How to Choose a Travel Backpack
Sizing, fit, carry-on compliance, top-loading vs. panel-loading, and the best travel backpacks for different styles and trip lengths.
The internet will tell you that buying the right backpack is the most important gear decision of your trip. It’s not - that’s your shoes. But a bad bag makes every travel day worse, and a good one makes you forget you’re carrying anything.
Do You Even Need a Backpack?#
Plenty of travelers use wheeled carry-on suitcases and they’re perfectly happy. Backpacks are better when you’re dealing with cobblestones, stairs, unpaved roads, boat transfers, or lots of walking between places. If you’re mostly doing city-to-city travel with good infrastructure (Europe, Japan, Australia), a wheeled bag is arguably more comfortable.
If you’re heading to Southeast Asia, Central America, or anywhere with rough terrain between your arrival point and your accommodation, a backpack earns its keep. The deciding question: will I be carrying this bag on my back for more than 10 minutes at a time? If yes, get a backpack. If no, wheels are fine.
Panel-Loading vs. Top-Loading#
Panel-loaders unzip fully along one side so you can see and reach everything - like a suitcase. Top-loaders have a single opening at the top covered by a lid; you stuff things in and dig them out.
For travel, panel-loading is overwhelmingly better. You can find your stuff without unpacking everything. You can organize with packing cubes. You can grab what you need from a hostel dorm without waking everyone up at 5am.
Top-loaders are designed for hiking where durability and weather resistance matter more than organization. They’re better at load distribution on trails. But for getting from airport to hostel to bus station, a panel-loader wins every time.
Size: How Many Liters?#
25-35 Liters (Minimalist)
Enough for warm-weather travel if you’re disciplined about what you pack. Works as carry-on on all airlines including the strictest budget carriers. Forces you to be ruthless about what you bring - which is usually a good thing.
35-45 Liters (Sweet Spot)
The most popular range for travel backpacks. Fits as carry-on on most airlines (budget airlines may push back at 45L). Room for a few layers, a laptop, and some flexibility for souvenirs. This is where most travelers end up after their first trip or two.
50-65 Liters (Full-Size)
Too big for carry-on. Gives you room for cold-weather gear, camping equipment, or long trips where you can’t do laundry easily. Also gives you room to overpack - which you will.
Don’t buy the biggest bag possible. Extra space doesn’t give you freedom; it gives you a heavier pack. You will fill whatever space you have. Buy smaller than you think you need.
Fit and Comfort#
This matters more than brand or features. A poorly fitting pack puts weight on your shoulders instead of your hips and will make you miserable after 20 minutes of walking.
Try before you buy, ideally with weight in it. Most outdoor stores will load a pack with sandbags so you can walk around. Key fit points:
- Torso length (not your height) determines your pack size. Measure from C7 vertebra (base of neck) to the top of your hip bones.
- Hipbelt should sit on your hip bones, not your waist. This is where 80% of the weight should rest.
- Shoulder straps should wrap your shoulders without gaps or pressure points.
- Load lifters (the small straps near the top of your shoulders) pull the pack’s weight closer to your body. They should angle about 45° upward.
If you can’t try it on in person, buy from somewhere with a generous return policy. REI gives you a year. Osprey has a lifetime guarantee.
Recommended Packs#
These are solid options, not the only options. Your existing bag might work fine.
Carry-On Travel Packs
- Osprey Farpoint/Fairview 40 - the default recommendation for a reason. Good fit system, panel-loading, comfortable for its size. The Fairview is the women’s-specific version.
- Cotopaxi Allpa 35 - excellent organization, distinctive look, slightly smaller but very well designed.
- REI Ruckpack 40 - good value, solid build, nothing fancy but it works.
Full-Size Travel Packs
- Osprey Atmos/Aura 50 - best ventilation system on the market. Your back actually gets airflow.
- Gregory Baltoro/Deva - plush comfort, excellent for heavier loads. The Deva is the women’s fit.
- Deuter Aircontact - popular in Europe, bomber durability, good hip belt.
Budget Options
- Decathlon Forclaz Travel 40 or 50 - genuinely good packs for a fraction of the price. Decathlon doesn’t get enough credit.
- Amazon Basics carry-on backpack - ugly, functional, cheap. Gets the job done.
Don’t spend $300 on a backpack if you’re not sure you’ll like backpack travel. Start cheap, upgrade later if you want to.
The Day Pack Question#
You’ll want a small bag for daily use while your main pack stays at the hostel or hotel. Options:
- Packable daypack (Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil, Matador Freefly16) - weighs nothing, folds to nothing, stashes in your main pack when not in use.
- Small crossbody bag - keeps essentials close and visible. Good for cities.
- A tote bag - seriously, a canvas tote works fine for markets, beaches, and casual days.
Don’t carry a second full-size backpack “just in case.” That defeats the purpose of packing light.
Wear your daypack on your front in crowded areas - pickpockets love backpack zippers, especially in European transit systems and Southeast Asian markets.