The Best Under Armour Backpacks for School in 2023 - Tested & Reviewed
A good school backpack should have a roomy main compartment for binders and books, a padded sleeve for your tech and plenty of pockets for pens, phone and other essentials. But if you have your sights on an Under Armour backpack this school year, picking between the different models can be tough!
In this buying guide, we rank and review the best Under Armour backpacks for school based on features and performance. Let this guide start your school shopping off right with the perfect backpack.
Top Pick: UA Hustle 5.0 Backpack
High school and college students usually carry their backpacks for extended periods of time while walking around campus and going from class to class. The Under Armour Hustle 5.0 is the perfect backpack for the task.
With a 29 liter capacity, the large main compartment on the UA Hustle 5.0 can pack a full day of notebooks, binders and folders. The second large compartment is perfect for school supplies like pens, calculators and notebooks thanks to its small pockets. Each UA Hustle 5.0 also comes with a 15-inch laptop sleeve that is soft-lined to protect your laptop or tablet against scratches.
The UA Hustle 5.0 has plenty of pockets for small items. Two side pockets offer a place for a water bottle and umbrella. And a top fleece-lined pocket gives you easy-access to sunglasses or a phone.
High school student athletes will also appreciate having a separate bottom compartment for shoes, clothing or even a full size basketball. The UA Hustle 5.0 makes long days of classes and practice easier by giving you a way to separate your packing.
Check out our in-depth Under Armour Hustle 5.0 backpack review for more info!
Runner Up: UA Hustle Sport Backpack
The Under Armour Hustle Sport is our second top choice school backpack thanks to its much more affordable price and just the right pockets for school essentials.
Inside, there is a 15-inch laptop pocket and two extra pockets for school supplies. The bag itself is 26-liters and we found it to have a large main compartment that can pack a lot of big binders, folders and notebooks.
Instead of a bottom compartment, the Hustle Sport gives you a bungee to attach bulky items. Students can easily attach a jacket to the front of the bag without taking up space inside.
The UA Hustle Sport is great for older kids and younger kids alike. Middle school and elementary school students may find the UA Hustle Sport to be a better fit than the UA Hustle 5.0. The Hustle Sport is smaller lightweight backpack (seriously, it feels like air when empty). The adjustable straps makes it easy to adjust the fit for younger kids in middle school and elementary school.
Check out our full UA Hustle Sport backpack review and video for a closer look!
Best Under Armour Backpacks for School
UA Hustle 5.0 Backpack
The UA Hustle 5.0 is one of our favorite Under Armour backpacks for school thanks to its versatile design that makes it perfect for class, sports practice and travel. The Hustle 5.0 is equipped with a spacious 29 liter main compartment and an additional front organizer compartment for pens, tech and other small essentials.
At the bottom of the UA Hustle 5.0 you’ll find a roomy shoe compartment that can also be used to stash laundry or anything else you want to keep separate from your main compartment.
Mid-sized versatile backpack for school and play
Capacity: 29L
Laptop Sleeve: Up to 15” Macbook Pro
Organizer compartment
Bottom shoe/laundry compartment
Under Armour Hustle Sport Backpack
The UA Hustle Sport is a unisex backpack that offers a unique bungee cord system on the front that allows you to attach oversized items such as shoes, a jacket or even a ball. On the inside you’ll find a spacious 26 liter main compartment with a soft-lined laptop sleeve and a few extra slip pockets for organization. A really neat feature of the UA Hustle Sport is the oversized tech/valuables pocket that is soft-lined to keep your important items scratch free.
Mid-sized school backpack with bungee system for extra storage
Capacity: 26L
Laptop Sleeve: Up to 15” Macbook Pro
Soft-lined valuables/tech pocket
Bungee system on front for stashing a jacket, shoes or ball
Under Armour Halftime Backpack
The UA Halftime is a unisex backpack for those who want to keep their carry simple. The 22 liter main compartment is just the right size to carry a laptop, binders and a few books without the bulk of a larger backpack. The padded laptop sleeve can be found inside the main compartment while two stash pockets can be found on the front of the bag so you always have quick access to smaller items.
Smaller lightweight school backpack
Capacity: 22L
Laptop sleeve: Up to 15” Macbook Pro
No organizer compartment
2 front stash pockets for smaller essentials
Under Armour Hustle 3.0 Backpack
If you are looking for a large Under Armour bookbag for school then we highly recommend you take a closer look at the UA Hustle 3.0. It’s an older model of the Hustle series and you can usually get it at a discount compared to other models.
At 30 liters, the Team Hustle 3.0 features two roomy main compartments for keeping your books, binders, extra clothes nice and organized. There is an oversized fleece lined pocket on the front to store a phone or other delicate tech. Under Armour even includes their UA Storm Technology so your stuff stays dry on rainy days!
Mid-sized backpack with lots of compartments
Capacity: 28.9L
Laptop Sleeve: Up to 15” Macbook Pro
Organizer compartment
Bottom shoe/laundry compartment
Under Armour Loudon Backpack
The UA Loudon is an affordable Under Armour bookbag for school that has everything you need to conquer the school day. In fact, it’s one of our favorite school backpacks under $50.
The Loudon is a classic bookbag with one large main compartment and an extra front pocket for smaller items. At 25 liters you’ll have enough room for big notebooks and binders, plus a laptop and plenty of tech accessories.
Mid-sized Under Armour bookbag with classic style
Capacity: 25L
Laptop Sleeve: Up to 15” Macbook Pro
UA Storm Technology for water resistance
Women’s UA Hustle Signature Backpack
The women’s UA Hustle Signature is the perfect option if you find the regular sized Hustle backpacks to be too large on the back. This backpack is smaller but is still big enough to fit a 15-inch laptop plus binders, folders and notebooks for school.
