13 Best Backpacks that Open Like a Suitcase - Travel Backpack Guide
When it comes to travel backpacks one of the most important features is easy access to your packed clothes, shoes and toiletries.
Unfortunately, most backpacks that are great for daily carry really lack the proper features to successfully pack for a weekend getaway. If you have ever found yourself unpacking an entire backpack just to access a pair of fresh socks at the bottom of the main compartment then you know the struggle.
Rolling suitcases are no better. They are big, bulky and limited in how you can carry them.
Suitcase vs Backpack: Why not both?
The best solution for overnight stays and weekend trips is a combination of both a suitcase and a backpack a.k.a a backpack that opens like a suitcase. These travel backpacks allow you full access to the main compartment but give you the freedom and ease of use of a regular backpack. No more annoying rolling luggage. No more awkward backpack packing. No more compromises.
This list features our favorite travel backpacks that open like a suitcase plus some brands worth checking out for even more options. We focus mostly on travel backpacks in this guide but if you are looking for smaller everyday carry options make sure to check out our list of the best clamshell backpacks - it’s the same concept just in more manageable backpack sizes.
Best Backpacks that Open Like a Suitcase
eBags TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible
Our top pick for the best backpack that opens like a suitcase is the eBags TLS Motherlode Weekender Convertible. This travel backpack has some of the best pocket placement in its class. Along with a spacious main compartment, you’ll find a front loading compartment with organizers, small pockets for sunglasses and magazines and a clever water bottle pocket that can be hidden when not in use. Add in a separate 17” laptop compartment and you have the perfect travel backpack.
The carrying capacity is a whopping 54 liters which is large enough for longer trips. Side compression straps also make it easy to control the size of the backpack when used for short overnight stays where the full capacity is not needed. If 54 liters is too large, eBags has you covered with the smaller 41 liter eBags TLS Mother Lode Junior.
Features at a glance:
Capacity: 54L
17” inch padded laptop compartment
Meets most airline carry-on requirements
Nomatic Travel Pack
The Nomatic Travel Pack is the travel bag for anyone looking for a backpack with amazing pockets and organization. This is especially try for those of us that carry lots of tech and need storage for small items like chargers, cables and headphones. There is seriously a pocket for everything. A small sample of pockets include a full mesh pocket panel, magnetic water bottle pockets, RFID safe pocket and hidden pockets for things like a passport or cash.
When it comes to backpacks that open like a suitcase the Nomatic Travel backpack might be the bridge between a daily backpack and a reliable travel bag. This is because the Nomatic Travel Pack is expandable - starting out at 20 liters for daily use and expanding out to 30 liters when it’s time for your next trip.
Features at a glance:
Expandable capacity: 20-30 liters
Lots and lots of useful organizer pockets for small daily essentials and travel items
TSA friendly laptop sleeve
Stubble & Co The Adventure Bag
Designed to adapt to how you travel, the Stubble & Co Adventure Bag is a compressible travel backpack that opens like a suitcase for easy compliance to strict air travel bag requirements and impromptu road trips alike.
What makes the Adventure Bag one of the best travel backpacks currently available is in its intuitive packing design. You have a special pocket for shoes and laundry, a myriad of exterior pockets for stuff like a passport and boarding passes and a roomy clamshell main compartment with plenty of dividers to keep your clothing and travel items organized. Add an exterior padded laptop compartment and you have a bag that keeps all important items easily accessible and within reach.
Features at a glance:
Capacity: 42 liters
Designed to be used as a carry on bag - compression straps allow bag size to accommodate any airline.
Waterproof design
AmazonBasics Carry On Travel Backpack
Amazon takes a crack at travel bags with their AmazonBasics Carry On Travel Backpack. This bag is one of the more affordable backpacks that open like a suitcase on the market today yet it still holds up to its more expensive competitors thanks to a large main compartment capacity, smart organizer pockets and convenient travel features.
This backpack is great for anyone looking to replace rolling luggage with an all-in-one travel backpack solution. The dimensions fit most airline carry on requirements and the tuck-away shoulder straps allows you to carry the AmazonBasics Carry On Travel Backpack like a duffel or suitcase. For under $50 we think this is one of the best travel backpack options out there.
