Extended-Trip Backpacks
ArchiveWhich backpacks are big enough to hold a down sleeping bag (7X13 packed) and a three-season tent (7X23 packed), ong other travel supplies, but still small enough to carry on a plane? Im going to Europe in the summer, and I've looked at the REI Tour Travel Pack and the North Face Terra 40 pack. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks. Chris Ledgewood, New Jersey
Im walking the Cino de Santiago in April, but I cant settle on a backpack that is light, holds around 35 pounds of gear, and will fight off the wet weather of Northern Spain. Any ideas? Jes Coquitl, British Columbia
What type and size backpack do you recommend for climbing Mount Rainier? Dan Ann Arbor, Michigan
I'm planning a one-year trip around the world and need a travel pack or backpack that is waterproof, durable, and carry-on size. Itd be nice not to look too much like a tourist. Any thoughts? Cliff Boston, Massachusetts
Im planning a week-long trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness next spring and need a large (at least 5,000 cubic inches), durable backpack. What do you recommend? Tom Morganton, North Carolina
I need gear-cleaning advice. My Vasque Breeze XCR light hikers are caked in mud, and my North Face Fusion backpack has a moldy odor. How do I clean these items without ruining them? Lilly New Haven, Connecticut
What is the difference between a travel pack and a backpacking pack? I bought the Deuter Quantum 70+10 to take along on the Superior Trail next summer, and now I wonder if it was a good choice. Ross Winona, Minnesota
My 18-year-old niece is tackling a 30-day NOLS progr in the Wind River Range, and Id like to help her find a pack. Shell need 6,300 to 7,000 cubic inches of capacity and will be carrying some 60 pounds. Any suggestions? Ted Keene, New York
I need a backpack thats appropriately sized for moderate four-day trips. Easy enough, right? The catch is that I need a little extra room for rock-climbing gear such as a 200-foot climbing rope, 60 feet of static line, and various carabiners and stoppers. What pack do you recommend? Ryan Baltimore, Maryland
My college-aged daughter will be studying abroad starting in January. The program requires that she bring everything she needs for the entire semester in a single non-wheeled backpack. She won't be camping out but doing homestays in Germany and Tanzania, with some travel in between. Deb Amherst, New Hampshire
What size pack would you recommend I use to do thru hike the Appalachian Trail? What brand would you recommend? Bob Page Salisbury, NC
I'm going on a two-month trip to Micronesia, where I'll be taking weeklong trips away from the main islands to some outer islands. I'm after a suitable daypack that can withstand the salt-spray environment. We don't need tents or sleeping bags as we will be in thatched huts, but still want ple storage for food, water, fishing gear, and the like. Christian Mishawaka, Indiana
Do you think The North Face Pivotal Suspension Pack is worth the extra weight? Ryan Leawood, Kansas