What Rucksack / Backpack for traveling India / Asia ?
Discussion
Right, large contact at work landed, check
Money being saved, check
Destinations decided, check
Bag to take....??????????????????
Me a the GF are going to go for about 6months+, I am a large fella and she is wee, so I will end up with the carrying duties alot so thought i would look into different types of bag.
Like the idea of a large BackPack with removable day backpack, with wheels for airports and pavement work with the bugger.
Edited to add : What is the difference between a internal frame and external one compared to one with out a frame at all ? make a noticeable difference, worth it ?
Found The Northface Longhaul
http://www.rei.com/product/756079
When I first saw it it was described on the net as a Backpack with wheel but is looking more like a wheely bag now, probably not great for any hiking.
Quickly found this
https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/webpoint/webpoint....
Or do I go for a huge cheapy bag ( £50-£60 ) from a camping store ?
Any one have any recommendations for type of bag or any help at all.
Money being saved, check
Destinations decided, check
Bag to take....??????????????????
Me a the GF are going to go for about 6months+, I am a large fella and she is wee, so I will end up with the carrying duties alot so thought i would look into different types of bag.
Like the idea of a large BackPack with removable day backpack, with wheels for airports and pavement work with the bugger.
Edited to add : What is the difference between a internal frame and external one compared to one with out a frame at all ? make a noticeable difference, worth it ?
Found The Northface Longhaul
http://www.rei.com/product/756079
When I first saw it it was described on the net as a Backpack with wheel but is looking more like a wheely bag now, probably not great for any hiking.
Quickly found this
https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/webpoint/webpoint....
Or do I go for a huge cheapy bag ( £50-£60 ) from a camping store ?
Any one have any recommendations for type of bag or any help at all.
Edited by Tampon on Tuesday 24th February 11:48
If you're going to buy a rusksack of any sort, ignore all the advice on he re which one to buy. Go to a big outdoor shop and try them on. You want one that fits and will be very comfortable when full of heavy stuff.
Also consider buying a dry-sack to keep your gear dry if you get rained on.
Also consider a wire mesh ant-theft cover for airports, public areas etc. Rucksacks are easier to slit open with a stanley and you don't want your stuff nicked.
HTH
Also consider buying a dry-sack to keep your gear dry if you get rained on.
Also consider a wire mesh ant-theft cover for airports, public areas etc. Rucksacks are easier to slit open with a stanley and you don't want your stuff nicked.
HTH
I would make sure that you can easily carry/wheel otherwise shift, all the bags you have with you.
Why - because when you get out of the airport/off a bus etc there will always be 20 people wanting to take you to a hotel/carry your bags etc and it's much easier to haggle or just get rid of them if you can say 'No' and walk off.
If you have too many / too heavy bags they know that you need help and you are in a weaker position.
I'd aim for not taking enough clothes* and either washing them out or buying new (as they're pretty cheap) in preference to having too many and having to carry them all the time.
John
Why - because when you get out of the airport/off a bus etc there will always be 20 people wanting to take you to a hotel/carry your bags etc and it's much easier to haggle or just get rid of them if you can say 'No' and walk off.
If you have too many / too heavy bags they know that you need help and you are in a weaker position.
I'd aim for not taking enough clothes* and either washing them out or buying new (as they're pretty cheap) in preference to having too many and having to carry them all the time.
John
- Some sexes may have more trouble with this than others
mechsympathy said:
rsv gone! said:
I think you're going in the right direction with the wheeled luggage. It won't be often you'll actually need to carry the luggage on your back.
Go for 60L tops.
Go for 60L tops.
That and a daysack for valuables and hiking. You really don't need much stuff and big bags are a PITA.You're going to a hot climate so you won't need many clothes.
I just take a 60L Berghaus travel pack with a zip-off daysack, although I'm going to buy a slightly bigger daysack so I can leave the main pack in the city (going to Bangkok for Songkran), just travelling to the islands with a 25L pack.
mechsympathy said:
anonymous said:
[redacted]
What on earth for? You'll struggle to pick the bloody thing up (As we demonstrated to a woman who came into the shop I worked at insisting she needed the biggest sack we had
)
Seriously though, my 55l sack was 14kg when I checked in.Like I said I am a big fella ( 6ft 5in, 18 stone second row rugby player ), she is the one I am worried about, probably get a big bag and a smaller one, use the smaller one for my stuff and she can carry it, and the large for hers and I can hump it round.
