Travel Bags
These packs are designed for sea, land and air travel. These are great for keeping gear together when you don't need to carry it on your back. Consider a Travel Bag when car camping or traveling to a destination where you will be sleeping indoors or won't need to move your gear very far from a truck or bus.
Travelpacks
Travel often evolves transferring gear from vehicles to holding areas to planes, trains and/or ferries. You want gear that can take the abuse of being thrown, dragged and being crushed by other gear. You also want easy access to your stuff and don't want it to get caught up in vehicles or on conveyer belts.
Check in Luggage
For checked in luggage, you want gear that can survive the abuse of not only Scouts but luggage handlers and conveyer belts. Expect gear to be thrown, crushed and dragged over gravel.
Durable fabric that can take abuse
Heavy duty zippers - ideally No 10
Minimal straps to reduce getting tangled up during transport
Wheels are a HUGE plus!
Wearable straps are nice to have when you need to transport you pack over rough terrain, or just grass
Locking zippers are really nice, but zip-ties will seal just about any zipper
Make sure bag meets check in size if there is one
The largest luggage size for airline check-in is 62 linear inches
total length + width + depth must equal 62 inches or less
Duffle Bags used for World Jamboree 2023
Luggage Design
Duffle Bag
Usually most affordable option
Works fine
Can be used for multiple types of outings
Easy to pack and easy to find gear in
Great for long term camping in one place, such as Jamborees, Ships or NOAC
Far better than backpack for airport travel where conveyer belts tear apart packs with too many straps or thin fabric
Examples:
REI Roadtripper 140 - used in National Jamboree
Just over 62 inches if packed full
Aviator Kit Bag
Cube shaped, nylon military bag
Easy to pack
Can find used for very little
Wheeled Duffle Bags
Wheels make life so much easier in airports, hotels and then on pavement
Osprey sells excellent travel duffels with oversized wheels
Oversized wheels allow you to drag gear over grass and rougher surfaces like trails and finer ground gravel
Osprey Transporter 90L Wheeled Travel Duffel Bag
This is just at 62 inches (or maybe a tad more depending on who is measuring) and is great for air travel
A larger one is available if you are doing ground transport
A smaller version is available for carryon
This pack has hidden backpack straps
Allows you to carry pack on back
Great for adventures where you will need to carry gear on back some of time but where wheels are greatly appreciated
The backpack suspension does take up some of your storage space
Hardside Spinner
Great for airports with nice tile floors
Little wheels don't work well on uneven or soft ground
Generally not great for Adventure travel or Scout travel
Can be found for much less than a hard box
Many have a zippered closure
Zipper is NOT very secure so this is not a good option for a security box
Hard Boxes
Allows you to secure gear during travel and at basecamp
Good of cameras, computers and medications
May work as basecamp furniture
Weigh more, so you will need to pack less
Generally very expensive
Examples:
Pelican V525 Vault Rolling Case
Pelican 1510 Protector Carry-On Case
NANUK 935
Carry On
Your carry on usually includes a small day pack and carry on sized bag.
Carry On Bag
US Airline Dimensions
Usually max 22 inches long, 14 inches wide and 9 inches high
European Airline Dimensions
Max of (including handles and wheels) 55 x 40 x 20 cm ( 21.6 x 15.7 x 7.8 in)
Few airlines accept 23 or 25 cm deep (9.84 in)
Some do not accept more than 35cm wide (13.7 in) - 55 x 35 x 25
EasyJet - 45 x 36 x 20
Weight restrictions range from 8-23kg or 17-50lbs
Most bags are rectangular shaped to maximize capacity
Wheels are a real nice plus!
Some come with straps so you can wear your bag like a backpack
Zippered panels allow you to open up your bag like a box, making packing and finding gear super easy
Locking zipper are nice to have
Examples:
Osprey Osprey Sojourn Porter 30
Converts to backpack
Osprey Farpoint 40 Travel Pack
Backpack style
Wheeled Carry On Bag
Wheels make carrying a breeze when on tiles and asphalt. A few bags come with oversized wheels which will work on some trails and finer gravel.
