Accessories

The Best DJ Bags and Musician Backpacks – Keep Your Gear Safe on Tour

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The best backpacks for musicians and DJs are built far differently from your common school bag. In today’s article, we’ll detail the best options available on the market and help you decide which one is right for you.

Traveling is by far the number one thing all musicians have in common. No matter what style, genre, or skill level, we all must travel from gig to gig. Keeping your gear safe should be a number one priority.

Not all backpacks or gig bags are created equal. Some are designed for things like cameras and laptops, whereas others offer much more space and storage.

We have tested every bag on this list extensively and are positive we have found the best musician backpack. No matter what your needs are, you’ll find the right one here.

Things to consider when buying a backpack as a touring musician or DJ

Durability is extremely important.

You’re going to be lugging this backpack everywhere you go. It needs to last. There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of a tour or road trip with a broken strap on a heavy bag.

Especially if you’re hauling heavy gear. All of the musician backpacks on this list are of extremely high quality and have great warranties if something unexpected should occur.

You won’t fit lots of clothes

Save the big and bulky clothing for a duffel bag. I promise that once you get all your electronics and gadgets in that you’re not going to have a lot of room for wearables.

The backpacks on this list are intended for your gear. Keep that in mind.

All musician backpacks are not equal

Certain musician backpacks are literally designed to hold MIDI controllers. This might be something that you do not need.

It sure is nice for the traveling keyboard player, but you might only need a place for your laptop. That space could be adapted for something else, otherwise, it may go to waste.

Weight is extremely important

Something that I didn’t consider when I bought my first musician bag was weight. I went for the biggest and most baller backpack from Pelican.

It has a bombproof laptop storage area, similar to their actual cases. What I didn’t realize was the amount of sheer weight I’d be lugging around at all times.

If you’re going to be doing a lot of walking or hiking, be sure to think about that.

That being said, let’s get into the reviews.

Editor's Choice
Thule Crossover 2
Features:
  • USA made
  • Crush-proof safe zone
  • 15.6 Laptop compatibility
  • Organize small electronics
  • RFID blocking pocket
  • 10.1" tablet sleeve
View Price at Amazon
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I absolutely love the Thule Crossover 2 backpack. This is one of the lighter bags on our list. As I just mentioned, traveling with a very heavy backpack can be very annoying.

The outside is a water-resistant material that doesn’t look off-putting. There’s no bells or whistles on this bag, but it gets the job done, at a more affordable price point.

How is the storage?

The top of the bag features a nice protective pouch for holding sunglasses, a phone, and anything else small you can think of.

There is a plastic protective insert that does move around quite frequently and can be annoying.

The front zipper offers a small storage area capable of holding a phone, wallet, charger, and any other small items.

Be careful when the bag is full, as the front zipper does tend to open rather easily. I almost lost my GoPro from this error.

Above that, we have the first “main” compartment of the backpack. This space has pre-made nylon dividers for holding pens, passports, checkbooks, and other small items.

There’s also two zip up storage areas that are surprisingly big.

In the laptop compartment in the back, there are two nylon material dividers. The top one can hold a laptop up to 17″ and below that is tablet storage.

Below this section is what I consider to be the largest compartment for storage. I have my camera in this spot currently. Expect to fit one large sweatshirt in this section.

How comfortable is the Thule 25L?

The Thule Crossover 25L is one of the most comfortable backpacks I have ever worn. 10/10, I definitely would recommend.

Conclusion: a great introductory backpack that’s easier on the wallet! It’s a light backpack with a relatively small amount of storage space.

Best Budget Backpack
SwissGear 1900 Scansmart Laptop Backpack
Features:
  • Secure Storage
  • Effortless Organization
  • Multiple Pockets
  • Comfortable to Carry
  • 14.5"x11"x1.5" laptop compartment
  • 10"x7" tablet pocket
View Price at Amazon
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SwissGear is one of the most common backpack makers. I’m sure you’ve seen someone who has this backpack or a similar one.

