a guide to buying your travel backpack

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Eagle Creek Global Companion 40L

Unfortunately, this bag has been discontinued by Eagle Creek. After using multiple other backpacks, like the Rick Steves 45L, Osprey Fairview 40L, etc. I can confidently say this was one of the best backpacks on the market. You may be able to find this backpack sitting somewhere at an outfitter on the internet…
Its features included well-thought-out pockets, a mesh stuff pocket for wet clothes, a laptop sleeve, a clamshell opening, a built-in rain cover, compression straps, 2 water bottle pockets, and considered a carry-on on most airlines.

Osprey Fairview 55L

Me? Recommending a backpack over 45L?!
Normally, I would always recommend buying a backpack 45L or under for multiple reasons, but this backpack is the exception. Even at the slightly more expensive price point of $215 USD, I think the design is worth the extra investment.
The Osprey Fairview 55L is really a 45L backpack with a detachable 15L daypack. This feature allows the backpack to still be a carry-on on most airlines while eliminating one of my biggest travel pet peeves, carrying your day pack on your chest on travel days.
Other key design features include clips on the straps to comfortably wear your daypack on your chest, a clamshell opening, compression straps, a stuff pocket, and a zip-up-compartment to protect your straps if you want to check your bag.
A couple of things I don’t love about the bag: no rain cover, no side water bottle pockets, and the semi-bulky mesh back support.

If neither of these choices seems to fit your needs, try to keep these few things in mind when buying your main travel backpack:

  1. Keep it under 45L. As a backpacker, one of the easiest ways to save money is to avoid paying expensive airline baggage fees. Especially since most budget airlines will not allow you to check a bag for free. Even if that’s not enough to convince you, it is simply difficult to travel with a huge heavy backpack when navigating foreign public transport, trying to rummage through your bag in a small dorm room, or fitting your bag in a standard dorm locker. There have been many times when I’ve had to sit for hours on a bus with both my main backpack and day backpack on my lap (or worse, on my back while standing!).

  2. Clamshell openings make it really easy to organize your bag. I love being able to see all my packing cubes when I open my bags. Bonus points if it has mesh compression covers on each side of the bag. A lot of travel backpacks on the market don’t zip open and are top-loading only. Nothing is worse than trying to find your toothbrush and realizing it’s at the bottom of your top-loading bag.

  3. Pockets are your best friend during long-term travel. The worst part of moving to your next destination is having to repack your bag. Some well-designed pockets can help make the process easier and leave you feeling more organized. An outside stuff pocket is also ideal for a wet bathing suit or rain jacket.

  4. A hip strap is a necessity. I’ve used a backpack without one and it made travel days hard to get through. Forget killing time in the airport looking through duty-free or meandering a few miles to your hostel. My back was crying after 15 minutes of wearing that thing.

  5. You’ll want a rain cover. I prefer when it comes with a built-in cover, but if yours doesn’t, make sure you buy one. After experiencing splashing on boats or getting caught in South East Asian downpours, you’ll be happy your clothing and passport are still dry when you get to your hostel.