Been looking to go backpacking to England or Belgium but I'm having some trouble finding the right size. Guy in store seems like a cool guy but he's constantly pointing me out to the higher-priced backpacks with sizes like 70 litrs while I'm sure I only need a maximum of 55 liters. I'm planning on staying a minimum of 2 weeks and I'm planning on taking nothing but the bare essentials like clothes, food for the road and hygiene products, maybe a cheap handbag. It's summer so clothes will consist of like 3-4 t-shirts, and I would probably add a one long-sleeved shirt and MAYBE a hoodie, but I'm thinking of buying a hoodie so probably don't need to take one. Pants are a bit tricky, I like my jeans but I don't want to travel too heavy. I'm planning on taking max 2 jeans with me and 2 short pants, maybe one pants for jogging but not too sure. In regards to hygiene I don't think that's going to be a problem if at all. Don't know the measurements exactly but I'm not going to take much more than I needed, rolling stick deodarant, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, some handgel, hair product and nothing else I can think of at the moment. Food is not going to be tricky either, at least 4 pounds apples would be cool I think as I don't want to spend much or any money eating food. I'll be loading op on maybe an extra 2-4 pounds on food that will probably not fill my belly but is at least healthy enough not to make me pass out or something. I'm not bringing any camping stuff, just planning on ditching my shit in the hostel I'm staying and setting out without much more than maybe a handbag most of the time. Not taking any electronics with me besides my phone and charger. Can anyone recommend any good backpacks for the amount of items I'm taking with me?
Talk to toasty. That guy backpacks a lot. He'll know what's up. "I'm to drunk, to taste this chicken" -Talladega nights
I only went backpacking for about a month and a half in Europe but I was stingy on everything I brought...jeans are heavy so I brought khakis and dress pants..I had a condensed shave gel as well not a can...I brought a sleeping bag and actually used it lol I believe my pack was a 65 l and it had a smidge extra...70s for a girl who can't decide on shit. I went with an osprey bag as they have a lifetime warranty and its beauty for the 5 months I was living out of it ask away if anything!
Backpacking in England? I didn't think anybody did that! If you're gonna be near The Scottish border at all or near the Lake District give me a shout!
Be careful leavin stuff in your hostel dude, lots of stuff gets stolen, no matter how "cool" the other people seem. Onto the pack situation. Yes 70 liters is probably too big, I would get 60 if I was you, I'd rather have extra room than not enough. DEFINITELY get an Osprey, they have the best warranty and their air core is the most comfortable of any pack. If you are smart you would ditch the jeans, they're way too heavy, take up too much space, and aren't breathable. Idk how much hiking you're going to do but jeans suck for everything besides going out to eat or something. I would recommend Outdoor Research Ferrosi pants. They're the best selling line of clothes out right now for climbers, mountaineers, etc. Honestly, EVERYTHING made by Outdoor Research is the best in the biz, they have an infinite warranty to boot. I may be over thinking all of this considering you're goin to be in civilization. But I'm from Montana and I'm an avid mountaineer/rock climber/bicycle tourer so I probably have some of the best info on here if you have anymore questions. Sent from my iPhone
Have no fear, Toasty's here! If you want any tips on backpacking Euro, feel free to shoot me a message. I cringe when I see or hear about anyone backpacking with more than a 55L pack. Why? What the fuck do you think you need? Unless you're hauling camp equipment, there's no need for anything more. If you have a 60L bag, you're likely to pack 60L worth of stuff and I absolutely guarantee that a lot of that will sit at the bottom of your pack and never get used. Really though, size doesn't matter as long as you get a pack that fits you perfectly. Maybe you're a big boy and that 60L suits your size. Personally, I travel with a 46L and its done me well across 5 continents. We just hooked my girl up with a sick 42L. My suggestions? If you MUST have jeans (I always bring 'em), only bring one pair. Lose the sweat pants, you'll never wear them and they're heavy. You're going to have to do laundry anyway, so you can pack light with that in mind. Bring extra socks -- wet feet blow. Don't worry about leaving stuff behind in the hostel. They all (usually) have lockers that are either free to use or for a couple euros, but bring your own lock because they're not supplied and you dont want anyone else being able to crack the combo. Get a good day pack. Mine is about 20L but I never use all the space.
I'd much rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. OP it would be stupid not to bring anything but tshirts, you have to at least bring a light jacket. Maybe a rain shell so you're not stuck getting saturated. But I guess you could just hole up in the hostel if the weather is bad. Most of my experience is living out of a tent for weeks or months at a time so I guess I'm not too keen on overseas backpacking around major cities where you're never far from a place to sleep indoors. The extra socks tip is great tho, I personally would suggest 3 pairs of SmartWools. Wool socks wear out sort of fast but since you won't be hiking that won't be an issue. Sent from my iPhone
Bought a 35 liter backpack, not just because it was cheap but it fits the amount I'm taking with me. @[member="AR Toasty"] what kind of locks would you suggest I take, I have like these mini padlocks, you'd reckon that would be enough, right? And @I I11MATIC I, if you can hit me up with any location in London I might be able to get some weed I would greatly appreciate it.
