Travel is joy. It’s relationships, adventure and exploration. There’s no need to stress out over what gear you need. Truth be told, you could see the world just fine with a canvas satchel and a positive attitude.
But technology has caught up with backpack travel to lighten your load and let you more easily get on with the good stuff.
One of the best advancements has been in the development of backpacks designed specifically for travelers. They have all of the features of traditional camping backpacks but make packing / unpacking, carrying and storing much easier.
So let’s take a look at what you should look for in a good travel backpack. The best and most common feature of travel-specific backpacks is that they open from the top or sides like a suitcase. Traditional backpacks close with a drawstring at the top. Which means if you stumble upon a hidden watering hole and want to go for a swim, a traditional backpack means either taking everything out or disrupting your carefully orchestrated packing system just to get at that buried bathing suit. With a travel backpack, you just unzip the bag, open it like a suitcase and quickly grab what you need.
The second major feature of a good travel backpack is top and side handles. Anyone who’s been on a local bus in Bolivia or Bangladesh knows there’s not much room. Top and side handles allow you to carry your pack in different ways depending on the space and to grab it quickly in cramped quarters. It also gives your back a break if need be. Most backpack travel trips involve arriving in a new place, finding a hostel and exploring for a few days. Obviously, you don’t want to lug you full pack around. A detachable day pack allows you to lock up your main pack, unclip the day pack and travel light. It also serves as a carry-on when flying. And when it’s time to go, you just reattached it into one sleek compact unit.
Sure, any old sack can serve as a day pack, but reattachable day bags that are intigarated into the overall design keep things compact and easy to manage.
The final element of many good travel backpacks is subject to debate: Wheels. Where you fall on the wheels-no wheels debate likely depends on where you’re going and what you’ll be doing.
The positive side of wheeled backpacks is that they give your back a rest and provide another option for manuervering our pack. The downside is that the hip straps on some wheeled backpacks aren’t as thick and sturdy as they would otherwise be. Your choice depends on your trip. If you’re going to be spending a month in the Brazilian rain forest, you’ll likely have little need for wheels. But if you’re going to be backpacking across Europe for three months, you’ll definitely be glad you have them.
Those are just a few key elements to look for when choosing your travel backpack. But no matter which configuration you choose, just remember that it’s only travel. There’s not wrong choose. And with the right attitude you’ll have a good time no matter what’s on your back.
