How To Select The Right Backpack To Travel The World
If you’re looking to complete that rite of passage by backpacking Europe, you’ll still want to adhere to the tried-and-true backpacker style travel packs.
If you haven’t done this, you need to do it. Age matters not.
There are a few things that I found to be the most important when selecting the pack:
Get a bag with a removeable daypack or plan for a very compact space for a separate daypack
Make sure your bag has a fully unzippable main compartment (opens like a suitcase and not top loading)
Make sure the bag is secure (lockable zippers, conforms to storage, and includes safety features)
Make sure the support system is comfortable and works for you
Choose the size for your body type
My companions aren’t as fond of this form of travel as I am. It can be quite difficult living out of a backpack for several weeks. You will definitely feel dirtier than your average trip, you’ll have to preplan for laundry days, and you’ll almost certainly get tired of it at some point. Fear not, there are ways to optimize any scenario.
Your backpack and packing game is going to have to be top notch when you go this route. Your stuff will be neat, folded, optimized, and organized.
Here are the guidelines for selection:
Bled, Slovenia
A daypack is more handy than you’ll know
1) You absolutely must have a daypack
If you like to be neat and organized with the least issues, get a removable daypack that zips/clamps to the main pack. This is great for keeping everything condensed when walking about or are bouncing through transportation mediums. Most packs will also include additional compression straps to harness the daypack even better, or keep it minimal when not in use. The daypack also provides a lot more small pocket organization for intricate items than the larger main pack.
Alternatively, you can get a standalone daypack. You probably want to keep it between 10L-15L. You will want to focus on packs that condense well. Some packs are so stiff with thick material (usually to keep them standing when sat down) that they are going to take up half your main pack if you store them inside. Likely, you’ll be carrying this daypack outside, everywhere. It will add a tiny burden when going from place to place in a hurry, but I’ve done it with success. My ideal standalone daypack, as of 2023, is the Peak Design Everyday Sling V1. You want a bag that acts as an equipment organizer but doubles as a regular bag when needed.
PEAK DESIGN ON AMAZON: CURRENT PRICE
Try to get a daypack that will have little mesh water bottle pouch or an expandable one. If not, make sure the daypack at least has straps to use a water bottle clip. Most travel packs with built in daypacks have compression straps to further solidify the contents and keep the daypack secure. The compression straps are nice even when the daypack is disconnected. Additionally, try to get a daypack with straps or expandable pouches to hold a small tripod, souvenirs, or jackets. Layering is key when backpacking.
While I did my fair share of research to find a bag that had a daypack, I learned a few more things. The method the daypack connects to the main bag can be troublesome. My first bag required multiple snap in points with clips. It seemed easier than my buddy’s zipper connection. It was not… You will often be in lines from buses to tours. You will need to connect and disconnect your daypack (which likely contains your important items) and keep it with you. I cannot count how many times I felt so pressured to hurry and get to my seat while I was snapping and unsnapping this thing. It wasn’t efficient. Therefore, make sure you can easily connect/disconnect your daypack. This will make a difference.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Or… Just carry a suitcase 🤣
2) Get a travel pack that functions like a suitcase!
Many backpacks will be top loading. You will have to unload everything to get to the bottom. This is a nightmare. Yes, you may implement packing cubes to circumnavigate this a bit. However, they may add unnecessary weight and have to be so small that you don’t really utilize them well.
Top loading makes it that much harder to recreate this magnificent packing structure each time you need something. If you pack this thing full, which you likely will, you will need this structure each time just to refit it all inside. Trust me, you’ll be going in your bag a lot. If you get a bag that opens from the front, everything will just be easier. Don’t even question this one unless you are going to one place, in one room with no others, unpacking, and staying unpacked the whole time.
SO MUCH EASIER!
Make sure it unzips this way
3) Check out the security abilities of the packs you browse
First, make sure your bag has a lockable zipper. It may not stop a full on grab and run, but it will halt some sly attempts to get into your bag if it’s sitting on a public transportation rack and you’re not aware. It will sit solo on trains, buses, etc. While most thieves will not have the courage to grab a bag and run with it, many will try a sneaky hand inside to see what they find. Keep this in mind.
