How to Choose the Right Backpack

I have already mentioned the benefits of adopting a backpack: independence, mobility, adaptability, and responsiveness.

• Independence: no need to elaborate, with a backpack you don't have to pay for a taxi upon arriving at the bus station; you can walk to the city center like a pro!

• Mobility: no matter your path, you'll always be with your backpack, which-if you're not overdoing it!-is neither wider nor larger than you: if you can fit through, it can too. Whether it's narrow streets, steep paths, or staircases, nothing will hold you back!

• Responsiveness and adaptability: an unexpected event, a last-minute change of plans, no problem! With your backpack, you're ready to move quickly and can easily adjust. You always have it on your back and won't risk losing it.

Now that you're convinced to leave your rigid and bulky suitcases behind, let's talk about what you'll have on your back. How do you choose a backpack wisely?

With experience, travelers tend to decrease the volume of their backpacks and, of course, their contents. For our first trip, we each left with a large backpack-mine was 55 liters and François's was 70 liters. We are currently considering switching to smaller packs of 30-40 liters and 40-50 liters.

Your backpack should be proportional to your body size. But be careful, the bigger it is, the more tempted you will be to fill it, and the heavier it will be (logical reasoning!). To give you an idea, a well-packed 80-liter backpack exceeds 20kg, whereas for 50 liters, you'd have around 10kg. As a rule of thumb, aim for a maximum weight of the backpack to be one third of your body weight.

It's not straightforward, as there's a delicate balance to find between weight, bulk, comfort, and livability. Because it contains everything you own for the coming months.

And as with many adventures, photography and tech gear already take up quite a bit of space and weight: the DSLR camera, an extra lens, a tripod, spare batteries, the charger, a waterproof camera, a small discreet camera (to pull out in situations where you don't want to attract attention), a laptop, a tablet, cables, a USB drive, sufficient memory cards... not to mention the power adapters.

To travel light, every gram is weighed before adding it to your packing list.

For our first trip, I wanted to prepare for all situations and be as equipped as possible. I'm the organized type, and taking a lot of gear reassured me about our ability to cope while traveling. So throughout the trip, we wore our high-top hiking boots, incredibly warm, even in the sweltering heat of Paraguay at over 40°C! And at the same time, tucked in my bag was a fleece to face the cold... which was planned for weeks later. I thus had to endure weeks of discomfort to be sure I'd be ready for the next month. Not the best calculation! Over the course of the trip, we gradually abandoned certain items: a towel, a pair of pants, a sheet, a hat, a sweater... as they were dead weight: hardly ever used, they weighed down our backs unnecessaily.

Assume that you can always find what you need locally (not entirely accurate for tech items), and often for cheaper than here. Other things that seem vital here will quickly be put in perspective on the road, as habits fade away to adapt to your environment and learn to make do with what's available. So, no panic!

Before looking at the look or color, pay attention to some details like:

• the thickness of the straps, the comfort of the belts,

• the protection, comfort, and ventilation in the back (padded with foam inserts, with the option for ventilation),

• the hip belt to distribute weight, the chest strap for added stability,

• the location of the zippers (too easy to access and visible = theft risk),

• side pockets and compartments, the possibility to fit a water bottle,

• the rain cover,

• waterproof qualities,

• the sturdiness of the seams, the brand's reputation...

In short: comfort, durability, and safety. There are backpacks made for women, optimized for our body shape and size (and some even have cool looks and colors!).

Several weeks before departing, start gathering the items from your list. This way, you'll have a clearer idea of the volume and weight by directly testing them in your backpack:

1. if everything fits,

2. if it's not too heavy and comfortable for your back (recommended not to carry more than 20% of your weight),

3. if it's manageable for the airplane.

Even at this stage, you'll see you'll already abandon part of your list (and perhaps add other items you hadn't thought of yet), I guarantee it! The ideal is to fill your backpack only 2/3 full so you can carry home your purchases and souvenirs; otherwise, you'll have to abandon things on site (which happened to us on our first long trip).

Next, practice: make your backpack your own. Think about how to pack intelligently, according to the principles of necessity probability, ergonomics, and protection:

• probability: if you start your journey in the tropics, you're likely not going to need your heavy sweater! Keep what you'll use most often at the top of your backpack.

• ergonomics: it's better to place the heaviest items at the bottom of the bag, to better distribute the weight (so your hips bear the load, not just your shoulders) and for greater stability. Your back will thank you!

• protection: protect fragile items. By wrapping them in your clothing or towels; also safeguard your bag's contents-especially your most valuable items-by avoiding placing them too close to the zippers.

You'll find that over time, you will further optimize your backpack and its organization: you will become an expert and instantly know where to find what you need.

Count between 80 and 150 euros for your backpack, depending on the brand and size. On average, prices hover around:

• 120 to 170 euros for volumes over 70 liters

• 80 to 120 euros for volumes of 45-60 liters

• 50 to 80 euros for volumes of 20-35 liters

Before checking in your bag, for certain countries, I recommend you wrap your backpack, either with plastic film or at machines found near airport entrances. This will ensure that your backpack doesn't have any unwanted items added in the airport back room (nothing stolen, but certainly nothing added...).

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