My European Adventure - The Backpack

This is my second instalment of my European Adventure Series, where I will be writing advice about my travels, as I felt that I didn't have enough information before I went.

This post is all about which backpack I took and what was right for me. When travelling around different countries and cities it is vital that you pick the right backpack for you.

My friend and I took very different approaches to what we were going to wear on our backs, my friend took the cheaper option which she was happy about and it worked for her. She bought a bag off of eBay for around £12, it had a lot of room and didn't cost the earth. She knew that she wouldn't be using it again, so it worked for her to buy a less expensive bag.

Deuter backpack

I, on the other hand bought a more expensive typical backpacking bag, as I love a good festival and would like to go travelling again in the future. It was important to me that I was comfortable and all of my stuff was safe and it was easy to carry around. I wasn't into buying a suitcase I would have to wheel around.

After trying a few on in a local sports store, I realised it was going to be more expensive than I had thought to get a good fitting bag with the space I needed. As I am short (5"3) a lot of the bags I tried on just didn't fit me right, so I went on a mission to find a perfectly fitting bag.

I didn't get perfection but I got very close with a Deuter backpack. I chose the ACT Lite 35+10 SL, which is a backpack from their woman's range, where they have changed the shoulder straps from their usual range so they are slimmer and the hip fins are also angled differently to suit a woman's shape. However you could probably use this backpack if you are a male, as long as it was comfortable for you.

Deuter ACT Lite 35+10 SL Backpack

I bought this backpack from Outdoor Kit for £88.99, it's usually £105 so I shopped around for the best deal. £90 is a lot to pay for a backpack, but I would recommend it if you are short like me and will 100% use it again and again - I'm using mine for festivals next year!

As you can see this backpack looks like any other backpack for travelling, however there is a few adjustable parts, such as the shoulder straps which is adjusted in the centre of the bag, this is helpful to make sure the hip fins are in the correct place.

The back of the Deuter Backpack - ACT Lite 35+10 SL 

The backpack has one main compartment, which connects to the front compartment via a zip at the bottom. This is helpful if you need to get something right at the bottom of the main compartment. Both compartments are large and you can fit a lot into them.

Inside the main compartment of the Deuter ACT Lite 35+10 SL

The bag has many different compartments as well as a secret pocket, which is in the inside of the hood - perfect for keeping your money or any other things. It goes without saying you should always keep your passport on you and store your money in many different places.

The secret pocket in the hood of the Deuter ACT Lite 25+10 SL

Another pocket is the one at the top of the backpack, this is another good pocket for things you need to access quickly. The zip is close to your head, which makes it difficult for other people to access, but easy for you to get out that rain mac when it starts raining etc. 

I hope this helped you find which backpack is right for you, and for anyone going Interailing check out my first post of the series, which will enlighten you, as from experience the company don't like telling you how much it will actually cost - but don't let that scare you!

The next post in the series will be on the clothes that I took with me. 

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