How to choose the ideal travel backpack, not just for flying
I like travelling light and can usually manage with just a backpack, especially on shorter trips by air. I do not lose time checking in luggage, and travelling with a backpack is much easier than using a conventional suitcase.
After several short work and personal trips by air last year, I realized that my travel backpack needed an upgrade. My existing 25-litre pack was too small and not particularly comfortable when full, so I looked for a replacement and chose the Osprey Farpoint 40.
Requirements
I had several requirements for my new travel backpack:
- carry-on dimensions for air travel;
- front loading;
- a laptop compartment;
- comfortable carrying.
The recommended maximum carry-on size in Europe is 56 × 45 × 25 cm, but it varies between airlines. I set a limit of 55 × 40 × 23 cm, the maximum used by several airlines, including Lufthansa and Norwegian.
Front loading turns a backpack into something like a suitcase for your back. You lay it flat, unzip it fully and pack it as you would a suitcase. The main compartment often even includes the same type of internal compression straps.
For comfortable carrying, I primarily wanted a reinforced frame and sufficiently padded straps.
Osprey Farpoint 40
After extensive research and reading reviews, I chose the Osprey Farpoint 40. As the name suggests, the M/L model has a capacity of 40 litres. I chose the other version, S/M, which holds 38 litres and has shorter straps better suited to shorter people. Of the two available colours I chose Volcanic Grey rather than red, although I would describe it as closer to green than grey.
Osprey also makes a women’s version called the Osprey Fairview 40, with straps adapted to narrower builds.
Its dimensions are 54 × 35 × 23 cm, satisfying my requirements, and reviews generally describe it as the best carry-on backpack for flying. Its stated weight is 1.44 kg.
It naturally offers front loading, a laptop compartment and a very comfortable carrying system.
Another interesting feature is Osprey’s lifetime All Mighty Guarantee, which should cover issues such as faulty zips or stitching.
The backpack has other thoughtful details too. For example, its shoulder and hip straps can be covered and zipped away if you do decide to check it in and are worried that they might catch on something.
Real-world experience
A few weeks ago, I took the backpack on its first work trip. Its size caused no problem when flying. The laptop compartment at the front is ideal for removing a computer quickly at airport security, although when the backpack is lightly packed and you move quickly, you can feel that its weight is not perfectly balanced.
For better organisation, I also used a set of packing cubes. Rather than putting clothes directly into the backpack, I pack them into these cubes. At the hotel I simply take the cubes out and I am unpacked—a small travel optimisation.