BootsnAll Travel Community

I've done a few searches but haven't found any threads addressing this issue. Sorry if the question has been raised elsewhere and I missed it--just point me in the right direction!

At any rate, I'm leaving for a RTW trip in about a month and am pondering backpacks (I know, it may seem a bit last minute, but that's how I function best). My brother did a bit of solo travel through S. America and mentioned, after I related the story of a friend that had her entire backpack stolen from the baggage area of a bus during an overnight trip, that it may be wisest to pick up a non-descript duffel-type bag with backstraps from an Army/Navy store rather than a fancy Northface type backpack that would ake me stand out as a bit of a tourist. I'd be sacrificing better organization and handiness for anonymity. Is it worth it, or will I pretty much just stand out anyway, so screw it? Going my brother's route would be nice and cheap (20 bucks, US), but is it really worth it in the end? I figured I'd ask the opinions of some other more-seasoned travellers before I decided.

Oh, just for the record, I intend for my travels to take me through Fiji, New Zealand, Oz, SEA, India, Africa, and South America. I also intend to travel fairly light, but I'm pretty petite and not in the best shape of my life, so a comfortable pack may be key.

Thanks guys!

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a comfortable pack may be key

You have answered your own question.

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Originally posted by static:

quote:

a comfortable pack may be key

You have answered your own question.

I know, I know. I was expecting that as soon as I wrote that sentence. I did try on a pack at the Army/Navy store, though--straps were padded and was pretty comfortable, and, for 20 bucks, it could be worth it to do some after-market finagling to make it even more comfy. At any rate, outside of the higher degree of comfort with a higher-tech bag, what are your thoughts?

Go try on one of these.

Agree re comfort. pack it, wear it for 8 hours, sleep, wear it for another 8 hours. if you still like it, sweet. If not, try to return it. Probably better to ask permission for this kind of thing...

Small is the key. My pack is a little flashy (arcteryx) but i think most people in the world dont know what the hell it is nor how much it costs anyway. The main thing is its small enough to carry on, put by my feet on the bus, train, boat, car, whatever.... SO its much safer.

Also no dangly shit off the sides... mine is tall with no side pockets and so i can glide through narrow spaces which happens all the time in crowds n stuff.

You're likely going to stand out as a tourist/backpacker anyway, so might as well be comfortable. I like AG's suggestion about trying it. I had a very ill-fitting backpack (the person I borrowed it from was built much different than me, and was an inch or two taller, which meant it didn't fit me well) and it made things not fun. An ill fitting backpack can also cause more long term problems if you have it on an extended trip.

Again, most people don't walk around with even army surplus packs on. The only thing day-to-day people have are daypacks. So anything bigger, you're gonna look like a tourist. And you are a tourist, so...

Being petite and travelling lite you'll get away with a smaller one Rizz and discomfort will be less likely of an issue with lighter loads.
I've got a Kathmandu (maybe not available in US) that is only about 30-35L and is a composite top loader, one with zip opening going about 40% down, so suspect something like that would be available in US.
I bought it for just shorter trips and to double as a day pack and it is something that could easily be taken in a bus.
I'd reckon if you have something like that and then a second smaller, say 20L one if you were looking for extra space, then that would be your daypack and when in transit, you could just carry that out front with arms through straps and both could then go on a bus with you.
Saw a guy in Portugal lose his pack out of a bus a few years back, so it's something to be prepared for, just as not leaving your gear in a car on display is not a good idea in some places more so than others but generally a good rule anywhere.

Anyone know a good brand to check out/good pack for a small girl? I'm just barely 5'4" with a petite frame. It's hard enough to find clothes that fit haha...

IF you are going to do some serious moving around the duffel bag SUCKS (NO support...its like dragging a dead seal around)
If you're looking for cheap...go E-bay. 5,000 cubic inches seems like too big a pack for you. Try 3,000 or less and try to pack light.
And no dangly staps or side pockets seems like a good idea too.
If there is a Coleman store near you try it. Inexpensive quality packs. REI/Dicks sporting goods are more pricey but your back and feet may say "Thank you!"
Leave the Army packs for guys with hard heads who jump outta airplanes for a living.....

I am looking at backpacks from a company called Deuter. They appear to have good backpacks in the 3000 in^3 range.

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Anyone know a good brand to check out/good pack for a small girl? I'm just barely 5'4" with a petite frame.

Brooke, me and my girls are checking out the keltys, because they make some of them much shorter in the neckbone to tailbone length. I got a coyote, which just came in today--yay--and I got it for $65 off of ebay, brand new. Those are popular and easier to find, and we're trying to get a "kelty haiku" for the girls. REI.com has an article on how to measure yourself for a backpack, and you need that back measurement, esp if you have a short torso.

When in South America, I saw a few people disguise their backpacks by putting them in large grain sacks before loading onto the bus. They only cost a few dollars and take up very little space, so you could just stuff it in your backpack when not on the bus.

I don't think it matters if you have a $20 duffel or a $250 backpack, it probably will look like a tourist's bag to the locals and register dollar signs in their heads. If you want your luggage to look cheap, the first step is to make it not stand out, and the best way to do that is to make it look like a local's luggage.