Choosing a travel pack has an enormous impact on the success of our trips. Keeping belongings safe, manageable, and easy to carry, all while providing as much space as possible is an important task while traveling. Unfortunately, it is often treated as an afterthought despite that picking the right pack can make all the difference on the ease of traveling.

Our Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Travel Pack

Always Go Light

When packing, its a good idea to pack as light as possible. But many travelers try to be prepared for every occasion and pack far more than necessary. Obviously, some will need to need to carry more than others – winter destinations demand more and bulkier clothing than a beach week in Thailand. Yet still many of us still debate the merits of bringing a coat to the tropics as we pack.

Another consideration on how much to carry and pack is the duration of your travels. Most of us are generally only going to be gone a week or two at a time, but if like us, you’ve gone abroad for months or even years at a time, you may begin to consider bringing more – DON’T!

It is far easier to carry minimally and pick up what you need while abroad than to carry unnecessary items your whole trip on the chance you might use them. It also makes for an excellent opportunity to pick up something local in your host country(s). For those worried about running out of clothing, remember that laundry services are typically available in most locations for reasonable prices – or you can even just do it yourself.

Which Type of Pack is Right for You?

At first-glance when choosing a travel pack, it would appear that there are nearly unlimited options from which to choose. But once we begin to break them down into their intended uses, we can distill the varieties down to six distinct styles of packs.

• Duffels – If there is one type of pack that will swallow all your gear, it is the duffel. Lacking rigid frames, and taking on a simple rectangular shape, duffels will give you the most space with some flexibility. These are great if you have a lot to carry and space isn’t necessarily a premium. Their primary drawback though is that they can be cumbersome to carry when heavy. Great for sporting enthusiasts, students, and budget travelers.
• Wheeled Duffels – By adding a basic frame and wheels to a traditional duffel bag, the pack suddenly becomes much easier to carry around. The added weight and rigid frame do have the drawback of meaning it is unlikely to pass as a carry-on. Wheeled duffels are great for sporting enthusiasts and urban travelers without carry-on concerns.
• Wheeled Luggage – The traditional style of pack, and the most commonly used. Generally, this type of luggage has a fully rigid frame and can hold a lot of stuff. These things can take a beating and still hold up well. Their primary drawback is that their weight and size will hinder quick travel, are cumbersome in under-developed environments and will be required to be checked-luggage by airlines. Wheeled luggage is best for business and urban travelers, or those who won’t be changing location frequently.
• Wheeled Backpack – Combining the convenience of wheeled luggage and the portability of a backpack, wheeled backpacks offer adventure travelers and road trippers the best of both worlds. The ability to strap a pack to your back and go hands-free in dense areas and then switch to wheels to give your back a break is a great quality. The addition of wheels and a frame does add a bit of extra weight though.
• Travelpack – The top choice for the traveler who picks up and moves at the drop of a dime, and may be on the road for a prolonged period of time. These come in a variety of designs, but can best be thought of like a cross between a backpack and a duffel bag. These often time offer the added bonus of counting as a carry-on.
• Laptop Bags, Sleeves, & Daypack – Designed for quick trips, these typically come with protective sleeves for holding laptops or other similarly delicate objects. These type packs are generally accompaniments to the aforementioned packs and rarely are used standalone in a travel setting. Best for college students and day-trippers.

What’s the Deal with Carry-On?

Checking bags when flying brings with it extra expense, time, and worry. Although some airlines will allow you a bag or two for free, you often times will need to pay a fee to check your bags. Also, once you’ve landed, you have to pick up your luggage and hope that it didn’t get damaged in the process. And there is always the dreaded worry that your bag didn’t arrive at the same place as you.

By sticking to the carry-on-only rule, you can ensure that not only do you not pack too much – but also that your belongings are with you at all times, won’t get damaged, and you avoid the headache of picking up your luggage. We love being able to simply walk off the plane and get going.

Most airlines will allow luggage that is no larger than 22″ x 14″ x 9″. These aren’t hard and fast rules, as some will allow a little bit more, some a little less, and many will take weight into consideration. Regardless, these are good guidelines to try to stick to, but you should still always check against your specific carrier to avoid any surprises at the gate. Travel Made Simple has a great source for checking the size requirements for most airline carriers.