Other great features include side water bottle pockets and a bottom compartment for clothing or shoes. Use it as a school bookbag, sports bag or a weekend travel bag! If an Under Armour school backpack without the bulk is what you need, then the women’s UA Hustle Signature will tick all the right boxes.
Smaller size for women
Capacity: 25L
Laptop Sleeve: Up to 15” Macbook Pro
Organizer pockets for pens and accessories
Bottom shoe/laundry compartment
UA Project Rock Brahma Backpack
The UA Project Rock Brahma offers a stylish school backpack with the protection you need for your tech. Unlike many other Under Armour backpacks, this backpack gives you a seperate fleece-lined laptop compartment. This keeps your school items and laptop seperate for better protection.
Along with a great laptop protection, the Project Rock Brahma offers a extra pockets for water bottles and a soft-lined valuables pocket for sunglasses or a phone.
UA backpack with the best laptop protection
Capacity: 24L
Laptop Sleeve: Up to 15” Macbook Pro
Main compartment fits folders, notebooks and binders
Soft-lined pocket for phone, sunglasses and other valuables
Under Armour Recruit 3.0
The Under Armour Recruit 3.0 is one of our favorite Under Armour backpacks for school thanks to its 30 liter main compartment that is perfect for stashing large binders, books and clothing. The Recruit 3.0 even includes an entire organizer compartment for keeping school items like pens, calculators and charging cables easy to find. And a roomy bottom shoe compartment is a great spot for storing items you want to keep separate from the main compartment. The Recruit 3.0 is the perfect option if you are looking for a reliable Under Armour bookbag for school that will get the job done.
Large school backpack for books, shoes, clothes and more
Capacity: 30L
Laptop Sleeve: Up to 15” Macbook Pro
Organizer compartment
Bottom shoe compartment
Which Under Armour Backpack Should I Choose?
BEST UNDER ARMOUR BACKPACK FOR COLLEGE
College students usually carry their backpacks for extended periods of time while walking around campus and commuting. For this reason we believe the best Under Armour backpack for college is one will keep you organized and comfortable.
We recommend college students go with an Under Armour backpack that uses UA HeatGear on their shoulder straps like the UA Team Hustle 3.0 or the UA Contender 2.0.
UA HeatGear is the technology Under Armour uses on their athletic apparel to keep you cool and dry in warm weather. Utilizing this technology on their backpack shoulder straps allows you to wear a backpack all day long while keeping you feeling light and comfortable.
BEST UNDER ARMOUR BACKPACK FOR HIGH SCHOOL
High school students can carry a variety of school items such as big binders, laptops and smaller items such as pens, calculators and tech charging cables. This is why a the best Under Armour backpack for high school students is a bag with an organizer compartment like the UA Hustle 5.0.
An organizer compartment is a separate zippered compartment that is lined with smaller pockets for things like pencils, cables and a phone. This compartment will help you stay organized when going from class to class throughout the day.
Student athletes will also benefit from using an Under Armour backpack with a shoe compartment like the UA Hustle 5.0. These bags allows you to store shoes or dirty laundry in a bottom compartment away from you notebooks and laptop.
BEST UNDER ARMOUR BACKPACK FOR LAPTOP
If you are looking for the best Under Armour backpack for laptop carry then you’ll be pleased to learn that most Under Armour backpacks include a sleeve for a laptop up to 15-inches. But only select models like the Hustle 5.0, Hustle 3.0 and Halftime backpacks have soft-lined laptop sleeves. The soft-lining helps prevent scratches.
These Under Armour laptop sleeves are located inside the main compartment. With that said, there is no best one since the all UA laptop sleeves are very similar - so pick an Under Armour backpack you like based on style, size and pocket features!
How We Chose These Backpacks
Finding a reliable backpack while school shopping. The good news is that Under Armour has you covered! Just about all UA backpacks have adjustable shoulder straps, durable fabrics and separate compartments. But we also took other features into consideration when making this list.
Main compartment size
Most Under Armour backpacks are usually mid-sized to large making them great choices for school where bulkier items are usually carried. Choose a main compartment between 25-29 liters if you need room for just a few books, binders, laptop and an extra sweater. 30+ liter backpacks are great if you need a large backpack for school with more room.
If you want to learn more about backpack capacity and what fits inside a 20, 25 or 30 liter backpack then make sure to check out our Backpack Size Guide.
Shoe Compartment
Under Armour focuses on athletic performance apparel and accessories so it’s no secret that their backpacks cater to athletes, including student athletes. Many Under Armour backpacks include a bottom compartment for shoes and laundry because of this.
Not a student athlete? Take advantage of this extra pocket to store anything you want to keep separate from your books and laptop in the main compartment like lunch, snacks or extra clothing.
If you like the idea of a backpack with a bottom shoe compartment then check out our list of the Best Backpacks with Shoe Compartments for even more options from our favorite brands.
Organizer Compartment
Students need to stay organized! This is why a backpack with enough small pockets and an organizer compartment is a must have for high school and college.
Most Under Armour backpacks have some sort of organizer compartment or smaller pockets that line the outside of the bag itself. These small compartments allow you to stash pencils, glasses and charging cables to keep them easily accessible and organized. When choosing an Under Armour backpack for school make sure it has the organization you need!
UA Storm Technology
Many students want a backpack for school that is either waterproof or water repellent. A great feature all Under Armour backpacks have is the use of UA Storm technology on the fabric. This technology makes all Under Armour backpack water resistant so that you can weather just about any storm.
It’s worth noting that there is a huge difference between waterproof and water repellent. Check out our Best Waterproof Backpacks for College guide to learn more about the difference and to check out some of our favorite waterproof options for school.
