The bags founders, venture capitalists, and other successful men are carrying to work in 2025

Brent Comstock, 29, is the founder and CEO of BCom, a Nebraska-based advertising and media agency that works with NGOs and Fortune 500 companies.

On work days, he always carries his Warren backpack from Tumi. It has numerous pockets, is made from nylon with leather detailing, and retails for $595.

"It's perfect because it fits all of the things I need, but more importantly, it fits in every possible compartment on a plane," he said. "People regularly ask me: 'Where did you get that backpack?'"

Comstock said he keeps both a laptop and a tablet inside the backpack.

"I realize that's a lot of unnecessary weight for something that basically does the same thing," he said. "But one of them is inevitably charged, and one of them is not — at all times."

Jodi Go is busy. In addition to being a full-time software engineer, the 27-year-old is a popular content creator who makes videos about style and interior design.

While on the go, he carries the $1,965 large Croissant bag from French brand Lemaire. It's made from nappa leather, sold in four colors, and has a removable pouch that sits inside.

"I love it so much," Go said of his bag, which he purchased while visiting Japan. "I wear it almost every single day."

Inside, he carries his laptop, Sony headphones, power banks, filming supplies, and skincare products.

Bawi Agua Fresca is a "better for you" drink brand founded by Victor Guardiola. Speaking with BI, the 27-year-old CEO said he carries the $180 Osprey Transporter Duffel 65 to work each day.

"I got this bag three months ago," he said. "Before that, I was cramming my North Face college backpack. Eventually, I was like, 'No, dude, you are no longer an undergrad. I think you can afford to upgrade this basic.'"

So he did. With the much larger Osprey duffel — it measures 24 inches tall, nearly 14 inches wide, and almost 16 inches deep — he carries toiletries, extra clothes, a pair of slides, his laptop, and a work journal. The latter is the most crucial to him.

"I've run my business with these little journals since we started," he said. "I'm literally looking at my archive stack of them now. I clear one about every 40 days or so."

Bradford Jones, 28, is a principal at SignalFire, where he invests in startup tech companies. While commuting, he always has one of two bags in hand.

For "very serious" work days, he uses the $995 Canfield Classic Holdall from Shinola. It's made from natural grain leather and is sold in two colorways. Jones prefers the black option.

"I bring that with me when I'm going on work trips and going into really big meetings," he said. "It's a very classic leather bag."

For more casual occasions, he uses the same Jumpman Jordan backpack he's carried since his days as a college athlete.

Bobby Mollins, 35, works for the research firm Gordon Haskett. In 2023, BI named him a rising star in his industry.

Speaking with BI, Mollins said his Osprey backpack can "handle everything" — from Citi Bike rides through Manhattan to hot days in Miami.

"It's super easy to carry," Mollins said of the bag. "If I'm getting on a plane and it's under the seat in front of me, I don't care if it gets stepped on or whatnot. I've had it for years. I've taken that bag hiking in the Cascades in Washington. I've also taken it throughout Europe. It can take a beating."

While the specific style that Mollins carries has been discontinued, he says the brand's $140 Nebula 32 design is very similar.

"As long as I can put my laptop in there, a bottle of water, a smoothie bottle, my headphone case, a charger, and a pen or two, that's all I need," he said.

"I was just talking to some friends about it this weekend: a leather work bag just makes you feel so much more put together and, for me, confident," Alex Nicoll, 29, told BI.

The content creator said he uses the Hudson commuter backpack from Michael Kors, which is made from leather and retails for $448.

Inside, he regularly stores his AirPod Pros, a Goyard card holder, and a Creed cologne atomizer to refresh his scent throughout the day.

Bryce Johnson, 25, invests in early-stage software companies at Primary. Rather than carrying one work bag all year, he told BI that he uses different styles depending on the season.

In the fall and winter, for example, he carries a $113 Womleys backpack that you can buy on Amazon.

"Keep it simple forever," he said. "I do not splurge on backpacks."

In the spring and summer, lighter totes are his preferred style. He alternates between an $85 YSL Rive Droite bag and a $35 zippered option from Stanford University.