Travel backpacks are the preferred luggage of students, budget travelers and world adventurers. They are versatile, sturdy and easy to carry around. Recent developments in travel backpacks make them more useful and convenient than ever. Many don't even look like backpacks. They can be converted from travel backpack to rolling bag to stylish luggage with a few zippers and hidden compartments.
History
Until the 1980s, travel backpacks were based on the hiking backpack model. They were bulky, featured sleeping-bag rolls and had exterior metal frames. They were unattractive and advertised that you were a backpacker when you walked around a city or tried to squeeze it onto crowded public transportation. In the 1980s, luggage companies started making convertible backpacks to appeal to a new generation of young American travelers heading abroad. Frames were made of plastic and sewn inside the backpack. Straps could be hidden in zippered compartments to make them look like ordinary luggage. Soon afterward wheels were added, making the transportation with the travel backpack even easier. There are new advancements every year. They now feature space-age materials that are lightweight, waterproof and practically indestructible.
Misconceptions
People think that if you buy a backpack, you must wear it on your back. But many travelers prefer to pull their travel backpacks around on the wheels. The term "travel backpack" is fast becoming a misnomer. There are travel backpack owners who have never put one on their back.
Features
Travel backpacks are now seen as regular luggage with plenty of conveniences. Most measure exactly 45 linear inches, making them the maximum airline carry-on size. Most have day-packs that can be zipped on and off the main bag. Wheels give the travel backpack mobility while the hidden straps allow it to be used as a backpack if the traveler encounters stairs or a beach. Many have external straps that can hold onto other items and special pockets to store miscellaneous items. Some even have luggage locks, water bladders and compartments for iPods and laptop computers built in. The Juice Bag ES100 Backpack is made out of recycled plastic bottles and has a solar panel to charge electronic devices.
Considerations
Choose a travel backpack for comfort and durability. Before you buy one put it on in the store, load it up with some weight and walk around for a while. Adjust it so that the weight rests on your hips and not your back. A link to connect both straps together is a nice feature that keeps the weight from pulling your shoulders back. If you are even slightly uncomfortable in the store you will be miserable on your trip. Don't buy a travel backpack that is not comfortable.
Identification
There are many manufacturers of good quality travel backpacks. North Face, Travel Smith and Eagle Creek have made them for decades and are leading names in the business. Tom Bihn, Juice Bag, Arc'Teryx and Gregory Baltoro are also known for top quality and innovative features. A good travel backpack will cost between $200 and $500.
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