Some bags have additional straps to lockdown the bag when not in use. Some bags have hidden pockets for delicate items, and some bags have concealing systems to fully deter zip and grabs when in public places.
If you’re going this route, you may also want to consult with any hostel you attend. This is to consider the security aspect. Many hostels have a standard lockbox sized casing to house your bag. Many are just steel mesh boxes that hands can still fit through. You bring your own padlock (some are combination though) and you lock your stuff within. If you do proper research, most hostels will be very safe. However, you never know who you may room with. In my experiences, I’ve never had any issues, ever, in many hostels. I usually stay 6-8 people rooms max. If you stay in larger 10-20 person rooms, you really need to check sizing.
This is also why you may consider a smaller bag. You may also want a deeper bag rather than taller. However, keep consideration for the loaded weight distribution against your body weight. You don’t want to tip over 🤣.
Doesn’t It Make You Want To Travel?
The support system is a key component
4) The support system is important to get right
Don’t overcomplicate it though, it’s not as serious as some make it out to be. On my first backpacking trip, I had a 65+10L bag that was for a month of travel. It was made by Berghaus which is a European brand. I loved this bag, and I still own it. It was, however, not perfect.
When choosing your bag, test the frame adjustments against your torso length. They usually have men and women’s versions for a reason. However, pending your build, you can possibly use either. You want to make sure the lower straps hug you in the right spot to optimize the load shift. This is typically at the hips, as it rests on them. Search the iliac crest if you need reference, but each person will feel comfortable moving around this area until they find the sweet spot of balance. You also want the center weight of the bag to sit at a certain height and usually the shoulder straps are adjustable for this. Typically, bags allow adjustments that work for nearly everyone. Also make sure the chest strap is comfortable for you. You may think you’ll never use this, but you will when it gets heavy.
Another thing I learned was that the height of the bag, especially behind your neck, can bother you. Most backpacks are taller than they are deeper. At this point, I may prefer the latter. My first bag was tall, it was nearly overkill. I liked to wear my hat backwards. Some people can pull it off forward, I look more like a soccer dad, lol. If you wear your hat backwards, it will hit the bag, rub it, or knock itself off your head, constantly. Even beyond the hat issue, your head will be encumbered by this as well. If you’re trying to look up at things, it may impede your neck angles. As silly as this sounds, some bags just have weird angles. The takeaway being to move about and look around when testing your bags in the store. If you stare at your phone all day and are becoming hunchbacked, you may have no issue here …kidding, mostly😄.
Pay attention to the straps and their padding. You will thankful you got those overly padded straps once you carry your bag around for some time. Luckily, most of these higher end bags are good to go. If you go a budget route, make sure to keep an eye on this and test it with some serious weight for a length of time.
Plitvice, Croatia
Women’s Osprey Farpoint 55L (left), and men’s Berghaus 65L (right)
5) You’ll conclude to the right sized bag
You’ll need to consider your physical size against the max amount of storage space and weight you’re going to want to carry. For most folks, you’ll want the most space you can squeeze in. What you won’t think about is the times where you may be toting this thing a long way in an unexpected step during your journey.
You’ll also want to remember that different sized people will have different sized clothing. Two people may pack the same exact amount of clothing and same styles. The larger person’s clothing will take up a lot more space than the smaller persons. This may seem like common sense, but keep this in mind when shopping together with others and settling on a volume.
In testing, even the biggest and heaviest bags feel fine for a while, especially in a store where you’ll probably try them. The waist harness and the chest straps will make the weight distribution more bearable, and these are important to be comfortable with before you choose. I find that the 55L is a suitable size for the average adults. There is a 55L in woman’s as well.
If you are insistent on carrying the most you can, check out backpacks with wheel systems built in. This would enable you to roll it like a piece of luggage. I have not tried this personally, but I would be fully willing to if the wheel system looked strong enough and it fit my other criteria. Albeit, the wheel system will inevitably add weight and take away from space.
