While abroad on a long or short journey, your backpacking bag is your home. You should never settle for the first one you find, go to a recreation store and try on a few until one feels just right. A good store should have a salesperson who will assist you by fitting the backpack to your body and using weights to test it out. Do not buy a bag you do not feel 100% comfortable in. Take the following things into consideration and you are certain to find one you are happy with:

• Structure
  • A proper stiff, metal reinforced frame. Plastic just will not do.
  • While wearing the bag, it should feel snug; jump up and down, sway left and right, walk around, the bag should fit secure, with no loose parts swaying separately. Be careful of bags with a smaller attached bag, if not attached tight enough, it will be annoying.
  • The bag should be fully adjustable to accommodate your size and the weight of the contents.
  • Zippers should be made of sturdy metal.
  • Clips need to be very sturdy plastic or metal. (Some bags come with clip replacements, if not, buy some for an emergency).
  • Shoulder straps should be reinforced with metal chords to add structure and prevent them from ripping off.

• Organization
  • Lots of pockets end up being very helpful. Zip pockets on the outside are great for quick access.
  • The inside should have a few methods of separation, it makes life a lot easier than unpacking things you don’t need at a new location. My bag had a separator at the deep bottom where I kept things I rarely used (i.e. meds, thermals).
  • The “brain” on top can often be separated and used as a day pack. This feature is rarely used, instead a good brain should hold helpful, easy access items. The brain is one of the easiest parts for a thief to steal from, be sure that your expensive stuff is inaccessible when you are mobile. Keep food and stuff that may squish or break in your brain.
  • Keep in mind a large pocket to store soiled/wet items. Such items should be in a plastic bag and kept in a pocket only for that purpose. My REI brand Mars bag had a zip in the front where all dirty clothes and muddy shoes went so only one pocket got soiled.

• Size
  • Fully packed my bag weighed about 30-35lbs. My partner Jessica’s was about 25-30lbs This is a very reasonable weight. Keep in mind airlines weight limits are usually 40-60lbs. You will have to pay more for excess weight. (Again, a good equipment store should have test weights to put in your bag when you try it on).
  • You want all of your things to pack in as snug as possible. A bag with extra room in it is a pain.
  • If you decide to buy a bag that is bigger than you need (Like my Mars bag) then stuff in cheap, disposable pillows to make the bag full and tight. Enjoy the pillows until you collect random odds and ends during your travels then leave the pillows somewhere.

• Other things to consider
  • Wheels? Personally I am against them, if you pack as light as I suggest in this article, you should have no problem with all your belongings on your back. Wheels just make your bag heavier and bulkier when you need to carry it (and you will need to carry it sometimes).
  • Expensive bags use ultra light yet durable metals and material. If you can afford it, get an Osprey or something like it, but remember, thieves assume that if a bag is expensive, so will the contents. Cheaper bags are also not inferior, usually just a bit lighter.
  • You should think of spending about $150–$200 for a new bag, but used bags can be considered.
  • Don’t buy your bag for full price, wait until the store has a sale or discount; look on their website (REI does a 20% off one item sale about three times a year).
  • Get a cover for your bag. We have used plastic trash bags when it rained, but proper covers are absolutely worth buying.
  • Buying additional bag separators are a good idea, just throwing all your belongings into the bag is not advised.
  • Buy your bag and all your travel items from a store with a good return policy. Buy more than you need, and if anything is left over when you test-pack your bag, return it before your trip starts.
  • If you live near an REI, why go anywhere else? We bought 90% of all our things for a year trip at REI, an awesome company, cheaper than most anywhere else in the world, high quality, and a simply astounding return policy. Jessica was very disappointed with a bag she took abroad for six months, and they still gave her a full refund when she came home. This allowed her to buy a brand new bag she has been happy with now for years.