The difference between a hiking bag and a travel backpack, how to choose a backpack that suits you?

The backpack is the life of a traveler while traveling, and like another companion, it sticks together 24 hours a day. Back to back, never crying hard or tired, and seriously accompany us to every corner of the world.

Therefore, just like choosing an object, how to choose a backpack that suits you is a very big science. There are hundreds of types, brands, and prices of backpacks on the market. There are actually some skills in how to choose one in a million. Today, I will share with you some of my own methods of choosing a backpack!

The following content is compiled based on my own travel experience and some data collection on the Internet. So I am biased towards personal experience, and my travel experience is not very rich. If there are any omissions or problems, please let me know, and please leave a comment below to share your backpack and selection skills with you.

This article will study from several starting points, and how to choose a backpack that suits you:

Backpack vs suitcase

What is the difference between backpacks for mountaineering and travel?

What size backpack do I need to buy?

Small details to pay attention to when choosing a backpack

Supplementary post on rental backpack strategy

1. Backpack or suitcase, which one is right for me when traveling?

In fact, in addition to backpacks, we also have our own suitcases. Whether backpacks are better or suitcases. In fact, this question is like green carrots. This preference depends on the way we choose to travel, because backpacks and suitcases are two Each has irreplaceable advantages.

For example, if we are going on vacation today, we would prefer to use suitcases. We can travel in the easiest way. We don’t need to carry a backpack to increase our weight. If we buy gifts, we don’t have to worry about falling or pressing.

But today if it is a journey that requires constant movement or the road conditions are not so good during the movement, we will choose a backpack. Although it will increase our weight, we don’t have to worry about the wheel problem during the movement. Moving, it’s relatively easy to face situations like driving a car. With a backpack, you can free your hands. Whether it’s an umbrella or other things, it’s very convenient. More importantly, the backpack can be boarded. If you take a low-cost airline for a long time, you can even skip the purchase of luggage.

Therefore, whether it is a backpack or a suitcase, it mainly depends on the method and purpose of travel.

in conclusion

Luggage: suitable for fixed-point itinerary, the moving process is simple, the public transportation is developed, and a lot of gifts are needed

Backpack: suitable for constant movement, complicated traffic, and will go to places that are not easy to reach by public transportation

2. There are hundreds of backpacks, is there any difference between hiking and traveling?

The commonly used backpacks are divided into mountaineering bags and self-service travel bags. The design of mountaineering bags will have more external things, which can be used to hang sleeping bags or even trekking poles.

The self-service travel bag is designed to look a bit like a soft suitcase, and most of them will also have a mother-and-child bag. The backpack can be opened when arriving at a certain point, and the small bag can be carried as a carry-on bag, while the large bag is Stay in the hostel.

Although it is said that the self-service travel bag’s mother-and-child bag design will make the journey more convenient, but in fact, the mountaineering bag can also be used for self-service travel. One of the reasons is that the mountaineering bag has better load-bearing function, and the shoulder strap design will be thicker and more suitable. Ergonomics.

Here is a comparison with a backpack from a well-known manufacturer.

traveling backpack

The opening design of A is to open directly from the main body, which is the same concept as the suitcase. This will help organize your luggage when traveling. It is also more convenient to get what you want after arriving at the designated point.

B. Travel backpacks usually have the design of a parent-child bag, and the two bags can be buckled together. When traveling at a fixed point, the mother bag is usually left in the hotel, while the child packs valuables and carries it on his back.

C. A zipper bag is designed on the back of the travel backpack. Usually, when the plane is checked in, the outer line, strap, buckle, etc. can be hidden inside, so that it will not be damaged during transportation.

There is an independent space under the D backpack, where you can put shoes, thick coats and other items. The backpack for mountaineering also has this design.

There is also a separate space above the E backpack for easy access to things, and the backpack for mountaineering also has this design.

Mountaineering backpack

A. The top layer of many backpacks for mountaineering is designed to be separated. If you don't need to pack too many things, you can remove it.