Which is the Right Choice?

This is really the hardest question to answer, and the unfortunate thing is that there is no single right choice you can make. It all comes down to your needs. But, as we said above, you should aim to go as light as possible.

Our preferences have been to go the travel pack route more often than not. However, we have mixed and matched our choices to fit our specific needs. The real question to ask, is what size do you need?

Sizing Up Your Luggage

We know the dimensions we’re looking for are around 22″ x 14″ x 9″, but more often, you find that luggage and packs are measured in liters. In our experience, we’ve found that 40 liters is about the maximum amount of space you’ll get and still be in the carry-on zone. So how much can you actually carry?

• < 15 liters – Anything under 15 liters is meant to be a daypack or a simple accompanying pack. If you want to have a light pack for town or a hike, this size will do fine. Packs this small usually fold down small and are able to be carried inside of other packs. Unless going extremely light, you will likely not be able to use a pack this size for ordinary travel alone.
• 15 – 30 liters – Within this range, you’re looking at a daypack or secondary pack. You can carry a fair amount, but are also keep your pack minimal. These are easy to carry around in an urban area and also do well in more rural and exotic locations. Packs of this size often fit underneath an airline seat and can hold a protective sleeve for laptops and electronics. Some travelers can manage to pack all they need in something this size, but most will feel limited.
• 30 – 45 liters – Here we’re looking at the sweet spot. There is enough space to hold everything you need for a few weeks of travel, but also small enough to force you to be economical with your space. Most packs in this range are still within the bounds of carry-on size and are easy to carry around. Unless you have specific needs that dictate otherwise, this is the range that you should aim for.
• 45 – 85 liters – Now we’re looking at the big packs. Anything in this size range is going to have to be checked for airlines, and it is going to be more cumbersome to carry around. However, many travel packs are within this range and are still easy enough to carry on your back. We used packs this size when we were abroad for over a year and needed to be prepared for a wide variety of climates and personal needs. If you’re doing long-term travel or are carrying special equipment, this is the range for you.
• 85+ liters – At this size, you better have a good reason to be bringing so much. There are few destinations or activities that require this much space. Skiing, SCUBA, trekking, and other such activities would warrant the need for this much space. But if you’re just going for a week to a general location, we’d recommend you reassess everything and try to cut back a little. Packs this size will have to be checked and may even incur a weight charge on some airlines.

When we first set out for South Korea, we each were carrying two packs. An 85-liter travel pack and a 20-liter laptop backpack, and a 75-liter travel pack and a 25-liter school backpack. These worked alright, but we felt we were carrying too much, and the amount of space we had encouraged us to carry items we never actually used or needed. Over the course of a year, we cut many items out of our packs. We’ve since updated our packs to smaller sizes.

Pack Breakdown

Now that we have a basic idea of what we’re looking for, let’s get a little more in-depth with each of our options. When choosing a travel pack there are many options from which to choose.

Duffels

The traditional duffel bag is a great place to start. If you aren’t sure what would work the best for you, you can’t go wrong with one. You get plenty of space for little weight. They are easy to store and can fit in spaces that rigid packs can’t. The versatility of duffels makes them an ever-popular pack choice.

Wheeled Duffels

What a wheeled duffel loses in weight and flexibility compared to traditional duffels, it gains in ease of use and comfort. With a somewhat rigid frame, wheels, and a handle, wheeled duffels are less likely to pass as carry-on, but they may be a good choice if you aren’t pressed for time or space. The key here is to look for a pack that is durable enough for the wear-and-tear of being wheeled across numerous types of pavements. For those who have trouble lifting, or have a bad back, a wheeled duffel is a great choice.

Wheeled Luggage

When most people think of carrying luggage, this is what comes to mind. Typically designed around a sturdy frame, tough materials, and multiple sets of wheels, wheeled luggage offers some of the best options when it comes to integrity and space. However, the trade-off is in weight and how easy to carry they are. While wheeling around a paved city is alright, wheeled luggage can be a pain if you have to pick them up off the ground frequently. Consider wheeled luggage if you are traveling for business, won’t be lugging around your pack much, or are packing for a stationary vacation such as a ski resort.

