I bought a LOT of backpacks and tested them all. Was on a huge quest to find the best backpack.

Overall imo you get compromises.

If you wanted BIFL, it's Goruck. That said, I have no interest in Goruck because of its weight. I travel often and with low weight restrictions so I need something lighter. So the bags I use right now aren't necessarily BIFL but they suit my needs.

But yeah if you strictly wanted BIFL and didn't care about other issues, go Goruck. But if you scratch off the BIFL restrictions, there are so many great options.

BIFL doesn't mean good. A BIFL headphones that's nuclear proof with bad audio quality is still a bad headphone. You have to look at the use-case.

osprey have lifetime warranty https://www.osprey.com/us/en/category/travel/campus-commute/

Check out Osprey Archeon they are built to last a lifetime come in a range of sizes and configurations. I have 3 and I probably won’t ever need to replace them.

Go check out r/onebag.

GoRuck GR2 34L

I've had my Tom Bign Synapse 25 for a few years, love it. I've had a good experience with anything Tom Bihn makes.

I needed a bag for same set of requirements. Went with fjallraven kanken. Very happy with it, it's nearly indestructible with a lot of wonderful design choices.

R/Manybaggers is probably going to be a better sub with you since they have experience for many types of uses and styles.

(A lot of this depends on the style you're going for. Packs can be camping style, business casual, business semiformal. Lot of options. Specifying may get you the best sort of results there.)

Hope it helps, good luck in your search!

Anything from Fjallraven!!

Isn't the borealis classic from the north face a 30/35L? I have mine since 2011/2015, still in good conditions

I personally like Vanquest and 5.11. I have a pack from LAPoliceGear that doesn't get daily use but seems pretty durable with regular use for the last 4-5 years. Vanquest and 5.11 both have lines that don't have that tactical look, and they both have a lot of organization stuff as well.

Filson makes some tough classic stuff. I have a few bags and they won’t die, just try it they’ll fix or replace it for life

Osprey Nebula

I've had my Triple Aught Design backpack. Used it daily for a decade while in school.

I'd also look at Frost River. Stuff lasts darn near forever. However, they probably won't have the organization you are looking for.

Triple Aught Design, Evergoods and Savotta are all solid.

I have the Gen 1 of this Peak Design bag in 30L. I think it fits the bill perfectly. I can easily get 2 days of clothes (3 in the summer) + laptop + notebook + dopp kit with plenty of room left over for a flask. That's not utilizing the top pocket or side pockets yet.

It looks as new and functions as well as the day I bought it in 2017. Don't underestimate the utility of the key holder for securing your keys while flying/traveling as well.

I'm one of those people that brings my backpack with me everytime I leave the house. I use a mystery ranch urban assault 24L which might be a bit small for you but they have other larger options.

CamelBak H.A.W.G I bought mine at least 10 years ago. I used it over the years as a day pack carrying a laptop and camera gear within separate pouches or when flying or mountain biking …

To this day it shows absolutely no sign of wear whatsoever. I do t have the largest size but what was back then the medium sized version. The layout has changed slightly over time. Best and most durable backpack I ever had.

These are soft packs and depending on how you pack them they can be slimmed down or blown up in volume with a strap system. The zippers are amazing and after all these years of abuse are still smooth and never failed.

I would always buy one of these again without a question. I have a plain black one for discretion so it does not scream military. The level of utility with its webbing and combination of good quality pouches (I like to use old school Domke cotton camera gear pouches) to pack this backpack is amazing.

I’ve tried various packs for daily use:

1. The North Face Borealis (Classic)-29 Liters. This pack is going on 9 years old, and had only minor fraying. It held up to nearly daily use throughout high school and my first two years of college, as well as a few short camping trips. It was of an older model, and I’m not sure about the newer models, as they are of a different construction (though I believe they used the same materials, it is 28 liters instead; they did, however, add a separate compartment entirely for your tech, rather than including it as an elastic pouch in the main compartment).

2. The North Face Vault-26 Liters. I got quite a bit of use out of this pack, and I purchased it as an upgrade to the older Borealis two years ago, and for something more away from the vein of the outdoorsy nature of the Borealis. I would say for the purposes outlined in the original post, this would be the best bet for you. Mine did have some issues (the right shoulder strap began to separate from the body of the pack). This was due to frequent overloading of the pack, as well as pretty rough use. Overall, I feel as though this was the perfect bag for EDCing, school or work.

