Backpack for multi-city trips plus camera

Hi all,

I'm not familiar with backpacks and need some advise.
How do you usually manage your backpack for multi-city trips? E.g. do you carry it all the way when visiting attraction sites, keep it in hotel first, or put it on locker?

I'm thinking to get a backpack to carry 2-3 days essentials, on top of daily stuffs (wallet, water bottle, mirrrorless camera + lenses, hiking stick). I like Mindshift Rotation Trail but worry that it's too small for multi-day trips or too big for city trip (e.g. squeezing in train).

www.mindshiftgear.com/products/rotation180-trail

Other option in mind is to get a normal backpack (e.g. osprey) plus a crossbody bag (LowePro Passport Sling) for daily stuff so I can leave the backpack at hotel or train station for lighter walkaround. Will it look weird to carry both bags?

Will appreciate any suggestions. Thank you!

Unfortunately i dont really do real backpacking into the nature. Anyway i'll share how i plan my trip

i will plan that at some point of trip, i will group few cities that is closest to each other, and make it as base for longer stay.
For example: Osaka-Nara-Kobe-Wakayama. For this, i picked Osaka as base thus i have a storage to leave my bulky backpack and only bring my daypack w/ camera gears.

For trip that is a one way day stop over, i consider just leave my big backpack in train station locker, n bring daypack.
However if the stopover involves more bus/train than foot and does not involve crowded area, i consider just carry everything.

Depending on some hostel, they are so helpful (when they are not full house) that they alow you to leave/keep your bag even beyond 24hrs. example: i stayed in a hostel in Takayama. then on my 2nd last night, i decided to have night stay in Shirakawago so i only bring 1 night clothes+ gears in daypack, and left my backpack w/ them. after i return from shirakawago, i stopped at the hostel pick my stuff and continue my journey.

I also did my Fukuoka trip where when i went to Oita/Beppu, i left my big backpack at trainstation locker n bring just enough stuff for night stop. However this is least desirable as some lockers will charge fee by day and may have max limit of days before they are open up (in case you decide to leave it longer than a/2 days. Need to check the condition of usage.

Some ppl also consider using Taqubin(sp?) baggage forwarding service. The popular route ppl always do this is when they do the Alpine route starting from one end to the other.

I used to carry 55L HighSiera backpack + Kata SensV gearpack with a850, 17-35, 85, 70-200F2.8. Now i have slimmed down to Osprey 38L + Karrimor 15L(need to have towel/jacket as padding) and carry a850 17-35 and 50mm. I wish i have bough a 70210F4 rather than the F2.8 =__=

ejump0,

Thank you for the awesome tips and sharing.
There are some destination where I use Kyoto and Tokyo as the base. However if I decided to go along the way from Tokyo to Aomori, I will do several stop to the cities. That's where I'm confused with the baggage.

You mentioned that you now travel with 2 backpacks (Osprey and Karrimor). How do you carry 2 backpacks at the same time? Will it look (and feel) too bulky/heavy? Also do you put the gears in Karrimor? I'm not sure how big is the capacity I need to take. There will be umbrella, camera gears, gear wallet (charger, phone, wifi), first aids, water bottle, and raincoat/jacket.

Also, with such backpack, how do you quickly access your wallet? Are you able to do so without putting down the bag?

I'm sorry for the many questions as I'm keen to make this works.
Thank you so much for the advise.

I'm currently travelling around Japan with an Osprey Farpoint 40 backpack. I'm not "backpacking" in the sense that I'm sleeping in a tent, I'm staying in hotels.

I have everything I need in my Osprey. I carry it onto trains no problem and when I get to my destination city, I find a locker in the train station to pop it into while I go sight seeing. To carry the things I need while sight seeing, camera, umbrella, sunglasses, wallet, etc. I have a second bag that I store in my Osprey. Before storing the Osprey in the locker, I transfer what I need to the second smaller bag and then lock the Osprey in a locker. When done, I retrieve the Osprey and go check into my hotel or quickly transfer everything back into the Osprey and hop on the train to the next destination. That way I'm rarely carrying two bags.

Hi daai maou,

Thanks for sharing the tips.
I saw Osprey Fastpack and love its design. They also have the attached daypack, looks cute but not sure if it can fit the carry-on luggage.

How many days of clothings you can fit into the 40L bag? Do you put it on checked baggage or as carry-on luggage?

I'm carrying a bit of gear with me, laptop, router, dslr camera, lens, chargers, cables, etc. So, right now I have 2 pairs of long pants, 2 pairs of shorts, 2 t-shirts, 3 collared shirts, 4 pairs of socks, 4 undergarments, 1 belt, 1 umbrella, a toiletries bag, my dslr and lens packed in the main compartment. Removing the camera and shifting things around a bit, I could easily fit a week's worth of clothing in there.

The best thing is that the dimensions of the Farpoint 40 are within many airlines' carry-on restrictions so I have never had to check this bag yet.

