Not everyone wants to carry a backpack to work.
For some, it’s about aesthetics, for others, it’s about access, structure, or simply habit. Backpacks get a lot of attention, but they’re not for everyone. Some people prefer quick access without taking the bag off, and some are maybe reminded of unpleasant grade school memories every time a backpack strap slips over their shoulder.
Work looks different for everyone — offices, coffee shops, job sites, studios. Laptops, legal pads, charging cables, and maybe a book for the ride home. A good work bag should do three things well: carry what you need, keep you organized, and hold up for years.
For those who prefer to keep straps out of the equation, here’s how to choose the perfect work bag that will carry you through the day.
The Tote: Open, Adaptable, and Ready for Anything
A tote is for the person who wants versatility. It’s easy to load, easy to access, and transitions seamlessly from office to grocery store or weekend travel — no buckles to fuss with, no straps to adjust. Just grab and go. If you carry a laptop, a notebook, organizer cubes, a few daily essentials (and like the option to toss in a light layer on top of your lunch), a tote makes sense.
Nomad 11 and 16
The Nomad tote is our recommendation, thanks to its built-in laptop compartment. Many of our team members (myself included) carry both the Nomad 11 and Nomad 16 as their daily work bag. It’s a classic everyday hauler with enough built-in organization that the little things don’t get misplaced. The main compartment zips all the way to keep your gear secure and dry during your commute.
The Nomad 11 can fit up to most 13” laptops — ideal for those who like a more compact carry. The Nomad 16 can fit up to most 16” laptops, so if you lug around a lot more day-to-day, the Nomad 16 might be more up your alley.
Because totes are open-format, modular organization makes all the difference. For the Nomad, we recommend:
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3D Organizer Cubes (Clear or Fabric): Keep small essentials — chargers, pens, lip balms, Airpods — from getting lost in the bottom of your bag. Clip them in with a Key Strap so they’re always within reach.
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Cubelet: Similar to the 3D Organizer Cubes, but a little more compact. Separate cables, first aid kits, or note pads so you always know which is which.
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Ghost Whale Organizer Pouch (Size Super Mini): Available in four sizes, the Super Mini is one of our favorites for small things that inevitably get lost in your bag, even in an outside pocket. Great for lip balm, AirPods, loose change, or business cards.
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Snake Charmer (Large or Small): If you carry a lot of charging cables or wires day-to-day, the Snake Charmer keeps these organized and tangle-free from your bag.
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Size 1 Handy Little Thing: For those who have a lot of little things that need organizing. It can carry charging cables, pens, and other small items you may need throughout the day.
The Messenger: Balanced, Secure, and Built for the Commute
A messenger bag moves with you. Worn crossbody, it keeps the weight distributed and stable — especially useful if your commute involves walking, biking, or public transit. It stays close to your body and swings forward when you need quick access.
Marathon Messenger
The Marathon Messenger is streamlined for daily miles — structured enough to carry a 15” laptop but without the extra bulk. It’s a classic messenger bag with a flap closure and dual buckles, but with added features to make your day-to-day commute feel like a walk in the park. With two-way laptop entry, accessing the interior of the Marathon is seamless. Another pro is that there's more than one way to carry — the shoulder strap is adjustable and detachable. So, if you’d rather wear it as a shoulder bag or a briefcase, you totally can.
For the Marathon Messenger, we recommend:
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Vertical Packing Cubelet: Fits like a glove in the main compartment open-top pockets. Great for keeping track of small essentials — pens, charging cables, and small snacks.
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Ghost Whale Organizer Pouch (Size Small): Clip it into the outermost pocket of your bag to secure pens, pencils, stylus, or charging brick/cables.
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Mystery Organizer Pouch (Size Mini): Like our other "mystery" items, this is made from scrap fabric from other designs. It's a great way to avoid waste and get a fun pop of color in your bag. Size Mini is just above the size of your average credit card, can also fit folded cash, and an included snap hook means you can attach it directly to an O-ring (we love our O-rings).
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Side Effect: Technically a stand-alone bag, the Side Effect makes a great organizer. Perfect size for PWK (Phone-Wallet-Keys). Attach it to your Marathon with a Key Strap or Carabiner when you're heading to the office, take it out and have all your essentials handy when it’s time for the weekend.
