Best rucsac for commuting with a laptop?

unless there is a compelling reason to use them

The compelling reason is that they're just miles better than a rucsac - the weight is on the bike, not you, the weight's low, you don't notice them at all whilst you're riding along etc etc. They are the tool for the job.

Honestly, speaking from experience, they're the kind of thing you avoid because you think they're a bit, y'know, trouser-clips and panniers, but then you use them and wonder why you didn't before, because they're just brilliant.

I don't know, but I've gone back to rucksack from panniers this last year or so (chamge of bike with no rqck) and I prefer it, bike handles much better and it just feels faster (also gone from hub gear to SS so some of that may be down to a change in bike)
But then I only have a laptop in twice a week, there on a Monday and home on a Thursday as I shirk from home on Fridays.
Anyway, rucksack is just a bogstandard one, big enough for a laptop, lunch and some dry clothes, shoes and trousers live in the office. The flat laptop against my back is fine.
My commute is 13 miles each way.
.
It isn't good if I try to come back off road though, can do an EWS stage, which adds about 2 miles to my journey, and the weight in the bag with a laptop is terrible, it's fine with an empty lunchbox, a worn t-shirt and some spare gloves

Mission Workshop stuff does that grown-up meeting look combined with being a decent rucksac. Mrs Yak uses one for bike commuting and train commuting. Will probably survive the apocalypse.

And there you go, a perfect STW thread in three posts 🙂

I absolutely hate riding with panniers, feeling the bike crash into every pothole. More difficult to manhandle it on and off trains too plus the hassle of unclipping the bloody thing and carrying it.

I've got a Jack Wolfskin Moab Jam 28L rucksack which was a replacement for a much older JW pack which just lasted and lasted, it was amazing quality. This one doesn't seem as robust sadly, the mesh pockets are sagging a bit (although it has still done about 10 years of commuting!)

Big enough for a laptop, clothes, few bits and pieces. I think if I was buying something now, I'd go smaller than that just due to hybrid working, it's easier to leave stuff at work so less need to carry much other than the actual laptop.

https://www.jack-wolfskin.co.uk/bike-backpacks/

I do like the look of this as well:
https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/shop/small-travel-backpack-reflective/product/BKP02SMDGY
(they do a larger 25L one too if you need the extra space)

plus the hassle of unclipping the bloody thing and carrying it.

I mean, of all your other valid objections, this one is just a teensy bit pathetic 😉 Unclipping it takes, ooh, two seconds at most, and they generally come with a handle...

I resisted panniers for years, they look naff, they make the bike feel odd, whatever.
Then I bought some and what do you know, they're bang on.
If you have to manhandle your bike much (onto a train, up stairs, that kind of thing) I can understand a reluctance, but if you're just riding they're great.
I am now debating a rack top back as I have very little to carry now, they seem like a good option for light loads.

Slightly odd, but over the past 6 years or so I have been using a backpack with a built in spine protector. As there's a sleeve on the inside of the bag against the protector, I never feel the laptop dig into me or flop about, just feels really secure and comfy (I also run commute with the laptop in it, where i think it makes most difference, anything bumpy/jolty basically). I get the pannier debate, but my bags tend to get used all day moving around, not just bike-desk-bike, so they are less versatile for me.

Thanks all. I guess I just need to try it first, the appeal of a rucsac is that I can grab whichever bike takes my fancy on the day, plus yes, I was a wee bit worried about the Ultegra wheels which have inexplicably ended up on my 'commuter' if I stuck a pannier rack and panniers on. I also have stairs and trains to navigate.

Hopefully using a rucsac will persuade me to pack light as well 🙄

Will check out recommendations above 👍

I tried panniers a while ago, went back to a rucksack. Really prefer the weight on me than the way panniers screw up the bike's handling.
My cheapo Berghaus rucksack is just the most comfortable for heavier loads. It's a Remote 20, just the right size for rucksack, pants and lunch.
I've tried a few different ones, laptop specific etc, but this is just the right balance, straps are comfortable and sit in the right place. Somehow don't feel the weight like you can with other designs.

Ortlieb Commuter Daypack for me. Well made, fully waterproof, looks smart enough and big enough for laptop, shirt, shoes etc.

https://www.ortlieb.com/uk_en/commuter-daypack-city+R4110

Gets lots of good reviews online too.

I have more rucksacks than Blacks. The one I keep coming back to for day-to-day duties is a Targus, which was sold as a laptop bag maybe 20 years ago. It's had the snot kicked out of it, it's been to the moon and back and still looks brand new.