Wheeled Backpacks

I had one of these as a kid, and it certainly helped my 6th-grade back. But wheeled backpacks aren’t just for kids, they offer a great balance between a regular backpack and wheeled luggage. Space is going to be a bit limited with a wheeled backpack when compared with other options, but it does provide the ability to give your back a break when there is smooth ground to roll over. Wheeled backpacks are a great option as a secondary pack, for child travelers, or those who are great at traveling light but like a little convenience as well.

Travel Packs

The coup-de-grace of the packs, the travel pack is essentially just a really large backpack – that has been specifically designed with travel in mind. Typically front and top loading, with multiple compartments, they will hold a lot of stuff. Shoulder straps are typically adjustable and have hip straps to get the weight off your shoulders. For those who are interested in serious travel, are going off the beaten path, or need to carry a lot but maintain mobility, travel packs are the best option. This is our preferred route when choosing a pack.

Daypacks

The daypack is an accompaniment to the rest of your luggage. Generally, you won’t be bringing a daypack to carry your luggage – rather it is for use upon arrival to your destination. We commonly need a bag of some sort when we are out and about on our travels, and we don’t want to unpack our travel packs (which are too big for a walk around town anyway) to do so. In comes the daypack – a small backpack that can carry enough to get you through the day. Larger packs can also work just fine as secondary packs. All will fit as carry-on luggage, and most can be compressed into other luggage when not needed.

Additional Considerations for your Pack

Before choosing a travel pack, there are still a few more considerations you’re going to want to take. Each pack is unique unto itself and will have various bells and whistles (sometimes literally) that come with it. Aside from the size, the way you keep things organized – the actual layout of the pack itself – these are all going to have a significant impact on how you travel.

Compartments & Styles

Top-load or front-load? If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you’re going to want to pay attention. The way that you load your pack will either be from the top, a D-zipper on the front, or a combination of the two. We’ve experienced all of these, and even some packs with a few other compartments and zippers. Some packs even have more unique styles, but we’ll just cover the most common styles for now.

A top-load pack can be more secure if you’re worried about someone rummaging through your belongings – but it also makes it more difficult for you to find what you’re looking for once you’ve arrived. If you plan to fully unload, it shouldn’t be a problem though. A front load pack, on the other hand, is much easier to live out of, but it can be difficult to make sure you’ve utilized all your space properly.

Most wheeled-luggage will open with a D-zipper, where 3 edges will unzip and allow complete access to the interior. Other types of packs also will utilize D-zippers as well, but not all will.

Some packs, especially backpacks and travel packs will have additional zippered compartments on the sides, top, and front as well as occasionally on the hip straps. These can be useful – but sometimes not as much as you would hope. The common issues we’ve come across with these extra compartments are that they are too small to actually be useful, or filling those compartments takes away from the primary compartment, or the hip strap zippers can’t hold much more than a couple coins. So you will want to ensure that if you want side-compartments, that they will actually do the job.

Another consideration to take into account is built-in dividers. One of our packs has the ability to divide the main compartment into two separate compartments, each of which can be accessed by a dedicated zipper. While we did not find this ability particularly useful, that is not to say that you won’t – it is just up to your preferences.

Some packs also will come with mesh lined compartments that are contained within the pack. These are really useful for carrying underwear, socks, and other similar such items. Serving as natural dividers, it helps keep your stuff organized. But not all packs will come with these. Some packs will also come with additional sleeves – typically advertised as being for electronics, passports, and other thin items. In our experience, these are only moderately useful, as they aren’t designed for anything bulky – so these should not be high on your priority list.

Keeping Your Stuff Organized

Finding what you’ve packed in your bag can be just as daunting a task as actually packing in the first place. But if you’ve organized everything properly, this task can be a breeze. The key is a little bit of forethought and preparation. The type of pack you have is going to dictate just how well you will be able to organize.