Parental Unit
The Parental Unit is, at its core, a diaper bag, but trust us when we say it does much more than that. Skip the cutesy prints and keep the organization, with generous (but not excessive) built-in open-top organization and a curved design that molds to the body, staying comfortable throughout the day. The Parental Unit does not have a built-in laptop compartment, but it can securely hold laptops up to 14” and makes for a great office-to-everyday bag.
For the Parental Unit, we recommend:
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Cache: Because the Parental Unit doesn’t have a dedicated laptop compartment, protect your device with the slim, 0.25" thick foam-padded Cache sleeve.
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Cubelet: Trust us, you really can’t go wrong.
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Small Travel Tray: Great for holding the little things on-the-go and at your destination. Just pop, cinch, and go.
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Small Yarn Stuff Sack: The hyper-organization of the PU makes it a great project bag.
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Tool Wrap: The ideal place to store your knitting needles, crochet hooks, or pens/pencils!
The Briefcase: Structured, Focused, and Intentional
A briefcase is a bag with a job; sometimes that’s the office, sometimes it’s the airport, even in a coffee shop, it needs to handle the task at hand and carry the necessities.
Pilot
The Pilot is perfect for those working on the move. The main compartment can fit up to a 14” laptop, and built-in Cache loops mean you can add extra protection. A dedicated center water bottle pocket is must have in any travel-friendly bag, and two additional organizational pockets in the front mean no rummaging for your quick-access items.
For the Pilot, we recommend:
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Cubelet: No, really! It’s one of our best accessories. Simple, functional design.
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Cache: Great if you want added laptop protection.
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Freudian Slip (Maker’s Bag/Swift): Fits (you guessed it) in both the Maker’s Bag and the Swift, but also works great here! It adds five additional pockets of organization — three zippered pockets on one side and two large open top pockets on the other.
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Ghost Whale Organizer Pouch (Size A5): Perfect for an A5 Notebook, a tablet, an e-reader, or about 5 granola bars (important to always have a snack on hand).
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Size 2 Handy Little Thing: fits perfectly in the front left or right organizational pockets. The ultimate cable organizer with pockets and web looping galore.
Look a little too big? See: The Co-Pilot
Daylight Briefcase
The Daylight Briefcase is your classic, minimalist briefcase. Sleek, ultralight, and built for whatever your work day throws your way. It fits up to a 13” laptop in the main compartment with sewn-in Cache loops to add additional protection. With a plethora of internal storage, the Daylight Briefcase also makes a great companion for short travel days, or can be packed flat inside a larger travel bag or rolling luggage.
For the Daylight Briefcase, we recommend:
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Cache: The Daylight Briefcase has minimal padding, so if you carry a laptop, we advise investing in a Cache to offer extra protection from unexpected bumps.
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Mystery Grab Bag (Size Small): Like our other "mystery" items, this is made from scrap fabric from other designs. It's a great way to avoid waste and get a fun pop of color in your bag. Size Small easily fits a handful of writing tools, charging cables, lip balms, or a few snacks to keep you satiated throughout the day.
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Vertical Packing Cubelet: Great for keeping track of small essentials — pens, charging cables, and small snacks.
Cadet
The Cadet is an everyday carry laptop briefcase. Designed to fit your laptop, a few files or magazines, power supplies, pens, notebooks, and other small accessories. The main compartment can fit up to a 16” laptop. With six interior pockets and two exterior pockets, the Cadet does not fall short in organization.
For the Cadet, we recommend:
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3D Organizer Cubes (Clear or Fabric): Although the Cadet already has so much built-in organization, the 3D Organizer Cube makes for a great toiletries or first aid kit.
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Freudian Slip (Maker’s Bag/Swift): Also a great fit for the Cadet!
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Small Travel Tray: Put it in tray mode to set up your mobile office, flip it into sack mode when it’s time to move.
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Mystery Padded Pouch (Mini or Small): Softly padded with more stretch for more three-dimensional objects. Small is a great size for a travel mouse!
The best work bag is the one that disappears into your routine — reliable, organized, and ready every day. Choose the silhouette that fits your rhythm, build the system that works for you, and let your bag handle the rest.
What’s your go-to work bag? Let us know in the comments — we’d love to hear what you carry and how you use it.
