I was thinking of titling this post, “what type of backpack do you carry” (and I likely will ask this in a future post), but remembered in your comments that a backpack isn’t necessary to be a backpacker.
So, I’m curious, what type of luggage do you typically travel with, whether it be a backpack, wheeled suitcase, or something else?
Right now I’ve got a Kelty Redwing 3100 that I use, a Wenger Synergy Backpack that keeps proving its usefulness to me, and an REI Travel Zip that fits inside of that. Please let me know what you travel with and I’ll share some of the responses in an upcoming post. I suspect you’ve got an eclectic set of luggage styles and look forward to hearing what they are – as well as a bit about what’s inside too.
[photo by: geishaboy500]
Always a backpack, the smaller the better. A 20L one usually do up to a week.
Wish I could go that light, all the tech weighs me down!
I am in Copenhagen at the moment, for ten days, a bit of work and a bit of holiday. I have the laptop (HP 11.6″), a camera, a smartphone, another (useless) phone, a nikeplus kit (for running, not sure when i am going to use it), an iPod shuffle (useless too), a USB modem, a mouse and a few chargers. OK, could not fit the DLR camera but is not already too much tech stuff?
haha, ok you’ve got me. That’s a good amount of tech – I should come up with a post or something of all the things I carry to keep my office portable.
great idea. and we want a picture too of all the stuff!
We used 2 Travel Pro lightweight rolling duffel bags and one cheap soft side rolling suitcase. For the first part of our trip we also had another regular duffel bag but we left it and one carry-on behind for the second part of our trip. All of it pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/4suitcases/2914937244/
Thanks for the visual! Is the red bag the other rolling duffel?
No, the red on was not a roller. It held snorkel gear and fins for the 4 of us which we ditched once we left the Caribbean. The rolling duffel bags are the green ones.
I’ve always used the same backpack: http://bit.ly/cHPCb3
How long have you been using it for Tim?
I use a TravelPro Rollaboard carryon wheeled suitcase, and a Targus laptop-configured backpack.
The backpack is so I can meet the “one personal item” rule on planes; I empty purse contents into it, flatten purse and put it in my suitcase so I can use it at the other end. Not crazy about walking around with a backpack; looks too touristy.
My suitcase always includes a compact umbrella, a magnifying mirror with suction cups (to stick on hotel bathroom mirrors – hey, I have 49-year-old eyesight and without magnification I’d end up putting mascara on my nose) and often a small Grundig multi-band radio because I like music in my room and sometimes there are cool local stations.
My iPod is preloaded with podcasts that I never have time to listen to otherwise: This Week in Travel, The Amateur Traveler and Indie Travel Podcast.
Hi Sheila, thanks for sharing! I love the contents, some things I wouldn’t have thought of but think are very useful. The radio is a great idea, think I’ll have to use that one next time to catch some of the local stations I’d miss otherwise.
Kelty — FTW! I have a Kelty sling-style daypack that’s six years old now. And it looks almost brand new. Love their gear. Very well made. Would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone!
I haven’t seen that one, I’ll look around to get an image in my head. I’ve been looking more and more at a sling style pack but I just like browsing through various bags in general 🙂
Dodgy, but hardwearing “North Face” 70l backpack I bought in Thailand, with zip-on, zip-off 20l daypack. My son has a Deuter Fox 30. In our defence, we’re away for the big end of two years, we’re travelling in temperatures from sub-zero to forty-plus, plus we’re bookaholics.
The “North Face” is holding up? Awesome – I’m book freak too, used to be my biggest weight but invested in a $150 Nook. Wonderful travel gadget if you can get your hands on one 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
About 15 years ago I bought an MEC Carry-on Travel Pack. It’s not the same as the one they have now with elastic cords and all kinds of gizmos – just a simple big pocket and a little pocket. It holds 30L, has a handle, shoulder strap and backpack straps. I can carry it on, fit in everything I need for any trip (including the laptop I’ve acquire) and I live in terror that something is going to happen to it. I also have an MEC Travel All Shoulder bag instead of a daypack. You can wear it across your boddy which is handy for hopping on and off of trains since it just slides ’round into your lap. It is a bit like a Tardis and I continually stuff things in it and then wonder why it weighs so much.
A pack with shoulder and backpack straps is great. I feel the ones that sling across your body are a bit less tough on the back.