Would like wheels though so when she does start fidgeting and eventually starts moaning I won;t need to "put one on the front, because that will balance the other one out won't it?" as she said last night.
Liked the Breghaus one, will try and find one near me and test it out.
It started at the weekend, she was saying what she would need to take, i eventually just went off grabbed the fishing/camping backpack that I use for festivals etc and loaded up just some of the stuff and then said " lets go up to the tube ".
Went 3 stops then came back, on return she decided that "things are a lot heavier when you have to carry them".
Would like wheels though so when she does start fidgeting and eventually starts moaning I won;t need to "put one on the front, because that will balance the other one out won't it?" as she said last night.
Liked the Breghaus one, will try and find one near me and test it out.
It started at the weekend, she was saying what she would need to take, i eventually just went off grabbed the fishing/camping backpack that I use for festivals etc and loaded up just some of the stuff and then said " lets go up to the tube ".
Went 3 stops then came back, on return she decided that "things are a lot heavier when you have to carry them".
Take minimal clothes - you can always buy cheap out there if you run out.
Take flip flops and the lightest pair of trainers / shoes you can find.
Wheels are pointless as you need a smooth road / pavement to wheel the bag on. Also bags with wheels / frames tend to be heavy even when empty.
Take flip flops and the lightest pair of trainers / shoes you can find.
Wheels are pointless as you need a smooth road / pavement to wheel the bag on. Also bags with wheels / frames tend to be heavy even when empty.
I did 3 weeks in India last year - admittedly on a semi-organised tour rather than true back-packing, but still travelling around.
I took 12kg luggage, and that was more than enough. The bag I took with me broke, so I ended up replacing it with a 55l rucksack bought second hand in Nepal. It was just a little bit too small, so I would think a 60l bag would be a good bet.
Whilst wheels are a nice idea, I'm not sure how much use you would get out of them in India - even in large cities such as Delhi roads tend to have large pot holes/cracks or sometimes even a severe lack of tarmac altogether.
I've just been out and bought a new bag for this year - 60l rucksack with zip off day pack. The day pack can also be worn on the straps of the main pack to help balance the weight if you want (also helps to keep an eye on valuables). I haven't seen the specific pack you mention, but looked in shops at different brands. The one I ended up buying was reduced to 40 euros (most of the others are 1-200 euros here in cloggie land), although it's not a "known" brand it will be fine for what I want.
Think about how the bag opens - is it only at the top, so you have to burrow through to find what you want, or does it have a U shaped zip around the front so it is more like opening a suitcase?
Some companies are now offering cube bags for inside the rucksacks to organise clothes etc - rather than pay for these have a look at laundry bags for washing delicate items - much cheaper and they will do the same job, without loading up on loads of plastic, which could make your back hot.
Good luck, and most importantly enjoy - and be prepared for total culture shock. India is crazy, and most probably you will either love it or hate it
I took 12kg luggage, and that was more than enough. The bag I took with me broke, so I ended up replacing it with a 55l rucksack bought second hand in Nepal. It was just a little bit too small, so I would think a 60l bag would be a good bet.
Whilst wheels are a nice idea, I'm not sure how much use you would get out of them in India - even in large cities such as Delhi roads tend to have large pot holes/cracks or sometimes even a severe lack of tarmac altogether.
I've just been out and bought a new bag for this year - 60l rucksack with zip off day pack. The day pack can also be worn on the straps of the main pack to help balance the weight if you want (also helps to keep an eye on valuables). I haven't seen the specific pack you mention, but looked in shops at different brands. The one I ended up buying was reduced to 40 euros (most of the others are 1-200 euros here in cloggie land), although it's not a "known" brand it will be fine for what I want.
Think about how the bag opens - is it only at the top, so you have to burrow through to find what you want, or does it have a U shaped zip around the front so it is more like opening a suitcase?
Some companies are now offering cube bags for inside the rucksacks to organise clothes etc - rather than pay for these have a look at laundry bags for washing delicate items - much cheaper and they will do the same job, without loading up on loads of plastic, which could make your back hot.
Good luck, and most importantly enjoy - and be prepared for total culture shock. India is crazy, and most probably you will either love it or hate it
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