• Duffels – While duffels can swallow pretty much everything you throw at them, they do just that – they swallow everything. Without a frame of any sort, items can shift and move around, and by the time you arrive, items may resemble nothing like the way you put them in. Be sure that anything you need ready access to is near the zipper, with items you don’t need near the bottom or sides.
• Luggage – Here is where luggage shines. Because most luggage will unzip around the perimeter, you have complete unhindered access to everything. As long as you don’t have much open space within the pack, items shouldn’t shift.
• Backpacks – Whether a full-size or day-pack, backpacks are the most difficult to pack efficiently. This is mainly due to the fact that backpacks are already lacking in space, and usually are divided into multiple, narrow compartments. Keep bulky items in the largest compartment, and try to pack flat as you progress through each compartment.
• Travel Pack – Travel packs have a tendency to swallow everything, almost as if they were duffels. Because you’re carrying the weight on your back, you want to keep items balanced and have your heaviest items as close to your body as possible. Keep in mind how easy it is to access the items you’ll regularly need, and make sure you can reach those without completely unpacking.

How you pack your items are another serious consideration to keep in mind when choosing a travel pack. Casually tossing in clothes obviously isn’t the best method – as anyone who has a giant pile of clothes on the floor can attest to. But, there are options other than just folding.

• Rolling – The old-fashioned approach that actually works. There are several ways to roll your clothes, but the most common way is either in single pieces or as outfits. Rolling outfits together is a great approach if you are only going to be traveling for a couple of days and are keeping things simple, but it can become cumbersome after a week or so. Regardless of your approach, rolling keeps things compact and easy to organize.
• Compression / Vacuum Bags – Air takes up a lot of room. If you absolutely must bring many items, or you need to make room for a non-compressible item, vacuum and compression bags can give you a ton of extra room. I used one extensively to hold my winter jacket as we traveled through hot climates. Just remember that while it is smaller, it doesn’t weigh any less.
• Packing Cubes – These are little packs that let you put like-things together. Shirts in one, pants in another, socks in a third, etc. Upon arrival to your destination, you can simply take each cube out and put directly into drawers. Or, if you’re living out of your pack, you can keep things organized and avoid becoming disheveled. Some cubes are even optimized to take care of your toiletries and shoes.

Speaking of toiletries – everyone is going to have some. Whether you’re able to go spartan with nothing more than a toothbrush, or you insist on bringing everything from makeup to a hairdryer, you need a place to put it all. If you’re going light, a simple packing cube should suffice to hold the basics. But, if you are carrying a bit more, you will want to have an additional small bag specifically dedicated to such use. It is worth remembering that some items may not be able to fly carry-on, such as any liquids over 3.4 ounces – and yes toothpaste is a liquid.

Straps & Fit

The comfort of your pack is another oft-overlooked feature when choosing a travel pack. We can get so excited over the amount of space it holds, special features, or general design that we forget to see if it is something that we can be comfortable strapping to our backs or lugging around for six or more hours at a time. The key areas that we as consumers have control over the comfort are with the straps and overall fit.

There are two types of straps: shoulder straps and hip straps. Shoulder straps serve the obvious purpose of keeping a pack on your back. Meanwhile, hip straps serve the purpose of moving the bulk of the weight from your shoulders to your hips, which are better at managing a heavy load and thus preventing back-pain.

When looking at shoulder straps, you want to consider the level of padding. Even the most basic backpacks will have some level of padding, but depending on the amount of weight you plan on carrying, you may opt to go the route with a bit more padding. Shoulder straps with little padding will begin to cut into your shoulders after a while and can make carrying the pack into a pain. Long walks between gates at the airport and getting to your accommodation can suddenly become a major drain when every step hurts. And if you’re truly backpacking, it can be the difference between enjoying your trip and having a full-blown melt-down.

Hip straps are not likely to be found on most backpacks – typically only on travel packs. By wrapping your waist at the hips, the weight of your pack is significantly transferred to your legs, lowering your center of gravity. This allows for better mobility on your part and lessens the strain on your back. We’ve found that padding on the hip straps (while always welcome) is not as significant as the padding on the shoulder straps.

However, you want to ensure that you can properly buckle the straps, otherwise, you aren’t going to benefit as much. Hip straps make long walks far easier, and typically there are various zipper pockets on the straps that do a good job of holding small change and bills – meaning you can manage public transportation and quick purchases easily without having to drag out a wallet or hidden money belt.

