A wheeled backpack offers the best in versatility and convenience, letting you take a load off when you need to, but also shouldering the weight when necessary. Frustratingly, when choosing luggage it can be hard to know what to look for. That's why we've put together this article to help you find your new favourite backpack.
We've scoured the internet for the 10 best wheeled backpacks from UK retailers, including Amazon, Argos and John Lewis. We'll even help you choose the right capacity, materials, straps and number of compartments to ensure you pick a pack that suits your needs!
Quick List - Top Backpacks With Wheels
Cabin Max
Get the Most From Your Carry-on Allowance With This 44L Bag Under 2KG
Wenlia
Travel Bag for Stylish Kids With Matching Pencil Case and Lunchbox
A recommendation service that carefully researches each product and consults with experts across many disciplines. We are constantly creating new content to provide the best shopping experience from choosing ‘cosmetics’ to ‘food and drink’, ‘home appliances’ to ‘kids and baby’ products, reaching users all across the United Kingdom.
Table of Contents
The most important feature to look out for when shopping for a backpack is the capacity. If you're looking for something for your daily commute, it's best to avoid the larger sizes and opt for something between 15 and 25 litres. For short trips and carry-on luggage, you can size up to around 40 litres, and for longer getaways, an even larger capacity may be necessary.
If your chosen bag only specifies the dimensions and not the capacity, you can easily work this out by multiplying the width, length and height in centimetres and then dividing by 1000. This will give you the approximate capacity in litres. Don't worry, we've made this simple by doing the calculations for you in our top 10 ranking!
For a more traditional travel bag, take a look at the Best Carry-On Luggage!
Another key feature will be the material your backpack is made from, as this will contribute to the style, comfort and durability. If you want something tough with great water-resistance, opt for a nylon bag. These tend to be fashioned from recycled plastics, making them more sustainable as well as rugged.
Polyester is another hugely popular backpack material. These bags are just as tough as nylon, but much lighter. This is a huge bonus as it will make carrying the bag easier and will contribute less to the overall weight of your luggage when weighed at the airport. The only downside is that polyester isn't always as water-resistant as nylon, so always check the specifications to ensure it meets your needs.
Don't let the rain get you down by choosing one of our Best Dry Bags!
Bearing the full weight of a loaded backpack can be tough, especially if it's on the larger side. Luckily, wheeled backpacks alleviate some of this difficulty as they can be pulled along instead of constantly carried. That said, it's still important to check the carry straps on your backpack, as you'll want to be sure it's comfortable when you do need to wear it on your back.
Smaller bags can be easily carried with shoulder straps, but larger bags may require chest and hip straps to evenly distribute the weight of the bag and help you retain good posture. If you suffer from back problems or you're not known for packing light, opt for a bag with additional straps to relieve discomfort.
Pack everything you need to hit the road with a high quality Hiking Backpack!
Packing can be a nightmare, but choosing a bag with multiple compartments can help make it a little more bearable. Bags with fewer compartments are great for transporting awkwardly shaped or cumbersome objects such as sports equipment, as the bag's full capacity can be used without obstruction.
However, it can be hard to keep things organised in a bag with minimal compartments. If you're carrying more conventional items, such as papers, electronics, toiletries and clothes, you might want to consider a bag with three or more compartments to arrange everything neatly.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Cabin Max Lyon Flight Approved Bag | ![]() | Get the Most From Your Carry-on Allowance With This 44L Bag Under 2KG | |
2 | Mountain Warehouse Voyager | ![]() | a Sleek Black Bag From a Titan of the Outdoors Equipment Industry | |
3 | Wenlia 3-in-1 Wheeled Backpack Set | ![]() | Travel Bag for Stylish Kids With Matching Pencil Case and Lunchbox | |
4 | Osprey Sojourn 80 Unisex Wheeled Pack | ![]() | Huge 80-Litre Wheeled Backpack for Long Haul Trips | |
5 | Stanley 1-79-215 Fatmax Backpack on Wheels | ![]() | Industrial Strength and Plenty of Compartments With This Iconic Bag From Stanley | |
6 | Kono Children Luggage Suitcase Luminous | ![]() | Wheeled Backpack That Glows in the Dark | |
7 | Cabin Max Manhattan Hybrid 30L Backpack | ![]() | Sophisticated 30-Litre Backpack With Chest Strap | |
8 | it Luggage 28L Backpack with 2 Wheels | ![]() | Budget-Friendly Professional Backpack That’s Perfect for the Commute | |
9 | Samsonite Roader 2-Wheel Recycled Laptop Backpack | ![]() | Rugged Travel Backpack Made Form 100% Recycled Polyester | |
10 | Kipling Sari School Bag 25L | ![]() | A Front-Wheeled Design That Cuts Out the Inconvenience of Removing and Deploying Back Straps |
This bag from Cabin Max can provide the best of both worlds as it offers a relatively large capacity with a low weight. Plus, as the brand name suggests, it works perfectly as a carry-on bag for air travel.
