What bag to take travelling?

Question from a customer on Travel Bags:

I've been researching backpacks for travelling around Australia and S.E. Asia, and have seen the one above (Vaude Module 40 liter) which i think may be ok?

But i need advice on this product as im not sure 40L is big enough? Do you recommend this backpack for comfort? I'm 5ft so i'm not sure if 60L would look too big, I don't want to be a walking target for muggers!

I am after one with wheels so I dont have to carry it around everywhere, but want the option of shoulder and waist straps if I go trekking. (Is this the general consensus of most people going backpacking?) I'm in two minds about this! Any advice or info you can give me on this product would be much appreciated.

Answer:

Thank you for your email and for looking at www.walkandtravel.com.

It is always difficult deciding what type of travel bag you need to take travelling - I often think the smaller the better, meaning you take less and it is lighter to carry!

Choosing the right type of travel bag is important and you need to consider carefully what you may need it for before you buy. You have said that you are travelling around South East Asia and Australia but also said that you may go trekking. If there is a chance you are going trekking and need to take a large pack with you (and all your stuff) then you need to get a proper rucksack, with a proper back system, that is padded and flexible enough to be fitted to you or you may risk damaging your back or at the very least have a an uncomfortable trek.

The Vaude Module 40 is really a wheeled travel bag and I have sold quite a number of them to people who are going travelling but won't need to take that bag trekking, usually they have a day bag that is 'hand luggage' though the module 40 should fit as hand luggage as well. The Vaude Module 40 has a very basic back system that would be fine to carry on short distances when you can't use the wheels. It is surprising how many people go travelling and you can easily use a wheeled travel bag, because you are generally in towns and cities and going from the bus or train to the hostel, usually along footpaths.

The 40 liter bag may be a little small unless you are planning on travelling very light, I would recommend a 60 liter bag as you said, but not any bigger, as you will fill it up and it will be too heavy to carry! Don't worry about looking like a target for muggers, mugging is very rare is SE Asia, it is more scamming that happens, violent crime is very minimal. And besides, you will look like a tourist no matter what bag you take! You just need to think sensibly about your security.

My summary would be:

-Think carefully about what you are likely to do - if you go trekking you will leave most gear at a hostel or base and only take a small day pack
-Think about how much stuff you want to take (you can always post souvenirs home or buy a bigger holdall if you are near the end of your trip)
-Don't worry about looking like a target - unless you are really off the beaten track, there will be plenty of other people looking like targets as well!

Of course I would say buy the bag from me, but consider the above and if you do want one with wheels, the Vaude in my opinion is one of the best. Excellent quality and stylish, I've had great feed back from other girls travelling with it telling me how jealous other people were with a rucksack or travel bag on their back!

If you do buy a bag from me it comes with a 'Be Delighted' guarantee, if you are not delighted with the bag, return it in the same condition you received it for a full refund of your purchase costs.

I really hope that helps, if you have anymore questions please let me know - I love chatting about people's travels and advising them on travel gear - running the business online doesn't generate enough questions!

Nomad Sahara Raiders and Trangia Cookers.

Hey y'all.

I find the internet an interesting place, and it amazes me how things sell off my website. SEO is a dark art - but I love the challenges of it!

I recently ordered in quite a number of Nomad Sahara Raider Shoulder Bags and these are flying out! I have to admit the manufacturer and supplier have got it quite right. They are a very cool bag, mine is looking great now it is worn in a bit and a little grubby. They are just the right size for everything - sadly mine get used mostly for carrying a laptop in and going to the office. The odd trip is does make is now mostly in the UK, but it handles this well! Let's face it, the bag has travelled a lot any way, it was made in china. The good old (looking - it's retro) Nomad Sahara Raider. I love it.

Another great product I've got and is selling well is the Trangia Cooker. This is something of a childhood memory. I used these a lot in the Scouts. They were heavy then, not the ultralight version that is available now. We used them on backpacking expeditions, trips to Scandinavia and the Alps. Awesome trips. We also used them as fondues in our evening programmes. I don't know if you are aware, but a Trangia Cooker runs of meths. A great fuel, only burns a vapour, you drop a match into it and the bottle won't explode as petrol would. One of the things about meths is that the flame is virtually clear. The golden rule of using a Trangia Stove is to make sure that the flame is fully out before refilling the burner. I didn't. I will always double check in the future. As I poured it into the burner which was still alight I spilt some and this caught fire, resultant mess on the wooden table. As with all types of stoves, gas, petrol, meths, you need to be very, very careful when you use them. Having said that, a huge amount of youth groups, such as Scouts and Duke of Edinburgh Award use the trusty Trangia Cooker as it is a safe, stable, compact group cooker that comes complete with windshields, pots and pans. What more could you ask for?

Got a question about outdoor gear? Try me out!