One of the most useful pieces of advice I ever got about packing for travelling is that you should decide before you leave what kind of trip you are going on. This may seem obvious but there are some items that you simply don’t need on certain types of travel.
For example, an extended vacation to the Third World should not be considered as a camping trip. You take a backpack with you as your would when going hiking in the woods or camping with the Scouts, but the similarities pretty much end there.
You won’t need a tent, stove, pots, freeze-dried foods, sleeping bag or a rolled-up sleeping pad.
Certainly, in Europe you can save some money by camping out and cooking your own food on a stove, but this isn’t necessary in other parts of the world where accommodation and food is cheap.
For the cost of a good tent and sleeping bag you can live for months (including meals and accommodation) in the Third World.
Plus, if you do take loads of gear there is always the temptation to try to use it all just because you brought it with you, camping out and cooking where it isn’t necessary (outside hostels, for example).
This way you tend to isolate yourself from the locals, trying to reproduce your home life, instead of finding out what it is like to live in the country in which you are staying.
You can always rent, borrow or even buy camping equipment if absolutely necessary or if you find you need it when you arrive, but for the number of times you will actually use it it is just not worth bringing it from home and hauling it around the whole time.
And anyway, you won’t find many designated camp grounds in the Third World, plus, you can’t just leave a tent around to go exploring the cities (as you would in Europe) as it probably won’t be there when you return.
As well as the possibility of having it stolen, there is also the problem of losing or breaking something. You may spend hundreds on equipment you won’t use, have to carry around for months, and then leave it somewhere and never see it again, or it breaks when you most need it.
Additionally, the problem with a lot of camping gear is that whilst it will last for the few weeks every year when you go on vacation, it won’t last so long on an extended trip. Hard use and the passage of time will take its toll, and if it isn’t up to the job it may need repairing or even replacing.
All that said, if you are going trekking in remote areas, far way from shops and villages, then there is certain equipment you will need, good hiking boots, waterproofs, emergency gear, etc. And for other types of trip (e.g. mountaineering, climbing), good, reliable, functional (and heavy!) gear is essential. Look for items that are made from sturdy materials that are easy to maintain (with locally bought parts, preferably).
You won’t need as many things on a business trip where you will be staying in hotels and eating out in restaurants. You can leave behind universal sink plugs, shampoo and soap, hair dryers, etc., as you can find all of these at the hotel and, if not, within a short walk at the local store.
And on a two-week beach holiday you really just need swim suits and flip flops, plus a few outfits for the evenings. For both business trips and short holidays you won’t be doing much walking around with your bag either, maybe from the train to the plane then from the airport to the taxi, then into the hotel, and you can always get someone to carry it for you in all these cases (if you can afford it!).
Selection criteria
All of the above considerations will determine what kind of bag you will want to take.
They fall into a few categories; backpacking (including mountaineering and hiking), business and urban travel (including 1-2 week beach/resort vacations), and world/extended travel.
You can get one bag to cover all of the above but you will always end up compromising (I have three bags, one for each kind of trip I go on).
When buying a bag for long-term travel you should consider the following criteria:
Size
The size of the bag you buy will determine how much weight you will be carrying around for your whole trip.
You should buy the bag first then decide what to take, not the other way around.
They say that there are two kinds of luggage: carry-on and lost. So if you do end up taking your bag on the plane you will also ensure that you save time at the airport, plus it is far more secure (and convenient) to keep your bag with you at all times.
The emphasis, however, should be on trying to travel light, not to avoid checking bags on flights. You are not trying to pack as much as possible into one small bag, rather to learn to manage living with the things you can pack in a single bag. Also, airline carry-on is probably the maximum size you should consider carrying (smaller is better).
Finally, you will be the one who will carry it most of the time so buy it according to your needs, not the airlines’.
The official FAA carry-on size is 45 linear inches (115 cm), determined by adding the height, width and length. So a bag that is 22 x 14 x 9 inches or 56 x 36 x 23 cm (equal to 2880 cubic inches or 47 liters) should qualify.
