Help me decide which everyday backpack for work?

[Siw2020]

This is what it would need to carry:

essential/ daily:
a lunch box
bottle of water
a4 notepad
pens

some days of the week (not necessarily all at once)
laptop 14inch
gym kit
umberella
thin jumper/cardigan
chargers
coffee flask

Most of the time will only be carrying essential/daily list - and only willing to consider bags with a laptop compartment.
soft touch leather feel would be nice...

Here is my fairly long shortlist:

1. £160 Lawful london
2. £160 Ted Baker
3. £90 Kapten & Son
4. £64-99 Knomo
5. £47 MiaTui
6. £25 Accessorize - Judy

& £25 Accessorize Amy

I think i might be leaning towards Judy from accessorize!
Open to other suggestions :) & thanks for your time :)

www.accessorize.com/uk/drew-leather-backpack-9900430300.html

do we think that has a laptop compartment?

I’ve got a Roka bag that has a laptop section and could easily fit everything else as well, plus it’s fully waterproof. It comes in 3 sizes, I think I have the largest one.

Second the suggestion for Roka. I love mine and bought another smaller one for everyday use.

Mia tui Sydney. I've had mine years and use it for work or days out. I love the insulated drinks compartment as keeps a can of diet coke cold whilst protecting my laptop.

Agree with Mumdiva. Mia Tui all the way. Great bags and fantastic customer service

I have a Mia Tui, albeit a smaller version. The quality is lovely, and it's fantastic value for money. Would definitely recommend. They often do special offers where another item is included.

I swear by doughnut backpacks. Loads of pockets both inside and out and different sizes/styles colour combos

I bought the Dahlia backpack from Lawful London last month lawfullondon.com/products/dahlia?variant=12006954795055 as my friend purchased a tote from there and loved it. It’s a great backpack and fits my laptop and daily essentials no problem. I love how stylish it is too given most backpacks look frumpy - I’ve had so many compliments :)

I’ve got the Lawful London backpack and use it most days. I commute a lot and have done for years so I’ve got through a fair few backpacks some of them from the brands in your list (Knomo, Accessorize) and have either found them to be too bulky, not very fashionable, not practical enough or cheaply made!

Lawful London backpack is the perfect size (medium) and will fit everything on your ‘essential/daily’ list which is very similar to mine (except I also carry a laptop every day too and it has a good padded laptop compartment).
I was skeptical about buying it as I first saw it featured in Vogue (I never normally get roped into magazines) but absolutely love it. It’s very well made, ideal size for daily use, v functional (won’t fit tonnes & tonnes as it’s only medium size) and looks nice so worth the money!

Love the Lawful London Dahlia backpack, its chic, practical and easy to keep clean (it spends a lot of time on train floors or near my baby so always needs wiping!). Ideal size for every day essential bits and can fit my yoga kit and bottle if I need.
I agree with @Htw132 as I have bought from Knomo and Accessorize too. I feel Accessorize is cheap quality so it ends up being a case of pay cheap pay twice and Knomo is too bulky and not particularly stylish.

I've got one of these Rains

I love it, although I don't often carry a laptop.

For my backpack I just went in JD Sports & bought a black Adidas bag for £20... it looks quite small but fits my lunch, drinks, shoes & change of clothes!

@Sarah1691

I bought the Dahlia backpack from Lawful London last month lawfullondon.com/products/dahlia?variant=12006954795055 as my friend purchased a tote from there and loved it. It’s a great backpack and fits my laptop and daily essentials no problem. I love how stylish it is too given most backpacks look frumpy - I’ve had so many compliments :)

Could I ask what size your laptop is? I think i might be leaning towards this one... never spent so much on a backpack before though!

@Htw132

I’ve got the Lawful London backpack and use it most days. I commute a lot and have done for years so I’ve got through a fair few backpacks some of them from the brands in your list (Knomo, Accessorize) and have either found them to be too bulky, not very fashionable, not practical enough or cheaply made!

Lawful London backpack is the perfect size (medium) and will fit everything on your ‘essential/daily’ list which is very similar to mine (except I also carry a laptop every day too and it has a good padded laptop compartment).
I was skeptical about buying it as I first saw it featured in Vogue (I never normally get roped into magazines) but absolutely love it. It’s very well made, ideal size for daily use, v functional (won’t fit tonnes & tonnes as it’s only medium size) and looks nice so worth the money!

