5 Best Travel Backpacks for Women Backpackers (+My Top Pick)
Discover the ultimate travel companions: the best travel backpacks for women that blend style, comfort, and functionality! From size to weight to style and more, I’ve considered all the factors when choosing the best backpack for backpackers and listed a variety of options so you can find something perfect for your personal needs.
So, why am I qualified to recommend travel backpacks for other women? Let me explain.
At 20 years old, I went on my first solo international backpacking trip to the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador. Travel transportation was intense: island hopping every other day, taking ferries, boats, random trucks, more ferries, and more random trucks.
It was my first time backpacking, so I didn’t know what I would need or how to pack. For this trip, I chose a cheap 45L backpack… And I immediately regretted this backpack choice for plenty of reasons—from the back pain it caused me, the non-durable material, the non-intuitive design, and more.
That trip to Ecuador was my first and last trip using a low-quality backpack because that experience taught me the importance of using a quality travel backpack. After that, I invested in my first “fancy” travel backpack.
Present day, I am an experienced backpacker, having logged countless miles worldwide. I have rotated through various backpacks during my past two years abroad. I am well-versed in the qualities of a suitable backpack, as my life is full-time travel. I have a petite build, so I am sensitive to travel backpacks designed for user comfort and usability. This pretty much means I am a hardcore critic when it comes to quality travel backpacks.
Selecting the ideal travel backpack is crucial in preparing for your adventures. Don’t be afraid to invest in quality – a well-chosen backpack will serve you faithfully for years, making your travels more comfortable and enjoyable. As you embark on your next journey, armed with your new backpack, you’ll appreciate the thought and care you put into this critical decision- and I am happy that you have chosen me to help guide you through this important decision. May your new backpack be the start of countless amazing adventures!
*This post contains affiliate links. Purchasing through my link has zero extra cost for you, but it helps me earn a small commission to keep traveling! *
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Travel Backpack
Factors to consider when choosing from the best travel backpacks for women are:
- Size and capacity
- Weight
- Comfort / Fit
- Durability and materials
- Organization and compartments
- Price Range
Top 5 Best Travel Backpacks for Women
After much research and testing out many backpacks during my travels, here is my list of the top five best travel backpacks for women!
#5- Osprey Aura AG 50L
Key Features: DWR (durable water resistant) fabric with rain cover, AntiGravity Suspension, easy access mesh pockets on back, mesh side pockets, removable sleeping bag divider, removable floating top lid.
The Osprey Aura AG ranks fifth on my list of the best travel backpacks for women. When you see an Osprey brand backpack, know it’s the real deal!
Osprey is arguably the supreme travel backpack brand in terms of durability and technology. The Aura AG travel backpack comes in three colors- Berry Sorbet Red, Tungsten Grey, and Enchantment Purple. This backpack also features the Osprey original AntiGravity technology designed to take the weight off your back through its trampoline back shell and hip belts, distributing the weight and pressure off your back from a fully packed bag.
I love the mesh pockets on the back and sides, allowing you to easily slip items in and out of the pockets while moving. The Aura AG travel backpack also features a removable top lid, which can be turned into a daypack. This travel backpack already includes a rain cover but is also made with DWR (durable water repellant) fabric to protect against light rains.
The price of this bag is on the expensive end, at $315 USD. It is an investment that will hold up in quality and last you a lifetime. I recommend this backpack for backpackers looking to travel a week or more consecutively. This is undoubtedly one of the best travel backpacks for women on the market, and I can recommend this Osprey backpack with complete honesty and love for their products. The Osprey quality is unparalleled to all other travel backpacks.
Link to purchase! – Osprey Aura AG 50L
| Pros: | AntiGravity technology for lighter feeling carry, two sizes available, easy access mesh pockets, high-quality nylon material, DWR fabric + rain cover |
| Cons: | Pricey, heavy for its size, large top lid |
#4 Eagle Creek Tour Travel Pack 40L
Key Features: Carry-on size, laptop compartment, top and side handles, rain cover, expandable zipper, lockable zippers, luggage-style unzip.
Ranking fourth in my compilation of best trave backpacks for women is Eagle Creek’s Tour Travel Pack 40L. I wanted to include this slightly smaller capacity-size travel backpack in the list because it is a bag that can withstand short-term and long-term travel.
