Hands free travel - your friend the backpack
Four things for better lightweight journeys…
The backpack is your friend here. And there are many. Here are the four elements that you need to consider:
Volume
The smallest pack I’ve managed for a 4-5 day trip is 20 litres.
That was, however, tight. It was summer, so I was only packing lightweight clothes and did not take spare shoes.
image: 35 litre compact backpack
For slightly less of a challenge, you can go for the same kind of volume as a carry on bag (the kind you can stow in an aircraft overhead locker) which generally have a capacity of around 35 l. There are bigger backpacks too - but don’t be tempted to go too big as you will inevitably fill whatever you get, and the weight will increase proportionately.
Straps
Don’t skimp on comfortable, padded straps that are adjustable. A chest strap and/or waist strap will help distribute the weight and make carrying much more comfortable. The bigger the pack you choose, the more essential this is.
Compartments
One voluminous cavern is not helpful - but neither is a bag so over divided into too-small to be useful compartments.
The basic essentials are:
One accessible compartment for wallet, phone, keys, glasses and other essentials (make sure that it’s not accessible to pickpockets though).
One - or at most two - large compartments for your clothes.
A third smaller toiletries compartment can be useful.
Materials
Lightweight, durable and ideally waterproof (or water resistant) construction. I am a big fan of leather (it is very durable and is bio-degradable) but in this case it tends make the bag heavy even when it’s empty. Waxed cotton is lighter, works (and ages brilliantl), plus again is bio-degradable at the end of its life, or nylon / polyester blends will be light and often waterproof (you can now get this fabric made from recycled PET bottles).
Three essential packing tips
Divide up your clothes into outfits or days, roll them together and compress them to reduce wrinkles AND take up as little room as possible. You can use a Fold+Rºll for this to roll several things together into one day or outfit set.
Make sure you have a laundry bag or spare Fold+Rºll or at least something to pack your used clothes in for your laundry - it will be great to have it ready to wash anything that you want to wear again.
Lightweight toiletries bag (don’t forget your toiletries) to keep them separate - stuff that can get damp or squeeze out of its tube shouldn’t be stuffed in with everything else. Just to be on the safe side!