We have left the UK to travel indefinitely as digital nomads and manage to travel hand luggage only. I have a 30 litre Vango transit backpack and my partner Simon has a North Face 40 litre Overhaul backpack. We were looking for bags that zip all around the sides for easy access and so we can lock them. Simon also carries a Martin backpacker travel guitar. We don’t have a separate day pack.
We still manage to fit a 13 inch Macpook Pro, Asus Eeepc and Canon digital SLR with 18-200mm super zoom lens into these. They weigh about 10kg each, which is more than I like but a lot less than most backpackers.
I really recommend the hand luggage size option. We don’t have to wait for luggage after planes and can take our bags onto South American buses rather than putting them in the luggage compartment or roof.
If anyone is interested our packing list is here: http://www.neverendingvoyage.com/what-do-you-pack-when-you-are-leaving-forever-our-packing-list/
That video on your site is incredible. I’m still trying to visualize getting all of that stuff in those bags! Nice guitar btw, I’ll have to look into getting one of those 🙂
I use the Kirkland brand luggage at Costco. Of course I’m not a backpacker. The luggage I travel with depends on the trip that I’m taking. Rolling duffle bags (both carryon size and checked size) are great. On a trip to Hawaii, I packed snorkeling gear (for 2) into the large rolling duffle bag. One tip for staying organized with a rolling duffle bag, organize each day’s outfit in a large plastic bag. Clothes won’t get as wrinkled and it will be easy to pull out exactly what you need.
When I’m going light and not checking a bag (which is as often as I can), I use an old Samsonite roll-aboard that needs replacing. Like Sheila, my personal item is either a backpack (which Hertz provided at TBEX last year) or a large Parazul bag.
I’ve found Kirkland’s products in general to be of good quality and I love the idea of the plastic bags for outfits. I’m still trying to figure out a way not to destroy my packing efforts on the first try!
Victorinox rolling backpacks. Love, love, love them. We use them rolling about 95% of the time but, occasionally, we convert them into backpacks if need be. They are sturdy, comfortable, lightweight, and have a lifetime warranty (which we’ve used twice over the last 3 years). These packs are going to be with us for a long, long time.
They make the best products. My (Wenger) backpack looks still like new after years of travel. High, high quality, I love them too!
I have a 60L MEC backpack and I carry a small shoulder bag – no turtling for me. But if I had to do it again I would have picked 45L and just been choosier about what I packed. I carry way too many t-shirts right now.
I wish I could get into backpack design. So many design options still out there I’m sure to avoid the dreaded turtle.
Sharon and I both have Jansport Klamath 68’s — http://www.jansport.com/js_product_detail.php?cid=16&pid=TTE8. They’re honestly too big, but we’ve disciplined and keep it underpacked.
The best purchase we’ve made for inside the bag are vacuum-seal travel roll bags. Only $10 and after 9 months they’re still going strong. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000TQGVI/ref=oss_product
I didn’t know they made traveling backpacks, I’ll check them out. I’ve heard lots of people talk very highly about how useful those roll bags are, guess I’ll have to get one and try it out 🙂
My style of travel is lots of short breaks so a backpack wouldn’t be much use to me, but my family has 3 of the exact same Berghaus Optimus 40 carry on small suitcase – meets the Easyjet & Ryanair carry-on criteria, is light with lots of pockets, wheels and backpack straps (if you must carry it)
If it meets Ryanair’s requirements, it will fit on any plane!
Backpack. I once traveled with a suitcase and I just felt dirty.
Ha! I couldn’t imagine you with anything else 🙂
At 63 now I am mostly restricted to a wheelie for the main load. I’ve had back problems since my 20s, but it’s ok so long as I listen to its needs, so I don’t overload it. I hate it when I have to fumble for things, so I’m very fussy about how I carry and pack. My laptop (which hopefully will be reduced to a netbook by the end of this year) and my “baby” my Canon DLR go into my carryon, which is a backpack, so I have to be careful not to put too much else in there, basically, what would normally go into a woman’s handbag plus a couple of books. My current wheelie is Antler and was kindly supplied by British Airways when they broke the handle on my previous one, which had kindly been supplied by United (I think) when they broke the wheel off my brand-new Walmart-bought (in emergency!) one. It was a great few months – every time an airline broke my bag it was replaced by a better one! The Antler has been going strong since the beginning of 2004, but hasn’t seen an awful lot of use over the last four years :=(
I’d be interested if you did a post like this about cameras! I love my EOS500D, but it isn’t always practical, for all sorts of reasons, even using locally. I wonder what kind of compacts people prefer?
