# 2 weeks travel bag suggestions



## eart (Jul 28, 2006)

Hi guys. I'm going for a two week travel excursion to asia in a few months, I need to start planning. 

The basic of the basics; I need a good pack. I'm only going to be packing essentials (clothes, contacts, water bottle) plus a couple of extras (laptop, camera, ipod). I basically want to limit everything to a single carry-on. On the other hand, once I arrive at my destination, I dont want to have to carry everything. I'd rather drop my non-essential items in the hotel room and continue with a day-pack of sorts that'll only contain the valuables/essentials. 

How can I accomplish this? Do I carry a big pack and a small pack? Any suggestions? Any anedcotes will be useful as well.

Thanks in advance.

-D


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## greenLED (Jul 28, 2006)

eart said:


> Do I carry a big pack and a small pack? Any suggestions?


That's what I've always done. A large, expedition-size pack (which travels inside a large duffle bag) and a smaller backpack for day use. Eagle Creek makes those "travel systems" which combine different sized packs into one, and you can hide the straps, etc. for air travel - never used them, though.


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## Coop (Jul 28, 2006)

Take a look at the Mountain Designs Exodus range...


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## Duncan (Jul 28, 2006)

MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-Op), a Canadian outdoor goods chain, has a line of travel bags that might fit your bill. You can check out some of their various models at http://mec.ca/Products/product_listing.jsp?FOLDER<>folder_id=2534374302700073&bmUID=1154134377490 and if you're not in Canada, REI might carry the same sort of thing. Basically, you can buy a 35L wheelable carry-on case with a detachable smaller daypack. Might fit the bill for what you want to do.

Where are you going in Asia? There was another thread with some anecdotes here on CPF about going to China and what to do/bring with you (I'll see if I can dig up the link for you). The key things that always come up are:

Water - check the source before you drink. Hotel water shouldn't be assumed to be safe (although you have a better chance of it being clean at a 5-star hotel like a Sofitel). Easiest way to purify your water in a hotel is to use the kettle they provide for making tea. Never drink cold water, or water from a tap. Bottled water should be good for the most part, although there is nothing to stop anybody from simply bottling tap water!

Food - toss up. Street stalls are generally okay as long as the food is cooked. At least with a street vendor, you can usually see them cook it right before your eyes, so you can practice due diligence on your part.

Cars - don't rent, too much of a hassle and driving in Asia is usually not a fun experience. Taxis are pretty good (only experience them in China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Malaysia - never been to Indonesia), and usually plentiful. Most hotels will have a card with their address and a small map to it that they will give you so you can hand it to a taxi driver. If they don't have one on hand, ask them to write one out. Otherwise it's hard to give directions.

Safety - just be sensible. Carry your wallet in your front pocket, and keep your passport with you at all times (if you are in a five-star hotel you can obviously relax a bit, especially if they provide an in-room safe that is bolted down).

Toilets - learn to squat! Quite hard to find western toilets, except in major cities. Best bet in a large city is to find a 3/4/5 star hotel, as a lot of the time they will have a 50/50 type bathroom setup (designed for tourists, no doubt!)

I'm not a veteran traveller by any accounts...so I'm sure others will be able to enlighten you some more  Hope that helps some.

EDIT: I kept neglecting to hit the submit post button, so others beat me to the punch with the two-bag suggestion


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## cy (Jul 28, 2006)

I did a three trip across China aprox. 5 years ago. went ultra light as is my usual travel mode. 

My son and I both used Eagle Creek travel packs. aprox. 3,000 cu in with small day pack. design allow you to strap-on much more gear than 3,000 cu in would indicate. 

My son was 12 at the time, so I carried a lot of my boy's gear. my pack weight was 22 lb, enough gear to survive to 10 degrees. We were one of a few people flying international with carry-on only gear. 

our trip was during the winter, going to central China. where tourist don't usually go. We started in HK in warm weather, going to winter conditions. so we carried enough gear to handle temperature changes. 

micro fibre clothing allowed carrying two changes. one set to wear, one set to wash. this ultra light tactic allows staying out infinately with a min amout of gear. 