It should be no larger than this, which means no pockets sticking out further, no other bags hanging off, and no big bulges in the middle or top.
Airlines are constantly changing the carry-on restrictions, so check before leaving.
Here is a rough guide to the current (2008) restrictions on carry-on bags (number of items allowed (the second item usually being a purse, camera or laptop), size and weight).
TOD = ‘Total Outside Dimensions’
| Airline | # of Items |
Dimensions (inches) |
Maximum Weight (lbs) |
| Alaska Airlines | 2 | 22 x 14 x 9 | 20 |
| America West | 2 | 45 TOD | 60 |
| American | 2 | 45 TOD | 40 |
| British Airways | 1 | 45 TOD | 13 |
| Canadian Airlines | 2 | 22 x 16 x 9 | 22 |
| China Airlines | 1 | 22 x 14 x 9 (45 TOD) |
15 |
| Continental | 2 | 45 TOD | 40 |
| Delta | 2 | 22 x 14 x 9 (45 TOD) |
40 |
| Frontier | 2 | 45 TOD | 50 |
| JAL | 1 | 22 x 16 x 10 | 22 |
| Korean Air | 1 | 45 TOD | 22 |
| Lufthansa | 1 | 45 TOD | 18 |
| Mexicana | 1 | 20 x 15 x 9 | 22 |
| Northwest Airlines | 1 | 45 TOD | 40 |
| Reno Air | 1 | 45 TOD | 40 |
| Singapore Airlines | 1 | 45 TOD | 15 |
| Southwest | 2 | 50 TOD | 70 |
| TWA | 2 | 50 TOD | 40 |
| US Airways | 2 | 24 x 16 x 10 | 40 |
| United | 2 | 22 x 14 x 9 | 50 |
| Virgin | 1 | 22 x 14 x 9 45 TOD |
40 |
Don’t rely too much on the above table as it all depends on who you deal with at check-in and what mood they are in, so even if your bag complies with the regulations you still may not be able to carry it onto the plane. Smaller planes may also make you check your bag due to limited cabin space.
Construction
There are two basic types of luggage construction; soft-sided made from high-tech fabrics (an example of which is shown left), and hard-shelled made from fibreglass, hard plastics, or even metal (shown right).
The soft-sided bags are usually made of industrial nylon, such as ballistic nylon or Cordura. You can get cheaper nylon bags made from inferior fabrics but they will be heavier or thinner and less durable.
Both Cordura and ballistic nylon have their advantages and disadvantages. Cordura is more abrasion resistant, while ballistic has higher tear strength. Ballistic is smoother but doesn’t dye well so usually comes in black. Cordura has the rough feel of cotton canvas and can be dyed easily and therefore comes in different colours. Cordura also make a ballistic nylon.
Hard-shelled bags are heavier and, surprisingly, are not as good at coping with long trips. They are however, more secure as there are no zips to break into and they can’t be slashed with a knife.
A soft bag will not get damaged by bumps and knocks as much as a hard bag, and because they yield (even a small amount) they can also be squashed into smaller and more uneven spaces.
Make sure the zips are good quality. There are two types; chain and coil. Chain-type zips are stronger, keep out dirt and sand better, and are harder for prying fingers to break into, but they are more expensive as a result (but worth it). Look for bags with YKK brand zips if possible.
Design
Try to get a straight-sided bag instead of one with curves, as the former gives a greater internal volume.
Compression straps are very useful (both inside and out). External pockets can either be useful (for quick access to small objects) or a security risk (when in crowded train compartments).
Carrying straps need to be comfortable and sturdy but unless you are hiking or walking long distances you won’t need anything too complicated.
Wheels are not usually a good idea for bags for long-term trips, the mechanism that allows a bag to be wheeled is very heavy (a few pounds minimum), and unless you spend all your time in airports and hotel you will never use them.
Appearance
This is a purely personal choice, but remember that an expensive looking pack may attract unwanted attention in poorer countries, whereas a plain looking pack may not attract a second glance.
Choose dull or neutral colours if you can, and don’t hang loads of expensive gear on the outside.
