50 Ways to Just Keep Going and Do It *Okay*

I grabbed this backpack after hearing from my colleague Chelsea Stewart He sings his praises. I had a trusty InCase backpack (now discontinued) that I used as a personal item and it served me well on dozens of trips for about five years. But I wanted a bag for some upcoming trips (two and a half weeks in Europe with *only* a carry-on for five trips) that could open like a suitcase for easy packing. Since purchase, I’ve taken it on two long weekend trips (Amtrak to Newport, Rhode Island, for a wedding and a regional train to a lake house in CT) with no complaints. In reality, On both of these trips, I packed more than I needed.

Inside you’ll find a zippered mesh pocket and a plastic pocket perfect for your toiletries. I can fit enough wet toiletries in the second pocket that I’ll be allowed to carry them on a plane. In the mesh pocket I put other essentials like cotton swabs, medications, glasses, etc. The main compartment is deceptively deep so you can easily roll and fit clothes together without using packing cubes. In fact, I fit all of the items in the second picture in this section (romper, pajamas, bikini, sunscreen, five pairs of underwear, one pair of jean shorts, a nap dress, three pairs of socks, two pairs of sandals, two shirts, slip skirt, sleep mask, curling iron, mini flat iron, makeup bag, and carrying case). And it has stretchy X-straps to keep everything secure like you see in a rolling suitcase When I unzip it, everything stays in place. But before I forget, there’s a separate padded laptop pocket near the backpack’s straps which I found convenient for books or a Kindle if your travel leaves you without a laptop.

I love that this backpack has deep side pockets so your umbrella or water bottle doesn’t fall out. In fact, I put a flashlight and an umbrella in one of the side pockets. (You could always Use a flashlight.) plus! It has a large sized pocket on the front of the backpack with easy access For sunglasses, snacks, pens… and all kinds of those little extras you need to access quickly. Above all, the backpack’s straps and top handle are durable. I felt completely safe carrying it and placing it in the overhead storage compartments On trains. I love its look and construction with faux leather and durable black canvas, and the cart pass that easily fits into my roller bag I’m about to drag through a bunch of airports. At around $80, this isn’t the cheapest backpacking option, but if you’re a frequent traveler, you’ll get a lot of miles and seriously save some baggage fees, making it worth the cost. This backpack and I go places, for sure.

Now when it comes to air travel, you won’t be able to fit wet toiletries into the waterproof pocket (like in the picture above for the train journey). but! There are a lot of toiletries and basics that are not well liquid.

Get it from Beis Travel’s $88 (Available in seven colors).