How to Optimize Your Bag for Traveling Around the World?

Traveling, whether for a getaway or an extended journey around the world, is a dream... But when it comes to imagining what to pack, it often leads to panic! How to think it through? What should I take? And how do I avoid breaking my back by overloading my bag with unnecessary kilos? Here are some experienced tips to optimize your bag and leave with peace of mind... and a happy back!

Thinking about optimizing your bag is a question that requires reflection at all levels of preparation. I realized, after the success of our article at the start of our last sabbatical year >, that many of you were interested in the optimization aspect of our gear. I thought it would be worthwhile to elaborate a little more on this point.

Every trip and every traveler is unique. Don't try to find the magic formula for a perfect bag by scouring travel sites; you won't find it! What I find most interesting is understanding what these different travelers have thought about to build their ideal bag, serving as guides for your own reflections.

Every journey has its specific needs, related to climate, the way of getting around, and planned activities... And each traveler also has their habits and preferences. Some prefer to travel solo, while others enjoy group trips for a corporate trip. Nevertheless, there are some good practices that can be applied in most cases. And that's what we're going to explore!

Minimalism applied to travel: it's a whole philosophy! I used to take 120% of the necessary items regardless of the trip's duration. I went from a large 60-liter backpack to a small bag of less than 40 liters... and sometimes even just one small bag for two! Everything seems so much simpler this way, whether it's for preparation or the journey itself.

Traveling light involves asking yourself: what do I really need? I start by sorting through my wardrobe and travel gear. Then, I reevaluate the question, again and again. Generally, I lay out my items on my bed and categorize them into three lines: what I absolutely need, what I think I might need, and what would be nice to have but probably isn't essential. I quickly assess the bulk and weight of all these items, wondering if everything fits in my bag. With experience, I'm starting to get the hang of it! Then, I review my second line, redistributing its content between the first and last lines. And the last line... it often gets left behind without further analysis!

I've learned, through all the trips we've taken over the past 10 years, that overpacking is not a good thing. Forget about the 'just in case', 'maybe', 'what if'... If you find yourself saying these words, those items belong to the third line and have no place in your bag!

Keep in mind that you'll always find something to help you out if you really need it once you're there. But so far, I've rarely had regrets about leaving an extra item at home. And that's also how I've been able to refine my sorting process to be more effective in preparing my bag.

I always come back to this point as my first approach, but it's crucial and also prompts the questions that will influence the entire continuation of the journey: what type of trip, how long, in which regions, and with what kind of climate... In short: your needs.

Next, when you choose your bag, there are a whole series of criteria to consider, which you can find in this article: How to Choose Your Backpack Well. I also briefly explain why we prefer to travel with backpacks rather than suitcases, for those still hesitating between these two options.

Regarding optimization, I would like to draw your attention to the weight of your empty bag. It's great to optimize the weight of what you'll put in it, but if your bag already weighs 3 kg empty, it will drastically change the total weight in the end!

For example, our standard bags (the ones that accompany us most often) each weigh 1.2 kg (the Stratos 34 for François) and 1.45 kg (the Sirrus 36 for me). Recently, we added the Levity 45 bag, chosen specifically for its lightweight: 830 grams!

However, of course, the weight of the bag isn't the only selection criterion: durability, capacity, rain protection, compartment style, and storage options must also be considered.

François has already written several review articles about the different backpacks that have accompanied us around the world, like the one on the bags from our previous sabbatical year (Aether 60 and Ariel 55).

Five noteworthy advantages! Well, I admit: I also like to add a cute tunic or a dress to these practical clothes. I'm not an extremist in my reasoning: I am for optimization in general, but not to the point of leaving with just one pair of pants and two t-shirts. But some do, because that's what suits them: it always comes back to individual style and needs.

A conclusion that appears in each of these articles: it all depends on your needs! Asking the question of the right device to take is important. But the answer won't be the same for everyone. It relies on your needs, your skills (amateur photographer or more experienced), and the ideal weight and bulk... But also the journey.

To give you an idea, for some trips, we pack two computers (one for me to write and one for François to work on photos and videos), a smartphone, a tablet, two cameras, three or four lenses, a stabilized camera (Dji Osmo), a drone, a GoPro, a tripod... In short, a nice arsenal that easily reaches 12 kilos. For other trips, like our current journey in Japan in a more minimalist style, we'll only take a tablet, two smartphones, a camera, and one lens. Much more reasonable, but also much more limited. It all depends on our needs and desires, which we reevaluate with every trip.

If you're looking for more advice regarding the cameras and video equipment we currently use and have used, I invite you to check out our section with articles written by François.

Gathering everything that needs to fit into your bag is good... but it's not enough! Now comes the often critical step of filling the bag. And 'just fitting' is not a sufficient goal. Once again, it's about optimizing.

We have two major criteria for optimizing the arrangement of our bags: weight distribution, to make carrying as comfortable as possible, and accessibility, so that when you put the bag on your back, you feel good and it doesn't throw you off balance backward or to one side.

Practically speaking, I recommend compartmentalizing your belongings, perhaps using pouches, so that you can easily find things and not scatter lots of small items both in your bag and your accommodation once on the road. It's the best way to avoid losing little pieces when packing and unpacking your bag.

There are also bags that allow you to compress your clothing with vacuum sealing. I no longer use them because ultimately having to open and close these bags often with every hotel change was more tedious than practical for me!

And a final piece of advice regarding optimizing the arrangement of your belongings: don't stuff your bags or suitcases to the brim! Leave some empty space: it's more pleasant to carry, more enjoyable throughout the trip (so you don't have to wrestle with zippers every time), and allows you to respond to needs on the road, whether for emergencies (a necessary purchase on-site) or for pleasure (to bring back a little souvenir).

Optimizing is great... but sometimes it goes to your head! I remember François, during our first trips, wanting to minimize our bags' weight to the point of cutting the straps of our backpacks. Straps that he ended up cutting so short that we can no longer fill the bag to its maximum. Thinking back, I suspect he did it on purpose!

For some, optimizing means leaving with just one outfit or one less camera or fewer so-called essential gadgets. Ultimately, the goal of optimization is to be more comfortable on the road: it's up to you to find the right balance!

Optimizing our bags has truly changed the way we travel! No more 60L bags, no more sore shoulders, no more excess left behind along the way. The lightness of the bag also means the lightness of movement, the ability to be more responsive, and more free in the way we travel.

If you have more experiential tips to share, don't hesitate to do so in the comments; I'm always curious to know other travelers' tricks!