Not all packs will allow for you to adjust the fit, and you may have to just accept the “one size fits all” approach if that is the pack you have selected. But, more and more packs, especially travel packs, are giving us the option of adjusting the exact fit of your pack. Hip straps are supposed to sit directly on top of your hips – not above, not below. By shortening or lengthening the distance between the shoulder straps and hip straps on a pack, you ensure that you effectively transfer up to 80% of your pack’s weight off your back and onto your legs and hips, which are much better at handling the weight.

Durability

No one wants their bag to fall apart on them, and especially not on their first trip out. The durability of the bags we choose is a major feature that is easy to overlook or misjudge. There is a lot to consider on the subject, and it goes beyond asking if the material is good. As a general rule, you want to make sure that your pack is tear-resistant. But that’s just the start.

Your style of travel is going to dictate a lot about the type of durability you’re looking for. Because we personally tend to get off the beaten path a bit, we know that our packs are subject to getting tossed around a bit and probably getting a little wet. So for us, water-resistance and water-proofing are important aspects we consider. But we also lean towards soft-bodied packs as these are more forgiving to a bit of jostling, whereas hard-shell luggage might crack under the wrong circumstances.

On many packs, the place that is most likely to fail is where straps and handles connect to the main body. Even when the material is highly durable, if the joint is weak, the pack can still break. So it is important to give careful consideration at all joints, and ensure that quality sewing work has been done. Always ask yourself if the pack will stand up to being handled rougher than intended. Despite our best intentions, we’re likely to improperly carry our stuff at times, and the general wear-and-tear air travel and bus travel exerts on our packs can take a heavy toll.

Water-resistance is another important consideration. Full water-proofing is generally unnecessary unless you’re planning on doing some serious outdoor trekking, but for the majority of us, is unnecessary. Heavy splashes, quick bouts of rain, and the occasional puddle are what most packs are likely to endure, and water-resistance will suffice. For those who are still a little worried about their belongings getting wet, there are a couple options. Some packs will come with additional rain shields – essentially ponchos designed for the pack – and the other route is to use aquaphobic sprays.

Security

Keeping our packs secure is often times one of our biggest worries. We’ve been subject to pick-pocketing before, so for us, it isn’t just something that happens to others, it’s a real threat. And getting your stuff swiped is a pretty sure way to get into a sour mood. We trust our packs to airport staff, hotels and hostels, and transportation. Pack security is a major consideration when choosing a travel pack, but it can be confusing. What should you do? Is it enough? What is too much?

Strong durable materials are a great start because a knife is unlikely to cut through your bag. It’s worth noting that something is better than nothing. Even if your security is nothing more than a piece of yarn tied on the zipper, you can at least know if your bag has been tampered with – but we do suggest something a little bit more.

• Zip-ties – These may seem simple, but they go a long way. When properly secured, zip-ties require a tool and some time to get past. Often, that little obstacle is enough to deter most thieves. If it wasn’t though, then you can tell immediately that your pack has been tampered with and you can address your problem. Plus they’re really cheap. We like to carry a few with us for their versatility and ease of use. – Tarvol Nylon Zipties
• Combination Lock – These locks are pretty straightforward, a 3 or 4 digit rotary style lock that will keep your belongings safe. Given enough time, a dedicated thief could feasibly crack the code, but the likelihood is extremely low. Tools are needed to break the lock so you’re pretty safe. You just need to remember your code. – TSA Cable Luggage Locks
• Padlock – A step up from the combination lock, padlocks are bit sturdier and thus more difficult to break. And no reasonable amount of time will allow anyone to break in. Without the key, no one gets in – so just don’t misplace yours. These are also great for lockers at hostels, train stations, and other more public housing locations. – TSA Luggage Locks

Our Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Travel Pack

So there you have it, our ultimate guide to choosing a travel pack. Hopefully, we’ve covered everything you need to know to get you on the right foot and out the door on next adventure. If you have any questions, comments, or recommendations let us know in the comment section down below. We would love to hear back from you!