Most backpacks are built to a man's frame and then sold to everyone. If a backpack has ever slid off your shoulder, ridden up against your neck or pulled a strap straight across your chest, that is the reason, and it is why we make backpacks designed for women.
It is also why many women tell us they have stopped wearing backpacks altogether. They feel like sports kit, and they do not sit right over a blouse or a blazer when you have a meeting to walk into.
Our women's bags are designed on a separate pattern, not scaled down from a men's bag. The harness is proportioned to a woman's shoulders and chest. The padding is set to sit under a silk blouse or a cashmere jacket without bulk. The strap curve is shaped so the bag sits close, carries its weight properly and looks considered when worn. Below is what is different, and why.
Why most backpacks don't fit women
A standard backpack harness is designed around broader shoulders, a wider neck-to-shoulder span and a flatter chest. On a woman's frame, those proportions cause three familiar problems: straps that slide off the outside of the shoulder, padding that sits high and bulky, and a strap that cuts across the bust. Resizing the bag does not fix any of them. The pattern itself has to change.
Slimmer straps for narrower shoulders
The women's strap is one centimetre narrower across the top than the men's. Women's shoulders are narrower on average, so the extra width adds nothing but bulk and spills over the edge of the shoulder.
Thinner padding that sits flat under a jacket
We use the same open-cell foam as our men's bags, in a thinner layer. Thick padding is designed for a heavy load on a broad shoulder. On a woman it sits high, and under a blouse or tailored jacket it shows. The women's harness is padded to carry a laptop, a charger and the day's essentials comfortably, without the bulk of a strap built for a hiking load.
Straps that stay on your shoulders
The distance between the two straps, where they meet the bag, is set to rest in the natural dip between neck and shoulder. Too wide, and the straps slide off the outside of the shoulder. Too narrow, and they press into the neck. This one measurement decides whether a backpack stays in place or needs hitching up all day.
An S-curve that clears the chest
Every Troubadour strap is S-shaped rather than straight, because a straight strap pulls across the body and pushes into the armpit. On our women's bags, the curve is set higher and wider.
A men's strap sits further in, towards the centre of the chest, so on a woman it cuts straight across the bust. The women's curve sits flat at the collarbone and sweeps outside the chest. It is more comfortable, and it reads the way a well-cut jacket does rather than a hiking pack.
Room to move under the arm
Because the strap curves out and away, it sits beneath the shoulder without pressing into the armpit. Your arms move freely, which you notice most when reaching for your phone or a coffee with the bag on.
A chest strap for longer commutes
A fully loaded bag on a long commute places steady strain on the neck and shoulders. If you carry a full bag for an hour each way, add a chest strap. It moves weight off the shoulders and onto the frame of the body, and it makes a noticeable difference even on a smaller bag. The chest strap is sold separately and clips onto any Troubadour backpack.
What a good fit feels like
On a normal day, you should notice very little. The bag stays where you put it when you lean over a laptop or reach for a coffee. Nothing pinches or pulls, and it looks right with whatever you are wearing into the room. By the evening, your shoulders should not feel as though they carried a laptop all day.
Our backpacks designed for women
Contour Backpack. Our women's work backpack. It holds the load high and close to the spine, with a sculpted back panel and straps proportioned for the female shoulder. The rear CrashPad Cocoon section protects up to a 16-inch laptop. 19 litres.
Arc Tote Backpack. A slim tote that converts to a backpack, for days when you want a tote's look with a backpack's comfort. It carries up to a 16-inch laptop.
See the full Women's Collection, or compare more options in our guide to the best commuter backpacks for work.
Designed by Samantha Jacob, Chief Product Design Officer.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a backpack designed for women different?
A women's backpack should be built on its own pattern, not scaled down from a men's bag. Ours have straps one centimetre slimmer, thinner padding, straps spaced to rest between neck and shoulder, and an S-curve set higher and wider so it clears the chest.
Why do my backpack straps keep slipping off my shoulders?
Usually because the straps are spaced for broader shoulders. When the gap between them is too wide, they sit on the outer edge of the shoulder and slide off. Straps set to rest in the dip between neck and shoulder stay in place.
Why does my backpack strap cut across my chest?
Straight or men's S-curve straps sit towards the centre of the chest. A strap curved higher and wider sits flat at the collarbone and sweeps outside the bust instead.
Is a women's backpack suitable for carrying a laptop to work?
Yes. The Contour and the Arc Tote Backpack both carry up to a 16-inch laptop.
Do I need a chest strap?
Not for everyday use. If you carry a full bag for an hour or more each way, a chest strap moves weight off your shoulders. Ours is sold separately and fits any Troubadour backpack.