Women's Health November 7, 2026 0 Comments

Unlock Your Ultimate Adventure: The Travel Backpacks Women Swear By in 2026 (Editors Put Them to the Test!)

Ever tried stuffing your entire life into a backpack and wondered if it’d survive the journey — without tearing your shoulders apart? Yeah, me too. That’s where the Osprey Fairview steps in like the MVP of travel gear. Sure, it’s pricier than some other brands—looking at you, Matein—but this backpack isn’t just about carrying your stuff; it’s about carrying it smartly. After all, who wants a bag that screams “tourist” or leaves you with a sore back after day two? Meg Wubbenhorst, a travel pro with dirt on five continents, swears by its 40-liter size that somehow balloons with space (hello, Mary Poppins vibes!) while staying rock solid thanks to Osprey’s next-level suspension system. And for those moments when you just can’t handle another step, every little handle is there like your backpack’s way of saying, “I got you.” Ready to upgrade your travel game and save your spine while at it? You’re gonna want to check this out. LEARN MORE

While the Osprey Fairview is a much pricier buy than the Matein, it’s a lot more supportive (and long-term durable), making it well worth the splurge. Meg Wubbenhorst, a travel expert who has traveled to five continents and over 40 countries, says she regularly used the 40-liter backpack during her 20 months of solo travel, even though she originally thought it looked too small.

“I was pleasantly surprised at the roominess—I sometimes felt like Mary Poppins when unpacking, with ample room for all of my clothes, shoes (no more than 3 pairs!), and various travel accessories,” she says.

From the compression straps on the outside and inside of the bag to the countless mesh compartments and laptop sleeve, this bag makes it easy to get organized, but it’s the backpack’s support features that are impressive. The Osprey bag is made with an adjustable sternum strap that comes with a whistle (particularly useful for adventurers), and a hip belt that helps evenly distribute the bag’s weight to remove strain on your back and shoulders.

It’s also built with Osprey’s proprietary suspension system, which is designed to keep the backpack close to your body, while spreading its load across the entire back panel. This prevents the bag’s weight from pulling you back, so that the bag moves with you as you travel and not against you.

Additionally, whenever you do get tired of carrying this workhorse on your back, you can use either of the convenient carrying handles on its top and left sides. Wubbenhorst also says that she particularly likes that this bag passes most airlines’ carry-on policy, even when it’s stuffed to the gills.