The design comes in four bold colours, featuring 3 different compartments so you can organise your things easily. In particular, the front pocket lets keep your wallet, keys, phone and passport conveniently close to hand.
Mountain Warehouse has been a trusted outdoor brand since its foundation in 1997, providing excellent quality hiking and camping equipment to customers all over the world ever since. If you're looking for something with a quality guarantee, you can't get much better than that!
The chic all-black design features a subtle pop of blue on the zippers. Better yet, the 35-litre capacity means you can make this work for both day-to-day use and short weekend getaways.
This 3-in-1 set from Wenlia is designed for the cool kids, with a choice of 4 different patterns. Whether they prefer blue dinosaurs, yellow mermaids, pink pandas or purple unicorns, they'll have all they need when on the go with this matching backpack, lunchbox and pencil case set.
The shockproof lining and lightweight, waterproof material make this bag resilient to the typical wear and tear of boisterous youth. The various compartments also make it easy to organise everything they need for school or travel.
The largest backpack on our list, this 80-litre option from Osprey is ideal for longer trips. You won't have to worry about all that extra weight on your back either, as the shoulder straps are reinforced with chest and hip buckles to stabilise weight and improve posture.
The 100% waterproof nylon exterior opens out to four separate compartments, allowing for more organised packing. Once you're all set for the road, the lockable zippers will give you peace of mind while you travel.
Small but mighty, this is the lightest bag on our list. By no means flimsy, the black and yellow design pays homage to the iconic branding of Stanley Black & Decker, and you can expect industrial strength from this pack!
Originally designed to carry power tools, it is filled with multiple compartments to keep everything organised. You can rest assured that a bag built for builders will handle your luggage with ease.
This backpack features a luminous design that appears white in daylight and glows blue at night. It's perfect for anyone looking to make an impact, and it just goes to show you don't have to sacrifice style for convenience.
That being said, the cartoon design is somewhat juvenile, so may not be appropriate for all ages. Still, if you're shopping for a child, or you're confident you can pull it off yourself, it's sure to turn some heads!
Here's another option for the style-conscious, but this time with a more sophisticated look. This black and beige design strikes the perfect balance between minimalism and intrigue.
When full, the chest strap will help to distribute the weight of the bag, not that it's overly heavy at 1.9 kg! The only reason it hasn't made it further up the list is the 30-litre capacity might be a little too small for longer journeys.
This may be one of the cheapest options available, but it certainly doesn't disappoint when it comes to functionality. The 28-litre capacity is split into 3 compartments, making it perfect for everyday use.
As one of the smaller bags on the list, you would expect it to be one of the lightest. However, we feel that the 2.08 kg weight lets it down slightly in terms of size to weight ratio. Although this shouldn't be too much of a problem for shorted journeys and casual use.
This sleek wheeled backpack is constructed from 100% recycled polyester. This results in a lightweight and rugged bag that's more sustainable than most - ideal for any eco-warrior or intrepid explorer!
The design would fit in just as well at the office as it would on an adventure, making it a versatile choice. However, the price is relatively high compared to the others on our list. If sustainability is important to you, though, it might be worth the cost.
This backpack defies convention by situating the wheels at the front of the bag instead of the back. This creates quite a unique and striking look, but it also means that you don't have to tuck in or remove the back straps every time you want to switch to the rolling luggage.
Unfortunately, this does mean that the straps are not removable and there is no dedicated space to store them when not in use. Depending on your preference, you may not mind this, but some have commented that they thought it looked quite messy and unappealing to have the unused straps on show.
No. 1: Cabin Max|Lyon Flight Approved Bag
No. 2: Mountain Warehouse|Voyager
No. 3: Wenlia|3-in-1 Wheeled Backpack Set
No. 4: Osprey|Sojourn 80 Unisex Wheeled Pack
No. 5: Stanley|1-79-215 Fatmax Backpack on Wheels
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
Automotive
Baby Products
Beauty
Books
Business, Industry & Science
Computers & Accessories
DIY, Garden & Tools
Electronics & Photo
Fashion
Grocery
Health & Personal Care
Home & Kitchen
Large Appliances
Musical Instruments & DJ
PC & Video Games
Pet Supplies
Sports & Outdoors
Stationery & Office Products
Toys & Games