The Travel Gear 1900 is a popular choice because of the low price point and the plethora of features. This is my least favorite on the list, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad choice!

How is the storage on the SwissGear Travel Gear 1900?

Despite the great name-brand recognition, the Travel Gear 1900 comes up a little short on the storage side. There are two main compartments on the musician backpack.

The front of the backpack offers a small pouch near the bottom, perfect for storing keys, pens, business cards, and small chargers.

The top of the bag also features a small storage area for sunglasses, phone, or your wallet.

Inside the main pouch of the backpack are two nylon dividers offering storage for notebooks or small novels. There’s a zipped mesh area on the opposite side.

I must say, the laptop storage area is one of my favorite features of this bag. There is both tablet storage and can fit a laptop up to 17 inches.

Both parts of this area are padded very nicely to help support and protect your devices.

How Comfortable is the Travel Gear 1900?

Here’s another backpack that is very comfortable to wear. You’ll have no issues when wearing this bag.

Conclusion: this bag comes up a little short on our best list. This is the best option if you’re on a small budget!

The Ultimate Bag
MAGMA RIOT DJ-Stashpack XL Plus
Features:
  • MASSIVE bag
  • Fits DJM-900 NXS2, DJM-S11, Pioneer DDJ-400, DDJ-Sb3, NI Maschine + & MK3, Denon Prime GO and others
  • Crafted from hardwearing and 100% waterproof PVC Tarpaulin
  • PVC-coated
View Price at Amazon
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Now this is one heavy-duty bag. Magma has designed a backpack that is perfect for musicians and DJs alike.

The coolest part about this back is that it is fully customizable to your liking. I really like the overall look and colors of this backpack. The black and red is a very nice touch.

Most Durable for Price
Pelican Mobile Protect Backpack
Features:
  • Water Resistant Shell and Zippers
  • Compression-molded EVA shoulder straps
  • Lifetime warranty
View Price at Amazon
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The S115 is no longer available on Amazon, so I’ve substituted the MPB25 in its place. Regarless, Pelican makes a ton of incredible gear, so be sure to check out their other products if this pack isn’t ideal for you.

The S115 is a Sport / Elite backpack designed to hold camera lenses, gear, laptop, and mode. Although this particular backpack is aimed at photography and cameras, you can still use it for whatever you like.

The Pelican S115 has a built-in waterproof and crush resistant case for your laptop. It is watertight to 1 meter for 30 minutes.

It’s a bit more on the heavy side, but it’s worth it if you need total protection for your expensive gear.

The front of the case is very tough. It’s a strong material that can really take a beating. There are side pockets on both sides of the backpack.

While there are no water bottle pouches on the sides, the zipper pockets are very nice. Above these pockets is a clasp that can hold your tripod, if you have one.

Pelican backpacks generally are not going to be the most comfortable ever. They are a bit stiff and rigid, as you are holding a bombproof plastic case behind the padding.

Most Useful for Flying
Gruv Gear Tech Backpack
Features:
  • ScanFly tethered laptop system
  • Compatible with optional Sliiv Tech Sleeves in 11", 13", or 15"
  • 20-Liter Capacity
  • Back pocket unzips to slip over luggage handles
  • Luxurious Genuine Leather Trim
View Price at Amazon
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The final musician backpack on our list is the Gruv Gear Smart Tech backpack. It’s a pretty standard bag for the most part.

You get a similar kind of storage on the level of the SwissGear bag.

The one unique thing about this musician backpack is the “pass-through” storage on the sides.

These areas act as your main storage areas and aren’t accessed from the usual top-down traditional design.

Which backpack do you use? Did we miss one of your favorites on the list? Be sure to leave a comment down below if you have any questions or concerns. Thanks for reading.

Staff

Contributions from Drumming Review Staff are from drummers and percussionists with a variety of different backgrounds, both professional and amateur. Interested in making a contribution? Click on 'Contact Us' at the bottom right of the page.

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