I like BIG BAGS and I cannot lie…

BUT…they are not practical for traveling around the world.  The more you travel, the smaller and smaller your bag will become.  You too will turn into that savvy backpacker who travels the world with ease while other travelers look on with small bag envy.

The first piece to making my traveling dreams a reality was hunting for the perfect backpack! I began my hunt like most modern-day travelers…on the internet.  I read review after review on websites like:

http://thesavvybackpacker.com/travel-backpack/

http://snarkynomad.com/5-of-the-best-travel-backpacks-for-global-adventures/

I also went to many stores such as Sports Authority and REI to actually try on bags and walk around a bit.    Ultimately I decided to go with the 45L Redwing.  One of the main reasons that I picked this bag was because it is made for short women.  I am a whopping 5'3" and wanted a bag that would fit comfortably so as to eliminate as many aches and pains as possible while traveling.

Once your search for your perfect bag commences, you will discover that there are big differences between travel backpacks and hiking backpacks.  In my case, I needed a bag that would serve dual purposes because I was traveling with lots of 5-6 day hikes thrown in.  I needed a bag that made my items easily accessible, but was also narrow enough to make sure the weight of the bag remained centered on my back.  Also, many travel bags skimp on hip straps or a good suspension system.  If you're planning on doing a lot of hiking, make sure you get a bag that still has some of these features.

Here are a few things you may want to consider when choosing that perfect bag:

• Size:  SIZE DOES MATTER!   You will be taking planes, trains, and automobiles and will thank yourself when your bag is small enough to always fit in the travel compartments.  I particularly loved that I could always carry my bag on the plane as a carry-on and believe me, people were envious.  Be aware that Peruvian Airlines only allowed for an 8 kilo carry-on and my bag weighed about 10 kilos (around 22 lbs).  I was able to check it for free but it's just always easier to be able to have your bag with you at all times.   Weight requirements for carry-ons varies on each airline, so keep that in mind when choosing your flights.
• Panel-Loading:  The last thing you want to do while you're in a bind is have to literally dig through all your belongings to get to that one very important item at the bottom of your bag.  I feel like it's best to avoid those top-loading cavernous bags at all cost.  You will be very thankful everything is just one zipper away. Just know top-loading bags work when you're hiking because you unload everything from the top down when you get to camp.  When you’re traveling and need to unpack certain things at different times, all your belongings need to be easily accessible.
• Zippers:  You want heavy-duty zippers that can lock. Avoid excess drawstrings and straps at all cost.  Any extra straps can and will get caught especially during transit at the airport and could possibly get ripped off.  I understand that zippers can sometimes break, but most of the newer bags out there are made with very heavy-duty zippers.
• Weight: You are going to be carrying this thing with you everywhere! Up mountains, down mountains, in the jungle, in the rain, in the scorching heat.  You need to be able to carry it at all times. We will go over a packing list later but LESS IS MORE!!!!!!!!!!! I picked the smaller bag to force myself to only pack what I needed.
• Ventilation:  Your back is going to get sweaty! Look for bags that have a mesh back so you can get some air flow between your back and the bag.
• Compartments:  If you plan on bringing lots of electronics, you will want to have a bag that has some different compartments.  It's also nice to be able to put things you want to have easy access to in little front or side pockets.
• Detachable day bag:  My Redwing bag didn't have this feature but my boyfriend's Osprey did and it was very useful.  We loved being able to lock our bags at the hostel and then have his little day bag to take our essentials with us while we were exploring.  It was definitely a useful feature.

The moral of the story is the size and fit of your bag can really make your trip more enjoyable.  The right bag for you may not be the right bag for your friend.  I haven't found that there is one universal, amaze-balls, top of the line, one-size-fits-all bag that beats all the others.   Take the time to try on different bags and read lots of reviews.  At the end of a long day, you want an ice cold cerveza, not an aching back.

“Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light” Yogi Bhajan