I would take some type of water treatment system like UVaquastar. bottle water is everywere. boiled water is std fare all over. everyone was drinking tea.


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## leduk (Jul 29, 2006)

The other thing I found was, wear all the clothing you can. Wear your jacket. Stuff the pockets full of gear/gadgets. Carry your paperback and umbrella in your hand. Wear your camera round your neck. Wear two pairs of socks. Wear your heavy shoes and keep the light ones in the bag. Take a pocketable folding bag/plastic bag and put the gear in it once you've got on the flight. Get a gillet with all those handy pockets. You may look a dork but your hand luggage will shrink.

They never weigh people. It always used to make me angry that I had to check my maxed hand luggage in when I had no hold bags, I was 140lbs then. And some of the folks next in line were 70lbs heavier. 

Also work out what you can buy once you've got there. No need to take a full tube of toothpaste. etc etc. There are some nutters out there sawing their toothbrush handles off.

Cheers


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## eart (Jul 29, 2006)

Awesome suggestions, thanks all! Duncan, I'll check MEC out as there's one right around there corner from my work. I've decided I'm going to go super light like you guys are suggesting - just the essentials. One thing I can't decide on is whether I should bring my laptop or not. It'll be a convenient distraction on all the flights, plus a place to dump all my photos. I'll be able to use it to talk to my folks at home, etc. Basically a piece of home. On the other hand, securing it will be a hassle. I definitely don't want 5 pounds on my back when Im walking around. I'm pondering one of these kensington cable locks. Obviously boltcutter will dispatch it easily, but then that's getting a little too paranoid. 

I'm going to Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo and Bangkok. Approximately 3 days in each city. This is a reconnaissance expedition of sorts; my longer trips will hopefully come out of this.

Keep those suggestions coming!


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## cy (Jul 29, 2006)

leave your laptop at home... that's 5lbs + or 1/4 of total weight target of 22lbs. 

two globe trotting Italian brothers I know would laugh at carrying that much weight. their custom sewn travel packs weight 1/2 that...

they would go out months at a time, traveling across europe.


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## Duncan (Jul 29, 2006)

I would not take the laptop with you, unless you are desperate to use email. You can buy portable hard drives that accept memory cards directly, and have a small LCD screen built in for control. That way you can dump your digital photos into it every night, without having to lug a heavier laptop around. I'll also grab you that link to the other China Trip post that was made on CPF here a while back when I get back from dinner in a couple of hours.


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## MikeF (Jul 29, 2006)

Check these sites out as well. http://www.onebag.com/
http://redoxx.com Look at the Air Boss here.


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## snowleopard (Jul 29, 2006)

Get one pack that holds everything. I've done it with a medium pack and a small pack that I had to carry separately and that's a royal pain... 

Inside the larger pack put a small light daypack with the things you absolutely must have next to you (medications, etc); take it out just before you get on the plane. 

Greenled's suggestions are good. If you have to check a large backpack put it into a duffel bag. The 'travel systems' are nice, but you could probably get by much cheaper.

cy's suggestions are also good. I use the microfiber clothing, as he does. If it's going to be cold I'll carry light synthetic underwear, fleece and waterproof parka (imitation goretex).  Follow his suggestions on water safety!!

duncan's suggestion on not taking the laptop: if at all possible leave it behind. When I travel to a meeting where I need it, the actual traveling is harder. Minimize the weight and volume of what you take!!

I find that if I carry a backpack that is a bit too large for carryon, I get away with it if it doesn't look bulky and I don't look like I'm struggling (even if I am).

Have fun! I've only been to Taiwan, and the people were incredibly helpful.

