I’ve had Bucket Boss tool bags for years but these days I want something similar that I can also possibly stuff a laptop into and is maybe more of a backpack type formfactor. I’m reminded of the Milwaukee bag but it had that horrific rainfly cover. What do you guys suggest? I’m basically looking for something well made and that has plenty of pockets for organizing tools and things. I actually have two or three different final purposes in mind but they all have similar requirements.
It may be a generational thing – but I was never into using a backpack for much other than camping. It might have had something to do with growing up in the ‘40’s and ‘50’s when backpacks were not as varied or good. As a consequence I have no firsthand knowledge.
On a prior thread here, however there was some discussion:
and some brands were mentioned.
One was a European brand (Parat) that I had never heard of – but seems like a premium offering – possibly a bit hard to find in the US:
The other brand that was mentioned as being good was Veto
Perhaps a bit less pricey are bags from CLC:
I had also mentioned Magma:
I too have a hard time connecting my brain to a toolbag equals a backpack. Nothing wrong with the concept and a few of the lads at work swear by them. They like the Klein model. The one for about 79 dollars at Home Desperate. There is a larger and higher priced model but they seem to like the smaller one.
The Veto gets rave reviews but I am really ambivalent about it. I have handled one in person at a vendor store and frankly, was less than enthused about it. Don’t get me wrong. Construction was superb. Heavy duty stitching and zippers etc. What I did not like was the pocket layout. Not nearly enough tall/slim pockets for electricians tools like drivers and pliers. And it is heavy even empty. Let lone if you actually load it up with a lot of heavier hand tools like ratchets, sockets, spanners, and pipe wrenches.
I think the weight issue is one reason why I have not tried them. I am always afraid the things are going to be so laden with hand tools it will be a back breaker to carry around. Best of luck and lets us know what you settle on.
I’m also kicking around the idea of a backpack as sometimes I have to trek a few hundred yards. Saw this was on sale a few weeks ago for $30
http://m.lowes.com/pd/AWP-HP-Ballistic-Nylon-Zippered-Closed-Tool-Bag/50149558
The reason I was thinking of a backpack is that I often have to travel fairly long distances with my kit AND I need to carry things other than my tool bag. Many of these bags look nice but they all lack the laptop pouch.
One intended use for this pack is actually just a more rugged replacement for a current JanSport backpack with better organization for the tools and electronics I normally carry. Another intended use was as a “go bag” for field drone operations where I need tools for fixing small mechanical issues on the aircraft but I also need other “sensitive” electronic equipment.
It is starting to look like I might be better off looking into JanSport and other backpack specialists for a new bag since only the Milwaukee bag seems to have the laptop pouch.
Having done a lot of trekking with the scouts over the years - I think that the issue with backpacks meant to carry primarily softgoods may be puncture resistance and wear, My son and I had used large Jansport external frame packs, Gregory internal frame packs and some Kelty day packs- but I could not recommend any of them for carrying tools.
I had one other thought - but hit the enter key inadvertently
How about caring a pack within a pack?
While a bit more costly - the outer lager pack - could accommodate the laptop and some other gear (perhaps in foam carriers) - while the inner pack (or soft-sided tool bag) could keep the hard stuff organized and prevent it from punching through the outer pack.
Looks like JanSport has been taken over by people who don’t actually use their products. 
A stiff tool organizer panel inside a “normal” backpack might be an interesting option. Most soft sided bags like the BucketBoss are too wide to really fit inside a backpack.
I’ve started looking into more mil-spec type bags as they’re built tough like tool bags but I’ve seen more designed to carry laptops.
Honestly, I’m really sort of surprised that no one seems to make a bag for people like field service techs to carry a laptop AND tools.
Saw that our local HD had the Milwaukee backpack so we went to look at it and I’m actually impressed. I don’t know what happened to the atomic wedgie rainfly. I couldn’t find it anywhere on the backpack.
Finally realized it was actually the Milwaukee “Tech bag” that had the silly rainfly and not the backpack.
Yeah, I saw that ‘feature’ on their YouTube video. The poor presenter was left fumbling for words when he pulled the contents out of the bag and it was wet. He had just set it in a demonstration tank and poured water over it to demonstrate how it would keep your tools dry in the rain. Gimmicky really.
This Arsenal rolling bag looks decent
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When I needed to replace my toolbar & I couldn’t decide which one to buy, I dicovered this info - . I compared a few options and never regretted I got this one. I guess will last years longer than anything else out on the market.
I keep an install kit in a back pack (Swiss Gear) and it is very useful for small jobs and I expect I will always have a backpack style kit. It’s just so easy, especially if you do any smaller size jobs in hirise buildings. Equally useful is the L-Rack drawers from sorting or Bosch or the TSTAK drawers but those are best for medium and large jobs since they’re modular systems and can be as large or small as you like.