The Perfect Carry-On

Finding the perfect hiking backpack takes time and patience, but finding the perfect companion packable daypack is equally difficult. I looked for so long in June for a hiking pack, and finally found the L.L. Bean AT55 that I received for my birthday.  Coincidentally, while at the L.L. Bean store in Maine I happened upon a great day pack that was on sale early this summer.  I was at the check-out counter with my mom and there it was, a pretty pink packable backpack sitting behind the counter as someone else's reject.  With a sale price of around $20 I was convinced to get it.

It sat in my room for about a month before I finally used it as my carry-on luggage for my trip to Europe in July.  At first I just thought of it as a nice backpack, but by the end of the trip I was convinced how wonderful this pack really is!  Here are the things pointed out in the picture above that I love so much.

A. One large zippered pouch in the back.

B. One smaller zippered pouch down the front.

C. Two external pull-tie pouches on the sides.

It also has small chest and waist straps for hiking.

It doesn't hold a lot, but all the essentials for an airplane fit perfectly without leaving extra room (because, for me, extra room means I should pack even more -- not good!).  Look below at all the things I took with me on the airplane.

All the contents of my backpack on the airplane: purse, jacket, book, netbook.

It doesn't have an inside hydration bladder pouch for hiking, but you can slip water bottles easily in the outside pockets.  Unfortunately I've realized why it was on sale in June: they were discontinuing the backpack! I've scoured the website trying to find this backpack to recommend to friends, but I can't find it. There are a few that seem similar, so if you want something like this, try the following backpacks:

• Mountain Heather Daypack
• Pocket Daypack
• Stowaway Daypack

One of my favorite things about the pack is that it folds up into the small front pocket! I love stowaway bags like that which you can carry inside a bigger backpack and take out to expand.  I actually don't even know the name of the pack I have since my mom took it with her on their trip to the Baltic Sea this month.  But, I suggest any of the L.L. Bean packs, especially since they are guaranteed to last!

All folded up!

My New Backpack

My favorite birthday gift (besides those beautiful flowers below) wasn't actually a surprise at all. I searched long and hard for a new backpack to meet all my tough criteria, and knew exactly which one I was getting. I picked it out long enough ago that it inspired the title of my blog, even though I am not planning any real "backpacking" trips in the near future.  I will be jet-setting tomorrow though, off to Luxembourg to visit the boyfriend and see a bit more of Europe. Does it count as "backpacking" if I'm visiting the country with the highest GDP per capita?

Birthday Flowers from Boyfriend :)

Back to the pretty new Pack... I've had the same traveling backpack for almost five years now, so it was about time that I picked out something new. My old one, a North Face W Crestone 60, is a bit bulky with over-sized back pads, thick hip belt, and too many useless straps.

For my new pack, I knew I wanted the new suspension that allows your back to breathe while you wear it, not be smothered with non-breathable super padding. I also wanted an outside pouch that you could slip a jacket or dirty shoes into (which this one has, as you can see in the picture below). The last criteria for my new backpack I had to give up on: a bottom zipper to access the bag from both top and bottom. I realized that you have to get something way bigger that a 55 liter size to have a bottom zipper.

My new backpack, the L.L. Bean AT55, all packed to go!

I finally settled with super light L.L. Bean AT55, which in Women's is actually just 50 liters. It has a shorter frame than my old pack, which means it is small enough to pass as a carry-on luggage, as long as I don't stuff it to the max.  What a great birthday gift! I'm leaving for Europe tonight and I'll update the blog as I travel.