--Walter


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## Duncan (Jul 30, 2006)

Another thing to add, if you are doing any shopping in Asia at the outdoor markets (only done this in Hong Kong, China and Thailand/Malaysia), you must absolutely barter on the price of everything or you will get fleeced. Never buy anything at the price they tell you. If you are buying say a (fake) Omega watch, they might ask for 500 yuan. So you counter with say 150 yuan. They'll tell you no, so you raise your price to 200 yuan. They'll ask for 350. You tell them 220. They'll say no. You start walking away, they'll chase you down and give it to you for 230. I would reckon that with decent bargaining skills, you can get most things down to 50-70% of the original price they give you. If you are persistent enough, maybe below that on some goods. I bought one Ferrari keychain where the seller wanted 40 yuan. I got him down to 15 I think. Of course, you can't do this at an actual store that is selling real goods like Pewter or a factory that is producing silk.

The plus side to travelling light (like you are) is that if you decide to go crazy and start shopping, you can simply purchase a suitcase to put your shopping in and check the baggage onto the plane on the way out. I assume the reason you might be wanting to hand carry all your stuff is that you don't want to arrive in Asia with no clothes/basic possessions.

Also, here is the link to the other thread that you might find useful:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/89107

EDIT: Just saw that you posted a list of cities you're travelling to! Singapore is very, very, very clean (been there 3 times). You could almost have open heart surgery on the sidewalk there. The government is very strict about cleanliness, so much so they even go to the extent of banning chewing gum. Drugs are a big no-no, and they still execute people for trafficking. From what I remember, they even have fines in place for not flushing public toilets. I have a t-shirt from there that has symbols for everything you cannot do in Singapore. Singapore doesn't have any sort of "old" feeling to it I found, so I always have a tough time describing it to people. It kind of lacks any historical feeling I found, though others may differ in how they find it. Great outdoor satay stalls though. One of things you can do there, is if you fly in with any airline (I think) you get free admission to the bird park (can't remember name of it right now) which is a few acres of space all enclosed by a dome so the birds can fly freely around you.

Hong Kong is quite nice too, I liked the few days I had there when I visited. Bangkok is a bit fuzzy for me, I think we spent most of our time outside the city looking at religous sites (which are stunning places to visit). I think it was outside Bangkok where they have this massive 100 foot long reclining Buddha that is covered in gold flakes. Tokyo I only did a touch and go for a 2-day stop so I can't really remember what the heck I did or saw as it kind of flashed by me.

If you are ever planning a return trip, I highly suggest a day or two in Kuala Lumpur. The Petronas Towers are beautiful, especially at night. I'll post a picture in a few minutes, of a picture my father too at night. It's also interesting to explore the city a bit. We did it by renting a taxi with an English speaking driver, and paid him for the day. It was nice to have a guided tour like that with a local. Also, you have more mobility/flexibility of where you can go, part of the reason being that they take back roads everywhere.

Last trip I did was to the "Yellow Mountains" in mainland China. 4 days on the mountains was absolutely amazing. Best memory so far I think of China.


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## frisco (Jul 30, 2006)

Travel Tips from frisco:

Two weeks in 1 carry on will be tough. I couldn’t do it, but I have some suggestions I think will help. I’ve been to Asia from San Francisco about 50 times and to Europe about 10 times.

Carry on Bag: I use a Tumi Ballistic Nylon case with wheels. there are many other nice cases in this category. You want wheels! The term MLC means Maximum Legal Carry-On

Day pack: Make sure you have many (6-8) of those Cheapo mid-size carabiniere and one good one clipped to your day pack. I like to “Piggy Back” my backpack to my Carry On Bag and roll through airports and streets.

Neck Carry: Many travel stores now sell Passport/Ticket neck carry pouches. Nice!

Passport: Carry Photo Copies of your Passport. Scan or photograph your passport and send a jpeg to yourself so you can download it from any computer if you need to.

Meds: Carry two complete sets of Meds (prescription) in two separate bags. Also I carry in my shave bag: Neosporin, Tylenol, band-aids, condoms (serious quality issues overseas), NyQuil, Echinacea, Multi-Vitamins, Zpak, Vicodin, Imodium, toothache stuff, floss, toothpicks, table salt, Preparation H (ouch)
I’ve had to play charades in overseas pharmacies before.... not fun.

