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How to choose a backpack for an adult
Quick answer
How do you choose a city backpack?
How to choose a city backpack that copes with a whole working day? Go by three things: how big a laptop you carry, how much you need for the whole day and how the backpack sits on your back. For a normal day with a laptop, 20 to 26 litres is enough; with a change of clothes or sports kit, 30 litres or more. The BECKMANN city backpacks in our comparison have a padded back and a pocket for laptops from 13 to 16 inches.
How to choose a backpack for work and the city in 4 steps
Measure your laptop
City Light takes a laptop up to 13", Street Light up to 14". City, City Max, Urban, Street GO and Street FLX up to 16".
Pick a capacity
For a light day, 20 to 22 litres; for work and sport, 26 to 30 litres; for travel, 34 to 35 litres.
Look at the back
City, City Max, Urban and Street FLX have an aluminium back stay. Street GO and Street FLX also have a removable hip belt.
Allow for rain
City, City Max and Urban have an integrated reflective rain cover. The Street range has a water-repellent finish, but the backpack as a whole is not waterproof.
Which backpack for work and which for travel
Do you only carry a laptop, documents and lunch? Then a light backpack is all you need. City Light has 20 litres, weighs 500 g and, once you tuck away the shoulder straps, can be carried by hand like a bag. Street Light, with 22 litres, has a ventilated pocket at the bottom for shoes or a wet towel, so it suits those who go straight from work to exercise.
For a business trip or a weekend away you need more. Street FLX has 30 litres, and undoing the side zip gives you another 5 litres. Thanks to a zip that runs all the way round the backpack, Street GO opens up like a sports bag, and it has a separate pocket for a power bank. We write about how to combine a smart look with capacity in our article The Modern Hybrid Worker's Dilemma: Elegance vs. Capacity.
How to tell that a backpack fits your back
By your height. City and City Light are for people roughly 140 to 195 cm tall, the other backpacks in the comparison for 160 to 195 cm. Have a smaller build? Try Urban Midi with a capacity of 26 litres, which is designed for heights of roughly 128 to 164 cm.
On your back, it's the details that make the difference: a padded and ventilated back, a height-adjustable chest strap so that the backpack doesn't slip off your shoulders, and a hip belt for heavier loads. We explain why heavy items belong as close to your back as possible in our article Heavy items go closest to the back: what happens inside a backpack and why it makes backs hurt.
Comparison of BECKMANN city backpacks
Data from the product descriptions
| Range |  City LightBackpack and bag |  Street LightShoe pocket |  Street GOPower bank pocket |  CityThe classic |  UrbanTimeless |  Street FLXFor travel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | ||||||
| Capacity | 20 l | 22 l | 26 l | 30 l | 30 l | 30–35 l |
| Weight | 500 g | 850 g | 1380 g | 1000 g | 1000 g | 1500 g |
| For height | 140–195 cm | 160–195 cm | 160–195 cm | 140–195 cm | 160–195 cm | 160–195 cm |
| Features | ||||||
| Laptop pocket | up to 13" | up to 14" | up to 16" | up to 16" | up to 16" | up to 16" |
| Reflective rain cover | – | – | – | Yes | Yes | – |
| Extras | Tuck away the straps and carry it as a bag | Ventilated shoe pocket | Power bank pocket, removable hip belt | Genuine leather details | Three separate sections with double zips | Expands by 5 l, removable hip belt |
| Choose City Light | Choose Street Light | Choose Street GO | Choose City | Choose Urban | Choose Street FLX | |
City Light
Backpack and bagCapacity20 l
Weight500 g
Height140–195 cm
Laptopup to 13"
Rain cover–
Street Light
Shoe pocketCapacity22 l
Weight850 g
Height160–195 cm
Laptopup to 14"
Rain cover–
Street GO
Power bank pocketCapacity26 l
Weight1380 g
Height160–195 cm
Laptopup to 16"
Rain cover–
City
The classicCapacity30 l
Weight1000 g
Height140–195 cm
Laptopup to 16"
Rain coverYes
Urban
TimelessCapacity30 l
Weight1000 g
Height160–195 cm
Laptopup to 16"
Rain coverYes
Street FLX
For travelCapacity30–35 l
Weight1500 g
Height160–195 cm
Laptopup to 16"
Rain cover–
Need even more space?
The largest in the City range is City Max, with a capacity of 34 litres. It weighs 1000 g and has a separate padded pocket for a laptop up to 16" and an integrated reflective rain cover.
What BECKMANN city backpacks have in common
The Norwegian brand BECKMANN has been dedicated to backpacks since 1946.
Material
- Main fabric made of 100% recycled polyester from PET bottles
- Water-repellent main fabric
- Padded back and shoulder straps
Risk-free shopping
- 4-year warranty
- Returns within 45 days
- Try it on at our shop in Ostrava
How big a backpack for work?
For a laptop, documents and lunch, 20 to 26 litres is enough, for example City Light (20 l), Street Light (22 l) or Street GO (26 l). If you also carry a change of clothes or sports kit, you'll make good use of the 30 litres of the City and Urban backpacks.
Which backpack for a 16-inch laptop?
The City, City Max, Urban, Street GO and Street FLX backpacks have a pocket for a laptop up to 16". Street Light takes a laptop up to 14", City Light up to 13".
Is a city backpack waterproof?
Not fully. In the Street range, the main fabric has a water-repellent finish and withstands a lot of rain, but the seams and zips are not waterproof. The City, City Max and Urban backpacks have a water-repellent fabric and, for heavier rain, an integrated reflective rain cover.
Can the backpack be carried as a bag too?
Yes, City Light can. Undo the press studs at the ends of the shoulder straps, tuck the straps into the pocket on the back and carry the backpack by hand using the sturdy top handle.
Which backpack for a smaller build?
City and City Light are for people from roughly 140 cm tall. Adults with a smaller build will also find a good fit in Urban Midi, with a capacity of 26 l, designed for heights of roughly 128 to 164 cm.
Can I try the backpack on or return it?
Yes. You can try it on at our shop in Ostrava, where we stock the full range, or at our stockists in Prague and Brno, which carry selected products. If you order from the online shop, you can return it within 45 days. Shops and contact →
Choose a city backpack by what you carry
You'll find all the ranges, colours and laptop backpacks in the city backpacks category.
BECKMANN city backpacks Laptop backpacks
Updated: November 2026
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