No professional wardrobe is complete without a great-looking bag to carry all of your gear. For people who have to lug around a computer, laptop bags are a more polished, grown-up option than a backpack, and they offer more storage space than a briefcase.
After years of testing, we’ve landed on six favorites: a water-repellant polyester tote with clever pockets; a well-padded tote that can also be used as a cross-body messenger bag; a refined leather tote with a zippered laptop compartment; a splurge-worthy leather bag, with internal organization, that you’ll have forever; a minimalist vegan tote that’s extra-roomy; and a budget faux leather bag with a dedicated laptop compartment.
Who should get this: Anyone who prefers something more casual than a briefcase but still wants to look pulled together.
Maximum laptop size: 13 inches
Why it’s great: The Bellroy Tokyo Tote Second Edition is a good-looking, well-made piece that transitions perfectly from the coffee shop to the conference room. It strikes a happy medium for professionals who appreciate a polished look and want some protection for their devices but don’t want to flout a semi-casual dress code.
The Bellroy tote we tested is made of a fine-weave polyester (created from recycled water bottles) that’s durable and water-resistant. This bag is ideal for people who need something that will survive scuffs, drops, stains, and routine overpacking. Commuters caught in the rain will also be comforted to know that the laptop tote’s shell repelled water well when we held it under a running faucet. And the exterior zip pocket offers an airtight seal to keep water from destroying valuables.
When we tested a previous generation of the Tokyo Tote, our panelists’ favorite features were, of all things, the interior pop-out, magnetic pockets (for holding a water bottle upright inside the bag). The Second Edition has the same pockets they loved. When the pockets aren’t in use, you can just push them inward, and they spring back into the tote’s frame. These internal pockets are located on both sides of the bag, and they’re also big enough to fit a pair of flip-flops or dirty gym clothes you want to keep separate from the rest of your stuff.
The Bellroy Tokyo Tote Second Edition also has a large exterior zip pocket, plus two interior pockets (one with a key clip) that are large enough to hold a Field Notes book, a smartphone, sunglasses, or a wrapped USB cord. And the padded laptop section provides ample protection and snugly holds laptops with screens up to 13 inches. The carry handles have a 12-inch drop, so they’re longer and more comfortable to use than the handles on any other bag we recommend. Those handles are padded for added comfort, and they’re coated with no-skid rubber, to prevent the bag from sliding off your shoulder while you’re commuting.
