6 Mistakes Travelers Make When Buying Their First Backpack
The Points & Miles Backpacker is a weekly column appearing every Monday. TPG contributor Brian Biros, who has backpacked the globe for the past 15 years, discusses how to fund this adventurous, budgeted and increasingly popular form of travel with points and miles. He’ll also explore all things backpacking-related. Read his story here and his high-level approach here.
Using a backpack isn't actually a requirement of being a backpacker, but it's highly suggested. At first, the case against backpacks appears strong in an age of wheeled luggage. Why carry something when you can roll it behind you? But lugging a suitcase up three flights of hostel stairs; or dragging it across a beach to get to your hut; or even hauling it across tiny cobblestone streets during a month-long tour of Europe will make you rethink that.
Backpacks are still the preferred luggage choice for backpackers, and not just because we have a name and image to uphold. When worn correctly, backpacks feel much lighter than they look, and they allow for more agility than a suitcase on wheels when the terrain is anything other than smooth and flat.
However, you want to invest in a good pack that properly distributes weight and stores your belongings efficiently. This pack may be more or less attached to you for a good portion of your travels, and every one of those days could be a reminder you should have invested more into picking a backpack if you don't do it right the first time.
Here are the mistakes many people make when shopping for a pack — and my tips for avoiding them. Trust me: I've made all these mistakes myself at one point or another.
1. Getting a Top Loader
The single greatest buyer's remorse people experience with backpacks is getting a top-loading pack instead of front loading (also called panel loading). A top loader opens only at, well, the top, while the entire front side zips open on a front loader. That makes retrieving something from your pack a lot easier. With a top loader, you may have to unpack and repack everything to grab something from the bottom half.
I've read arguments for a top loading pack, but any minor advantage of a top loader is far outweighed by how inaccessible the majority of your belongings are. For top loaders to be convenient, you must always make sure the next thing you need is near the top of your pack. Good luck with that. Murphy's laws of backpacking clearly state the next thing you will need is at the bottom of your pack. No rain in the forecast? That'll change as soon as you put your rain jacket in the bottom of your pack.
2. Buying Without Trying
You can read reviews online for hours, but no one other than you can decide if the pack fits your body. Trying on an empty pack at a store won't tell you much either: You want to simulate the real experience.
I suggest buying several backpacks and filling them with the exact contents you expect to carry while traveling. Take a couple long walks with each pack; climb up and down several flights of stairs; and practice taking them on and off. If you find a clear winner, return the others. (Just be sure to purchase from a retailer with a generous return policy, such as REI.)
If you are short on time, head straight to an REI store and try out the bags there. Most locations should have sandbags to simulate the weight you expect to carry, or you can fill a pack with items from around the store to get a sense of how the bag will sit and feel when packed.
3. Making Incorrect Adjustments
A good backpack worn incorrectly is no longer a good backpack. Unlike what you used for the entirety of your academic career, the weight of your pack should rest on your hips — not on your shoulders. Therefore, you want to begin with the shoulder straps loosened and first secure your hip belt and tighten it so the pack's weight rests comfortably on your hip bones.
Next, you'll tighten the shoulder straps dangling near your elbows to pull the pack in tight to your body. Then, you'll adjusts the straps up on either side of your neck to pull the weight off your shoulders. Lastly, buckle the sternum strap to keep the shoulder straps pulled inward. REI lays out these fitting steps in much more detail with a handy infographic here.
Also, whether you're using a top or front loader, you always want to keep your heaviest items toward the bottom your backpack.
4. Choosing a Detachable Daypack
Detachable daypacks aren't the great two-in-one deal they may seem. When attached, the weight from the detachable daypack is far from your body and can throw you off balance. You'll likely realize you don't ever want the daypack attached and opt to wear it in front, which better distributes the weight.
Eventually, I ditched the included daypack all together and bought a better daypack. Because the two-in-ones are designed to attach and you may not ever carry them this way, you're better off purchasing a stand-alone backpack and a great daypack separately.
5. Falling for Wheels
I have yet to find a backpack with wheels that works well as both a backpack and a wheeled suitcase. Most often, when one tries to also be the other, it fails at both. Wheels add weight to backpacks, and the frame is far less comfortable. Any wheeled suitcase that adds straps does it in a way that the hip belt and straps can't be properly fitted. I'll be happy to be proven wrong someday when the perfect hybrid is invented, but I haven't seen it yet.
Instead, pick one bag type and commit to it for that trip. I naturally use a backpack for my backpacking adventures, but for most short domestic trips on flat, solid terrain, I chooses a carry-on size rollaboard.
6. Opting for an Off-Brand Bargain
Be prepared to spend $150 or more on a backpack. Don't buy anything off-brand or imitation. Those Oprey and South Face bags may seem fine now, but those zippers won't outlast your trip.
So, what bag should you purchase? If you're looking for an answer key instead of a homework assignment, I recommend an actual Osprey pack, because their products carry a lifetime guarantee. I've had my Osprey since 2011 though and, despite taking a hefty beating over the years, I haven't needed to use that warranty. If you're looking for a carry-on size backpack, I recommend the Osprey Farpoint 40. If you want a full-size pack, I like the Osprey Porter 65.
However, the advice I stand by more than any other is to give several backpacks a test drive before committing. That way the decision is yours, and it very well may not agree with my other suggestions.
Backpacking Tips
Got your very first backpack? Congrats. Now, read up on these backpacking tips and you'll be a pro in no time.
- Learn the Ranger Roll. It's the most efficient packing technique there is.
- Make the leap to carry-on only travel.
- Use packing cubes to keep your pack organized.
- At the request of several readers, I'll remind everyone again to remove your backpack before boarding a plane, train, bus or subway that is even remotely crowded.
If you’re looking to back that pack up and get some guidance, send your questions to backpacker@thepointsguy.com!
All images courtesy of the author.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.