RTW Tips: bags and backpacks
People say the best time to pack is after you get home from a trip. That's when you know what was most useful, what you didn't use much, and what you wish you had. This is the first in a series of RTW Tips about what to pack.
Bags and Backpacks
I only had two bags for my entire trip (though at the end I added a shopping bag to take back some of my snowboarding gear from my last stop in New Zealand). Having only two bags is one thing I definitely wouldn't change.
My "big" bag is the REI Vagabond 2.0 on the right. I loved it. At only 40L capacity, it's tiny in comparison to most backpacker backpacks, but that meant that I could actually carry it onboard as cabin baggage on many of my flights (United, South African on my international flight, and Singapore). Plus, it's short enough that it can go in "head first" in the overhead bins on narrow-body aircraft. But if I did have to (or want to) check it in, the straps conveniently fit inside a stiff back panel to avoid getting caught up in any baggage conveyer belts. If a hostel did have a large locker available, it could always fit inside. And the bag opens up like a suitcase (i.e. big opening) vs. a traditional backpack with a small opening on top, making it easier to pack and unpack. The downside is that everything is a very snug fit, and you have to be really judicious with what you put into it (I'll go into clothes and shoes next). Unfortunately REI has discontinued this model, but I would definitely look for the qualities I've described if you're into traveling light.
My "personal" bag is the black Timbuk2 "medium" messenger bag on the left. I've had messenger bags just like this one for more than 10 years, and Timbuk2 definitely makes the sturdiest one. I also like all of the pockets to organize small things, whereas the main compartment is huge. If I don't have a lot of stuff in it, it's slim enough to not have to check in at most museums. But it's commodious enough to fit toiletries, spare clothes, netbook, diary, spare batteries and chargers, camera, etc. if needed. And actually looking at the picture, the bag is not that much smaller than my backpack (or I guess my backpack's not much bigger than my messenger bag).
Whatever bags you get, do keep the number of bags down to two. It just makes things so much easier to keep track of. Plus you get to keep your hands free to grab on to bus handles, take pictures, eat, etc.
