Choosing the right backpack
Planning a world trip
By Jaimy de Vries
This is a huge subject and your choice will have a large “weight” on your trip, so you want to think about this very carefully. If you happen to already own a pack that might work you should still consider other options. If this trip is going to end up costing €15,000 or more, then spending €300 or even more on this essential item that will have a large impact on your comfort makes a lot of sense. If your backpack is too big or too small, not padded enough, or poorly designed for your tastes, it can seriously put a damper on your trip. When choosing a backpack for a world trip, you’re going to want to consider four things: size, weight, comfort, and design.
Backpack
Size
The size of your pack will depend bon several things. Among others: the climates you are visiting, whether you plan on doing any hiking or trekking, your size and body type, and if you plan on checking or carrying on are all big factors
- Climate: If you are following summer around the world or only going to warmer, tropical climates, you have a lot more room simply because you won’t have to bring as many layers, and the clothes you do bring will be smaller. But if you go around the world with different seasons and weather climates you need to pack lots of layers.
- Hiking and trekking: If you plan on doing any multi-day hikes or treks, then you want a backpack that’s appropriate. You may not be able to get by with a carry-on sized pack simply because it won’t be adequate for the activities you want to take part in. Multi-day hikes typically require you to bring things like tents, sleeping bags, and food, and though you can get by with a few layers, the other stuff takes up a lot of room, so fitting it all in a 35 liter pack is tough.
- Your size: How big or small you are will also have an impact on the size of your pack. If you are a smaller person, then please don’t get a 90 liter pack that you can barely get on your back yourself. Use some common sense when shopping, make sure to put plenty of weight in the pack when trying them on, and walk around the store. Go up and down stairs with it fully loaded to see how it feels. If you get tired and start sweating after walking around an air conditioned store for 10 minutes, think of how it’s going to be navigating the streets of Delhi in 110 degree heat with a billion other people around you.
- Checking in or Carrying on: If you carry on, you won’t be able to get away with anything bigger than around a 45 liter pack. Round the world travelers can get away with a pack that’s 35-45 liters, but you’ll have to be extremely particular with your packing list. Keep in mind that if you do go the carry-on only route, you’ll be highly restricted on what you can bring. That means no liquids more than 3 ounces and no sharp tools like a Leatherman or Swiss Army Knife. If you do plan on checking your bag, that doesn’t mean you should go with an 80 or 90 liter pack. Less is almost always better, and even though we preach packing less. The bigger the bag means that you will pack more stuff, which means more weight on your back. My best advice for choosing the right sized pack is to find the most comfortable pack, no more than 70 liters, with the features that you want.
Weight
Lighter is almost always better. You don’t want a backpack that weighs 10 pounds in and of itself. That will put you behind the 8-ball immediately when it comes to how much stuff you can bring.
Comfort
Comfort is the most important factor in selecting a backpack, in my opinion. I bought my 65 liter pack (a ) back in 2020. I focused on quality and comfort above all else. This bag fit me perfectly and was just a good, solid pack. It went with me on several road trips and now on my world trip. It’s important to know that you get what you pay for. The good ones are extremely durable. You’re going to be lugging this bag all over the world, so it needs to be darned comfortable. I strongly suggest that you measure your torso and try on a ton of different packs that fit your torso size. Look for packs with padded straps and back panels as well as designs that promote air flow. Make sure to try on the backpack fully loaded so you will know that the pack will fit comfortably regardless of how much gear you are carrying. Also, women’s specific backpacks are great for smaller bodies.
Design
Hopefully you will find several packs that are both comfortable and fit your size and weight specifications, so you can choose the best pack for you based on design and features. Look for bags with lots of pockets so you can keep organized on the road. Top loading only bags can be infuriating. Make sure it has front access zippers so you don’t have to take everything out of your pack to get something out of the bottom of your pack. You may also want to choose a pack that is made from water-resistant fabrics or has a built-in rain cover if you are headed to humid climates. Check the quality of the zippers and seams. If they look cheap now, think of how they’ll hold up after zipping and unzipping several thousand times over the course of your trip.
Secondary bag
Unless you are a total minimalist, most travelers pack a smaller, secondary bag. These range from smaller daypacks to large purses. What you choose to bring will depend on your personal situation – like how many and which gadgets you bring with you and if you are traveling with anyone else.
If you are traveling with someone you can share packing duties, so even if you are bringing a larger, DSLR camera and laptop, you are probably only bringing one each, so it makes how many and which type of bag to bring easier. If you are traveling solo, you will have to make some tougher decisions on how much to bring since you only have yourself to rely on for carrying.
An extra backpack can be handy to use, depending on it’s size, for a day hike or as a city bag. When traveling on a bus or train, I throw my larger pack with my clothes and toiletries underneath and kept my small backpack with me at all times. It carried my expensive items – laptop, cameras, music, money and passport, etc.
What I did....
In 2020 I bought my backpack: a
Special thanks to Bootsnall.com for all the guidelines and information on how to plan a round-the-world trip!