Work bags present an interesting problem for short professionals because although we’re smaller in stature, we generally still need to carry the same weight/number of items. To keep my back pain at a minimum, I purchase work bags that carry only what I need for the specific tasks of the day, with room for a couple extra items but not much more. As you know, it still ends up being a considerable amount of weight. Thus, we at Far From Tall have compiled the following work bags for transport of a laptop up to a 15.6’’ in size, with room for essentials for the short professional.
Backpacks for the Short Professional
Backpacks are better suited to reduce back pain as the utility of both straps, (does anyone one-strap anymore?) distributes the added weight across your shoulders. We admit backpacks may not be as fashionable as a tote, but honestly you can’t deny their utility. If you’re thinking of high-school/college backpacks, think again. We suggest the following super functional yet chic and stylish backpacks.
The Laptop Backpack by Brinch is a 2.07 lbs backpack with 11 x 7.8 x 15.7 inch (L x W x H) that can carry a laptop up to 15.6 inches in size. However, it can hold an impressive 22 L worth of items and is a great choice for daily commuters. The bag is designed with an interior frame to stand up on its own and features a 7.8 inch opening so that you are not digging into a black hole trying to find your items. The main zippered pocket has lots of interior pockets for storage of smaller items. There are 2 side pockets outside the main pocket for your water bottle, and other easy access items like your phone. I appreciate how the bag stood up on its own, making it very easy to see and grab your items out of the bag quickly. The backpack is small and does not cover my bottom when I wear it on my shoulders. This helps keep the majority of the backpack weight centered on my mid-upper back to help me carry the added weight properly. It’s the perfect size for me. I can stuff the backpack to its maximum and the total weight is still manageable for my stature.
The shoulder straps are padded and adjustable to relieve back and shoulder pressure. There are 2 top handles for the option to carry the backpack like a tote for short walks. This backpack is also designed to relieve airport transportation, in that it has a convenient belt to fix the backpack onto other pieces of luggage or trolleys. The fabric is nylon and is water-repellent. Best of all, it comes in several color options to fit your style.
The Laptop Backpack by LoveVook boasts dimensions of 12 x 7.5 x 16 inches (L x W x H), making it ever so slightly longer and taller dimensions than the Brinch, has a smaller carrying capacity of 20L due to its smaller width. It is also much lighter than the Brinch, coming in at 1.83 lbs of purse weight before you add your personal items. Yes, it does fit a laptop up to 15.6 inches. Straps are extremely durable and thick. The backpack is made of polyester and is also quite durable, especially for its light weight. I love the exterior pockets for storage of small items. The interior does have some zippered pockets for more segmented, organized storage. This backpack has a more business casual look to it and fits in perfectly at the office. But, depending on the color palette you can dress it up or down, depending on what look you’re going for.
Work Totes for the Short Professional
We love the look and utility of work totes. However, totes are prone to exerting too much weight on a single shoulder and become painful to carry faster than a backpack of the same weight. Thus, Far From Tall suggests totes for work days where your day may not be necessarily light, but the items you need to transport to/from the office is at an all-time low. Keep your tote light to prolong experiencing discomfort when using a work tote. We at Far From Tall love the following work totes for short professionals.
The Women Briefcase by BROMEN is a classically styled briefcase/tote that is constructed by professional artisans out of high-class leather (exterior) and durable fabric (interior). The large inner pocket zips closed to secure your belongings during transport and is organized with several interior pockets (both zippered and unzippered) to keep your items highly organized. The bag is 16.54 x 4.72 x 12.6 inches (L x W x H) and is designed to hold a 15.6 inch laptop plus dedicated storage areas for your cell phone, notebooks, pens, keys, sunglasses, etc. This bag is large enough to hold everything you need, which seems contradictory to our warning statements on keeping work totes as light as possible. However, this bag also comes affixed with a handle strap and an extra-long shoulder strap, to permit the user to carry this bag as a tote/shoulder bag, or crossbody. This normally permits those that are Far From Tall to carry heavier loads with this tote. The downside to this tote is that it is 3.13 lbs, most likely due to its leather construction. However, it is offered in several trendy color options. In short, we love the look and utility of this tote, but its weight prevented me from filing the tote to its maximum capacity. This tote must not be over-packed in order to be successful for those that are Far From Tall.
The Laptop Bag for Women by NUBILY is an attractive alternative to the BROMEN work tote for those who may be deterred by the BROMEN’s weight.
The NUBILY, in comparison, is extremely lightweight at just 1.9 lbs for its large size (16.7 x 5.7 x 12.6 inches (L x W x H). The NUBILY is lightweight due to its PU-leather exterior and polyester interior. The PU-leather is scratch resistant and water repellent and came in a variety of colors like the BROMEN. It also comes with 2 straps, a tote style shoulder strap and longer cross-body strap, to let you decide how you want to carry your work bag. The bag is light and has plenty of room to carry everything you need. The bag zips shut to secure your items and is divided into 3 main sections: a padded foam pocket for a laptop up to 15.6 inches, and two open big pockets that are large enough to store documents/books with A4 dimensions with a large zipped pocket for your personal stuff, an iPad pocket, 2 slot pockets, and 2 pens pocket, and 1 small zipper pocket. The ability to have more than 1 way to carry the tote, like the NUBILY provides, has been instrumental in the success of my work tote and my happiness while using the bag.
The Laptop Tote Bag by Missnine is the lightest work tote recommended by Far From Tall at 1.54 lbs. It is able to achieve such a lightweight design because it is made of premium canvas with PU leather trim for accents. The bottom is made of vegan leather and has metal feet to protect from damage.
Due to its construction, this bag is water-resistant and extremely durable. With 15.9 x 5.1 x 11.7 inch dimensions (L x W x H), it is ever so slightly smaller than its leather competitors. However, I did not notice the slight sacrifice in size. The bag zips closed for security, and has a pocket large enough for A4 sized papers and 3-ring binder. It also has a padded laptop compartment to fit a laptop up to 15.6 inches, and features a separate tablet slot that can fit a 10.9 inch iPad. It has 8 interior pockets in total to stay organized, 1 exterior front pocket with a magnetic snap for easy access to your cell phone, and 1 elastic side pocket for a water bottle or coffee tumbler.
As with Far From Tall’s other featured work totes, the Missnine can be carried by the top handles as a traditional tote, or with an adjustable cotton shoulder strap as a crossbody. This bag is so darn light, you have plenty of weight capacity to dedicate to your personal items and not the bag itself. It is simply perfect for an everyday work bag. We love the 3 color options and wish Missnine offered more.
Thanks