1st Place

Aer Fit Pack

One bag for work and workouts alike. An excellent all-rounder at a great price, we're delighted to award the Aer Fit our Best Work Backpack. It's a piece that has charmed the team here at HQ and our readers alike, by combining on-the-shoulder comfort, on-point and restrained design, and a sleek urban silhouette.

Yet, the greatest achievement for the Fit is how easily it moves beyond the work environment. Whether hitting the gym, escaping for a weekend or flying between cities, the Fit rarely feels strained or beyond its element. While value and versatility both helped, in the end it was how effortless the Fit feels in daily life. This is a pack that plays its trusty support role brilliantly. A worthy winner from a brand on the rise.

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Highly Commended

These are the pieces that just missed out, and in most cases, by the smallest of margins. To them, we award a High Commendation. The below were of outstanding quality, displaying fine craftsmanship and design flair. With honour, we bow our heads in the upmost respect and kudos. If this were a dias, they’d be biting their teeth into silver medals, while their flags were hoisted into the horizon – a feat not to be overlooked. And we're sure they’ll be back, to take it one notch higher, next year.

Descente ALLTERRAIN x Porter Daypack

Collaborations are notoriously difficult to get right. Different brands meet with different perspectives and objectives, and somehow try to make the sum greater than the parts. But you only need to spend a quiet moment with the ALLTERRAIN to know that with this, Porter and Descente have nailed it.

Neither brand dominates the other. Instead, this feels like the natural expression for both, as if they were always related. This daypack is simply beautiful, both in form and function. Together the brands have fused minimalist aesthetics, versatile design and superior craftsmanship into an elegant pack – that's hard to find if you're a Westerner – but guaranteed to turn heads.

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Teranishi Venture LT

A great piece of carry should evoke emotion, and this is a backpack we're certainly enamored of. The looks are killer, finding the balance between casual and refined that suits a work setting while keeping things visually interesting. And if you're a materials-inclined, a few minutes kneading this waxed canvas will do strange things to your nether regions.

But hey, let's get real, it's more than just looks. Teranishi have worked hard to update the utility of the pack, reducing the weight, improving the pocketing and making access easier with the addition of a full-length side zip. Well done, Teranishi, you've upped your game with another stellar offering.

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