[kommizar]

How big backpacks do you use for travelling in India?

Im thinking of bringing a 40L for my six weeks in June/July..

[BlueRose]

kommizar, on May 5 2006, 09:06 AM, said:

How big backpacks do you use for travelling in India?

Im thinking of bringing a 40L for my six weeks in June/July..

My best advice is not to bring too much clothes, you will end up feeling as if you are toting around a bag of laundry, bring as little as possible and that means a small pack.

[himadventures]

BlueRose, on May 5 2006, 10:36 PM, said:

My best advice is not to bring too much clothes, you will end up feeling as if you are toting around a bag of laundry, bring as little as possible and that means a small pack.

yes- thats right. Clothing is very cheap in India as compared to other countries. But still - I think you need a big sack but better choose something lighter than 40L - I know you are going to stay for 6 weeks and one collects lot of things and needs lot of things in this time period but 40L seems to be too much !

You can bring big sack but do not spend money on cloths. You will find plenty in India.

Edited by himadventures, 07 May 2006 - 05:26 PM.

[justmakebelieve]

I'm hoping to get something like a 35+10. Small enough not to encourage me to pack too much, but expands to big enough for that all important shopping!

Other posters - 40L may sound like a lot, but on every other forum I frequent (mainly aimed at gap year students) people freak out at the concept of less than 65L, some are even taking 70 or 80L packs! (admittedly for 6 months rather than 6 weeks, but still....)

[cyberhippie]

I've travelled with a 40 liter pack often and found it to be adequate!

[Pete]

I'm not sure how many litres it was (I think 40?), but the last time I went to India I had a carry-on (to the aeroplane) sized trolly-dolly style wheely-suitcase with cunningly concealed straps so it could be used as a backpack where necessary. My travelling companion had a shoulder bag about the size of a bicycle courier's (or maybe slightly smaller) and we managed to travel for nine months without feeling we'd left anything vital behind. I have to admit that we're not great souvenir buyers so we didn't need extra space for them. I'd still say the smaller the better. I never had to carry it very far but sometimes the bag seemed too heavy. I often wondered what some of the real backpackers were putting in their packs. They seemed huge to me.

[Mr Pastry]

We managed with 35 litre packs. It was comfortable weight to carry and it made us ruthless about what to pack.
Still ended up with things we never wore! The laundry service out there is so efficient that you should never be without clean clothes.

We did take some adjustable webbing straps in a side pocket. These came in handy securing a double size bedspread to the top of my pack!

I can also recommend that you try find a nylon cover similar to this, as it is lockable for on the trains and planes and will keep off the worst of the dirt.  Our packs are 10 years old, have been round India twice, the Far East three times and still look as fresh as the day we bought them.

Edited by Mr Pastry, 10 May 2006 - 11:18 PM.

[vistet]

I travel with a 65 l pack . This includes, at most,  a small tent, a three season bag, a kerosene storm kitchen and a couple of days food.
I can´t really imagine  how to fill this pack without the trekking stuff.

[justmakebelieve]

To be honest I think that 65L packs tend to be full of GHD straighteners, going out shoes and 10 changes of clothes. All depends on the lifestyle you want to live really.

[allanm]

I do fine with 30L summer and 40L winter. Not so tough to get on top of the bus.

[Callous]

Oh dear,my husband and I travel with 90 kgs and our kids carry a 75.We really couldn't take anything smaller and we really do pack light.

[Bumblebee]

But one can also travel with 60L and have extra space when going home. I had  55 + 10 and I was surprised how much space was left when I left home, but when I came back it was too small.
Although you can buy a bag there if you need more space of course.
Anyway, I use my 55 + 10 because it's the only one I have and these things are not cheap.

Edited by Bumblebee, 22 May 2007 - 01:48 AM.

[kidsan]

it all depends whether you're a 'new pair of underpants for each day of the trip' type, or a '2 pairs max...wear one/wash one' type??

If the former, you will probably need in excess of 60lts...if the latter (such as myself) then 40 should be more than adequate