I’ve spent years looking for the best backpack. The pursuit started while I was at college, intensified at university (despite living on a shoestring) and continues to this day. Every couple of years I change my mind and buy something new, whether it be a satchel, a backpack or a briefcase, I’m constantly on the lookout for the perfect way to carry a laptop, a couple of accessories and the occasional weekend’s worth of clothes.
The Goldilocks bag I’m looking for is one that isn’t too big or too small, is stylish enough to go with most of my outfits, all year long, and which is affordable enough to buy without referring to it as a “big purchase”. All too often, I settle on a bag that ticks the practicality and cost boxes, but which makes me look like I’m on a school trip. I tend to cram them full of stuff, eager to make use of every pocket, until they are bulging to the point that cabin crew question whether it still qualifies as carry-on.