The airlines replaced your damaged luggage…twice!?! Incredible! How hard/easy was that?
Will also keep you question in mind for an upcoming post down the line…also, if you’ve got any netbook questions feel free to get in touch 🙂
Astoundingly easy! First time, arrival in Buffalo NY to find wheels broken. I was going to leave it (been in Canary Islands too long, was going to just shrug it off), but my son’s sassy girlfriend wouldn’t let me. We went to the service desk and filled in a form. “Just a minute”, said the guy, went behind a screen and came out with a brand-new case, bigger and better than the damaged one! It was about 12 mths later, arriving in Nice, France when I found BA had damaged the handle on that. Only because I remembered Kristen’s attitude (if you don’t complain, you’ll never know) did I approach the BA desk, they took my details and said they’d see what they could do, and I walked away thinking “won’t happen twice”. I’d had to leave an address in England, so I’d given them my aunt’s whom I was due to visit a few weeks on. Two days later she rang me to tell me that an ENormous package had arrived for me. This was 2003/4, and I seriously doubt it would happen now!!!
Thanks for the computer advice. It’s appreciated!
I’m traveling with a Gregory Baltoro 65L. To be honest, I haven’t used it much as I bought a campervan right when I got to New Zealand. Prior to that, it was a Osprey Crescent 85L which I loved – it was just too big.
The Baltoro is front and top loading which is a huge plus for me. If you remember my recent post on carrying a laptop on the road, I’m still looking to get a daypack to compliment the Gregory. Haven’t made a purchase yet – I’d love to get one to review! 🙂
I really want to design a sling that hooks up/into a larger backpack. As for the review, not sure how to go about it. People have usually come to me but Twitter might be a good place to start.
I’ve used a Karrimor Global 70-90 backpack for the past 7 years and it’s still going strong. I’ve never extended it to the 90 end, it’s like a mental block — I know I have it, but don’t want to jinx the ‘new’ extension.
Neat backpack, so you can expand with the detachable daypack or the larger pack itself?
My faithful pack is a 55L Eagle Creek Meridan and my favorite, favorite part of the backpack (and all of E.Creek’s backpacks I believe) is that it is front loading. I have watched so many travelers struggle with the rucksack style bags and love the huge U-shaped zipper. I compliment my luggage (and complete the “turtle-look” with a NorthFace Surge front pack for my laptop. It’s gone RTW for a few years now (I inherited it from a friend) and is still going strong and loyal! 🙂
Front loading is a person must for any backpack I’ll use. Thanks for adding, I often go turtle too 🙂
I’ve been using the same Kelty Redwing 2900 for the past 10+ years and it’s survived every kind of beating imaginable, including knife slashes from a suspicious customs official in Austria. I love this pack and have no plans to change any time soon.
I did recently buy an REI Flash 18 Pack to use as a daypack, and it stuffs into a tiny ball when not needed. I wanted the same Zip Pack that you have but they’re on backorder and I needed to get something!
Didn’t know about the 18s, but the extra size might end up being more useful. Would be interested to know how you like it after a few trips.
I’m loving the Flash 18 pack so far. It’s amazing how sturdy a $25 daypack can be and it also has excellent pocket placements inside. I’ve been using it quite often already whenever I go out for the day down here in Mexico…
I hate using backpacks. Unless you are going trekking I don’t think there is any reason to use a backpack.
I have been using a hard shell Samsonite suitcase for the last 6 years and love it. My wife and I just bought a second one after lugging a bag without wheels around Montreal for a couple of hours. They are fantastic for traveling for many reasons.
1. They are lightweight.
2. They are incredibly sturdy. Nothing gets damaged inside.
3. They have the largest suitcase wheels which makes them easy to roll on grass or up large curves.
4. The wheels and locks don’t break like other suitcases. They are over-sized with a very simple functionality.
5. Having good wheels means you are NOT carrying your stuff everywhere. You are probably already carrying a computer backpack, you definitely don’t need something else on your back.
6. They can be securely locked. The built-in locks are a great minor deterence, but an additional cable lock means no one will get in.
7. The bright colors (red and blue) are easy to see when you are picking up your luggage.
8. They come with a 10 year warranty. We have gone through 3 cheaper suitcases over the same time as we had our first Samsonite. They really last forever.
9. They are completely water-proof in the rain.
The Samsonites cost a little more than other choices but definitely worth it in my mind.