The laptop bit was a separate padded pouch which is long gone now, it wasn't ideal and I never really used it. But if I were buying a bag tomorrow specifically for a laptop, they'd likely be the first place I'd look.

Good christ, they still make it. Or at least, something very similar.

https://uk.targus.com/collections/laptop-backpacks/products/classic-15-16-inches-backpack-black-cn600

I hated riding with panniers when I commuted - used a few messenger style bags which were good, but the best rucksack i had was a Quicksilver one that had a fully padded and secure waterproof section I could use for a laptop/charger/mouse etc, and a large front section bug enough for a couple days work clothes - but we are talking 10/15 years ago....

https://www.freewheel.co.uk/thule-paramount-commuter-backpack-varparamount

I toyed with the idea of one of these for my commute (20 miles each way, two days a week) but ended up with a pair of these instead

https://www.freewheel.co.uk/thule-shield-panniers-varthpshield

I recently bought a Craft Cadence cycle commute rucsac. We have large 17" laptops and I struggled to find a bag big enough. I really didn't fancy panniers, particularly as my gravel bike is used more for fun rides rather than as a dedicated commute bike so I didn't want to leave a rack on it all the time.

Bag is well thought out for commuting with lots of pockets for small stuff and for me, even with the heavy laptop, it comfortable enough for the 35min ride to work (would be much more comfortable with a lighter laptop I'm sure. Plenty of room for shoes, towel, full change of clothes, lunch etc, and fully waterproof.

I use an Osprey Radial. Designed for commuting and would recommend.

Capacity is on the large side but the sprung back keeps it comfortable, even on days when I'm lugging a ton of crap.

https://www.ospreyeurope.com/shop/gb_en/osprey-radial-34-2019

I have an Ortilieb commuter rucksack that fits all i need in; lunch, flask, laptop & charger, notebook, a change of clothing and it has reflective strips on it plus a loop to fasten a light to so it should suit you fine. It's around 6 years old and no problems with it.

@IHN - haha, yes classic STW 😀

@Yak - crikey that Mission Workshop gear is pricey! Mrs Yak must have deep pockets! 😉

Panniers, after many years of rucksacks - would possibly try a waterproof rucksack again, but I carry too much crap with me - I'd really need to cut it down if I was to go back to a rucksack.

I really like my Osprey Momentum bag for exactly this. 13km each way every day inc laptop. Tried panniers, don't like 'em. But I can shower at work - if I couldn't I might think differently.

Don't think they do that model any more, but Osprey bags are generally very well thought out. Occasionally on offer through SportPursuit if you don't mind some zany colours.

25km is a decent commute, likely up to an hour so you're going to be quite warm by the time you get there. in Winter, this might be okay for the rucksack, but in summer, you'll boil. I wonder if those using panniers and hating them are just using too big a pannier on a single side.

I use front rollers on the back. they're small and so when you need to carry more, you use both and thus balance the bike. I do also have a Thule pannier for a 17" notebook and that's a pain to balance out.

I asked similar: https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/what-commuting-backpack-suspended-back-or-close-fitting-for-comfort/

Ended up with an EVOC Explorer Pro 30 - 6 months later and very happy, although only using it once a week on average due to continued WFH and office closure.

. I do also have a Thule pannier for a 17″ notebook and that’s a pain to balance out

I find my food and clothing in one pannier is pretty much equal in weight to my laptop in the other. Maybe I am a greedy bugger.

I'm using a rucksack at the moment, mainly as my gravel bike doesn't have rack mounts.

Any recommendations for a QR rack, and a slimline pannier? I only need to carry a small laptop plus a few small things, and standard panniers are way too large.

@lamp - it wasn't current prices, but still wasn't cheap! But it's lasted well.
She had back problems from some previous unsupportive bags combined with many kgs of desktop replacement style laptop so something heavy duty was needed. No problems since. It's pretty old now with nothing broken or overly worn. Should be good for many more years.

My work laptop is dying.
Need to persuade IT to replace it with a Netbook thingy. Got an extra monitor at work and at home so tiny screen will be fine.
A lighter laptop would make the whole thing much more pleasant

Osprey Radial 26 here...

Have been using it for years! Perfect size, waterproof, Lidlock for my helmet when not in use.

And it has a frame, that stops it from falling over, when you put it down! a small detail, I know, but for me it has been a revelation!