Forgot to add that in the main compartment I also have a second bag (messenger bag style) that I use to carry my camera and stuff while out sight seeing.

Hi Moccy

usually when i travel, my main back pack will be full inclusive of the smaller daypack.

At times, i will have the smaller daypack inside the main backpack and have my dslr on strap (Capa strap). my wallet is small so i just have it in my jeans pocket.

I see your problem. where you are planning for a 1 way trip, and will not even consider to go back to train station to pick up your stuffs in locker.
In this case i usually carry everything. my daypack will sit at most top half of main backpack to let me gain my gear easier. but this also means changing lens will be ultra slow.
I used to carry a small messenger bag as camera bag, but they are to small if i want to consider to bring a small pack and i need another mini foldable backpack for my snacks, drinks etc.
i now sacrifice by no longer use dedicated camera bag with paddings (as it consume too much space) and replace it with daypack that is slim enough, and guard my gear w/ jackets n towels. Of course not suitable for heavy gears

Oh
I moved on from
- High Sierra 55L Explorer + Kata SensitivityV
to
- High Sierra 55 + Bagman small pack + foldable backpack
to
- Osprey 38L Kerstel + Kata SensitivityV
to
- Osprey 38L + Karrimor xLite 15L

of course, along the way i also convert my stuff to compacts like adidas drifit jerseys (fast dry, so can wash every 2/3 days), microfiber towel , no longer carry flashguns etc

ejump00, thanks for your kind sharing.

I'm not familiar with Karrimor but it seems like a running rucksack. I was thinking to get Deuter running backpack e.g . 15L, but worried that daypacks may compromise on the comfort due to lack of support. I used to have backache after carrying heavy backpack (camera or laptop backpack). Recently I practiced to carry the Kata 465i backpack everyday, loaded with 2 x 500ml water bottle and some essentials and feel some soreness on shoulder and back -- not sure whether it's because of the bag. Do you have any advise on how to choose backpack?

May I also know why you ditch the foldable backpack for Karrimor?

It depends on the functions you need,http://www.coobean.net/55l-waterproofantiscratch-military-army-tactica... , for traveling,I think to be waterproof and with a large capacity will be ok.

Hi Moccy
sorry for the late reply.
Just got back from my trip. Honestly, after going thru all kind of bag combos, I think i need to ditch my sony a850 and go for compacts like RX100, micro 4/3 or something instead.
My recent summer japan trip, my other stuff was like 5kg. and my camera gears n charger be like 3kg. borderline carry on luggage.
Yep, no matter i padded my karrimor runsack, the camera n lense still felt heavy.

I think if you had back-ache pains, you should consider those holster style packs that you can mount on your chest. That way, you'll get balanced weight distribution front-back.
i forgot which manufacturer that had a sling style pack as standalone, but with additional strap mounts it can mount to your existing backpack shoulder strap.

I ditched my foldable pack because it lacks shoulder paddings and due to its cotton material, it absorbs my sweat. My karrimor actually just did fine being foldable, padded n lightweight, n somewhat water repellent(not waterproof)

Hi e jump00,

Thank you for your sharing!
I bought Olympus EM10 with 3 lenses for the 1st Japan trip as I could not bear the weight and bulkiness of DSLR. I used a crossbody Kipling bag with camera padding and felt comfortable throughout the trip. However there's practically not enough space for other stuffs like water bottle and jacket, especially for hiking.

So far I haven't found padded backpack which is foldable, in my city. I was looking at Osprey and Deuter and most are too stiff to fold. Osprey has convertible backpack with detachable daypack, such as Farpoint or Ozone series. Is this what you're referring to?

Thanks for the kind tips to get holster type backpack.

Hi Moccy
Hope you enjoyed your trip.
Yes, i also did check out the oly system.. have not decided what system to go yet for compacts.

YEs, Osprey Farpoint is the one im refering to, but it dont really suite my needs in terms of side pocket access (maps, bottles, flashlight/aid kit) as it has close to none of those.. only rear access, n everything else is inside. And if everything full, you'll look like a camel www

Yes, I have been checking as well for the smaller deuter and osprey, but their curved support-frame and anti-sweat netting makes it a waste of space if it were to go into a bigger pack.
Which is why i went for karrimor as it tocks most of my box ecxept too thin for protection (other then jacket/towel wrapping my gears)

Guess it will be a long trial n error before we get what suits our needs

When I travel to Japan I always bring both, I keep my larger luggage in my room and I'll take my backpack if I need to go far and may not make it back to my hotel before the trains shut down.

I'll be in Fukuoka in a few weeks, and I plan to keep my suitcase in my room while I backpack around Kyushu for a few days. I need my suitcase otherwise I wouldn't be able to bring back all the cool stuff I want to purchase while in Japan. I just circle back to Fukuoka for my suitcase when I'm all done.