If you will be flying often on connecting legs of your trip, you may want to consider dimensions. Many countries outside of the U.S. have much stricter carry-on requirements, especially the budget brands that many fall into when traveling quick trips between closely linked countries. If you’ve never experienced a budget airline, be prepared to be charged for anything and everything. Even that bag of chips in your hand is likely outside of their “personal item policy,” not kidding. If you don’t want to pay to check your bag every time, get a bag under the dimensions. Although, from my experience, you simply cannot pack enough in that size (at least in Europe) to be comfortable. You may prefer trains, such as I do, and then you’re set either way.
ADDITIONAL TIPS:
Make sure your bag has extra straps and places to hang things (hats, water bottles, etc.). I used to use a universal water bottle clip which looked like a keychain. You were able to hook in any normal sized water bottle. This came in handy because many bags don’t have dedicated water bottle pouches. I’ve moved beyond to a rollable water bottle now, but I still would use either. I couldn’t connect these without excess straps. You may also want to connect tripods, equipment, tents, pillow, etc.
Most packs will have breathable layers and mesh to help airflow. Lots of bags market this as some majorly advanced system over another. After using dozens of bags, packs, backpacks, and more, I can say that if you’re going to sweat, you’re going to sweat. It makes very little difference on this system. Therefore, don’t put too much emphasis on this or be sold by it. In fact, some of these systems make the back so hard and bulky that it detracts from the inside. I can think of one highly expensive backpack I bought that had a dedicated laptop pocket. I couldn’t even fit my tablet in this pocket, even while the bag was empty, due to the venting system on the back being so highly stiff and bulky. I had to suck up the loss on this bag.
Even if you don’t buy it from the store, you can go have someone professional sort it out for you at a store. This will help you fit one as well. Some brands may simply not work for your build. REI is a great store with a knowledgeable staff. If you can, try to give business, locally.😉
There are far more technical sources for this, and you can read them for days. In my experience, you will load the bag and adjust it until you feel it for yourself. The weight distribution will minimize when you hit that point. It really is trial and error for each situation. Aim for the generalities, aim for the proper sizing for your body, and go from there.
Keep in mind, no matter how fit you are, you will get tired. No matter how good the stability system of the bag is, you will still have a fatigued body if you carry it long enough. I remember trying to run from a train station to a bus station in Zagreb, Croatia. It felt as if I ran across an entire town, and all while carrying a very large backpack. By the last mile, I was numb. I remember times where even a simple jaunt across a portion of a city became annoyingly fatiguing with a backpack on.
Your ideal situation would be getting from point A to B as efficiently as possible, and trying to avoid carrying the entirety of your bag for extended periods. Sometimes, this just isn’t feasible. However, the less dynamic your travel plans, the easier this will be.
The only cons of backpacker travel packs are the massive logos they paste all over it. I prefer subtle, classy, professional styles with sleek curves and subdued logos. Unfortunately, most of the bags make me feel like a metro pole full of random stickers at an underground stop in London. They also scream “tourist.” That’s not always a bad thing though. Just remember, you are already going to look goofy with this giant bag strapped to you. Don’t worry about it too much. Osprey does have some of the more subdued styles from what I’ve seen though, so that’s a plus.
Rome, Italy
The Farpoint 55L is my go to
WHAT BACKPACK DO I LIKE?
I’ve gone through a handful of bags in my backpacking days. The last one I settled on, and the one I continue to use, is the Osprey Farpoint 55L. I went with this one for all the reasons above. The 55L was good for flying, 1-4+ weeks of travel packing (while washing a max of every 2 weeks), convenience, and comfort. I put the daypack under the seat and the main pack in the overhead. The main pack is 40L and the daypack is 15L upon separating. It just checked all the boxes and was a fair price.
There are variations based on the year models, but they’re all good. Each new iteration introduces a few tweaks or shifts in spacing, but they do the same basic things. Although, the older models had sizing (S/M or M/L) where the new ones have one size. Go for the new if you can. If you are pinching pennies to travel further, understandably, then find a nice older model or even second hand. These things are tough and will be good even after being used.
The Farpoint series has bags from 30L to 70L, so you can still select another size if you so choose. It’s an optimal bag either way. No matter what you choose, or if you simply work with what you have, just travel.
Your backpacking trip will be life changing. You will grow and experience more than you can imagine. Don’t hesitate. Plan it, prep it, look forward to it, do it.
Be Happy, Travel More 🙃
