Take another look at backpacks - they are fashionable, easy to carry, and extremely efficient for your travels. Most backpacks now are also structured for laptops – since we always need to be connected! When our family travels, we all take a backpack. It’s an easy carryon, can be stuffed full, and can double as a footrest (in the car, or on the plane). It can then morph into a day pack for easy day jaunts out and about – or as a lunch basket, for impromptu picnics. For those of you (you know who you are) that eschew checked bags, a backpack is the ideal single carryon – it can fit all of your necessities for that weekend in Ireland.

Here are some favorite backpacks – take a look and see which ones will fit YOUR travel lifestyle:

ful brickhouse sling laptop backpack: This is an alternative to the double strap, traditional backpack. You sling it over one shoulder, for easy ergonomic design. There’s a side-entry pocket for your laptop (or for all of those French cheeses)…There are also plenty of pockets. It’s made of water-repellent ballistic nylon, can switch to either a right or left shoulder sling, and fits laptops with 14″ screens or smaller. I love the big grommet at the top – it makes me smile.

More interested in fashion? The Alicia Klein katie laptop backpack is beautiful. It’s made of black leather, and has both back straps and a double handle. There are two main compartments, and will accommodate up to a 15.4″ laptop. There are also several other pockets, including a travel document pocket. Fashion, travel, and function? This has it in spades.

The Casauri laptop backpack is also a very fashionable choice. It’s extremely well-designed, and I just love it. Made of water-resistant polyester, it’s got the most striking stripes, two back straps, and a single handle on top. It has two front zipper pockets, and fits a 15.4″ laptop.

Need more space? I suggest the Brenthaven expandable trek laptop backpack. It has an amazing amount of storage space, and expands if you need more! There are a variety of pockets, and can fit a 15.4″ laptop. Best of all, it’s got a great design and is very family-friendly.

Need a very cool backpack for your urban traveler? Try the Golla River Laptop Backpack. It sports an extremely cool shape, with a great black on black design. Made of polyester, it can fit a 15.4″ laptop. There are several pockets, and has both back straps and a handle on top.

For your daughter, try the Hadaki Santa Fe laptop backpack. It’s bright, full of amazing color, and makes you happy! There’s lots of pockets and room (theoretically for pockets, but I’d also suggest fun reads, a DS, journals, pens, and plenty of stickers for on-the-go creativity). Fits a 15.4″ laptop.

Just for fun, try the Jane Marvel Sunshine laptop backpack. This one makes me smile! Perfect for picnics or days out on the town, this happy backpack will treasure your 15.4″ laptop, or a huge blanket, thermos, and late night snacks for those evening movies in the park.

If you are commuting and are tired of the messenger bag (or are you really old-school, and using a briefcase?), try the mobile edge Paris slimline laptop backpack. It looks sharp, is ergonomic, fits up to a 16″ screen, and takes business gear to the next level.

Are you one of those travelers that is a Very Active Adventurer? Your travels include mountain biking, marathons, and remote hikes? Here’s a great backpack for you – the pakuma akara k1 laptop backpack. This backpack is packed with so many great features – from a light interior lining so you can see what you’re looking for, to an extremely comfortable design. It has many pockets, can hold your water bottles, and is made from high performance materials. Fits up to a 17″ screen laptop – but are you really going to be working, when you could be playing?

Welcome back to our guest blogger, Dr. Jessie Voigts, who publishes WanderingEducators.com, a travel resource for global educators.

Back-to-school is always about finding a cool look. When your laptop needs to go in tow for school, it needs a cool laptop case to go with it. And this year with folks trying to stretch their budgets even further, laptop bag prices need to be cool, too.

Laptop backpacks can have style and a reasonable price. High Sierra’s swerve laptop backpack will fit a 15.4″ laptop and comes in stylish colors like pink, leaf green, and amethyst purple. If you have a smaller frame and a laptop weighs down your posture (translation: tweens or petite co-eds), check out the rolling laptop backpacks from J Sport World. Patterns with flowers and targets come in a variety of colors, and then, of course, there is basic black. One more for the gals: the Ogio shifter laptop backpack. It has rounded edges, satin accents, and tons of pockets. All of these styles are $60 or less.

Not everyone wants a backpack, so don’t ignore the laptop messengers. High Sierra’s chip laptop messenger features bright colors, plenty of pockets, and a price that is less than $45. If you have a little more to spend and like a European flair, the Tucano motion messengeris worth a look and is still less than $80. Our favorite features include the ultra-padded shoulder strap and the interior drawstring top, that keeps everything safe from the weather as you trek around campus.