Examples:
Osprey Daylite Carry-On Wheeled Duffel 40
Regular sized wheels
Osprey Ozone 2-Wheel Carry-On
Oversized 90 mm wheels
Osprey Farpoint 36 Wheeled Travel Pack
Oversized 90 mm wheels
Converts to backpack
Hard Case Carry On Bag
Allows you lock up sensitive gear, meds and electronics
Hard Case Examples:
Pelican V525 Vault Rolling Case
"economy" version
Pelican 1535 Air Carry-On Case
40% lighter than other polymer cases
Designed specifically for air travel and is very expensive
Pelican 1510 Protector Carry-On Case
Heavy duty design
22.00 x 13.81 x 9.00 in (55.9 x 35.1 x 22.9 cm)
Just a tad too big for European Airlines
NANUK 935
Canadian version of Pelican 1510
Other Cases
SKB iSeries 2011-7 Case
Seahorse SE920
Monoprice Cases # 12139
One Bag Travel Pack
Many travelers travel with just one pack
This makes travel by plane, car, bus, hitchhiking so much easier
Requires minimalist approach to travel
If not living in a hotel or hostel, this is challenging to pull off
Bags don't need to be, but tend to be expensive
Depending on the brand, travel bags are sized for domestic US travel or international travel
Examples:
Osprey Farpoint 40
$185
Clamshell opening
Nice straps designed for backpacking that can be stowed
Designed to carry heavy loads
Other straps allow you to strap on other gear
22 x 14 x 9"
3 lb. 7.8 oz.
https://www.osprey.com/farpoint-40-travel-pack-farpont40f22-296
Osprey Fairview 40 for ladies and smaller frames
Osprey Porter 46L is better designed for airline and hotel travel
Thinner straps
3 lb. 7.2 oz.
Gregory Border Carry-On 40
Split-case design - 2 halves of clam
Good and bad - more challenging to pack
Thinner materials than Osprey Sojourn, Porter and Farpoint
22 x 14 x 9"
2 lb. 15 oz.
$190
https://www.gregory.com/travel/backpacks/border-carry-on-40/139311XXXX.html
Coowoz Essentials
Super Economy option
These have known durability issues
Option if you need a bag for a single trip and are willing to deal with it potentially falling apart
Different bags have different listed dimensions which may or may not be accurate
Large Carry On Backpack
42 x 30 x 16cm
16.53 x 11.81 x 6.29"
2.2Lb/1KG.
Large Travel Backpack:
42 x 32 x 20cm
16.53 x 12.20 x 6.69"
2.2Lb/1KG
eBags Mother Lode Travel Backpack
"Budget" option
21.5" x 13.5" x 6"
3.9LB
Aer Travel Pack 3
Highly rated travel bag
$250
Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L
Maximum legal carry-on
non-YKK zippers
Complex design makes it susceptible to possible failure
Lifetime warranty
4 pounds 8 ounces -very heavy
$300
peakdesign.com/collections/travel-bags/products/travel-backpack
Peak Design Travel Backpack 30L
non-YKK zippers
$230
Good for fancy cameras
Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 40L
Classic Travel Pack
Maximum-sized carry
Favorite pack for those who go on extended travels
Sailcloth
More durable than Peak
Clamshell
Hip belt removable but shoulder straps are not stowable
21.7 x 13.8 x 7.9 in (55 x 35 x 20 cm)
4 pounds 8 ounces -very heavy
$350 - very expensive
Bundles are less expensive if you buy 2 (can mix and match) https://www.tortugabackpacks.com/collections/travel-backpacks
Discounts for Military, students, EMS, Teachers and Medical Pros
A Lite Version is also available
Less pockets
Made with regular zippers and 630D CORDURA nylon instead of waterproof zippers and Sailcloth
NO Additional front pocket (with an admin panel), tablet sleeve, mesh electronics pocket, second water bottle pocket, or two hip belt pockets.
Less padding
The straps tuck away in the LITE (better than Pro)
Hipbelt fits people with less than 34" waist
Lighter by about a pound
$250 - significantly less expensive
Tortuga Travel Backpack 30L
Smaller version of 40L
Weekend travel
$325 - very expensive
Compliant with some intra-European flights
Rick Steves Travel Bags
Rick Steves really made the one-bag carry bag popular
These used to be very popular and older ones were said to be well made and durable
These are sized just right for most airline travel
These are very popular with Rick Steves followers, but not very popular with younger travelers and review poorly
Store is downtown Edmonds
They do have a lifetime guarantee and many have returned or exchanged bags
The also have deal alerts if you are into that and bags do go on sale
Fancy version of his back door bag
3 lbs
Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door Classic Back Door Bag
No frills bag
Classic minimalist bag
2 lbs
6.7 lbs
Most popular luggage RS sells is a roller
6.5 lbs
Pacsafe EXP45
Security option for paranoid travelers
$290
35L
4 lb. 5 oz.
pacsafe.com/products/venturesafe-exp45-anti-theft-carry-on-travel-pack
TOM BIHN Synik 30
Looks more like traditional backpack than a square travelpack
Fits on back more like backpack than a square cube
The Techonaut 45 and smaller Techonaut 30 are boxier
$330
TOM BIHN Techonaut 30 and 45
Can be carried three ways
Looks like a backpack
45 is larger than the 30 and they cost about the same
$400
GORUCK GR2 (40L)
210D CORDURA is heavy duty but heavy
Intentionally looks like a military bag
Great if that's your thing
MOLLE attachments are nice
May draw unwanted attention while traveling
$425!
