Packpack size 75L, too big?

bibbly

I am shortly going travelling around SE asia, NZ (6 months) and then going to Oz for a 12 month visa.

I bought a 75L packpack, but I am beginning to think its far too big to be lugging around the world. I will be bringing very little, few shorts, t-shirts, maybe 1 pair of jeans, 1 pair of runners, etc.. Anything i really need i figure i can just buy over there.

I do want to bring my ipod, and my netbook, but should I swap my bag for a smaller and compact 50L ruck sack?

Or am I over thinking the whole thing?

jebusmusic

http://www.travelindependent.info/whattopack.htm

Civilian_Target

Yeah, it's probably too big... although it's more about weight than size anyway. More than 10 kilos is pretty annoying to have to carry all the time.

Todd Gack

Civilian_Target wrote: »

Yeah, it's probably too big... although it's more about weight than size anyway. More than 10 kilos is pretty annoying to have to carry all the time.

Yeah, this is about the weight you should be aiming for but it is handy to have a bit of empty space in the bag too for when you're temporarily carrying a bit extra....ie food and stuff in australia, or when you don't get a chance to pack properly...you can just throw everything in there. Be sparing in what you pack, you always pick up stuff along the way and clothes you do bring tend to get fairly wrecked.

Mitch Buchannon

bibbly wrote: »

I am shortly going travelling around SE asia, NZ (6 months) and then going to Oz for a 12 month visa.

I bought a 75L packpack, but I am beginning to think its far too big to be lugging around the world. I will be bringing very little, few shorts, t-shirts, maybe 1 pair of jeans, 1 pair of runners, etc.. Anything i really need i figure i can just buy over there.

I do want to bring my ipod, and my netbook, but should I swap my bag for a smaller and compact 50L ruck sack?

Or am I over thinking the whole thing?

I personally think its way to big. I travelled to Thailand in '04 with my mate for 2 weeks and my bag weighed in at 8kg at the airport and I know I brought too much stuff !
The same guy I travelled with did 10 months travelling all of Asia and then overland through Mongolia / Siberia / Russia etc all the way to Portugal to meet up with my friends and I. His bag was a 30L Lowe Alpine South Peak (same bag he took to Thailand). Here is a pic of it when we were flying from Portugal to Dublin.

One other thing, get a bag that is comfortable. Fill the bag with what you will be bringing with you and then go for a walk with it. Another thing is not to get a very flashy looking bag. Travelling through Asia you will stand out for a mile with a bright, jazzy all the bells and whistles bag. I feel the darker more discreet the bag looks the better.

Any way, that's just my opinion. I haven't done the 1 year on Oz thing but I wouldn't fancy carrying anything over 50L if I was.

dory

Mitch Buchannon wrote: »

Travelling through Asia you will stand out for a mile with a bright, jazzy all the bells and whistles bag.

Ah but the bells and whistles bags are cool!

75l is not too big, if you're a weight lifter. I agree with the above though. If you half pack it with your stuff, then leave the rest for occasional things like food you'll be fine.

Or, you could buy a little bag that will be your day bag and put your netbook in there. There'll be times you'll need a small bag, but also times when you won't want two bags. So then you could put the little bag in the big back and still have free arms.

But it's all about the weight, smaller/lighter = happy camper, and a better trip. It cannot be stressed enough.

breadmonkey

75L is too big! I guarantee that despite your best intentions, you'll fill that bag eventually. I had a 60L which was perfect but I had a pair of hiking boots in there. Otherwise, I'm sure a 40L would have been fine.

Civilian_Target

The same guy I travelled with did 10 months travelling all of Asia and then overland through Mongolia / Siberia / Russia etc all the way to Portugal to meet up with my friends and I. His bag was a 30L Lowe Alpine South Peak

Absolutely. I went around europe with something even smaller, http://www.chmarine.com/acatalog/McWilliam_Sail_Bags.html (the mini, it's 21 litres) handluggage-sized, and my only regret was that I bought a massive full-length winter coat that wouldn't fit inside. But it was cold enough that I was wearing it outside all the time anyway!

Frankly, so long as you don't take a sleeping bag and mat (and you shouldn't, unless you're planning to camp) , then you don't need a big bag.

bibbly

Thanks for all the good advice, I am leaving next monday so I have already packed up my 75L bag,, I took it for a little spin around the local park and nearly passed out, so it is indeed far too big.