Tip- Double zippers always parked in the up position, small clips are recommended. Pick pocket thief's love backpacks!

Tip- When your standing around with both bags or your bags are in a airport cart, clip all bags together and clip your bags to the cart. Prevents the grab and go thief.

Tip- This one is kinda weird : ) Chuckers! Sometimes I go through my underwear/socks and pick some of the ones on it’s last days.... wear em than chuck-em. 

Tip- Go to your bank and order some starter money for each of the countries your going to. Say $100.00 for each country. The exchange rate at the airports are a rip most times. Also depending on what time you arrive... the money exchange place may not be open.

Tip- Pay your Hotels and major purchases with credit cards. I find the card companies get a better rate than you can get there from a bank.

Tip- Call your credit card companies before you leave and give them your schedule. Fraud protection may not approve the charge if they don't know your traveling to the specific country.

Tip- Keep track of all your receipts. Some overseas receipts show your whole complete credit card number.


Tip- I travel with one of those keychain size tape measures clipped to my day pack that has both inches and metric..... very useful!

Tip- In Countries that water is a concern. People take great care in only drinking bottled water..... That's fine and the right thing to do. But remember when your taking a shower don't let any water in your mouth! I have the habit of letting water run into my mouth while in the shower! I also stay away from eating salads when I'm in Countries where water is a concern. 

Tip- Bring only 100-240volt electronics.

Tip- Carry a pen for filling out the customs/immigration forms. (I carry a non-metal pen in my neck carry passport/ticket pouch)

Tip- Carry food and water on the plane. Energy Bars/nuts and such. Flight delays can be pretty long.

Tip- I carry a few Heavy Duty Nylon Tie Wraps (hand-cuffs) with me on the plane. (Never been questioned) If questioned I’d tell them there for tying my suitcases together. Ya never know if you might have to help take somebody down.

Tip- I cannot imagine that you can go through 2 weeks in Asia and not buy anything! I carry a soft duffle bag that folds down to nothing in my check in suitcase. In your case you can buy cheap soft bags anywhere in Asia for your trip home with all the goodies!!!

Tip- Flashlights..... your on your own !!!!!

Tip- Have a great trip!!!


frisco


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## frisco (Jul 30, 2006)

-If you don't bring your computer. Every city your going to have great Internet cafes and most major hotels have coin operated Internet access in the lobby or business center.

- I always travel with a laptop. In Tokyo.... I just leave it in my suitcase in my room. In other cities I might put it in the room safe or the Hotel safe deposit box. Bangkok would be a city I would not want to have an expensive laptop with me. I once bought a used iBook on craigslist for $300.00 so my niece could use it while on a trip with me to Tokyo. After the trip I sold it on eBay for $400.00

- With some models of iPod you can get a 3rd party accessory that you can download your camera memory card directly to your iPod. My suggestion would be to get more memory cards. (here in the USA-cheaper) Try www.newegg.com

frisco




eart said:


> Awesome suggestions, thanks all! Duncan, I'll check MEC out as there's one right around there corner from my work. I've decided I'm going to go super light like you guys are suggesting - just the essentials. One thing I can't decide on is whether I should bring my laptop or not. It'll be a convenient distraction on all the flights, plus a place to dump all my photos. I'll be able to use it to talk to my folks at home, etc. Basically a piece of home. On the other hand, securing it will be a hassle. I definitely don't want 5 pounds on my back when Im walking around. I'm pondering one of these kensington cable locks. Obviously boltcutter will dispatch it easily, but then that's getting a little too paranoid.
> 
> I'm going to Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo and Bangkok. Approximately 3 days in each city. This is a reconnaissance expedition of sorts; my longer trips will hopefully come out of this.
> 
> Keep those suggestions coming!