One of my favorite qualities about this bag is that it is carry-on size! This can save a lot of hassle and money when checking bags on airlines when moving around often. It even features a laptop compartment for those working on the go!
Another quality I love about this travel backpack is that it unzips luggage-style. This is a game-changer in terms of packing and unpacking your personal belongings. Stuffing a backpack can be frustrating and complicated- especially when the item you need is at the bottom of your bag. However, this full-length zip allows you to easily access all of the contents in the bag without having to remove anything!
While this bag is only available in black, it has a few size options, such as S/M and M/L, and expanded versions of these sizes. It features my well-loved side mesh pockets. However, the back of this bag has a twist. Rather than having back mesh pockets, it is actually a back easy zip pocket. So, although you can’t slip items in and out, this compartment will protect any important documents from potentially sliding out of the bag (perfect for a passport).
I think the shoulder straps for this bag could be a tad thicker. While 40L is relatively small compared to other travel backpacks, they can add a lot of weight. I would love to see extra support from these straps, but overall, this is an incredible bag with many notable and unique features that make it worthy of being on my list of best travel backpacks for women.
Link to purchase! – Eagle Creek Tour Travel Pack 40L
| Pros: | Top and side grab handles, rain cover, expandable for extra room |
| Cons: | Thin shoulder straps |
#3 Gregory Amber Pack 44L
Key Features: Foam back panel, wishbone alloy frame, DWR fabric, rain cover, mesh back and side pockets, top lid.
The Gregory Amber Pack is my favorite travel backpack on the market for its size! I mentioned before my first ever backpack was a 45 L- but this one blows the others out of the water! The Gregory Amber Pack has a wishbone alloy back frame to support the weight and take pressure off your back, lined with foam for ultimate comfort. Most backpacks of this size do not feature this back shell, and it makes all the difference when put to practical use.
The mesh pockets for easy access to items while moving is always one of my favorites. I also love the build of the top lid on this backpack. It is a non-removable top lid like most, but it does not come up as high as other top lids, adding to the ultimate user comfort. It’s also a bestseller for REI, so it is no wonder why this is ranked as one of the best travel backpacks for women.
This travel backpack comes in three colors for this size, Arctic Grey, Arctic Navy, and Coral Blue. But all around for its 44L capacity, this is the perfect backpack for those who plan to travel for a week or more in a compact travel backpack!
Link to purchase! – Gregory Amber Pack 44L Arctic Grey
Link to purchase! – Gregory Amber Pack 44L Arctic Navy
Link to purchase! – Gregory Amber Pack 44L Coral Blue
| Pros: | Low top lid, wishbone alloy frame for back support, many compartments for storage, DWR fabric + rain cover |
| Cons: | Bulky rain cover |
#2 The North Face Terra 55l (Women)
Key Features: J-zipper, hipbelt, back foam and shell, back and side pockets, top lid, two sizes, five colors.
The North Face Terra 55L is second in the hierarchy of the best travel backpacks for women. This backpack comes in two sizes, XS/S and M/L, and a whopping five colors. In terms of aesthetics alone, the Terra 55L blows all other bags out of the water. The colors available are the most attractive on the market, as most travel backpack companies stick to dull black and grey.
Putting looks aside, this backpack hosts an array of functional features, such as the “J zip,” which allows easy access to the bag’s contents without having to remove all contents to reach the hard-to-get items. Other notable features include back and side pockets for additional easy-access items and a floating top lid.
As recommended with a backpack of this size, the back shell panel with foam helps to absorb the weight of your back while also maintaining a comfortable wear with the foam lining.
Unfortunately, the straps on this bag are slightly thin for my liking, and there is no torso adjustment. However, this design fault is actually purposeful, as it helps maintain the bag’s natural low weight! So, while the Terra 50L may not boast the coziest straps or torso adjustment, the bag is careful not to add unnecessary pressure to your already oversized load!
In all, I love this bag for countless reasons, such as its luggage-style unzipping feature, back support, and stunning aesthetics. If you want to travel in style with a multifaceted travel backpack, then the Terra 50L for women is the ultimate travel backpack for you!
Link to purchase! – The North Face Terra 55L (Women)
| Pros: | J-zip for quick access, hipbelt for weight stabilization, back foam and shell for back support, many colors available |
| Cons: | Thin straps, no torso adjustment |
1 Osprey Sojourn 45L/60L/80L
Key Features: Three carry (usage) styles, three carry-capacity options, two colors, hipbelt, hideable back straps, many compartments, back straps.
