From the crowded halls of high school to the expansive campuses of college and university, students always need a good bag. Today’s students aren’t just hauling textbooks and binders, though. A student today is more likely to carry a laptop than a Trapper Keeper, but not every bag is designed to securely carry an expensive piece of technology.

A bag should keep your stuff secure and safe, protecting your laptop while still having room for your books, supplies, and lunch. A padded laptop sleeve will go a long way in protecting a laptop from accidental bumps and bangs, and makes it easy to pull out for note taking without having to dig through books and papers. The majority of laptop bags are made to fit 15-inch models snugly, but you can also find bags tailored to larger 17-inch media laptops and smaller 13-inch ultraportables.

A good school bag will also have compartments for smaller items, usually with special pockets just for pens and pencils, cellphones, power cords, and media players. You’ll also want room for notebooks (the paper kind) and textbooks, so look for a bag that has a large storage compartment in addition to the laptop sleeve.

Both backpacks and messenger bags are common on campuses, so we’ve included several of each. Though adjustable straps and padding make it easy to adjust a bag to your body, you’ll also want to choose a bag that matches your regular activities. For example, while a messenger bag is great for use on busses and subways, the one-shouldered design isn’t well suited to riding a bike, and the asymmetrical distribution of weight can cause problems for students with back trouble.

Your bag is more than just a functional item, though, it has to have style. So we took that into account, too, including a variety of looks and designs. In addition to backpacks and messenger bags, we dug through or many reviews to find a selection of packs that range from chunky and rugged to sleek and slim, and come in a rainbow of colors. Whatever your style, there’s probably something here that will strike your fancy.

Here we’ve collected ten great bags for back to school. Whether you’re buying for yourself or picking up something for your kids, the bags on this list check all the right boxes.