New to the whole backpacking thing, not sure which kind of backpack I need...
So I'm planning a backpacking adventure in Europe for next month and looking to get a good backpack for traveling. I plan on going super minimal and just having a backpack.
I plan staying mostly in hostels or with friends - no camping or big hiking.
I've seen a few different variates online - some with multiple soft compartments, others with hard/metal backings. I'm not really sure what is best for my purposes. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Also, do you guys think I should bring a sleeping bag?
Thanks for the help gang!
Reply to this There was a discussion on this topic a couple of years ago:
Backpacks!
Actually, there have been more, but this one is most relevant. Basically it comes down to your size - the shorter you are, the smaller your backpack.
Here is another thread where I espouse that it is not necessarily the size of your backpack, but what you put in it:
Backpack size for 2 weeks trip?
I would be cautious of backpacks with hard metal backs, the reason being is the extra weight and lack of comfort when carrying.
The alternative to a sleeping bag is a lovely silk inner sheet - much lighter and smaller and they feel great to sleep in. I would only bring a sleeping bag if I were camping or hiking.
Reply to this I spent a lot of time researching which pack I should get. In the end I found I wasn't carrying it around much so it really wouldn't have mattered if I had got one a bit too big. I actually wish I had gone bigger and taken a lot more of my own clothes instead of all the boring travel stuff I bought. One thing I would recommend though is a front opening panel which allows you to see everything and get to everything in your pack with ease. My partners pack was top loading only and I hated having to dig around inside hoping the item I pulled out was the right one. I also used packing cubes which were fab for keeping everything in order.
Living out of a backpack for any amount if time can be a pain so, for me, making it as easy and practicle as possible was important.
Here is a link to a similar pack to mine with a front opening panel.
decathlon.co.uk
Please copy and paste into address bar as the code to make this a clickable link seems to mess it up.
[Edited: 2012 May 16 05:39 - Jo Trouble:16935 - Fixed link]
Reply to this I like ones with lots of pockets as they help you arrange your things. Mine has five big pockets inside, so I have one for wires (ipod, camera etc.), one for first aid/medicine, one with the headtorch and penknive in....That way, you can easily access what you need without having to unpack everything. I have a front opening one as mentioned above, which is great for being able to get to everything easily, and I use packing cubes for clothes.
Reply to this Thanks for the advice guys. I'm a 5'5 female, I'll be traveling for a total of 2 months, although I'll be staying at friends' places for a couple weeks at a time. Do you think 55L sound appropriate?
Also, did you bring a smaller backpack for day trips? Or just a large shoulder bag?
Thanks!
Reply to this I would err on the side of the 55 litre, but try it out on you first, how does it feel to be hanging off your back? Try not to worry about the weight of the fully laden backpack, as a bag with lightweight travel clothes is much more easier to handle than one with jeans. This is coming from someone who prefers to have extra space when travelling, lighter travellers will say to err on the size of less.
I have a second backpack (that I carry on my front when I have both) that has my netbook and camera equipment. It is about 7 litres. I've also seen folding backpacks that scrunch into little balls and expand greatly (15 litres) and they weigh only a couple of hundred grams. They don't have much support when carrying, but they are great for items such as an umbrella, water and the like. Kathmandu in Australia stock them, and am sure that they could be sourced from elsewhere.
Reply to this Mine as no pockets which is really annoying. It always depend on what you will be doing and how long you are traveling for. If you plan to do many trips using your backpack in the next years, buy better quality. If you are travelling with someone you can share stuff and that way have a smaller pack. I would say 60 litters is enough. That being said I am 6 foot 3 and always packing to much stuff. ( I am currently travelling with a 80 l backpack. It is just big enough for camping).
think pockets, material if you are going to take plane. and walk a lot in the shop to see if you are really comfortable with it. It will become your best friend.
Reply to this I don't really feel the difference. It is most of the time not full, but it allow me to carry some things I might need for short period. If you pack it well you wont feel the difference. It is the absolute limit I will go for though.
What I really like with this size is that you don't need to put anything pending outside the bad.
That being said I am 6 foot 3 and 225 pound.
Reply to this Thanks Nicolas, that is a helpful reply. I am shorter and lighter than you (5 foot 9, and 150 pounds) but I think the extra space could be handy for something light yet bulky to carry for short periods of times.
[Edited: 2012 May 22 07:48 - The Travel Camel:11053 ]
Reply to this I in fact ambition I had gone bigger and taken a lot added of my own clothes instead of all the arid biking being I bought. One affair I would acclaim admitting is a foreground aperture console which allows you to see aggregate and get to aggregate in your backpack with ease.
Reply to this Also worth considering is whether the pack opens at the top (like a trekking one) or can also unzip at the side/back (more of a travel pack).
I went a year and a half with a top-loading 55L pack and it was ok, except a total pain when you just need one thing that happens to be in the middle of the pack...
Since getting back home I've picked up a sort of hybrid travel pack which allows the pack to lie down flat and be unzipped along almost the whole length - much easier to get at things I reckon! It also has A flat which zips up to cover the shoulder and waist straps (for catching flights) and a removable shoulder strap to use when it's all zipped up - very practical for backpacking!
[Edited: 2012 May 31 00:52 - BnK:116683 ]
Reply to this I in fact ambition I had gone bigger and taken a lot added of my own clothes instead of all the arid biking being I bought. One affair I would acclaim admitting is a foreground aperture console which allows you to see aggregate and get to aggregate in your backpack with ease.
Reply to this pack only for two weeks and you will be glad for 2 month😊
Reply to this So less than a week to go and I'm very unprepared. Any advice about what to bring for a 2 month trip?
I'm guessing general consensus is skip stuff like shampoo, conditioner, etc and get that there. But towel? And other things?
I'm going to try to remember Adett's advice though - I'm going for minimalism.
Reply to this Well consider the weather, make sure you don't bring big jumpers maybe more layers. Sleeping bag deffinitley. It s always better to sleep in your own staff. And cause you won't hike and sleep in a tent you should't worrie too much. Raincoat should be the wormest clothes. Comfortable soes and flipflops because in some hostels the bathroom is not so healthy with bear feet.. Well really if you stay with friends and in hostels better not worrie too much!
ENJOY!!!
Reply to this I'd agree with Adette regarding the minimalist approach. However, do bring a towel - you can easily find one of those lightweight microfibre towels. With regards to toiletries, I bring small bottles with shampoo, shaving gel and shower gel. I used to carry them in 100ml bottles, but found them to be too large, so I just recycled some hotel ones I've collected and they are only half that size.
I also bring a small container of clothes washing liquid, complete with a scrubber and a pegless clothes line.
The biggest saving in packing light is in the clothes you carry. Lightweight yet sturdy travel clothes that dry quickly are a great innovation. Stay clear of heavy clothes that dry slowly (i.e. jeans) - and you'll be surprised how little you can live on. Usually, the amount of clothes I bring for two weeks is the same as for two months.
Reply to this Thanks so much for the advice all. If you are interested, I started a blog on wordpress.
http://megwandersabroad.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/a-most-hellish-39-5-hours-transit/
I ended up doing a small carry on wheely instead. I just felt too much like a turtle with my humungo pack! I made sure to buy some light arid clothing and microfiber towel, which I think saved a lot of space.
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