WP Standard & formerly called Whipping Post Leather & makes rugged leather bags, totes, and briefcases and their Rucksack is one of my favorites.
Designed to look like something a Pony Express rider would slip on for a visit to town, this $275 is sturdy, handsome, and ages surprisingly well.There are some trade-offs, however.
Except for two small front pouches there are no hidden nooks and crannies in this spare 15×15 inch sack.
The main compartment can fit a laptop and a few notebooks and the front pouches can hold accessories like mice or a little collection of plugs.
There is no fancy nylon mesh or gear organizers here, just a brown expanse of full grain leather.I wore this backpack for a few months before writing this and found it surprisingly comfortable and great for travel.
Because it is so simple I forced myself to pare down my gear slightly and I was able to consolidate my cables and other accessories into separate pouches.
I could fit a laptop, iPad Pro, and a paperback along side multiple notebooks and planners and I could even overstuff the thing on long flights.
As long as I was able to buckle the front strap nothing fell out or was lost.This bag assumes that you&re OK with thick, heavy leather and that you&re willing to forgo a lot of the bells and whistles you get with more modern styles.
That said, it has a great classic look and it very usable.
I suspect this bag would last decades longer than anything you could buy at Office Depot and it would look good doing it.
At $275 it a bit steep but you&re paying for years & if not decades & of regular use and abuse.
It worth the investment.