Best travel backpack for women

2005

Introduction

Travel backpacks offer innumerable advantages over traditional suitcase-type luggage and so have been around for a long time. A lot of travelers prefer backpacks because of the ease of travel and the comfort involved. It’s also more of an option for casual trips. You would not be carrying one on a business trip. For everything else the backpack is fine.

Easy to tuck clothes and other essentials into, quickly takes the shape of the contents, is collapsible to a large degree so that the bag does not look oversized with smaller contents. It is extremely rugged to handle drops, scratches, bumps while still safeguarding the contents inside and will have several compartments (usually more than 5-6) to store a variety of stuff and keep you easily organized.

Why a backpack and not a suitcase?

You do not want to be bothered with clumsy and heavy hard suitcases, duffel bags, or other types of luggage during casual travel. These are easy for short-term and short travels, which do not involve heavy use. But in the case of heavy and casual usage, it is best to go with backpacks, no matter the age or gender. Nevertheless, backpacks give you a better range of motion. They are flexible, ensure you travel light with the minimum possible stuff, can be easily squished into tight storage areas like under the seat, can be thrown around a bit without damaging anything (unless there is fragile stuff inside).

It is harder to steal or get lost, is lightweight, and is collapsible and foldable into a small roll. It sets the mood and completes that travel backpacker looks, distribute the weight evenly on the body, keeps the contents safe all the time, are more durable, extremely handy at all times, is usually waterproof, and last but not the least is economical. We do not have to justify anymore.

What’s different between men’s and women’s backpacks?

I am sure you would be asking what’s so different in a women’s backpack and why are their different ones though they look entirely the same in style, design, and function. The reason backpacks are styled and designed according to the user’s body so that when you wear the backpack, it’s a snug fit on your body and forms a part of it. This is essential to improve comfort and ease. Women’s backpacks are styled and designed slightly differently than men’s.

Women’s backpacks have a smaller torso range, smaller carrying capacities as women have a shorter back. Smaller external size, narrower and shorter shoulder straps, shoulder straps are wider and have narrow curvature with acute angles in the neck, shorter hip belts which are canted differently, ship in feminine colors and designs, etc. In short, they are adapted to the women’s bodies. There are also unisex backpacks available for sale, and in the end, the choice is entirely yours. Since this is now clear, let’s have a look at some of the backpacks available in the market.

Review of Women’s Backpacks

The North Face Terra 40 Travel Backpack

The best part about this backpack is that it’s not unisex but styled and designed especially for women who love to travel. The special design will help smaller women as the backpack helps distribute the weight correctly on their bodies, thereby distributing on shoulders and waist belts. With a sufficient 40L space, there is quite a bit of space in the bag’s main compartment. You can carry less easily, and the bag will not seem heavy or too big with lesser contents. This is technically a backpack for weekend trips and backcountry travels. A 40L pack is just about enough to get you through and pack for a few days.

The bag design has a vertical channel-type layout which improves ventilation for the user. In addition, the shoulder harness design is anatomical and sleek in design. It is made using 1200D polyester, 420D ripstop Nylon, and 600D fabrics and has an amazing 7 different pockets to store all your valuables neatly and safely. It weighs just 3 pounds or 1580 grams and has an internal steel frame that helps the bag stay upright and is also removable. You can take it off to make the backpack even lighter on treks and outings. Overall a good buy.

Pros

The vertical design is good for ventilation
Sleek and compact
Design is just perfect
Plenty of pockets
You can fit a hydration pack

Cons

Due to its vertical design, it will keep tripping and falling over. Traditional backpacks can sit on their weight.
Top-loading design means a hassle to pack and unpack things.
The slightly larger size to be used as a carryon

Osprey Porter 46 Travel Backpack

Because of its unique design and style, the Osprey Porter 46 Travel Backpack has attained a large fan base in the last few years. Looking at the design, I have to admit that I took an instant liking to the extremely different, casual yet decently stylish backpack. The Osprey is a large 46-liter backpack with a convertible and flexible design. The best part about its design is that it opens from the front and not the top.

Conventional backpacks have a top opening, which makes searching for items inside a hassle, sometimes involving removing entire items for finding those lost pair of socks or tissues. The front-loading design avoids all the hassles, and you can open and close quickly without any hassle, and no items will get lost. The backpack can quickly and easily transform between a backpack and a duffel bag. The back panel sleeve can accommodate important documents or even a laptop.

