I need a pack, first time buyer - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

WillSchenk · 11-23-2005, 12:08 PM

Hey everyone, I need some help. Ive been doing alot of research about packs, I want to hit my parents up for one for the Holidays. So, I would like to know what to look for, how big of a pack I should get, and any special features i should be aware of when shopping.

First of all, I will be going to Asia this summer to Study in Singapore and travel around on the weekends, so for that I may not need a big pack, BUT like many of you I am a broke college kid, and I plan to backpack Europe summer of 07 for 8-12 weeks, so i dont want to buy two packs. So i would like a pack to be big enough for the Europe trip.

Lastly, I have been looking on Ebay at packs, they arent expensive at all for any pack between 40 and 80 litres, all of them are top loaders, but i can easily get a pack for undre 60 USD, is there anything i should be worried about buying a pack off ebay?

Thanks everyone

**kingcrazylegs** · 11-26-2005, 04:07 PM

Well first off, read this!

Spenging money a good pack is the key. If you go to cheap you'll end up with a lousy pack. Buying on ebay you may be able to get a good pack cheaper, but you may also end up with a bad pack, be careful.

**benna2** · 11-26-2005, 06:50 PM

It sounds like you don't need something huge, that's for sure. I am a newbie when it comes to buying packs myself and our dear Kingcrazylegs helped me out big time when selecting one. (Over the phone and computer, but still, the man is a backpack guru)

I bought the Dana Design FarFlung and returned it, purely to get the Swift Traveller (which is a bigger version of the FarFlung). But it is a good pack, well made and I have no doubt that the FF would be big enough for your travels.

If you do live in a city and have an outdoors store near you where you can try packs on, I would for sure try to do that.

**voyd** · 11-28-2005, 06:45 AM

Do note that most airline carry-on max volumes are around ~2700-3800 cu in. So, if you get a pack this size, you can actually carry it on instead of checking it in. Which can be a great convenience and insurance against lost luggage...