:wine: Ok, after weeks of reading every post on backpacks and being only a month and half away from leaving for Europe I have narrowed my search down to 2 backpacks. Since I am only a newbie I thought I would let the experianced backpacking veterans help me decide between the two. Here are the links.

http://www.rei.com/outlet/product/47941247...MPING_HIKING_SA


http://www.thenorthface.com/opencms/opencm...?productId=3449

To give you some more info, I am taking 26 days and m ainly sticking to the capitals or the larger cities. I am staying in hostels and plan on being a tourist and sticking mainly to the touristy areas. I will venture off the beaten path next time, but time is not on my side for this trip. Thanks for all your help.
You guys kick ass!
Luke

Personally, I prefer one with a daypack. Once you check into your hostel, you throw your big backpacker in the a locker or chain it up to your bed frame, then you head out and explore the city with your removable daypack (put a light jacket/sweater in there, water, guidebook, camera, etc...).

You'll get some serrrrrrious mileage from a daypack, let me tell you...uh huh...

Here's an affordable Columbia backpack with removable daypack

This one's pretty tight- Eagle Creek, but it's a little bit more than your choices. You'll also find that Eagle Creek has a couple of cheaper ones too.

Good luck!

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Will that be big enough? I didn't see a size listed but it doesn't look much bigger than a normal backpack, this of course, coming from an inexperianced backpacker. Let me know and thanks for the reply.

You're only going for 26 days, so the size would definately be big enough. I'm going for a total of 22 days and my 50L backpack seems to me like over-kill... Then again I'm a light packer.

I got a pack with a day pack too - I agree with TP on that topic. I also like the panel loading option (it unzips 3/4 of the way down for easy access) instead of the top loading. I don't want to unload my entire pack just to get the towel from the bottom of it.

I like the spec on the North Face bag...but honestly, think you can find better. Checkout Dana Designs (swift traveler) or Marmot. Then find the pack you want on sale :cheers:

I personally think the post important aspect of a pack is making sure that it's NOT a top loader. It's always so much more convienient to have a zipper going down the side or having a travel pack (the whole front panel zips down). I found out the hard way. It's just so frusterating accessing every thing from the top. Unless your hiking and going backcountry go for a travel pack.

Hey thanks for all the advice. I have decided to steer clear of these two. Someone else just posted a link to an eaglecreek bag. I think I am going to go with that one. Here's the link.

http://www.ebags.com/eagle_creek/ultimate_...?modelid=18451#

Thanks again. 33 days to go!