Picking the right backpack is as important part of any trip. Too big and you’ll have too much extra weight. Too small and you’ll never fit anything in. Pick the wrong material and when it rains, your stuff will be soaked. I spent a good hour picking out my first pack and that was also after hours of online research. So you don’t have to do the same, here are a few tips to make your search go quicker:
Three Things to Consider:
Size: Your backpack should be both proportional to your body and comfortable enough to allow you to carry about twenty pounds. If your backpack is too big or too small, the weight won’t be balanced properly and will cause you back pain or maybe make you topple over. You don’t want a sky scrapper rising from your back. Your bag should also be big enough to carry about 20 pounds because, in the end, you’re going to buy stuff and things shift and aren’t always packed well. (But remember- I’m a big proponent of “pack light” so pack less and you’ll back will thank you.)
Style: Maybe I’m being vain here but let’s face it- you have to look at this backpack for a long time. Get something that you like looking at. Try out as many different styles as you can before you make your decision. But make sure you don’t sacrifice usability for style. Get something you like but also something useful. It sits in the hostel for most of the time anyways. Don’t get the best looking but most useless pack.
Material: While it does not need to be 100% waterproof, make sure your bag is made out of a semi-waterproof material so everything doesn’t get wet in a drizzle (many packs come with tarps you can put over them in case of a severe downpour). Moreover, make sure the material won’t stay wet long and there by get musty.
Things your Backpack SHOULD Have:
Front Panel Loading
A lot of backpacks are top loading (you get in from the top) but when you need something in a hurry this can be very inconvenient. Front loading packs are much more convenient as they zip around the length of the pack. This allows you to get into any part of your bag so you don’t have to take out all your stuff if you need something at the bottom. This is not so important if you have a very small pack.
Lockable Zippers
Make sure each compartment has two zippers so you can lock them together. If your pack doesn’t have two zippers, you can always get Pacsafe, which wraps a metal mesh around your whole bag. (Though it is heavy to carry around.)
Multiple Compartments
You don’t want to keep all your stuff in one place. Make sure your bag has multiple compartments so you can break up (and hide) your belongings.
Internal Frame
Who wants big, ugly rods sticking out? Not me!!! The majority of backpacks today are internal framed but some are still external. Make sure you buy the internal frame. It not only looks better but the rods won’t get caught on anything. Additionally, internal framed packs tend to be lighter.
Padded Hip Belt
Most of the weight you carry will be on your hips, so you’ll want a padded belt to make supporting the weight more comfortable.
Padded Shoulder Straps
Makes carrying your load more comfortable as a lot of your pack will be pushing downward on your shoulders.
Chest Strap
This helps move the weight forward a bit and distributes the weight evenly among your upper body, making that walk up the hill to the hostel much, much easier.
Contoured/Padded Back
A lumbar shaped pack makes carrying it more comfortable as it helps distributes weight more evenly.
A good place to purchase your backpack, as well as other supplies, is REI. They have excellent backpacks and I use their Mars pack myself. Here are some good packs to choose from:
Choosing the Right Backpack
Picking the right backpack is as important part of any trip. Too big and you’ll have too much extra weight. Too small and you’ll never fit anything in. Pick the wrong material and when it rains, your stuff will be soaked. I spent a good hour picking out my first pack and that was also after hours of online research. So you don’t have to do the same, here are a few tips to make your search go quicker:
Three Things to Consider:
Size: Your backpack should be both proportional to your body and comfortable enough to allow you to carry about twenty pounds. If your backpack is too big or too small, the weight won’t be balanced properly and will cause you back pain or maybe make you topple over. You don’t want a sky scrapper rising from your back. Your bag should also be big enough to carry about 20 pounds because, in the end, you’re going to buy stuff and things shift and aren’t always packed well. (But remember- I’m a big proponent of “pack light” so pack less and you’ll back will thank you.)
Style: Maybe I’m being vain here but let’s face it- you have to look at this backpack for a long time. Get something that you like looking at. Try out as many different styles as you can before you make your decision. But make sure you don’t sacrifice usability for style. Get something you like but also something useful. It sits in the hostel for most of the time anyways. Don’t get the best looking but most useless pack.
Material: While it does not need to be 100% waterproof, make sure your bag is made out of a semi-waterproof material so everything doesn’t get wet in a drizzle (many packs come with tarps you can put over them in case of a severe downpour). Moreover, make sure the material won’t stay wet long and there by get musty.
Things your Backpack SHOULD Have:
Front Panel Loading
A lot of backpacks are top loading (you get in from the top) but when you need something in a hurry this can be very inconvenient. Front loading packs are much more convenient as they zip around the length of the pack. This allows you to get into any part of your bag so you don’t have to take out all your stuff if you need something at the bottom. This is not so important if you have a very small pack.
Lockable Zippers
Make sure each compartment has two zippers so you can lock them together. If your pack doesn’t have two zippers, you can always get Pacsafe, which wraps a metal mesh around your whole bag. (Though it is heavy to carry around.)
Multiple Compartments
You don’t want to keep all your stuff in one place. Make sure your bag has multiple compartments so you can break up (and hide) your belongings.
Internal Frame
Who wants big, ugly rods sticking out? Not me!!! The majority of backpacks today are internal framed but some are still external. Make sure you buy the internal frame. It not only looks better but the rods won’t get caught on anything. Additionally, internal framed packs tend to be lighter.
Padded Hip Belt
Most of the weight you carry will be on your hips, so you’ll want a padded belt to make supporting the weight more comfortable.
Padded Shoulder Straps
Makes carrying your load more comfortable as a lot of your pack will be pushing downward on your shoulders.
Chest Strap
This helps move the weight forward a bit and distributes the weight evenly among your upper body, making that walk up the hill to the hostel much, much easier.
Contoured/Padded Back
A lumbar shaped pack makes carrying it more comfortable as it helps distributes weight more evenly.
A good place to purchase your backpack, as well as other supplies, is REI. They have excellent backpacks and I use their Mars pack myself. Here are some good packs to choose from:
Gregory Baltoro 70 Pack
Deuter Aircontact Lite
Osprey Aether 70 Pack
Osprey Ariel 65 Pack – Women’s
Gregory Palisade 80 Pack
Gregory Deva 60 Pack – Women’s
Osprey Atmos 65 Pack
Gregory Z55 Pack
REI Venus 75 Pack – ‘08 Women’s
REI Galaxy Pack
REI Mars 85 Pack – ‘08