In preparing for my trip, I consulted a lot of blogs and am looking to join the fray of packing advice for backpackers. Because there is a lot of content to include, and I want to be detailed, I’m breaking this up into sections because good Lord am I long-winded sometimes.
First of all: my packs. I did a good bit of research online, talked to staff at REI, and ultimately bought an Osprey Ace 50 L pack. I’m a petite woman and was really cognizant of not having a pack that overwhelmed my body; I got my back measured and at 15″ was in the upper range of adjustable kids’ packs (like the Ace). If you aren’t familiar with backpacking, it’s really helpful to get advice in-person at a place like REI; in addition to sizing me (which I admittedly didn’t know was a thing before), the staff showed me how to adjust my pack, where it should (and shouldn’t) sit, and even added weight and let me walk around the store to more closely simulate my experience. I liked the shape, size, and feel of the the Ace, plus it was only about $120. I saved myself $60+ buying a kid’s pack versus an adult pack, but there are a lot of adult packs of varying prices that would work for smaller women as well.
In determining how many liters to bring, I did a lot of research, but it ultimately came down to what I personally was and wasn’t willing to carry; REI staff even suggested up to 70 or 80 L for travel packs, and some people online who had done RTW travel carried as much. I, however, didn’t want to allow myself more than 50 L so I forced myself to fit everything in that pack. And let me tell you, 50 L was perfect for me. I felt like I had space to fit everything without allowing myself to overpack. Honestly, I couldn’t have been happier with this pack. It absolutely kept up with me for a month, was comfortable, had different access points (without being so accessible that I was worried about pickpockets), and was small enough to be a carry-on, which was a huge plus. Something to keep in mind: some packs have a sturdy back support which, admittedly, might be more comfortable but, because of its dimensions and rigidity, can be restrictive when aggressively shoving bags into overhead bins.
I also bought a daypack because I like to have certain things with me on planes, walking around, etc. and didn’t want to have to deal with my large pack any more often than absolutely necessary. That being said, I also wanted something that could pack down small and cram into my big pack if I needed to be more streamlined. REI makes a collapsible daypack for around $30 that I’m sure is totally durable and comparable to what I had. I ended up getting an Eddie Bauer Stowaway Packable Daypack for $20 on sale, and admittedly, I also liked that it color coordinated with my backpack…this daypack is 20 L so, to somewhat amend my previous statement, I did at times carry 70 L worth of stuff. However, the flexibility of packing it away on flights that only allowed one bag or of just carrying 20 L around was super worth it. I know there are also full-sized backpacks that come with detachable daypacks if that’s something you’re interested in. Again, the daypack met my needs really well; it always held what I wanted it to, usually with room to spare, and was tougher and more durable than I expected. The only downside was that it didn’t have a waist belt, which sometimes meant I was carrying a bit of weight entirely on my shoulders; overall, for the price and its purpose, I was happy with it.
Something I was a little nervous about was accessing things in my pack without having to unpack and repack constantly. I’ve traveled with a government-issue duffel bag that was a complete pain because my arms could barely reach the bottom, I had little to no organization, and I spent so much time searching for one rolled shirt that I ended up repacking every. single. stop. To mitigate this, I used ditty sacks; others swear by compression sacks and/or packing cubes which I’m sure are a good option as well, depending on needs. Each one is available in different sizes and price ranges, but I ended up with a pack of 3 ditty bags by Outdoor Products for all of $5; I was concerned that they wouldn’t last the trip, but I stuffed them to capacity, packed and repacked them, and still they’re going strong. I sorted mine by pants, shirts, and underwear/socks/bathing suits, which made grabbing an individual item of clothing super easy. I had a small toiletry bag that I put in my carry-on (for those things I couldn’t risk losing) and put the rest of my toiletries and miscellaneous items in grocery bags. This way, I could access them easily, replace the bags as needed, and use the bags I already had around the house.
Another thing I like about the Osprey is the bottom access panel; I stored my shoes in there but could reach up into the main compartment of the pack if I wanted to. It fit two pairs of shoes easily and three with a bit of a squeeze. The pack also comes with a rain cover, which stores compactly into its own compartment. Finally, I bought a large laundry bag for $5 to put my pack in when I checked it; this might have been a bit neurotic, but I wanted to make sure my straps didn’t get caught on anything while being slung around by baggage handlers. However, I saw plenty of others’ packs come out at baggage claim seemingly intact, even without any kind of cover.
Stay tuned for the next couple of packing-related posts!
Readventure Self 