Will be backpacking in Southwest China (think Nepal) so I'm looking need a travel backpack.
We don't plan to necessarily hike with a backpack on (we'll drop it off somewhere), but there are lots of buses and trains that we'll be taking and also walking so it's going to be much easier with a backpack.
In the past I've survived backpacking with a Hershel 15" but that one's starting to break apart and I think I need a bigger one anyways.
Any recommendations on a travel backpack?
I recently bought a Patagonia Black Hole 32 L back pack and am really impressed with it. Spacious, comfortable, adaptable as a daypack or a longer multi-week trip.
They seem to have discontinued the one I bought, or it's temporarily gone from the Patagonia website, but the slighter smaller 30L pack looks great too:
https://www.patagonia.com.au/collections/black-hole-bags/pro…
This is the one I bought
https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5041-737/Black-Hole-Pack-32L
It's not without it's faults (no external bottle holder, slightly tapered designed, minimal internal compartments, not the easiest to get small things in and out in a hurry) but overall it's a great pack and I'm happy to live with these limitations. Significantly more comfortable than my previous macpac.
It's relatively early days yet, but I'm really impressed with the build quality and comfort. I use the 32 L for carry on baggage and as I travel pretty light, so far it carries enough clothes and gear for multi-week trips. But I also dump clothes where I'm staying and it's a handy dayback as well.
I'm also impressed by their commitment to sustainability and their warranty.
Warranty is worth considering. I bought the Patagonia as a replacement for a 26L macpac when the macpac zipper died while I was overseas. When I returned home to Melb I took it to the macpac store and after an inspection, they agreed that repairs to the zipper would be covered under warranty. Which is great as everything else about the backpack was in great condition after 4 years or so of decent usage, and it would be a total waste of material and resources to bin the backpack just for a broken zipper.
I think Hershel have a reasonable warranty policy as well.
Also, re: back packs. So many to choose from. I ended up being swayed towards Patagonia because of the company ethos, a reputation for well made gear and a commitment to repairing broken equipment.
Realistically there are so many packs that would do the job. But durability and comfort are factors worth considering that you can't really appreciate until you use the gear.
I've been keeping an eye on an offer for one of these https://www.nomatic.com/pages/nomatic-travel-bag looks perfect for me but not sure how it would suit you.
Best of luck!
They have a kickstarter running at the moment for a slightly smaller (30L) bag.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1131502390/the-nomatic-…
I have a 40L Osprey farpoint and a 70ish Macpac. Can't fault either.
Osprey is handy as it's carry on sized, but I don't use it much anymore as I travel a lot less domestically for work now.
Macpac is still relatively compact but has to go under the plane.
I got a Macpac 65l (I think) paired with daypack a few years back. Relatively compact. It has its quirks but I'm pleased with it.
I think it's best to go to a physical store and try various candidates for fit (walk around the shop a bit) because it's very individual. Have an idea what capacity you need before going.
I think the osprey farpoint 40 is a good option but there isn't any inbuilt management for items. It is designed to fit within carry on limits, likewise for the porter 46.
look into Caribee. they dont get as much love as patagonia and others, but i think they are cheaper and still good quality. mostly around $100 or so
i picked up some model with 30l capacity or so, like a slightly large regular backpack size, but designed like a massive backpacking bag. so with a waist strap, adjustable shoulder straps etc. basically a mini backpacking bag if you arent after something big. but they have sizes extending up from there too
also a good idea to get a packable backpack for when you drop off your main bag. one of those super thin and flimsy ones that doesnt take much space or weight and zips up into itself. you can get expensive ones from camping brands, but you can probably find them for under $20, maybe even at daiso.
Just finished almost a year out of a osprey farpoint 40.
i thing the quality is good and it has a bit of a frame in it for support.
fits in carry on so you can save plenty of money not buying check in luggage and you get out or airports faster.
good access as its front loader.
the front mesh pockets are terrible for water bottle holding as you cant reach them when wearing it. also if you travel with a laptop its a crappy laptop sleeve.
so i wouldn't recommend it a as "tech" style backpack due to the laptop sleeve and lack of organisation.
also every backpacker is using the same backpack too so a few times on busses and stuff i almost got confused grabbing someone elses. so maybe a brighter colour over the black would help this.
GL
You could just put multicoloured tape or ribbons on the luggage to make it obvious which one is yours.
Whichever one you decide on make sure you try it on first and walk around. We bought some Black Wolf ones, which are comfortable and good for shortish distances, but if you add in the daypack it sticks out a fair way. If you are in a crowd and turn around you are likely to hit someone. If you move the daypack to the front it isn’t an issue.
Thanks for all the comments everyone. I ended up getting the Osgrey Farpoint 40 S/M due to it's carry on status, good reviews, price (got it for $100 while some of the others being recommended were close to $200) and simplicity.
Gotta say though, the Nomatic looks amazing but the larger size is out of our budget and the smaller one on Kickstarter won't be delivered in time.
My travel companion is also looking to get a new backpack and is tossing up between a Hershel (the current one did last me for the last 3 years of holidays) or my Osgrey so we'll see what how it feels once it's delivered.
Deuter make some great backpacks, check them out