Top Travel Backpacks to Pack for Every Course in the Future

To be sincere, I’m a bit simple when it comes down to packing for travel. I generally pack my bag one or two days before an excursion. In addition, enough of the stuff I pack and wear is what I carry at home. I’m not a fan of many of the gadgets used for travel.

However, there are a few essential things I’d only travel with. After over a quarter of a century of travel, I’ve narrowed the following list. Usually, once I’ve found something I like, I continue together, trip after trip.

Here are my best travel backup items , starting with the most critical and unmistakable items. If you’re looking for gifts for a loved one, you should check out this comprehensive list for avid travelers.

• Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack

I am in love with this backpack. For clarity, this Vanguard Alta Rise 48 is not a large backpack intended to be used for lengthy backpacking trips. It’s a carry-on bag ideal for long weekend trips; however, I’ve also used it for trips between two and three weeks. When I travel longer, I use this bag to carry everything we require and other items we need for the plane, bus, etc. All of our clothes are packed into a giant bag.

It’s also very comfortable, with chest and waist straps. It also comes with a fully waterproof rain waterproofer. It knows what they’re doing with camera backpacks because they created one of the perfect ones available on the market.

 

2. Skyroam Solaris Wireless Portable

Nowadays, you can find WiFi all over the world, but nothing beats having an accessible hotspot such as this one. It is a great alternative to buying local SIM cards, downloading maps onto my smartphone, or looking in search of free WiFi. This amazing device provides me with unlimited WiFi wherever I go, starting from the moment I set foot in a foreign country.

The method is that you buy or lease the device (they send you the item). Then, you pay for WiFi online, on the day or the month. Personally, I keep the device and then pay for it each time I travel. It even works for multiple devices. One drawback is that not every country is yet covered.

 

3. Olympus Mirrorless Camera

It’s a given that every traveler has cameras. For me, a phone camera will not do the trick. My preferred camera is the Olympus E-M5 Mark II. Also, check out my extensive article on why I am awed by this camera and the people it’s perfect for.

Mirrorless cameras are a thing, and if you’ve not been aware of them, they’re significantly thinner and less heavy than DSLRs (perfect for traveling! ). However, I believe that the quality of the photos is the same. I do not regret the convenience of carrying my massive DSLR around! Its capabilities are excellent, plus the lenses are tiny, adorable, and inexpensive, so it’s a pleasure to buy them.

I did a lot of research prior to deciding to purchase this camera. It came with all the features I was looking for: weatherproof, flip-out touchscreens, and built-in WiFi, which I like the vintage camera design. The camera I purchased made me feel like a photographer again, as it was easy to carry with you on your travels.

There is an upgraded model, the Olympus E-M5 Mark III, but the Mark II is still available and is about a hundred dollars less.

If you’re looking for something smaller and more portable, this guide will help you find some excellent GoPros and cycling cameras.

 

4. Crumpler Camera Bag

I cannot stress enough the importance of carrying a day bag while traveling. It’s the Crumpler camera bag, my bag that I use constantly for my day and includes all my essentials. Many people prefer a smaller backpack, but for me, my camera bag functions as my bag for the day so that all my important things are in one place, with my person at all times, and easily accessible for a bag to carry around.

So, I’ve spent some extra cash (there are cheaper models) to buy this high-quality and comfortable camera bag for my shoulder made by the Australian business Crumpler. This camera bag has all the boxes that are important to me: a large enough to hold my mirrorless camera and three lenses with space to spare, pockets with zippers in the back to hold my smartphone and wallet, a front pocket for batteries and memory cards easily and quickly opened, and a tripod strap on the side.

 

5. Joby Gorilla the Pod

While I’d rather use a large tripod, it’s not always practical to have one, especially when traveling with children or without a checked-in bag (tripods are generally not allowed in the cabin). This is where the Joby GorillaPod is a must!

This tripod has flexible legs that can be adjusted to sit on nearly any surface. It can be wrapped around a fence, pole, or tree branch. It’s also great for taking selfies using my camera since I can place the camera a bit further away from me and bend towards me, similar to the selfie stick.

The Gorilla Pod is lightweight and satisfying, so I often put the tripod off my camera, such as hiking. In contrast, my camera is hung on my neck to allow me to place the camera wherever I want to improve stability without having the tripod off and on each time.

