How to choose the right backpack

As a self-professed gear junkie and overgrown Boy Scout, I believe that having the right equipment makes traveling smoother. Take the backpack for example., every traveler's most important tool. At present, a dozen companies make hundreds of products , some of which are great for travel, some of which are poor. Below you'll find my recommendations.

But first, let's acquaint ourself with some of the lingo. In general, all of the packs described below will have certain characteristics in common. All are built around a metal or plastic frame that will stabilize heavy loads and all come with a hip belt which will help to distribute the weight of those loads off of your shoulders and on to your lower torso. Also, all bags have an advertised carrying capacity, called volume, which is measured in either cubic inches or liters depending on whether you are in the United States or anywhere else. Though personal preferences will vary, it is helpful to think of packs that are smaller than 1800 cubic inches/ 30 liters as daypacks, 1800- 3600/30-59 as short-trip bags, and greater than 3600/59 as extended-trip bags. Finally, these variations in size mean that not all packs fit every person, but are in fact built to a specific torso size. On-line retailers will explain how to measure this in accordance with a specific pack company's specs but, if you're new to this, there's really no substitute for visiting the pack guru at your local outfitter.

Now for the types. Packs come in two general styles, those designed for hiking and those made specifically for travel. Hiking bags are generally more technical than their traveling counterparts and come in a much wider variety of sizes and styles. External-frame packs, like the Kelty to the right, are oldest and most traditional pack, though they have fallen out of fashion in recent years. Typically, externals are used for carrying very heavy loads and are the least useful for traveling because of their bulk and awkward system of straps.

Internal frame packs, like the two pictured here, are the norm today. At least 90% of the hiking packs on the market are built with the lid design visible in the olive green Kelty at the far left, what are called top-loaders. Because it increases water resistance by minimizing leaky zippers, the access to these packs comes mostly by unbuckling the straps connecting the lid, and then reaching down vertically through the body of the bag. While this design is practical for hiking, it is unfortunately cumbersome for the traveler because it requires you to remove whatever you've packed on top to access whatever you've packed on the bottom. In contrast, a minority of internal frame hiking packs take the shape of the black EMS bag on the right, a a panel loader. This lid design is essentially an overgrown version of the backpack you may have used in school; the bag is accessed by opening a half-moon shaped zipper. For this reason it packs much more like a suitcase and is recommended, despite the small selection of models.

Finally, the image at the right is an example of a pack designed by REI specifically for travel. A number of features differentiate this style. Built to survive airline baggage handlers and overnight buses to La Paz, travel packs are made out of heavier nylon and contain less dangling straps than weight sensitive hiking bags. Second, they are typically built more squarely and contain internal straps and pockets to facilitate packing. Third, they usually come with a removable daypack. And finally, they make use of a lighter weight hip belt, which makes the bag less cumbersome as hand luggage but less comfortable on your back.

With so many styles and brands to choose from, there's little more that I can say in the abstract. Instead, your bag needs to be tailored to the trip you are taking and the way that you pack. Scroll through the categories below to read the specific bags I can recommend.

Best carry-on compatible bag: THE EMS NORTHPEAK 45

Size, comfort, and cost: that's how this bag will win you over.  At 2800 cubic inches / 45 liters, this will hold enough gear for any trip shorter than two weeks.  Not only that, but it is the largest bag you are going to be able to sneak past a stewardess, so close does it come to airline carry-on regulations.  Not to mention that it will fit under my legs on Amtrak or on my lap on the overnight bus from London to Paris because I was too cheap to buy a ticket for the Eurostar.  Second, because of its bullet shape, the Northpeak holds weight very close to your body, so it carries easily.  Finally, at $100 USD nothing's cheaper.

Now unfortunately, EMS is local to the US, so this bag may not be available anywhere else.  IF you have trouble tracking it down, here are my second favorites.  The North Face Solaris 40 has a similar shape and carry, but is 5 liters smaller.  Alternatively, the Osprey Porter 46 has about the same volume, but has a different stabilization system and won't be nearly as comfortable as time passes on your back.

Best bag for a longer trip: THE OSPREY WAYPOINT 80

Ok, ok, so you've got more needs than the Northpeak can accommodate and you're just going to have to check a bag.  Spend the $257 US on a Waypoint and you'll be covered in most situations. Its list of pros is long. The Waypoint has the most comfortable suspension system of any travel bag I've ever seen. It's large -- 4300 cubic inches/70 liter not counting a very small, 600/10 daypack -- without being cumbersome.  (If that now strikes you as a bit large, Osprey does make a smaller version.)  Plus, it's square design allows for the easy lashing of a tent or other extra gear on the outside of the pack. The nylon is rugged enough to survive whatever the airport and your Moroccan taxi driver can dish out. And, finally, I've got one lying on my floor, next to my EMS Northpeak.

Final thoughts: my recommendations about pertain to backpackers, those of us with little idea of were were going and even less idea of what we're going to get into.  If you're trip involves more specialized activity -- climbing Kilimanjaro perhaps? -- then do more homework.  There are thousands on top-loading bags out there I did not endorse because, well, packing them just annoys me.  My tastes don't make them wrong for your trip however.  

So, what are you waiting for?

-paul