I am going to swap it up for a 50L bag and fill it with even less.

cheers.

dory

bibbly wrote: »

Thanks for all the good advice, I am leaving next monday so I have already packed up my 75L bag,, I took it for a little spin around the local park and nearly passed out, so it is indeed far too big.

I am going to swap it up for a 50L bag and fill it with even less.

cheers.

Good man! You'll be so much happier for it. And a trip is meant to be a happy thing, not a bring-all-the-crap-you-have-at-home trip.

Four of a kind

whats yer opinions on the deuter quantum 55+10l packpack?

http://www.trailspace.com/gear/deuter/quantum-55+10/

Still too big or just about right?

Would be for a 3/4 month stink in SE Asia next june.

jackthelad321

Honestly I just came back from 5 months in Asia and I can say my 45 liter was more than enough. Now, on top of that i had a small day pack, everyone has one. Between the 40 liter backpack (for big stuff) and the small day pack (kept my net book in there) i had more than enough room.

And for god sake don't bring any boots.. in fact don't bring any more that a few t-shirts and maybe one pair of jeans to wear to get you there. Cheap ones, i threw mine away the first night in Bangkok.

You can get EVERYTHING over there much cheaper. All you need is clothes and your netbook ands mp3 player and passports etc. maybe a ext harddrive... you can buy almost everything over there for half-nothing. And you also decide what you need as you go which is much more practical. Suncream is cheaper there, and just about everything else.

My girlfriend had a 45 +10 liter bag packed to the hilt and she never used half the s.h.i.t in there.. lugged it round for all those months.:rolleyes:

So yea.. a 45 liter is more than enough.

jackthelad321

Four of a kind wrote: »

whats yer opinions on the deuter quantum 55+10l packpack?

http://www.trailspace.com/gear/deuter/quantum-55+10/

Still too big or just about right?

Would be for a 3/4 month stink in SE Asia next june.

I'd say a touch too big. If you could get one that has a small bag that can attach to it, and can be used as a separate smaller backpack,that would be great. I got my 45 liter bag in Argos for 30 euro. did me the finest though it won't be near as nice as this one. No harm splashing out on a good bag at all at all, bear in mind you will need a second smaller day bag for treks and all that malarky-- which may make this bag too big (see my other comment above) but it's all dependent on what you are looking to do. But i can't see how anyone could need more IMO

EDIT: meant to say, you NEED your day pack to keep your **** on you at all times. when you leave your backpack out of your sight you never know who might try and rummage through it...but keep all your imp ****- your passport and laptop and mp3 players and tictets etc ALWAYS on you and locked too if your sleeping. you can never be too careful I got my mp3 player swiped out of my bag over there underneath an overnight bus and so many people have been nicked by being careless and much much worse than my poxy mp3 player. Do keep that always in mind. Asia is safe as houses, but don't trust people needlessly and NEVER trust the police. Ever ever ever.

Four of a kind

jackthelad321 wrote: »

I'd say a touch too big. If you could get one that has a small bag that can attach to it, and can be used as a separate smaller backpack,that would be great. I got my 45 liter bag in Argos for 30 euro. did me the finest though it won't be near as nice as this one. No harm splashing out on a good bag at all at all, bear in mind you will need a second smaller day bag for treks and all that malarky-- which may make this bag too big (see my other comment above) but it's all dependent on what you are looking to do. But i can't see how anyone could need more IMO

EDIT: meant to say, you NEED your day pack to keep your **** on you at all times. when you leave your backpack out of your sight you never know who might try and rummage through it...but keep all your imp ****- your passport and laptop and mp3 players and tictets etc ALWAYS on you and locked too if your sleeping. you can never be too careful I got my mp3 player swiped out of my bag over there underneath an overnight bus and so many people have been nicked by being careless and much much worse than my poxy mp3 player. Do keep that always in mind. Asia is safe as houses, but don't trust people needlessly and NEVER trust the police. Ever ever ever.

The attractive thing about the above backpack is the fact that you can access/pack your stuff from both the top and front, and also you can attach the day bag to your front so that instead of having it behind you when walking your secure with it hanging from the sternum straps! If there wad a similar bag out there with 45 L capacity could someone link me to it??
Cheers for the help.