3. The Patagonia Refugio-30L model. This is the last day pack I will ever purchase. Solid, simple construction. It’s set up like a hiking pack, and focuses on what I’d refer to as “maximum crammability,” i.e., there’s very little in terms of organization. There are three compartments, one in the back to house a water bladder, the main compartment and a fairly deep quick access pocket to toss your junk into. It’s rugged construction leads me to believe that it will last me forever, coupled with Patagonia’s amazing repair/replacement policies, I can’t see another day pack in my future.

Included is an admin panel that slots nicely into the rear compartment where a water bladder would be stored, with enough organization capacity to hold my iPad and MacBook, chargers for both, a battery bank, and some other bits and bobs I use for work.

second the comments re Osprey and Tom Bihn. i have an Osprey backpack i've had for like 10 years that is still in amazing condition.

i got a Timbuk2 bag to carry my laptop and gym stuff when i still commuted in NYC, that is decent and has held up for like 5 years now, though i'd note that it does show wear on the edges.

My Swiss army back-ack (not surplus, bought on campus new) is showing no signs of wearing out after 10 years.

Thule Stir 35 or Errant by boundarysupply. I have used Errant for business trips and personal trips quite a bit over 5 years. It’s held up pretty good. My friend has Thule and says that it’s very comfortable.

I just had the same thoughts and went with a jansport. They’re just like the og backpack with lifetime warranty

My Osprey pack is great and has a lifetime warranty. I use it for travel and it's been checked on a plane a number of times. I've only had it about a year but it's absolutely as good as new.

I'd second Osprey, got a 25l bag I use for much the same thing. Had it for years and it's been all over the world and properly abused. The zip broke apart recently, sent it back with minimal fuss and it was fixed in a day. The only thing that's worth noting though is that their warranty varies a lot by region. If you're in the US you're sweet. But I'm in the UK and heard they can be a bit funny about repairing certain types of damage in Europe and elsewhere.

I know you already referenced Samsonite, but my Samsonite day bag is really wonderfully sturdy and comfortable with loads of handy pockets. Can’t recommend it more highly. I’ve been using it for 6 years now and it still looks new.

Patagonia Refugio Daypack 26l. Has a compartment for work stuff, clothes and even shoes. The backpack looks small but fits a lot. The only downside is it doesn’t have that many small pockets to stay organized if that’s what you need.

Check out Everki

Osprey.

I really love my osprey ozone backpack. It has two side pockets that can each accommodate a 40oz hydroflask. The only drawback is it is 28l and that’s gets full quick. But I can fit my med kit and large lunchbox into the main pocket. If you need something bigger than that I really loved my Oakley Kitchen Sink for 8 years it carried everything I would need in a day and it still looks really good. I believe it’s a 36l or 38l.

I have a simple north face backpack that I have absolutely abused for 15 years. I used it everyday for college, geology field trips carrying loads of rocks in the back country, now carrying equipment in a wastewater treatment plant.

My (slightly edited) post from a while back:

Search for a company called Wisport They started in the 80's making tourist stuff, nowadays, they focus on military/survival packs. Pretty much all military designs have been developed together with Special Forces operators and they're the main customers.

They're not the prettiest designs, but that's not their purpose. They need to last and maintain functionality in any conditions. You can run them over with a tank, throw them off a building, whatever... they just keep on going. I've got 5 of their packs at home. The oldest one is more than 20 years old and my son still likes to use it for school, 2 other ones are about 15 years old and we use them for day trips, and 2 quite new are used as school/laptop bags.

Since my original post they started doing more civilian packbacks. Same materials, same quality, less MOLLE tapes, brighter colors.

My Deuter is 18 years old now, no complaints. https://info.deuter.com/warranty

I like mission workshop bags. I have three of them and they are still going strong after ten years of regular use.

I also like Filson for day and weekend bags and Tom Bihn for specialized bags.

Peak Design Everyday Backpack 30L. Amazon recently ripped off their designs. It was hilarious and shows you how their bags are good cause Amazon copies them for their basics line. Also lifetime warranty.

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