I am a big proponent of traveling with only a carry on bag whenever possible (I am actually quite proud of the fact that I can travel for 2 plus weeks in a carry on sized backpack!) Choosing a good backpack is the best packing tips that I can give a light weight, mobile traveler because it really the enjoyment of your whole trip. Check out these great packing tips for choosing a backpack for travel (BUT FIRST…check out this great giveaway!)
In celebration of packing light in 2014, my friends at Momondo have provided me with this amazing Montis 28 L backpack to giveaway to one of my loyal readers!
Continue to the bottom of the post to find out how to enter!
- Decide what type of travel you want to do with your bag and where you will go with it: Will you be using it for travel via air or train, or for backpacking the Appalachian Trail? Are you an urban traveler who needs lots of little storage pockets for cell phones?
- Guarantees and Warranty: What will happen when your zipper breaks on your bags inaugural adventure? Will the company take care of it, or will you be left footing an expensive repair bill? If you are going to invest money in a good travel bag, make sure it has a good warranty to back it up!
- Invest: If you are a frequent traveler, it makes sense to invest in a bag that will be durable and last you for a good number of adventures. There is nothing worse than being in the middle of nowhere with a broken zipper and no way to get it fixed.
- Top loading or front loading?: My travel style fits better with a front loading bag. I like to be able to get into my bag to get at the majority of the contents without having to empty out all of my clothes and items for everyone to see. The downside to front loading bags? I think that sometimes, they hold less. Which one you pick just depends on your priorities.
- Get a bag that fits YOU!: Don’t order a bag online. If you are making a significant investment in a quality piece of travel equipment, make sure you try it on first (and try it on at the store fully loaded, so you know how it will feel once it is packed.) Backpacks fit men and women differently, so if you are a woman, you might want to try on some that are specifically designed for a woman’s torso.
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All of these tips are great! You sound like a very knowledgeable packer! Thanks for sharing these. I will keep them in mind when planning my next trip. 🙂
I am definitely a carry on only traveler, it’s the only way to go! At first I wondered if I could do it, but after a couple of trips, I realized I still brought home more stuff than I actually used with only the one little bag. It’s definitely worth it to be light and mobile.
I’m hoping to travel to NYC again this year. I’ll be going with some friends and I’m trying to convince everyone to just travel with carry on, so we don’t have to spend anymore time at the airport than necessary.
Yup, carry on is the way to go (although, GASP, on our last trip, we HAD to check a bag because the baby stuff just doesn’t fit in a carry on.)
Great things to consider. Also, try to leave some
Room in your bag if you expect to buy anything at all. Don’t feel the need to fill it just to fill it.
Cheers
Thanks for the tip! Yes, it is good to plan for room for souvenirs!