Why would you ever want to carry around something you're not using? When you backpack, size and weight are commodities that matter every step of the way. I've spent enough time on the road that I know exactly what I use and don't use, but I always tell first-timers to lay out everything they think they want to bring and then remove every item you think you might need because you probably won't need it. When you travel, you realize how much stuff you can live without. What if you regret not having it? You can buy it when you get to where you're going (and probably for cheaper than you'd get it at home). A light jacket or fleece is a good thing to have in Europe. It's one of those places where it will be sweltering hot one day and then frigidly cold the next. Though again, you can buy that on the road. Good on ya! A 35L is ambitious, but so good to see. I know a guy who's been backpacking for more than three years with just a 32L. Mental. You know what else is boss about a small pack? You don't have to check it at the airport. It can sometimes be a struggle on smaller airlines because they usually have rules about carry-ons being less than 15lbs, but I really don't trust airlines and think it's worth it to always be able to carry your pack with you right onto the plane. The padlocks will do just fine, as long as you reckon they're big enough to lock a locker. I carry two combination padlocks that are airline/TSA accepted and fit through my backpack zippers so I can keep my shit safe when I fly, travel, or leave my stuff in the hostel.
Like a light jacket? I'd rather carry the extra pound and have a jacket than not have it and freeze my ass off. And be forced to spend $150 of my budget on a jacket while on a trip. Another example, I bring my steripen on all my adventures, I hardly ever use it but it's saved my life more than one time, so I carry it no matter what. I'm all about minimalist backpacking/adventuring, but when you're on a tight budget in a strange place buying stuff you need is tough when you know you left the same thing at home. Sent from my iPhone
If you're spending $150 on a light jacket, you're in the wrong game. Remember that budget backpacking is not wilderness backpacking. The two are very, very different and the same rules don't apply. You don't need to worry about things like water sterilization and food when you're traipsing around Europe -- those things, along with staples like a bed to sleep in and modern medicine, are always at your finger tips. What do you think you need? I bet I can convince you that you don't. An extra pound might not seem like a lot, but it is when you're carrying your life on your back. And baggage fees aren't cheap. It's an awesome feeling when you hop on the bus with a bag that can fit in your lap and you look over to see someone trying to manoeuvre their 65+L monstrosity around a space the size of a sardine can.
This is very true, you definitely know more about this type of backpacking. I will say though, that for $150 you can get a great jacket for no matter what type of backpacking you're doing. I am definitely a gear junky (you almost have to be to be a mountaineer) but for 150 you can get a jacket that packs down to the size of a pair of jeans in your pack and weighs less. Light jacket in this context would be a puff jacket btw, like the OR Neoplume, or North Face's Thermo Ball jacket. On the topic of extra pounds, I will agree that they add up and definitely matter, but like you said you're never far from a place to sleep. So carrying a couple extra pounds doesn't matter at all. Plus it makes you stronger. Also I should add that I would never ever carry more than a 50L pack(unless I've got my tent, pad, and bag) But the op said he would need 55L max so I took it literally thinking he meant he would use that much. So I suggested a 60L just so he had some extra room for odds and ends in the event that he buys things while on the trip. Sent from my iPhone
I'm fascinated by this urban backpacking. I'm a backcountry backpacker, so I read the OP and was like for me, I wouldn't be comfortable with less than my 65. Then I read/realized you don't need to carry a place to sleep, or food and a way to cook it, definitely don't need the bear canister , yeah, you could easily cut 25l off the pack and go to a 40. Then I realized that it takes 25l worth of shit (for me) to live (comfortably) in the backcountry for several days to a week. Then I realized I can live out of 25l worth of shit - whoa, crazy, mind blown - where most average people live out of literal tons of shit on the daily. I can live out of twenty.five.liters. Sorry for the off topic stream of consciousness there I just like reading about this urban backpacking stuff and get excited about backpacking in general.
If you want to carry more weight just to have the peace of mind, all the power to you. Personally, I take issue with extra pounds when it comes to transportation. I hate the thought of having to check my pack, and being under the carry-on weight is my first priority. That said, I'm in the midst of planning an indefinite backpacking trip and the first leg is going to be through Japan and China between December and February. Having to pack for that and then figure out how to ditch it later on is a bit of a pain. I need to invest in some compact but warm clothing. Any brand recommendations would be awesome... as long as I can get it here in Aus.
I just got my boyfriend a Mountain Hardwear nitrous down jacket for his birthday. Pretty warm, layerable, packable, and light. Smartwool baselayers would be on my list, too.
Dude you have to check out Outdoor Research. They're a bit pricy, but you get top of the line gear AND their infinite warranty is unbeatable and totally makes the extra $$ worth it. I've turned all my friends on to them and they're all sold. Once you try on a pair of their Ferrosi line shorts, pants, or jackets you'll be hooked. I normally stray away from north face(I think most of their stuff is for people who want the logo to be seen) but their Horizon pants are the most durable pants ever. This is gonna sound gross but I wore the same pair every day for 3 months on a 1200+mile bike trip. I not only still have the pants, I wear them all the time and they look just about brand new. I literally wore holes in my underwear and not the pants. Sent from my iPhone
What food would be good to take with me btw? Something that can last a few days, right? Thought about taking apples with me as u can last with them for days (even though they're quite heavy) but off the top of my head I can't come up with anything else I can take with me just in case I'm low on money and need to go really cheap.