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## frisco (Jul 30, 2006)

Hey eart,

If you give me a little background on your age and interests I might be able to give you some tips on where to go in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Bangkok. If you want to PM me thats fine also.

frisco


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## cy (Jul 30, 2006)

frisco, great tips! 

had forgot tactical needs when traveling. off load all your cash/documents into a travel pouch. this pick proof's your valuables. I carried an eagle creek pouch around my waist. 

my eagle creek travel pack converts to daypack in front. instead of clipped to rear. this protects valuables from slash/run thiefs, traveling in heavy crowds. leave your rolex at home. don't flash items representing several years worth of wages. 

equipment needs are different for major cities with modern facilities VS traveling deep into rural china with third world conditions. 

looked to get fleeced... local folks look at tourist as prime oportunities to earn a years worth of wages in one shot. taxi cab drivers are notorious for driving in circles to jack up fares. they know foreigners will not risk a confrontation with local police. 

carry meds like imodium, pepto bismo tablet, ibuprofen, etc. western meds are hard to find overseas. Tropical distination? get meds from your doctor for malaria. I carried doxcycl tablets for emergencies. go to the CDC website for guidelines, then printout for your doctor. 

follow the rule: it needs to be boiled or peeled before eating. 

don't eat raw local foods or drink tap water. (carry imodium!) major cities may have treated water system safe to drink. 

purchasing travel/heath insurance is not a bad idea. pays for an emergency flight home. 

small modular compression sacks to organize your gear is mandatory when operating in ultralight mode. otherwise all your gear gets dumped into one large compartment. 

backpack needs a real internal frame suspension system. otherwise go with wheeled lugage. 

operating with carry-on only luggage means you will not be separated from your gear, potentially ruining a trip. 
when going thru airline check in, separate small day pack from main pack. this reduces overall size of packs enough to pass. 

personally having wheeled luggage means you are carrying too much...


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## frisco (Jul 30, 2006)

Cy, Great catch on the Imodium that should have been on my list as I carry that also.

I resisted for the longest time against the wheeled case.... But now I am a true believer in them. My main full size soft sided suitcase has beautiful sealed bearing "Razor" scooter wheels on it. I can piggy back another duffel bag and camera backpack on it with a total weight of just over 100 pounds and it is a breeze to roll through the streets of Tokyo getting to the train station for my trip to the airport.
For me, one of the joys of traveling is buying stuff for myself as well as buying special gifts for people that you just can't find here or it's not in the States yet. If I see something that would sell well on eBay, I'll put it up for auction on eBay while I'm still on my trip .... If it does well I'll buy as much as I can bring back. I have a personal challenge for myself when I go on pleasure trips.... I like to find enough stuff to sell on eBay that will profit enough money to book my next airline ticket! I've been successful at it maybe a dozen times now and it's pretty fun! Sometimes it's just one thing and other times it's been 50 items.
So as much as I envy the person that can travel with 10 pounds of luggage ... I have my reasons!

frisco


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## dandruff (Jul 30, 2006)

if going for business i dont see how you can NOT bring your laptop. i wouldnt feel comfortable doing work on any computer but my own. just the lack of familiarity i guess.

anyways my dad just got a sony vaio tx that wouldnt take up TOO much space in your bag  






besides fitting everything into a single bag, i dont think you should have any problems. tokyo, bk, hk and singapore are all major cities. just take the necessary precautions as you would going to any big city. you wont have a problem with squat toilets either, they are would be more of a concern in mainland china.

some other things:

singapore (consider me an expert)
1) tap water is potable. u can drink in the shower if u like
2) nearly everyone can speak competent english 
3) i would recommend staying close to an MRT station (the subway)
4) taxis can be difficult to get, and they arent that cheap.
5) you cant haggle as much as in, say, bangkok. markets are not as widespread.

bangkok
1) do your shopping here!! everything is much cheaper! and yes haggle. 
2) taxis are a great way to get around (cheap), just take into consideration the traffic jams
3) english isnt widely spoken.
4) delicious (and cheap) food!