I never mind paying more for gear, which I routinely do, in exchange for quality and reliability. Thanks for the recommendation John!
I bought a Samsonite on a whim a few years back. Matching set in fact. **Blushing**, though not the model you mention. The bags have been great, but case a great disappointment. Used it once, then loaned it to my son when he had to go to a posh hotel (Travelling from Spain to US), and it came back minus a wheel. I must agree that it is totally brilliant so far as the packing goes, ample, lots of pockets to separate and keep track of stuff, but I was really disappointed about the wheel, especially since I’d spent so much on it. On the other hand I have a Samsonite daypack which I have used almost daily for four years or so, and it is marvellous, hands down the best of the 3 I have.
It depends how long you gonna be on the road. For me if it is 15-20 days trip, it is mostly a backpack and a very small shoulder bag which can contain only imp. papers, wallet, small water bottle and small titbits for my day trip. This remains inside my other bag till I reach my destination.
A wheeled collapsible one (air bag) gets added to my luggage if I am on a longer trip. More clothes, shoes, thin bed sheet etc are to be added, you see. 🙂
I am sorry, I am late here as I am still recovering from Dengue fever. 🙁
But was reading all your posts thru reader.
Hope you’re feeling better and you’ve full recovered without any lasting effects. Thanks for sharing about the luggage you travel with!
I have a Kelty Redwing 2900 (2900 cubic inches) that I bought a few years ago. Been happy with it. Recently I have wanted a slightly larger pack so today I bought the Kelty Redwing 3100 (3100 cubic inches). I have the 2 packs side by side now on the floor. I have been measuring every dimension and they are essentially identical in size. Looking at them they also appear to be exactly the same size. The style of zippers, etc. has changed a little bit, but the new pack is definitely not 200 cubic inches larger. What’s the deal here? Even though Kelty claims on their website and on the tag that it is 3100 cubic inches is it really 2900 cubic inches? This is bizarre and I am really disappointed. Has anyone else here checked out these two packs?
I have the 3100 but not the 2900 and can’t do a side-by-side comparison. You should write to them and see what they say; how did you measure the volume?
Last night I spent time with a tape measure carefully measuring the internal dimensions of the 2900 and 3100. I checked the length, the width at 3 points, and the depth at 2 points (top and middle of pack). I also stood them up back to back and verified that the height and width were the same. The exterior pockets are similar and the volume appear to be the same. Then this morning my wife said she wanted to measure. Her hobby is sewing so has a lot more experience measuring irregularly shaped things made of cloth. She discovered where I messed up. 🙂 As I said I measured the depth of the pack at the top and middle, but didn’t measure at the bottom. On the 2900 the bottom is the same as the top and middle. Well, it turns out that the bottom of the 3100 is much deeper than the middle and top. It sort of bulges out at the bottom when it is full. The 3100’s volume really is larger than the 2900. Sorry for the confusion. 🙂
Now, for an unrelated thing. Kelty has for some reason eliminated the metal pull tabs from the zippers and replaced them with a short loop of string. I hate this style, but I notice that these days many packs have these sort of pull tabs. They are much less robust, but the biggest issue for me is that I use my 2900 for backpack travel in various countries. I have small padlocks that I use to lock my pack. The padlock goes through the holes at the base of the pull tabs. Of course, this doesn’t create absolute security, but it is sufficient to discourage thieves who are looking for a quick, easy theft. It is also sufficient generally when I leave my pack in the room of a guesthouse. With the 3100 there are only these cheap string loops attached to the zipper. 🙁 Does anyone have any idea why Kelty and some other companies have switched to this style? Is it just because they are cheap? How expensive is a normal metal pull tab?
I leave for a month traveling in Vietnam on Monday. I planned to use the 3100, but now I am wondering if I should go back to my old 2900? The 2900 was fine for many years, but lately I have been carrying a bit more camera gear than a few years ago because digital requires battery chargers, etc. Also, I have started carrying a netbook. My old 2900 is just a bit too small now, but the 3100 should be fine and even leave a bit of space. If interested, you can see my photos here:
http://www.bakubo.com
Good to know Kelty didn’t skimp on the measurements!
I’ve wondered a lot about the zippers as well – now that you bring it up it’s probably a good reason enough to write to the company (think I’ll do that just now). I suspect they do it because it’s cheap; although I’m sure a tailor could easily replace them for little cost to ‘standard’ zippers. Might be worth doing, the locks are a good deterrent, especially if you ever have to check the bag in with the airlines.