This is where it is all going, folks. Everything I'm taking on the road next year goes in this new orange bag. I'm walking the talk when it comes to downsizing (and getting a little more scared/excited every day at the idea!).
REI is a fun place to go shopping if your idea of a good time is anywhere outdoors. We have the flagship REI store here in Seattle, so we recently took an afternoon trip to try on backpacks. Because we had signed up for the REI newsletter, we also had a handy 15% off coupon if we found something we liked.
When you go to REI, you get a sales associate with some outdoor experience. Our guy was no different, and he helped us find bags that were appropriate to our trip. He didn’t always recommend the most expensive bag, either (REI associates do not work on commission).
After much trial and error, I found the REI brand Grand Tour Women’s Backpack with the following features:
- Detachable day pack
- 66.5 liter capacity
- Fairly light at 4 lbs. 8 oz.
- Adjustable suspension to customize fit
- Fit is tailored for a woman’s torso (and believe me, there is a difference if you try on a men’s backpack)
- Extra compression straps above shoulders help secure your load
- Lots of compartments both inside and outside
- Lash points to attach gear and compression straps to snug loads
- Bottom area can be sectioned off from the rest and can hold a sleeping bag or (more likely for me) shoes and dirty clothes
- Straps can be zipped up for storage on planes, busses and cars
The best part? The backpack comes in orange, which happens to be my favorite color.
When you shop at REI you also get the benefit of weights and pillows to test out your backpack fully loaded. The picture in this post is with a 13-pound weight and a fluffy pillow to round it out.
I liked the pack so much I bought it (remember the 15% off coupon?).  The price was $189, and with the 15% coupon I saved $28.35, bringing the total to $160.65. We budgeted $250 for each backpack, so we are already ahead $89.35 on the budget!
Warren is still looking for his perfect pack, and we’ll update you when he finds one.
In the meantime, I have a 2-week trip coming up that includes a family visit, a high school reunion, and a business conference. If I can pack everything I need for those 3 very different events in this backpack and easily use it during that time, it will be a successful dry run.
Many thanks to the travel bloggers who have taught us to pack light and look for quality gear:
Do you pack light? What is the one thing you can’t leave home without?
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Betsy Talbot writes about carving the lifestyle you want out of the life you already have. When she’s not writing, she’s paring down, saving up, and getting ready for a year of travel with her husband Warren.
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You are the definition of fashion and budget! rock on!
Betsy,
Excellent suggestions. REI is one of the best places to buy a pack because of the personal service and fitting you get from their staff (which is so important, as you mentioned). I spent many hours with them over a few days to end up with the perfect pack and fit.
My only additional suggestion would be to wear the pack around town for a few days at the maximum weight to make sure you’re comfortable with more than you expect to carry. The rule of thumb is the pack should weigh no more than 20-25% of your body weight (some people say ideal body weigh, some people say real body weight). And if it doesn’t feel right head back in to REI for a re-fit or an exchange, which they’ll let you do (if you’re a member) for 30 days, even if it’s been around the world.
-Alan
Betsy-
That backpack looks perfect, and I love orange too! And it sounds like a great price.
REI is definitely the place I would go to buy my gear for an around-the-world trip, no question about it. We get all our stuff there. As a member, once a year you’ll get a 20% off coupon, and all year long you get points on your membership card, which adds up to discounts essentially.
Also, they must pay their employees pretty well, because they’re very knowledgeable and helpful.
Alan and Angela, I am a big fan of REI, though I have to admit that Almost Fearless was right about this backpack – the velcro on the bottom part that houses the flap to cover the straps has already come loose. I’m not sure if it can be fixed or not, because otherwise I really love this bag. I just can’t have that piece not function well. The good news is that I’m confident I can work it out at REI when I get back.
Alan, you are right about the body weight thing and then carrying it around. I weighed the pack before I left and it was 23 pounds, which is definitely less than 25% of my body weight, but carrying it around has made the difference. I don’t have trouble once it is on my back, but getting my arms through the straps with a bag that heavy takes some practice.
Karen, thanks for the compliment!
oh my goodness, I just saw that we have the exact same backpack—mine’s burgundy–the one in your photo!!! that is so wild—you will love it!!! I have mine down to 12 kg and it is so manageable. The zippered compartment is the best–we see these packs that are top loading and I think ‘what a nightmare’ because you are always having to take everything out to find something. Plus, I like being able to take my day pack on the bus, plane or train as it contains my computer, etc. Also, something that you might want to consider–cubes (eagle creek)—can’t live without them–I have one for shirts, one for dresses and long sleeves and one for shorts and pants and they fit so well in our packs (Paul has the man’s version)…plus one for toiletries–the last thing you want is to accidently leave something behind because it’s loose (we’ve learned the hard way). Anyways, I hope I’m not giving you too much information, just excited because we have so much in common.
Christine, thanks for the tip on the cubes. I’m actually surfing REI right now for their sale and trying to stock up on the things we need when we can get the best prices. I love my day pack, and I use it quite a bit just in everyday life. I’m sure it will be handy on the road.
Thanks for the recommendation on the cubes – going to check them out right now!