What size is your laptop? The website says it will fit most 13inch laptops - mine is 14 but I think most backpack estimate and can actually fit bigger.

If you didnt know the price difference between Lawful London & accessorize, do you still think you could tell the difference in quality? / definitely worth paying 6-7x more in your opinion?

@Aliceinmummysland

Love the Lawful London Dahlia backpack, its chic, practical and easy to keep clean (it spends a lot of time on train floors or near my baby so always needs wiping!). Ideal size for every day essential bits and can fit my yoga kit and bottle if I need. I agree with *@Htw132* as I have bought from Knomo and Accessorize too. I feel Accessorize is cheap quality so it ends up being a case of pay cheap pay twice and Knomo is too bulky and not particularly stylish.

Thank you all for your responses

As for the PP, could I ask:
If you didnt know the price difference between Lawful London & accessorize, do you still think you could tell the difference in quality? / definitely worth paying 6-7x more in your opinion?

I wouldn't pick anything with thin straps

Truthfully you can definitely tell the difference IMO. Have you looked at a Fossil backpack? Particularly if you have an outlet near you?

@Siw2020 yes you can definitely tell the difference in quality even if you didn’t know the price. As someone who has bought both Accessorize and Lawful London and used both for the same purpose (work and commuting) the Accessorize backpack definitely has a shorter lifespan and starts wearing a lot quicker particularly at the corners so the paint work was showing and the edges looked tatty and grey. It also feels quite plasticky. I learnt the “you get what you pay for lesson” when purchasing these bags x

@S0CKS

Truthfully you can definitely tell the difference IMO. Have you looked at a Fossil backpack? Particularly if you have an outlet near you?

Oh we used to live near an outlet a little while ago but I don't think I found the perfect backpack with fossil - either too small to fit a laptop or the big laptop ones are too roomy for everyday, also cant tell online if they look particularly stylish and feminine.

(I do like their purses/ cross body bags though!)

[quote Aliceinmummysland]@Siw2020 yes you can definitely tell the difference in quality even if you didn’t know the price. As someone who has bought both Accessorize and Lawful London and used both for the same purpose (work and commuting) the Accessorize backpack definitely has a shorter lifespan and starts wearing a lot quicker particularly at the corners so the paint work was showing and the edges looked tatty and grey. It also feels quite plasticky. I learnt the “you get what you pay for lesson” when purchasing these bags x[/quote]
Yea i'm not a fan of the plasticy feel. I have never owned or a seen a Lawful London backpack in person however so not quite sure how nice it is in the flesh. I think if I knew for definite that it would fit my laptop and I would like it then I'd buy it right now ha

Can you really fit all the things from your second list in most of these?
Do you need shoes with your gymn stuff?

I don't think most of the ones I've looked at from your link would fit the laptop lunch and coffee thermos, let alone the gymn kit.

@steppemum

Can you really fit all the things from your second list in most of these? Do you need shoes with your gymn stuff?

I don't think most of the ones I've looked at from your link would fit the laptop lunch and coffee thermos, let alone the gymn kit.

Good question - I hope so! Living in a lockdown area so can't even get to shops (but am a key worker going to a hospital everyday so need a work backpack)

@Siw2020 my laptop is 13” - it fits into the laptop pouch fine and still has a bit of room left. I never have to force it in etc

You can definitely tell a difference in quality. Accessorize bags are generally quite nice but cheaply made and don’t last very long, personally I don’t find them practical enough for work either as I like lots of compartments. My Lawful backpack looks and feels a lot better quality. I fit a 13” laptop in mine but it’s still got some room in the laptop compartment so I think 14” will be fine if that’s what you have

I looked at a lot of backpacks when it was decided that we'd be going back into the office and having to take my laptop and other stuff. I finally settled on this Knomo one:
knomo.com/collections/backpacks/products/beauchamp-laptop-backpack-black-119-419-blk

I really like it. It fits my laptop and other stuff I have to take in and the straps are really comfortable. Not the cheapest, but I wanted to make sure that I would have something that would last.