Pros

Front-loading access design
Can convert to duffel bag and backpack easily
It’s a small carryon size luggage
Enough compartments to segregate your stuff

Cons

Does not feel that comfortable

Torguta Setout backpack

What we liked about this backpack is the instant urban look and feel. The design is sleek and unique for the backpack world. It plays around the same tried and tested designs that have by now been overused in several years and are longing for a well-deserved change. This backpack is a welcome change. Available in Heather Grey and Black colors, it is available in 35 and 45 liters capacity as it is designed to be carryon luggage. #%L is maximum for international airlines and 45L will suit American Airlines.

Its design is also different than the traditional Cylinder-shaped backpacks. This one is front-accessible and opens like a suitcase to give you an easy view of all the contents in one glance. Even if you have to pack and unpack a couple of times or have to open the bag every now and then, it will definitely not be a hassle. In fact, you will become more used to the fact that it can be opened easily.

Pros

Classy, urban, modern, and fresh design
Front opening backpack for easy access
Packing style is the same as a suitcase, neat and clean

Cons

May not feel that comfortable
Suspension cannot be adjusted

Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

Again another innovative style and design in the backpack market easily caught our attention. The USP about this bag is that its 400-denier nylon outer cover is environment friendly and is made from 100% recycled materials. The standard size is 35L capacity which can be enhanced using the dual expansion zips to 45L. It can be used as a Duffel bag using the strap on the back. In addition, the back compartment can easily house a laptop and important documents for digital nomads.

The front-loading mechanism gives easy access for packing and unpacking. Available in Sage and Balck colors, they have even kept the webbing, zippers, and everything else in the same color which gives its unique look. If you are a big fan of cube packing, this is the one for you. You can pack in 3 small cubes or one small and one large one. The bag is also weatherproof to safeguard your precious valuables from sudden rains or drizzle when traveling.

Pros

Extremely good design
Weatherproof design
Made from environment-friendly materials
Expandable design

Cons

Shoulder straps are not adjustable

REI Co-op Ruckpack 40

The very look and feel you know this one is a rugged pack made it tough to last a long time and withstand a lot of work. It features a fill-zip design that makes the contents very easily accessible and convenient too. Additional items like laptops and documents can be safely tucked into it and hikers can easily replace the laptop with their crucial hydration packs. It comes with a rain cover to keep your contents weatherproof. The supportive back panel comes with a ventilated mesh to allow for ventilation. Furthermore, the sternum strap will help even out and stabilize the load. Even the hip belt is wide and padded to give extra comfort for the user, and the easy-access side panel will help you manage your contents and essentials with ease.

Pros

Rugged design
Easy front loading access
Full-zip mechanism
Female-friendly suspension mechanism
Great value for money

Cons

Capacity is only 40 Litres
The design can be large for carryon

REI Co-Op Traverse 65

We have seen backpacks from the 35L to 45L sizes that are standard for short-term or even weekend travels. However, there are times when you will be backpacking for longer durations. These are the times that you do not want to carry multiple bags just because your backpack cannot accommodate everything. This backpack is designed to give you a larger carrying space with little discomfort. The hybrid design allows for both top-loading as well as front-loading due to a long zipper. Their patented REI UpLift™ Compression technology will ensure the backpack is held close to your body and close to your center of gravity. REI ActivMotion technology lets the hip belt pivot independently helping you maintain better balance. There are several zippered pockets and pouches to help you store you stuff.

Pros

Good weight carrying capability
Top loading as well as front-loading

Cons

Quite big for a carryon

How to choose the perfect backpack?

Choose comfort over style. Though both are equally important, when you have to lug the contents over several hours a day, you would certainly prioritize comfort first.
They should have enough external and internal pockets to segregate and store different things. Look for at least 5-6 pockets in different areas. Though you can buy external pouches, it’s best to have them integrated with one pack.
Ensure they have sufficient padding to keep you comfortable and also air mesh to ensure ventilation.
Choose a color that does not look dirty very soon. If you are going trekking, choosing a brown pack will ensure the backpack does not look as dirty and spoilt as other colors.
Choose one that will resist dirt and also water. You will encounter rain during some parts of your travel, and there are rain covers for backpacks, but having a waterproof backpack will provide additional safety.
The backpack is an investment, pay only for what you think is absolutely essential and will be useful in the future.
Backpacks do take time to get adapted to, so you will have to keep adjusting the shoulder and belt settings until you find the sweet spot ideal for your body. This won’t be obvious when you purchase but do wear the backpack to get a fair idea about the fit and comfort.

Summary

We have seen quite a few backpacks in this article, from the traditional long and straight designs to ones that can be used as duffel bags too. While a lot of them do the same job, we saw a few that were quite easy to use on the go. Ease of use is what makes travel comfortable. If packing and unpacking stress you out, then you need a new backpack. I hope the article helped you gain information and will help you choose the right backpack for you. Happy Travels.

0 Shares