Ladies, this is my number one pick for the best travel backpacks for women! The Osprey Sojourn is a backpack I can recommend for all women travelers. This backpack comes in three-liter sizes and two colors (Black and Koseret Green).
As you can see, this backpack is much different than your average travel backpack. That is because it is a dual backpack/suitcase. As any seasoned backpacker would tell you, you will feel the weight on your back after more than a few minutes—no matter how nice a bag. That is why I love the option of switching back and forth between backpack and luggage as needed.
When you want to use this travel backpack as a suitcase, simply extend the pulley, and it will be ready to roll. The backpack straps fold and zip up into a zipper, completely hiding the evidence that this is a backpack. A strap on the hide also allows you to carry the bag as a duffel.
This versatile bag has additional features, such as unzipping suitcase style while maintaining a backpack-style access zipper from the top. When you use the bag as a backpack, there are hipbelts to help with weight stabilization.
There are also two straps on the back of the bag to attach additional belongings if needed. This allows you to add some extra items without adding more weight to your arms and keeping your hands free!
This is a bag I wished I had many times. Nothing is worse than facing a long road walk with 20kg of items stuffed into my backpack in a situation where a rolling bag is entirely doable. One of my friends used this bag on our trip to Southeast Asia, and I was jealous of all the times she got to zip up the backpack straps and started rolling the bag around.
The only thing I don’t love about this bag is the lack of pockets on the sides, so there is no accessible location for a water bottle. However, the impressive features of this travel backpack far outshine this one woe. As a seasoned traveler, I believe this has to be the best travel backpack for women, as it is designed for us to have as cozy a traveling experience as possible!
Link to purchase! – Osprey Sojourn 45L/60L/80L
| Pros: | Versatile (three carrying options), many compartments, easy access zipper, able to hide backpack straps |
| Cons: | No side pockets, bulky weight |
My Personal Pick- Osprey Aura AG 65L
The travel backpack I am currently traveling with is the Osprey Aura AG 65L. Remember, I travel full-time, so I literally live out of this backpack. This is the supreme backpack for backpackers. Similar to its sister bag, the Osprey Aura 55L, this backpack is almost the same but includes extra space for travel with a few more personal items. It also comes in three colors- Tungsten grey, Enchantment purple, and Berry sorbet red- and two sizes.
I love this bag because it fits everything I own- and I am a bit of a high-maintenance travel girly. I have three pairs of shoes (including heels for good measure), clothes, skincare, makeup, my laptop, and more- and they all fit comfortably. I would not survive without this durable travel backpack and its AntiGravity technology- making it so that I can take all of my -unnecessary- supplies everywhere I go with relative ease.
I don’t love this bag’s natural weight, just over 4 pounds, when I know there are similar bags on the market weighing around half of this but maintaining 65 L. However, I accredit this to its Osprey original AntiGravity back shell and hip belts. This backshell is unlike any other brands competing for the best travel backpacks for women.
I recommend this backpack to long-term travelers like me who need to travel with many items for an extended period of time. This bag is an investment that lasts a lifetime and lives up to every penny spent!
Link to Purchase! – Osprey Aura AG 65L
| Pros: | AntiGravity technology to minimize weight, removable top lid, side and back mesh pockets, DWR fabric and rain cover, many compartments, size and color options |
| Cons: | Heavy weight of the backpack |
How To Choose The Right Backpack for You
Click here you want to do more research before choosing a bag, I recommend reading my article about choosing the perfect backpack for you! It is the complete, comprehensive guide for those who need guidance picking a travel backpack.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right travel backpack is a crucial decision for any woman embarking on a backpacking adventure. From the versatile Gregory Amber Pack 44L to the spacious Osprey Aura AG 65L, each backpack on this list offers unique features to suit different travel styles and needs. Whether planning a week-long trip or a year of full-time travel, there’s a perfect backpack in this list for you. Take the time to assess your needs and choose the backpack that will be your reliable companion on all your adventures.
Let me know your favorite backpack to travel with in the comments below to open the conversion and help out fellow women travelers! Additionally, if you have any questions about the products recommended or anything you want to hear further details about, give me a shout in the comments! Happy travels, ladies!