Features at a glance:
Expandable main compartment
Large front loading organizer compartment for small items
Separate padded laptop sleeve
Pacsafe Venturesafe EXP45
Pacsafe offers a travel backpack that opens like a suitcase and it is packed with plenty of anti-theft that the brand is known. At 45-liters the Venturesafe EXP45 was designed to replace your carry-on rolling luggage altogether by provide a huge main compartment for clothes, gear and more. We also appreciate the inclusion of a separate organizer compartment for smaller items and your laptop - keeping your packed clothing and daily essentials separate for maximum organization.
The backpack’s anti-theft features include lockable zippers and a clever top latch that hides your zipper pulls on top of the backpack. The PacSafe Venturesafe EXP45 is made out of slash and puncture resistant fabric to protects against thieves as well as to add the toughness you need in a travel bag.
Features at a glance:
Capacity: 45L
Anti-theft design
15” laptop padded sleeve
Bange Expandable Travel backpack
If you are looking for a backpack that opens like a suitcase on a budget then we highly recommend taking a closer look at the Bange Expandable Travel backpack. This backpack can be best described as a “tech meets travel” backpack thanks to the bag’s shockproof laptop compartment plus pockets for tech accessories like cables and chargers. It even includes an external USB port for charging your phone on the go!
It’s the small details Bange includes that make this travel backpack worth it - a plastic zip pocket for liquids (shampoo, body wash, etc), plenty of external pockets, lockable zippers and more.
Features at a glance:
Available in medium and large sizes
Expandable design
Water resistant front panel and anti-abrasion construction
Osprey Transporter Carry On 44
The Osprey Transporter Carry On is perfect for anyone looking for a modern travel backpack that is made to accommodate their tech and travel items. This is thanks to the Transporter’s great front panel compartment that makes organizing things like your chargers, passport and more into a simple task. The backpack’s organization is made even better with a large 44 liter main compartment with mesh dividers for easy storage of your clothes.
Along with amazing organization, it’s Osprey’s carry options that makes the Osprey Transporter Carry On special - things like a convertible backpack to duffel design, adjustable sternum strap and waist belt really make a difference when lugging around your bag during busy travel days.
Need something smaller for international travel? Check out the 36L Osprey Transporter Global Carry On backpack.
Features at a glance:
Capacity: 44 liters
Separate padded laptop compartment
Convertible backpack to duffel design
Water resistant TPU-coated materials
Topo Travel Bag
Topo Designs is a brand out of Denver known for their high quality outdoor-inspired backpacks and gear. Their Travel Bag is designed to function as an all-in-one travel backpack that meets most airline carry-on requirements yet still has enough room for a few days of travel. Available in both 40 liter and 30 liter sizes the Topo Travel bag has enough pockets, organizers and features to make it the last travel backpack you’ll ever need.
An awesome yet often overlooked feature of the Topo Travel Bag is that it can be used as a modular carry system. The backpack includes Topo’s Packfast Bag Attachment clips that allow you to attach a daypack to the front of the backpack. This allows for capacity expansion plus a way to carry your smaller backpack without taking up room in the main compartment.
Features at a glance:
Capacity: 40L or 30L
3 way carry - backpack, duffel or briefcase
Lots of clever pockets for clothing, personal items and tech
Meets most airline carry on requirements
Knack Expandable Knack Pack
The Knack Pack is a hybrid daily use and travel backpack that allows you to use its generously sized suitcase style main compartment when traveling and compress it down to a regular daypack when you get to your destination. This clever design feature allows you to use the Knack Pack in any just about any situation which is why it’s one of our favorite backpacks that open like a suitcase.
The Knack Pack is available in 3 different sizes so you can choose the best one for your needs. The most popular 31 liter Medium Knack Pack is perfect for use as a weekender backpack or airline carry-on while the Large Knack Pack is great for longer trips. Finally, the Small Knack Pack is ideal as an airline personal item backpack when you just want to pack the essentials.
Features at a glance:
Expandable suitcase-style main compartment
15” easy-access padded laptop pocket
Plenty of pockets and compartments for smaller items
Designed to fit underneath airline seats
Solo Grand Travel TSA Backpack
The Solo Grand Travel TSA backpack is a special one because it combines the style and features of a daily work backpack with the must-have features of a travel bag. Equipped with a 17.3” laptop compartment that is TSA-friendly this backpack allows you to keep your tech and personal items in separate compartments. Plus a variety of pockets and organizers on the front of the backpack allows you easy-access to small items you need frequently like pens, headphones and more.
We recommend the Solo Grand Travel TSA backpack to anyone looking for a travel backpack that opens like a suitcase that can still be used at the office or as a gym backpack. The 30 liter main compartment is perfect for packing a change of clothes and the various pockets and laptop compartment still allow you to use it as a functional daily backpack.
