It’s crazy to say this, but I still have the original backpack I bought over 10 years ago.   It’s been through alot.   I’ve lugged it around to over 100 cities in more than 40 countries on dozens of flights, buses and trains.

Amazingly, it’s still in great condition.   Travel backpacks, though expensive, definitely are made for the long haul.

So why, you may ask, am I getting a new backpack?

Well, after going on several major trips, I’ve figured out how to pack, what to take, how to pack it and what I do and don’t need for my trip.

I’ve come a long way from that newbie backpacker who packed everything to who I am today.   Truth is, I can easily fit everything I take into a smaller backpack.

Why smaller?

One of the benefits of having a smaller backpack is that it’s not as cumbersome to lug around when you’re traveling from point A to point B.   The backpack really starts to weigh on you when you have to lug it around for a long period of time.

The main benefit, however, is when you’re traveling by plane.

Airlines have rules on what size baggage can be carried on board and what needs to be checked in.

The bag I currently have needs to be checked in every single time and it’s a hassle.   Checking in isn’t too bad but waiting at the carousel for your bag after a long flight is not fun.   Not to mention that time the airline lost my backpack for a few days.

Searching for a backpack

So, it was time to find a new backpack.   The first thing I did was look up what dimensions qualified a backpack to be carried on board.   I also did a simple google search of “best carryon backpacks”.

After a bit of searching, I found 3 that I was interested in:   Osprey Porter 46L, Thule Aion 40L, and Cotopaxi Allpa 42L.

They all had their pros and cons but I wouldn’t be able to truly figure out which one to buy until I had them packed and on my back.   I needed to see if I could pack everything in a way that worked for me and I needed to see if it was comfortable walking around with it all packed up.

So, I did what any self-respecting research consumer would do… I bought all of them.

After waiting a week for the orders to arrive, I had them all here at my place.   It was time to do a test pack.

I must admit, it was pretty exciting to be packing a backpack again, even if it was just a test.   It’s been five years since I’ve packed one and the minute I did, all the old memories came flooding back.   My travel libido is once again in full swing!

The winner is…

The clear winner for me was the Cotopaxi Allpa 42L.   It felt comfortable, had plenty of room for all my clothes, and had nice separated compartments for my toiletries and electronics.

So, there we go – I have a new backpack!

Now, it’s time to use it!   Only 32 days to go!