Choosing the Right Travel Backpack December 4, 2009
If you’re looking to do some extensive traveling or hiking, the most important piece of equipment you will bring on the road is your backpack. With seemingly hundreds of brand, styles, and sizes, it is a difficult decision that should not be made on a whim. Having personally backpacked through Europe and parts of Asia and North America, the decision of which travel backpack to choose was a tedious process. However, the end result has been a pack that has been with me for over 5 years, and still in great shape.
It is important to think of the type of traveling you will be doing, and try to input that in your decision. If you will be taking airplanes, trains, buses, boats, etc, all need to be considered. Day trips, hiking, storage, also need to be looked at. This is because for the average traveller, they will experience a number of these.
Remember to look at this such as, does the backpack have a day pack for you? So you don’t have to lug around all of your possessions the whole day. Does the pack have a rain cover, in case you are caught in the rain? Is there a cover for your straps of the backpack, in case you have to check your luggage? You surely don’t want to arrive at your destination with a busted strap! Is it a top loading or suitcase style pack, which will determine how you pack? Does the backpack have extra straps for storage, pockets, etc?
As you can see there are so many things to consider when choosing the right one for you. It should not be a hasty decision. Take your time. Try them on. And most importantly, remember that this is the first step in a life changing experience!