How to Choose the Right Backpack for One-Bag Travel
Quick note, the article below outlines various backpack features, what to look for, and what you may want to avoid, but if you want to jump straight into seeing all the options, the resource you're looking for is the Onebag Comparison List on the Reddit One-Bag channel.
After you're feeling sufficiently overwhelmed by choices, come back here to find out what's really important when it comes to long-term, one-bag backpacks.
Introduction
When I was planning my first big overseas trip, I had no idea what I was doing, all I knew was that I wanted one bag to fit everything. I ended up choosing the first backpack that the Google Marketing Machine put in front of me, and it was not ideal - not to throw stones, but it was the AER Travel Pack 2.0. 🤾
Now that I have a few trips (and years on the road) under my belt, I'd like to share some of the things I've learned about choosing a backpack, hoping you won't make the same mistakes I did.
Four Primary Considerations
There are four primary considerations when choosing a travel backpack: Capacity, Comfort, Features, and Fit. These are the four things you should aim to get right for your first backpack, everything else is extra, ancillary, or unimportant.
So let's go through each in order.
1. Capacity - How to Choose the Right Backpack Size for One-Bag Travel
First, let's clarify; there's backpack "size" (i.e. the backpack capacity, in liters), and then there's backpack "size" (i.e. how it fits your body).
For the first question, capacity, the short and only answer is that it depends on what you're packing.
Most long-term, one-bag travelers fall into the 30-40L range - first-time one-baggers are usually 40-50L, while more experienced and optimized one-baggers are in the 30-40L range, and you'll find your extreme minimalist one-bag travelers in the <20L range.
If you're just getting started with one-bagging, we recommend looking in the 30-40L range; it may require some compromises, but that's the trade-off with one-bagging, fewer things for higher mobility.
Since we don't know what you're packing, we can't be more specific, but if you're interested in a deep-dive on choosing the right backpack size, check out How to Choose the Right Backpack Size for One-Bag Travel for more details.
2. Comfort - How to Choose a Comfortable Backpack for One-Bag Travel
Comfort is king when it comes to travel, it's as true for clothes as it is for backpacks, so finding a pack that fits your body and feels good for all-day wear is vitality important.
Backpack comfort comes down to three things; fit, frame, and features. I'll talk about fit a bit later in this article, so let's go through frames and features.
Backpack Frames
There are three types of backpacks in the world - internal frame, external frame, and no frame (i.e. frameless)... and then you have adjustable frames, removable frames, and partial frames (like foam pads) - so really, there are closer to ~20 backpack styles, and that's why we're here. :)
Framed backpacks = all-day comfort and potentially higher costs, frameless backpacks = less comfort and potentially lower costs. Foam-framed backpacks are more akin to frameless backpacks - better than no frame, but not nearly as good as framed ones.
Whether or not you need a frame comes down to how you'll be using the backpack; if you're mainly jumping between trains, planes, and stays, you can likely get away with a frameless backpack, but if you'll be wearing the pack for anything more than that, or if you're planning for long-term travel with unknown activities, we highly recommend a framed backpack.
Comfort Features
Aside from framed or unframed, there are three additional features worth watching for in a travel backpack, 1) waist/hip belts, 2) load-lifters, and 3) sternum straps.
These features are nice to have, but may not be necessary for all travelers.
If you just need something to get from point A to point B, these features add extra bulk and cost and can safely be ignored, but if you'll be using the backpack for anything more than that; i.e. hiking, camping, travel days where you'll be carrying everything for long periods, etc. then we recommend looking for a backpack that has them.
Hip belts offer weight distribution - moving the weight from your back/shoulders to your waist, making them invaluable if you plan on using the backpack for any extended period.
Load-lifters and sternum straps offer additional methods of weight distribution; load-lifters pull the weight up and off your back, while sternum straps prevent your pack from moving and shifting as you're walking, hiking, doing jumping jacks, etc.
If your backpack needs to be more than a commuter bag, get a framed backpack with these features.
3. Features - What Features Should I Look for in a Travel Backpack?
Backpack features are highly personal, but there are a few considerations that should help narrow down your selection; backpack access (i.e. opening style, backpack organization (internal/external pockets), and backpack fabric (waterproof vs water-resistant).
