Best Travel Backpack that I trust with my stuff

What you pack your stuff in is just as important as what’s inside. I’ll review the backpack I trust and the one that I call the best travel backpack. Read about the other gear I travel with here.

Backpack vs Suitcase

The debate about choosing a backpack or wheeled suitcase is a common one. I’ve always chosen a backpack because most of the places I go do not have straight, level ground and lugging around a wheeled suitcase quickly becomes a burden. On the other hand, the other option is to always lug around your stuff on your back. Although it does not sound too convincing, it does allow me to be more mobile and go up and down stairs with less issues and I’ve even learned how to run comfortably with it. (Plus it’s given be some very sexy calves without working out much ;) ). 

What I would recommend is that if you’re going for a one destination trip or either long term travel where you’re settling down in different locations a wheeled suitcase is better. You don’t need to worry about carrying that extra weight on your back plus you probably won’t be going far distances with your suitcase. 

If on the other hand you’re looking to do multiple cities in a trip then I would still recommend a backpack. It allows you be more mobile, plus the combination of a soft case of a backpack and compression straps mean that your stuff won’t be moving around. And you’ll be more conscious of what you pack meaning that you’ll usually end up traveling light. 

I’ve went through multiple backpacks and the one thing that I will definitely recommend is invest in a good one if you plan on going this route. It will have better back support, hip straps that take the weight off your back and support it on your hips, plus they’ll be more durable. Read on for the bags that I’ve personally used and the one that I recommend as the best travel backpack!

eBags TLS Mother Lode

I started with the eBags TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible which has gotten a ton of reviews but is not good for a backpacking trip. It lacks shoulder strap support and only has a thin hip strap instead of hip support. With that said, it is a great bag for a short weekend trip. Hidable back straps, laptop support, and great organization, just don’t expect it to be comfortable when wearing it longterm.  

Jansport Katahdin

My next backpack was a Jansport Katahdin backpack because it was cheap. It did a fairly good job as it fit all my stuff, had good compression straps, a large top-loading main compartment with side access, and was lightweight. The problem is that it didn’t feel light when I put it on my back. This made traveling long distances quite unbearable and I hated wearing a backpack. But I was determined to travel with a good backpack and kept on seeing Osprey bags so I decided to look into it more.

Best Travel Backpack – Osprey Atmos/Aura 50L

Best travel backpack: Osprey Atmos AG 50L
Osprey Atmos AG 50L

That led me to choosing the Osprey Atmos AG 50L. While it was considerably more than the last bags, this bag easily won me over. This bag is designed for the torsos of men while they make the same back shaped for women as the Osprey Aura AG 50L. It is a bit heavier at 4.7lbs but the AG in the name stands for Anti-Gravity. And this is what they have to say about it

Anti-Gravity™ suspension – feels like you are carrying less weight than is in your pack

Our Anti-Gravity™ suspension features a continuous backpanel of lightweight mesh extending from the top of the backpanel to the hipbelt to provide unmatched comfort and ventilation. The seamless structure automatically contours to the body, providing outstanding fit and unrestricted movement.

Never has a company’s advertising been more true. This system not only makes the pack feel lighter when it’s completely stuffed, it also doesn’t leave  your back as sweaty with their mesh system that puts the bag further away from your body. Add that to their comfortable adjustable hip belt and you’re easily able to run with your fully packed bag. 

They sell both a 50L version an 65L version. Both being the same except for the amount of things you can fit in it. If you remember the age old motto of traveling light then you should pick the 50L version. That’s what I went with and it is big enough to fit all my stuff. Any bigger and it would be considerably heavy. I think for most travel trips it is sufficient. It also has a removable top lid that allows you to store even more. 

Going around the world

I’ve backpacked Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, Europe, and now Central America with this bag and it has held up strong and still is comfortable. If you pack your heavier items on the bottom it almost feels like the bag is floating (anti-gravity!). I can’t say enough good things about it.

And the best part is every Osprey backpack has a lifetime guarantee. They will make every effort to repair your bag.

Osprey will repair any damage or defect for any reason free of charge – whether it was purchased in 1974 or yesterday. If we are unable to perform a functional repair on your pack, we will happily replace it. We proudly stand behind this guarantee, so much so that it bears the signature of company founder and head designer, Mike Pfotenhauer.

https://www.osprey.com/us/en/customer-support/all-mighty-guarantee

About Mike TingTang

Born 15 minutes outside of Manhattan, Mike has been lucky to be within reach of one of the top destinations in the world. He's been going to different places every year since he could crawl. To further indulge in local lifestyles, Mike is beginning to live in areas for six to twelve months to gain full immersion. His goal is to break the cost limitations and help everyone travel affordably as well as shining light on areas people normally wouldn't have considered.

     

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.