Features at a glance:
Capacity: 30L
Airport friendly 17.3” laptop compartment
Plenty of smaller pockets and organizers for daily items
Cotopaxi Allpa
The Cotopaxi Allpa proves that minimalist design doesn’t have to be boring. On the outside you’ll find a sleek profile with grab handles and tucked away pockets in all the right places. But on the inside is where the real magic happens - the Allpa backpack opens like a suitcase to reveal a spacious main compartment filled mesh pockets for incredible organization of clothes and gear.
One of our favorite features of the Cotopaxi Allpa is it’s weight-distributing low profile harness system that makes all the difference in comfort when carrying a heavy-load. The Cotopaxi Allpa is also available in various sizes so you are sure to find one that fits just right.
Features at a glance:
Capacity: 28-70 liters
Made super tough: TPU-coated 1000D polyester and 840D Ballistic Nylon
Padded laptop and tablet sleeves
Shoulder straps can be tucked away so that bag can be carried like a duffel
Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC
Patagonia’s attention to detail is what makes the Mini MLC one of our favorite backpacks fo city commuters and travelers alike. Features such as a separate TSA-friendly laptop compartment, front admin compartment and a roomy packing compartment with mesh organizers gives you what you need to stay organized on busy days.
For anyone looking for a smaller backpack that opens like a suitcase, we think the Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC’s 26 liter capacity is the perfect size for shorter trips or daily gym commutes. In fact, the Mini MLC was designed to fit strict global carry on requirements making the perfect worry-free travel companion.
Looking for a bigger size? Check out the Patagonia Black Hole Duffel Backpack series that is available in 40L to 100L sizes.
Features at a glance:
Capacity: 26 liters
TSA approved 15-inch laptop compartment
Meets international carry on requirements
Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L
The Peak Design Travel Backpack is perfect for anyone who values quality materials, weatherproof construction and carry customization. Along with its weatherproof fabrics and zippers, the Peak Design Travel Backpack really shines when it comes to its multiple entry points to the main compartment. You can access the main compartment from the front, or for even more access you can open the backpack with a clamshell zipper from the back. Peak Design even gives you side access with a side zipper for quick grabs.
This versatility is what makes one of the Peak Design Travel Backpack one of the best options for anyone looking for a backpack that opens like a suitcase. Its accessibility is unrivaled thanks to Peak Design’s eye for detail and functionality.
Features at a glance:
Capacity: 45L
Multiple entries to the main compartment
Smart pockets for tech and smaller items
Made of weatherproof materials and zippers
More brands to consider
Now that we have listed our picks for the best backpacks that open like a suitcase, we thought we would introduce you to some brands that do a great job at offering similar travel backpacks. These brands are worth checking out if you are looking for different styles of backpacks that have large open clamshell access compartments to replace your rolling luggage the next time you travel.
eBags
The eBags house brand of bags and backpacks offer great options for anyone looking for quality travel backpacks. Along with their popular Mother Lode Weekender Convertible we recommend looking into the eBags TLS Mother Lode Rolling Weekender which offers the same features of the regular Mother Lode but with the addition of wheels and a traditional luggage handle.
For tech enthusiasts, eBags also offers the eTech Carry-On Travel Backpack which features plenty of pockets and organizers made to store tech accessories like a mouse, cables and chargers.
Opsrey Packs
Osprey offers an incredible variety of backpacks for outdoor enthusiasts and travelers alike with special consideration for proper fit and overall comfort. Those who wear their backpacks for prolonged periods will appreciated that just about every Osprey backpack is available in both a women’s and men’s specific fit.
Whether you are looking for a small 30L travel backpack for weekend trips or a larger 70 liter pack for prolonged travel - you’ll find the size and features you need with Osprey.
Knack Bags
Knack is a brand that comes highly recommended if you are looking for a high quality backpack that doesn’t compromise on style. The brand is known for their innovative convertible Knack Packs that allow for a two-in-one solution for both daily carry and travel.
Knack Packs feature great options for organizing daily essentials and feature a hidden expandable compartment that opens up like a suitcase when you need it. We love these bags for daily work commutes, gym days and as a carry-on option for flights.
Knack currently offers their Knack Pack in two flavors: Their flagship Series 1 and their new Series 2 that gives you better organization and security. For help choosing between the two we recommend checking out our Knack Pack Series 1 vs Series 2 backpack comparison.
