Choosing the right travel backpack is an important part of your pre-travel preparation. Whether you’re planning to be away for a month or a year, picking the right style, capacity, and construction is vital. Believe me, there’s nothing worse than struggling on public transport or hiking unfamiliar terrain with a backpack that hinders your progress from day one.
There are many brands of travel packs offering options at various price points, so how do you pick the best backpack for traveling? To save you hours of research, let’s cover the information you need to choose the right pack for your backpacking trip.
What Features are Essential When Buying a Travel Backpack?
The best travel backpacks have a number of key components that make them comfortable to wear, easy to pack for a RTW trip, and durable enough to handle every adventure. Looking for a bag that can hold its own on the open road? Make sure it has the following features:
● Water-resistant and durable materials
● Sustainable fabrics
● Organizational compartments
● Sturdy internal frame
● Lockable zippers
● Front/side opening
● Padded, ergonomically shaped backpack straps that zip-away
What’s the Right Capacity Backpack for Your Trip?
I wish I could tell you that there’s a scientific way to work out which is the right capacity backpack for your travels, (number of beaches on your itinerary multiplied by the likelihood of visiting a ski resort equals number of liters perhaps?!).
In reality it’s most important that you choose a backpack proportional to the size of your body so that you are properly balanced when the bag is full. Consider buying a bag made to fit your frame, such as women’s fit backpacks, which contain ergonomic straps and hip belts, as well as an adjustable torso length to guarantee a better fit than most backpacking backpacks out there.
Your second consideration should be whether or not it will hold everything you want to pack. It’s important not to overpack your bag or carry more weight than is comfortable as this may lead to injury.
Make Sure Your Backpack is Environmentally Friendl
The easiest way to travel with a clean conscience is to ensure that you minimize the impact of your travels on the environment. You can do this by offsetting the carbon cost of your flights, booking with ethical tour operators, and choosing a travel backpack that is built using Bluesign® sustainable materials and comes with an iron-clad repair warranty.
Eagle Creek is proud to incorporate Bluesign® certified fabrics and materials into the backpacks and travel gear its customers use to explore the world, and also offers a No Matter What™ Warranty on all its products. Choosing an Eagle Creek backpack will ensure you have a functional, durable, and stylish bag to travel with, while also looking after the environment.
Pick the Right Style of Backpacking Backpacks for RTW Travel
Once you’ve figured out the ideal capacity backpack for your trip you can start to think about the style of backpack. Do you want a convertible backpack that transforms into a wheeled case? Would you rather a duffel-style pack that has cross-body strap and backpack strap options? Maybe you’re looking for a traditional backpack? Each has its own benefits and all three are best suited to different styles of travel.
● Traditional backpack: You know the score here: Padded straps, top-load adjusters, and a hip belt allow for carrying heavy weights for longer periods, leaving you hands-free to map read or navigate public transport.
● Convertible backpack: Convertible backpacks are designed with diverse travelers in mind. Whether rolling through the airports of Europe or strapped to your back in the Australian Outback, this pack is perfect for someone who wants to be organized and prepared to travel in all types of terrain.
● Duffel: A duffel is ideal for travelers exploring overland. Whether hiking or road tripping, a lightweight and durable duffel with backpack straps will help you carry and organize your gear wherever you roam.
How to Get Value for Money When Choosing a Backpack
The answer is very simple: Choose the right backpack first time and you’ll probably never have to replace it. Buy a durable, lightweight backpack built with sustainable design that comes with a No Matter What™ warranty, like those in the Eagle Creek range, and it will be ready to travel with you whatever the adventure.
Shop Eagle Creek’s full range of sustainable travel backpacks to find the perfect bag for your next trip.
Related Links (from Eagle Creek blog):
The Ultimate travel Packing Checklist