Backpack Access / Opening Style
There are many backpack access styles, but the two primary styles are top-loading and front-loading (also called clam-shell or panel-style access).
Most travelers prefer front-loading, as these backpacks are easiest to pack and unpack for long-term travel, but there are cases to be made for other opening styles; for example, small top-loading backpacks stand upright when set on the floor, great for those who use them primarily for work; large top-loading backpacks may be ideal if you're using the backpack for hiking or extended outdoor use.
If you just want an answer: go with front-loading (clam-shell/panel-access).
If you're interested in a deep-dive on the various access styles, check Top-Load vs Front-Load vs Panel-Access vs Dual-Access Backpacks for a pros and cons list of each type.
Backpack Organization
Most travelers fall into two camps, those who prefer high organization with lots of pockets, and those who prefer low organization, with just a few pockets to choose from; and there are pros and cons to each.
High-organization backpacks, like the AER Travel Pack 3 or the Peak Design Everyday Backpack - offer tons of pockets; which might be great, if you're packing all the same things the designers were packing when they made the bags, or you could have tons of extra unused pockets that just make finding things more difficult.
Low-organization bags like the Osprey Fairview 40 or the Topo Global Travel Bag 40 keep pockets (and weight) to a minimum with just a couple of internal pockets - great if you want easy (visual) access to all your stuff, not so great if you have hundreds of small items you don't want bumping into each other.
As inconvenient as it sounds, the only way to know if a backpack fits your needs is to purchase one and try it at home, doing a test pack with all your stuff.
Waterproof Backpacks
This has crossed the mind of many soon-to-be long-term travelers, and for good reason, waterproofing seems like a no-brainer, especially when you don’t know what you’ll be getting into; but while they may sound good on the surface, they're generally overkill for the typical traveler - unless you know you’ll be river rafting with all your belongings, you likely don't need one.
That being said, water-resistant backpacks are incredibly nice to have for long-term travel. Most modern mid-range to high-end backpacks are designed to be water-resistant, so I won't dwell on this, but if you're looking for a budget-friendly backpack, keep your eye out for water-resistant fabric and zippers.
For an overview of waterproof vs water-resistant backpacks, check out Do I Need a Waterproof Travel Backpack?
Additional Features
There are a ton of additional features we haven't covered, but opening style, organization, and water resistance are the three primary things to consider when looking for a travel bag.
This article would go on forever if we tried to cover everything, but a short nice-to-have list would include internal and external compression straps, quick-access pockets, water bottle holders, grab handles, and external clips/mesh pockets for hanging/carrying extra items. They aren't make-or-break, but they're worth noting when they're missing from a backpack.
4. Fit - How to Find the Right Backpack Fit for One-Bag Travel
Lastly, we have backpack sizing, or fit; and it's important to get it right before committing to a backpack.
All we can do here is recommend a few things:
1) Understand the key measurements used for fitting a backpack, check out How to Size a Backpack to Fit Your Body for a high-level overview of the primary measurements.
2) Go to your local outfitter and test some backpacks, they'll be able to help measure and fit a backpack based on your body type; you don't have to buy from them, but the insights they provide should be useful.
3) If you're buying online, be sure to TEST your potential backpack before leaving the country; we can't stress this enough, getting a backpack that fits comfortably can mean the difference between loving it and hating it.
Most manufacturers have a 30-day return policy, don't be shy about buying two or three of your top contenders and returning the ones that don't work.
How to Find the Right Backpack for One-Bag Travel
Now that you're armed with some knowledge about what to look for, it's time to actually find your ideal travel backpack.
One of the best resources for backpack research can be found on the Reddit onebag channel - the Onebag Comparison List.
Use this resource as a starting point for narrowing down your options, but please remember that no one backpack will have everything; every backpack, like packing lists, has trade-offs.
Conclusion
While choosing a backpack can be incredibly overwhelming for first-time, one-bag travelers, there are only four primary considerations that should be top of mind:
- Capacity - Based on need
- Comfort - Frame, hip belts, load-lifters, and sternum straps
- Features - Access style, organization, and fabric type
- Fit - Sizing a backpack to fit your body
If you can get these four things right, you'll be in a good position to find a backpack you love, that will last you for years.
Thanks for reading, and as always, happy travels.