as it is fashionable. The bag is designed to be the perfect everyday carry, helping you gear up for everything from commutes to school or work and long outdoor sporting events alike. The bag has a large main compartment that opens wide for easy access to your personal items, as well as multiple small compartments for organizations. This includes an interior laptop compartment that is padded and doubles as space for a hydration bladder for camping and hiking. Store away things you need quick access to in the large front vertical zip pocket. An expandable water bottle pocket on the side is great for carrying your drink and lays flat and out of the way when not in use. The backpack features fully padded shoulder straps and a waist belt to help center the weight of your load. The straps feature load lift adjustments to help you balance the weight where it works best for you, since no two people carry their weight the same. The Core Pack will hold up to the wilderness and daily wear and tear, too, since it is designed from 1000D Nylon material and features a 210D coated pack liner with water and tear resistant properties.

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This backpack is massive compared to others in its league but retains a sort of style and class only offered by MIS. Made from 1000D Dupont Cordura Nylon with a Urethane coating, the bag boast both water resistance and abrasion resistance. The roll-up/roll-down top forms a tight water seal and has buckle straps to hold it in place when closed. The back panel is padded and features unique zippered access to the internal laptop sleeve, which is fitted for an 11-inch laptop. Several storage pockets and the gear loops and D-rings make this backpack pretty versatile, while PALS webbing on the bottom and front of the bag let you easily attach your favorite gear. MIS fit this backpack with padded straps that are easily adjusted to give you the most comfortable carry possible, even when packed to its maximum 30-liter capacity.

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Carhartt is well-known for its heavy-duty work gear, but their luggage and outdoor gear is equally as powerful. This Loader Pack is loaded with features, like a rain Defender coating to keep all your gear dry and a padded mesh back panel that gives you great airflow and comfortability, even when carrying a big load. The largest compartment opens wide to make it easy to find all your gear and features a drawstring closure with flip-top and buckle closure for extra protection from the elements. There are a single interior pocket and a couple exterior pockets, as well as an accessory attachment system to keep you organized. Padded shoulder straps are adjustable to help you keep the weight off your neck and shoulders. The bag comes in solid black with a PVC base that can take a lot of wear and tear, which makes this a great bag for daily use.

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If you need a lot of space, this is the backpack for you. Measuring in with a massive 42-liter capacity, this bag has storage options for all of your good and gear. This includes a large main compartment that zips open like a suitcase, so it is easy to load up for long trips, as well as special compartments for your laptop, tablet, and water bottle. The bag has a few other organization options, like the Arkiv accessory attachment system and a few exterior pockets, including waist belt mesh pockets that put your phone or keys at arm’s reach. The signature Roll-Top design seals out weather and gives you easy access to the main compartment when you don’t want to unzip completely. The padded, but the breathable back panel and padded straps make the huge bag incredibly comfortable to carry, and several different high-density material options give you all the endurance and reliability you could ask for.

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Defty designed this modern backpack to be just as trendy as it is useful. The bag is made from heavy duty waxed Martexin 18 oz. canvas, so it looks incredibly unique and in-style while also retaining water repellent properties. The interior is lined with 500D Cordura fabric that adds rigidity to the bag. Heavy duty YKK zippers keep any lingering water from rainfall out. The backpack includes several pockets, including an interior laptop sleeve that fits laptops up to 17 inches, as well as several outside pockets and steel D rings for attaching other accessories. The shoulder pads are easily adjusted and include premium padding, as does the bottom of the bag to protect your gear from damage when you drop your backpack. The front of the backpack includes a steel clip key leash that makes accessing your keys and small gadgets simple. The bag has webbing for attaching your favorite accessories. Pack what you’ll need into the 23-liter bag, and enjoy its lightweight build, adding only 3 pounds to your total load.

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Filson is known for their great quality and superior design, and this Duffel Backpack definitely leads the way in innovation and versatility. The bag is made from 600D ballistic nylon with nylon coil zippers and gorgeous Bridle leather accents that pair to give the bag a modern appearance. The interior includes a padded laptop sleeve designed for computers up to 15 inches. The pocket is lined to make it mud and waterproof, protecting your gear from the weather. Wear this bag in several ways, with convertible straps that help you easily swap from messenger, to backpack, or briefcase carry mode. The padded backpack straps stow away so as to not be in the way when not in use. One exterior zippered pocket securely stores small gadgets and frequented items. The bag offers 40 liters of room for your stuff, with an expandable option that gives you up to 46 liters of space.

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This is the most up-to-date way to carry all your things, all while keeping them sheltered from rough weather conditions. The Rhake offers 22 liters of space with pockets specifically designed to hold your laptop and electronic gadgets, as well as a large compartment for clothes and gear with compression options. The bag is made from HT500 material and can be upgraded to 500D MultiCam Black with military grade AustriAlpin Cobra buckles. The two-layer bag is water resistant and abrasion resistant and features Arkiv rails on the padded shoulder straps that let you easily customize and add your favorite accessories. There’s nothing you need in a backpack that The Rhake doesn’t offer, and the several color schemes give you a few attractive options to choose from.

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This premium full-grain black leather backpack takes a minimalistic spin on sleek and stylish. The bag features a Riri zipper with an “Aquazip” finish that is sure to keep moisture out. Several exterior pockets, including a secret top zippered pocket, keep your valuables at arm’s reach. The interior laptop compartment is padded and fit to hold a laptop up to 15 inches. Several internal mesh pockets organize cables and small gadgets, and the Bullhide leather passport pocket makes the bag perfect for traveling. This backpack only weighs about three pounds and measures up to about 11 inches wide by 17 inches long and 5 inches deep, so it should easily hold anything you need for your daily commute.

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