B. The opening of the backpack for mountaineering is usually on the top, so it is not convenient to take things temporarily. Therefore, more outer bags are also designed to facilitate access to small items.

C. Because you need to wear a backpack for a long time when climbing, the backpack for mountaineering is designed to reduce the load on the back, and the shoulder straps can be adjusted to a suitable size.

D is the same as C, except for the shoulder straps, the abdomen and chest buckles are a part of the overall weight. The design can also be adjusted and aligned with users.

There are many buckles on the outer part of the backpack for mountaineering, allowing users to attach sleeping bags, trekking poles and other climbing equipment.

There will be a buckle that can be fixed in the F bag, so that the items inside can be fixed when there is a lot of shaking during walking or transportation. Many backpacks for travel have this design.

It depends on the itinerary of the trip whether you want to buy it for travel or for mountain climbing. If you need to walk with a backpack for a long time, a hiking backpack will be more suitable for you; if you expect to be able to get the contents easier, the walking time is not too long, and travel is a good choice for you. In addition, this choice is not absolute. Mountaineering backpacks can also be used when traveling (but fewer people will use travel backpacks to go mountaineering).

3. What size backpack is suitable for me?

When you buy a backpack, you will see that he has different liters. The larger the liters, the more things you can hold, but you still have to consider your own weight-bearing capacity and the length of travel days. The backpack is not the bigger the better, but to find the size that suits you best.

The scale clearly indicates how many liters of the backpack and what is the maximum load. You can use this table as a reference to decide how big a backpack you need to buy.

In addition, as mentioned earlier, there are many backpack designs that can be disassembled on the top or bottom. When purchasing, please note that the volume of sound it refers to is the number of liters before disassembly!

Fourth, the small details to pay attention to when choosing a backpack

In addition to the above types, there are some details to pay attention to when choosing a backpack that suits you:

Back: The backpack needs to be worn for a long time. Your back is always close to the backpack. How to carry it comfortably is very important. Some backpacks are designed with vents to allow air to circulate and are less wet.

Waist belt, chest strap: The weight of the backpack cannot be supported entirely by the shoulders, which will lead to death. More gravity is supported by the chest and abdomen. Therefore, whether the design of the waist belt and chest strap can make your back comfortable and close to your body is one of the important details.

Interior: The design of each backpack is different. Do the mezzanine, storage space, and separate areas of the head and tail meet your needs when traveling?

Color: It is important to choose the color you like, after all, you will see him every day when you travel. Dark colors are usually a better choice. Light colors are relatively easy to stain when traveling.

Price: The price of backpacks varies from hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on size, brand, and type. It may feel expensive, but after all, you will carry it on your body all the time during this trip. A really good backpack will hold a 20 kg thing, and it will only feel 15 kg when carried, and it will be more durable and durable. So you get what you pay for, and you need to think carefully about how much backpack to buy.

Five, you must learn to save money, in addition to spending a lot of money to buy, you can also rent a backpack

Although backpacks are easy to use, in fact, the unit price of backpacks is not cheap. For many people who want to try the backpacker's way of traveling for the first time, they often hesitate because of the price of backpacks, and they are not sure if they will travel frequently. , You can also rent a backpack directly for a single trip.

Many outdoor goods stores have rental services. In addition to the well-known tents, sleeping bags, warm clothing, etc., they also provide backpack rental services of different sizes, and the price varies according to the number of days and size of the rental.

What’s more special is that in the past two years, because of the prevailing camping trend, the number of rental shops has increased a lot. Many sporting goods even provide delivery services, so if you have similar needs and don’t have time to go to the shops, you can search online. But we still recommend to choose from the store as much as possible, because even if they are all 60L backpacks, the feeling of carrying them will be different because of different designs. When traveling a long distance, the backpack is like your own partner. You must find a way to find the one that suits you. To travel happily!

Finally, whether you want to buy a backpack or rent a backpack, it is still recommended to tell the clerk of your travel destination and the number of days. The clerk will recommend the most suitable backpack for each outdoor travel enthusiast!