My Travel Bags

My travel bags are something I have never thought about writing about until someone I met recently asked me what kind of bags that I use when I travel.

I thought about it and yes, there are several things that I must take with me on my trips, therefore, here is an article about ‘Travel Bags’.

Nowadays, just the thought of wires alone can drive me up the wall. There are camera wires, phone wires, battery pack wires, laptop wires, speaker wires and most important, that international charger! That alone can fill a quarter of my bag so you can imagine how tedious packing a bag can be these days. 

So, my travel gear is more for the casual traveller and not the round-the-world (RTW) traveller or backpacker. Maybe Flashpackers can be included in this.

This very convenient bag is the first choice for my trips between 3-7 days as the inside is spacious while the bag overall is lightweight and sturdy. It has been taking a good beating at many airports around the world and still appears on the luggage conveyor belt looking good. 

With this bag, I simply roll it on all four wheels around the airports, tarmacs, hotel corridors and just about anywhere possible. Life for me became so simple after using this kind of travel bags. The material is very tough, therefore I do not worry about damage.

But at some airports, luggage is thrown about and I have personally seen with my own eyes how some airlines handle baggage. 

So, my tip is to invest in a good, tough and lightweight bag like this and forget those canvas-style cheap ‘polo’ bags.

That’s right, three backpacks which I constantly have headaches on which to take. So, depending on my assignment or trip, I will weigh in the pros and cons before choosing which ones.

Every electronic item I owned could easily fit into this backpack with no issue. Even cables and charges were comfortably slotted in the many compartments of the bag.

The best part – My 15″ laptop has a slip in zip slot at the side-back. Now, my friends, THIS is a functional backpack. 

Compartments inside the bag are movable with Velcro fastening which I customize to fit my lenses and other equipment. Anyway, I travel with only two additional lenses and a portable video camcorder, so everything sits inside perfectly. 

I kept walking around the store thinking how convenient this bag would be during my travels and ended up going back to the bag section and purchasing the Ikea Family Upptäcka. It only cost me about RM140 as I thought why not, since my last bag cost me three times more.

When I got to the destination, I would unzip the two portions and take the smaller portion out for my general walkabouts. This was awesome! Instead of carrying everything in one bag, I could split them now.

Usually, when I go for morning walkabouts, I only need my camera, extra battery, my zoom lens and camcorder. All of that can fit into the smaller section of the Ikea Family bag. And since I got this bag, it has been my favourite travel backpack. 

Travel Backpack #3

So, the third backpack is something for my ‘other’ trips. Others meaning, when I go for my Eco-adventure trips like hiking, walking, water-rafting, bird watching and so on, this is where my Timberland Whitebluff 30 litre backpack comes in handy.

What I do is usually I pack this bag into my main luggage and when I reach the destination, I will change to the Timberland Bag as it is lightweight and practical. Items that are needed go in perfectly while there is a hook attachment in the bag where you can bring it out to hang items.

I also find the Timberland Whitebluff convenient for quick city walks as it is big enough to slot in several things. Especially when you go shopping for minor things. But overall, this backpack is a must-bring on any of my trips.

The cons – I wish it had more padding so I could throw in my electrical equipment but anyway, this is more suitable as an outdoor backpack. I would recommend this.  

I spoke to some seasoned travellers and they recommend using one especially when visiting high traffic areas. I guess that will be my next purchase when I see something that suits my style.

If you like to add a comment, please do so below and I hope you will find that perfect travel bag for all your journeys.