 

6. Lonely Planet Guidebooks

I’m old-fashioned, but I miss the days when backpackers used Lonely Planet guidebooks to find their way around and figure out how to get around. Okay, it wasn’t always the most practical option, such as when I carried a half-dozen of the massive books in my backpack during longer journeys.

Although you can get all the information accessible online, I still purchase “the book” (as we were accustomed to calling it when traveling), such as Taiwan Lonely Planet, for almost every country I travel to. However, now I generally purchase the digital version. Often, I need to shell out a few dollars for each chapter I want instead of the entire book.

However, I still find these books to be extremely useful, particularly in the beginning stages of planning a trip. Some travelers are more open to spontaneity when it comes to trips, but not me. I’m a planner at the top of my game. I also enjoy having the ability to highlight my notes and make notes inside them.

Blogs can be useful as well, but they aren’t always reliable sources of information. On the other hand, Lonely Planet is super comprehensive, well-organized between two covers, readily accessible, and well-researched and written by reputable experts.

 

7. Hand Sanitizer

Before you know what ruined everything that travel has to offer, I’ve always carried tiny bottles of soap like those. There are times when toilets don’t have water or sinks; often, I’m tempted to get my contact lenses but don’t have the time to wash my hands, or, at times, my hands need to be cleaned. After 2019, I don’t need to go into detail about all of this to you.

I like these because they have little straps that can be attached to anything. They also come in a smaller size for travel (remember that you aren’t allowed to carry more than 100ml of liquid on an airplane).

 

8. Packing Cubes

If you haven’t used packing cubes for your luggage, then you don’t know what you’re missing. These are ideal for keeping your clothes, toiletries, and other items in order, such as keeping clean clothes separate from dirty ones.

They can be particularly helpful when we travel with kids, as we tend to pack all of our family’s clothes in one big suitcase. If there isn’t some way to organize, it can quickly become chaos. The set comes in different shades and is waterproof.

 

9. Platypus waterproof

I limit my environmental impact when traveling by carrying a reusable water bottle instead of buying plastic water bottles daily. I purchased a set of Platypus water bottles a few years ago, and we continue to use these on each journey.

The best part of these bottles is, when you’ve got them empty, they can wrap them up to take up a small size (and the weight). We can fill them up in our restaurant, hotel, or wherever we can access free potable water. Each holds about 2 liters. They’re great for hikes, too.

 

10. Sarong, as well as Pashmina

Sarongs will likely be the most versatile thing on my train. In addition to being able to wear it as a dress, I’ve also used the sarong for towels, a beach mat or blanket, a curtain (in the hot tropical locations), and scarves (for ladies, they can be a headscarf to wear when going into mosques or temples) and also to protect my shoulders when I’ve had a sunburn.

Another benefit of sarongs is that they’re very thin and light, so they barely require any space in my backpack. If you’re heading to an area with a beach, there’s a good chance you could buy a sarong there. If you’re not certain, you can purchase the one above from Amazon.

Similar to a sarong but smaller, a scarf can be used as a stylish scarf or a headscarf and serves almost all of the same purposes as a scarf. That’s why I advise you to bring a scarf when traveling!

 

11. Travel Pillow

I’m not a fan of pillows with round edges that passengers put around their necks during flights. They’re uncomfortable for me and ineffective for the rest of the flight.

Over the years, I’ve had the same type of product. It has a bit of memory foam, which allows me to compress it and roll it up to shrink its size; however, it expands when I remove it. I use it for leaning my head on the wall in planes or buses, and I like them primarily as extra-small pillows in hotels for cuddling or putting it under my knees (I’m a side sleeper) as well as a substitute pillow when the one in the hotel is sucky.

 

12. Ear Plugs

Are you a super light sleeper like me? If so, do yourself a favor and purchase earplugs similar to these for your next travel. They’re perfect for travel, hostels, and noisy hotels, as well as staying with relatives who are prone to snoring. I prefer the classic, soft ones. The rigid plastic models can hurt my ears as I lie on my back.

 

13. Universal Adapter

Depending on the location you’ll be traveling to, adapters to plug in your devices could be required. I used to purchase adapters for my own devices before every trip, but these days, I simply buy one or two universal adapters, so I don’t need to worry about it, particularly when traveling across countries.

 

14. Sunscreen

One thing I’ve discovered on the journey is that sunscreen could be better, more affordable, and more possible to locate in many locations. I usually avoid the hassle and take it with me from home. I like this one because it’s non-greasy, reef-friendly, and it’s an ideal size for travel.