tokyo (spent 2 weeks there recently)
1) wonderful place, quirky culture (check out their hightech toilets!)
2) tap water is potable
3) taxi fares are HORRENDOUS! 
4) delicious (but expensive) food!
5) subway is the best way to get around. 
6) english isnt so widely spoken.

hongkong (will be going there on 9th august for a waterpolo tournament)
1) english isnt widely spoken
2) mtr is best way to get around

although i say "english isnt widely spoken", i dont really think it would be a problem unless you are talking about something very complicated! you'd be suprised what basic english and gesturing can convey!

in closing, id just like to say from a foodie's point of view, japan and thailand are about the best places for food in asia. its difficult to come across a mediocre and bland restaurant, almost every meal at any place is special (exceptions: fastfood and big franchises). be adventurous and enjoy youself!


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## dandruff (Jul 30, 2006)

cy said:


> looked to get fleeced... local folks look at tourist as prime oportunities to earn a years worth of wages in one shot. taxi cab drivers are notorious for driving in circles to jack up fares. they know foreigners will not risk a confrontation with local police.



this true to an extent. but just some advice, dont worry too much about it. there have been occasions in bangkok where (after haggling) i'd buy something only to find it cheaper around the corner. yes, you do get 'cheated'. but when you put things in perspective, you are probably only losing a few bucks. dont anagonize over it, you'll enjoy youself a lot more.

if anything, take solace in the fact that its very unlikely youd ever be robbed point blank at these places. only have to worry about these small, petty 'crimes'.

youre unlikely to be cheated in tokyo. they have pride and wont resort to these types of things. the homeless dont beg, taxi drivers also refuse tips.


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## cy (Jul 30, 2006)

not referring to haggling with pricing. that's a way of life in asia. I'm referring to blantly getting ripped off. 

my sister who came on my trip to china arranged a taxi-bus ride out to the country to see great wall of china. She agreed to paying $100 USD for one ride. when I realized what had expired and we were been ripped off royally. driver threatened to call the local police. that driver made close to 1/2 years of wages on that one fare...

we paid it to avoid local trouble. at the forbidden city two sets of prices are posted in chinese. one for the foreigners, one for locals. 

all sorts of sellers of goods posing as genuine articles. antique jade that's really modern repo's etc. . .



dandruff said:


> this true to an extent. but just some advice, dont worry too much about it. there have been occasions in bangkok where (after haggling) i'd buy something only to find it cheaper around the corner. yes, you do get 'cheated'. but when you put things in perspective, you are probably only losing a few bucks. dont anagonize over it, you'll enjoy youself a lot more.


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## dandruff (Jul 30, 2006)

$100?!?!? oh man that sucks. a painful lesson learnt i guess. 

this "shark mentality" differs from country to country. make a note of it when travelling.

two sets of prices - yes i got the same thing when trying to buy muay thai boxing tickets in bangkok. i was incensed at having to pay a different price just because i was a foreigner. but ethics aside, it appears to be legal and legit practice in some places


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## eart (Jul 31, 2006)

Thanks for the awesome suggestions everyone. Some things I knew - in typical geek fashion i've been researching this trip for months. Others, I've definitely added to the knowledge base. 

But back to the original question - *what kind of pack do I carry my stuff in?* onebag.com looks over maximum legal size carry ons, but all of them are duffel style bag (or duffle-converting-to-backpack duffles). Why not any backpacks? Is this is a personal choice then? For instance Maxpedition Vulture-3 is large and fits the airlines carry on restrictions. Then there's tom bihn's aeronaut which is very sexy (and converts to a packpack). So why one style over the other? Any thoughts? I find the aeronaut more appealing visually, but $175 - ouch!


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## cy (Aug 1, 2006)

eagle creek makes the best travel packs!!!!


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## leduk (Aug 1, 2006)

I still have a Patagonia bag bought about 12 years ago. I was fantastically happy with it at the time and I'm still happy with it. Really well thought out. Good solid construction. 





Patagonia MLC. Suitcase, back pack, shoulder bag. 44.5" external dimensions. Its on the Patagonia site.


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