I'll start with my backpack. My husband, our friends Dana, Bree and I all have the same bag. Super Nel and I have already done two weeks in Europe with our bag: The Osprey Porter 46 (46 liters). Now Super Nel and I purchased our bag 1-2 years ago. Dana and Bree bought theirs recently for this Eurotrip adventure. Since we've purchased our bags, the Osprey Porter 46 has been upgraded. The biggest change is that there is now an additional zippered pocket that has an area for your ipad/laptop, pens, travel book, passport, a key attachment and more. I personally love that Osprey has added this zippered section and it almost makes me want to upgrade my own bag. But since our bags are in near mint condition we can't justify purchasing a new one. I did score an Osprey Porter 30 at the REI garage sale for a great price but that bag will not be going with us to Europe. One downside about this new upgrade, is that the zippered section DOES take away from the overall space in the main section of the bag. So if you are not utilizing the zippered pouch you do lose out on space. The main reasons this bag is our personal favorite: 1). It is extremely comfortable. When this bag is fully loaded and weighed down it doesn't hurt your back, nor do the straps start to dig into your shoulders. The weight distributes evenly and with the padded straps and additional hip belt you can still maintain appropriate body mechanics to prevent any sore muscles or injury from occuring. I suffer from sciatica so it was very important that I choose a bag that helps prevent any type of strain on my low back area. 2). This bag is like the cadillac of bags. It has an area to put away the backpack straps and convert the bag into a suitcase with a padded handle attached-this is useful when carrying onto budget airlines in Europe (because they are usually on the lookout for backpacks and will measure/weigh to ensure you meet their carryon specificiations-but when you convert the Osprey into a suitcase you walk right on the plane without any difficulties). 3). Osprey is a company that is dedicated to the quality of their product. I have a friend who told me he inherited his dad's Osprey that was purchased over twenty years ago and it's still in good condition. These are the three main reasons why we chose this bag over any others. The Osprey Porter 46 works best with packing cubes/packing envelopes. When I purchased this bag I went to REI with a duffel bag full of stuff that I planned to take with me to Europe. I loaded the backpack and walked around the store for an hour to ensure that the bag was a good fit. Also, before our first Eurotrip I wore my Osprey while walking around town for an hour with all the items I planned to take. This let me do any last minute adjustments on my belongings before departure. Ideally, you don't want to take more than 10kg worth of weight on your back. This is also the total weight allowed on some budget airlines we'll be using in Europe. We aim for less than 10kg because we hope to make purchases while on our trip. A few other features about the Osprey Porter-Super Nel likes to attach an S-Caribeaner clip to the outside of the bag-this can be used to hold a flashlight, a towel, shoes or a lunchbox and my fun feature of the bag is that it has a built in whistle on the front chest clip-just in case anyone tries any funny business you can blow on that sucker to call for help.
(My first Osprey Porter 46-this bag has already been on many adventures and is ready for more!)
(The inside pocket of the NEW Osprey Porter 46)
A handful of our friends purchased the TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible through ebags. I'll be honest...I was tempted to buy this bag too. One thing I personally love about this bag is the ingenious way all the compartments have been placed inside the bag. One friend, Ariana, said she loves all the compartments built into the bag and the compartments in the front zippered area give her easy access to your accessories rather than digging through an entire bag or having to stop and unpack to find something. Some of the guys in our group have purchased this bag as well. One of the guys, Shane, agreed that all the pockets/compartments makes packing easier and helps to keep him organized.
Another friend, Jose, will be taking the REI Mens LookOut 40L Backpack. His biggest reason for choosing this bag was the price (the price is right!). Also, he said the bag didn't compromise quality even though it was on sale. The bag is comfortable on his back when loaded up with materials-especially the hip belt. The structure of the bag is shaped so that the sides are not bulky and the bottom of the bag maximizes space. This means you can fit more items inside and the weight is distributed evenly on your shoulders and back. This bag is accessible from the top and through an additional zipper on the bottom-there's no need to waste time taking everything out of the bag to find the one item you're looking for. There are plenty of zippered pockets inside the bag which allows the owner to seperate and organize as needed. The outside of the bag allows you to attach external items such as a day pack or clip on water bottle.
(Jose wearing his REI backpack)
The last bag we'll review in this section was chosen by a friend named Chris. She'll be packing a Kelty Redwing 40L. Her biggest incentive to choose this bag was based on her height (5'2") and the fact that the Kelty Redwing is specifically designed to a woman's build. This is a front loading bag which allows easy access to all the goodies you pack inside. The straps and hip harness are cushioned which distributes weight evenly-this makes the Kelty Redwing an ideal backpack if your trip includes walking/hiking for long periods of time.
There are a couple friends who have still not decided on a bag for Europe. One is hoping to find something that meets the carryon requirements that has wheels and no matter what size bag I show Darius he says it is "way too small!" Backpacking isn't for everyone and for those that must travel with their favorite 10 pairs of jeans, my advice is to try stepping out of your comfort zone and give packing light a try. I promise you won't regret it once you arrive in Europe or anywhere else your adventurous spirit leads you.
*All names have been changed to protect identities
**I am not sponsored by any of the companies represented in this blog-however, if anyone WOULD like to sponsor me please feel free to do so!
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