ULA Equipment Dragonfly
One of the lightest travel backpacks available
Oversized bottle pockets
Able Carry Max Backpack
Clamshell
Low-profile water bottle pocket
$280
Minaal Carry-On 3.0 Bag
Clamshell
Bottle holder - that doesn't always hold bottles
$350
EVERGOODS Civic Travel Bag 35L (CTB35)
Topo Designs Global Travel Bag 40L
Heavy duty fabric
Heavy-duty YKK zippers
A separate daypack can be attached to back of this pack
Looks like luggage
Topo Global Travel Bag 30L is also available
2 lb. 10 oz.
topodesigns.com/collections/travel-backpacks/products/convertible-travel-bag-laptop-backpack-40l
Cotopaxi Allpa 35L and 42L Travel Pack
Polyester is coated with TPU for water resistance
Found on some models - flakes after heavy use
1680-denier ballistic nylon, similar to the Tom Bihn Aeronaut 45
35L is 3 lb. 8 oz.
Lighter weight than many of the dedicated travelpacks
Thule Subterra 34L
Rolltop with sider zipper
Heavier duty over all zipper, but more difficult to get into
3 lb. 3 oz.
thule.com/en-us/backpacks/backpacking-travel-backpacks/thule-subterra-travel-backpack-34l-_-3203441
Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L
Clamshell
Colors: tan, black, olive, green
$240
22" x 14.5" x 7.6"
3 lbs 9.7 oz (1635 g)
patagonia.com/product/black-hole-mlc-convertible-suitcase-45-liters/196924012462.html
Travelpack Mods
A backpack or travel bag is a highly engineered piece of fabric. There are a few mods you can do to make your pack better.
Travelpack Mods
Nametags and Patches
Increases the likelihood of finding bag if left in storage of left behind somewhere
Colorful Tape
This helps your bag standout and makes it easier to find
Solar Chargers
Charge your gear powerpack if left in the sun
Zipper Upgrades
Smaller zippers can be upgraded to YKK #10 Nylon Coil Chain Zippers
No 10 coil zipper are easier to use and more durable than smaller coil zippers or metal zippers
This mod takes a bit of effort and skill but is so worth if if you use a bag long term
Molle Straps
Adding a few straps to your daypack may come in handy later on if you want to hang something from your pack
Larger straps for larger bags are useful when securing bag to top of vehicle or in canoe
Security Mods
Some of our Scouts and Scouters have traveled to overseas to areas where theft is a greater concern. There are many precautions travelers should take when travelling to such destinations. Travel gear can also be modified to make them a little more theft resistant.
Locking Zippers
Really nice to have and many ways of upgrading zipper slides
Use mini carabiners, mini-locks or zip-ties to secure zippers
Metal Cable
Use a metal cable with carabiner, padlock or HemetLock to secure bag to table or chair
This makes it so much harder for the bag to walk off when you look the other way or take a short nap
Slashproofing
We generally don't travel to places where this is an issue, but some of our adults and Scouts have
Sew metal cable onto pack in mesh pattern to prevent someone from cutting pack open
Secret Pocket
Great for storing and securing special items
Located deeper in a bag, a thief is less likely to access this in a quick grab where they may not feel or see the pocket
De-Beatify
This isn't for everyone
Making a bag less attractive may make it less of a target
Spray paint makes a bag easier to find in a pile and less desirable to steal
Talc powder on dark bags makes it look old and rotten and is temporary
Some (few) travelers add repair patches to their bags to make them look old. This is usually done after bag are actually old and damaged, but using mismatched fabric and thread makes it look even more worn out. Hand sewn repairs can look awful if you do it just right.
Hiding Brand Logos
Name brand logos on nice bags make them appear more valuable
Sewing a patch over a logo or blacking it out somehow makes the bag look less valuable
Avoid Bling
Avoid adding Scout Patches and American Flag patches to outside of pack
Avoid displaying electronics or chargers
Don't hang nice bling on outside of pack