Backpacking Adventures in Europe: Choosing the Right Pack for Your Journey

Welcome to our guide of why we have chosen the packs that we have for our European adventures. Whether you’re planning a short one week experience or you plan on traveling throughout Europe and have considered the idea of throwing in a cruise or guided tour we’re here to equip you with the knowledge and gear you need for an unforgettable European adventure.

Backpacks and Europe in the same sentence have always given us the idea that you are embarking on a journey that will be a little more on the rustic side of traveling. We’re here to share with you how much this has changed and why we feel backpacks are the ideal way to travel if you are physically able to carry them and you enjoy a little extra walking. The downside of the size of each of these packs is that they are all too big to use as a carry on. The upside is that they have a lot of space and you can throw them on your back and go rather than pulling a suitcase around. If you are in search of a carry on backpack you will want to check the dimensions with the airlines prior to ordering.

Let’s start with my pack!

Osprey Fairview Trek 50L Pack, 4.1lbs

I chose this pack for the weight, size, mesh backing which is ideal for nice ventilation when you are in warmer temps and the zipper opening which is similar to a suitcase. This pack was purchased at Atmosphere.

KUIU PRO 3600 Pack, 59 Litres. 4.5 lbs

This pack was selected for weight, durability and overall size for traveling. My husband originally purchased this pack for hunting but has found it to be suitable for travel. Don’t be surprised if you see him add to his collection of packs though, he is already talking about the next one that he wants. My guess will be KUIU again but you never know! This pack was purchased from KUIU.

Mountain Warehouse Traveller 60 + 20 Litre Backpack, 4.1 lbs

This pack was chosen for our 15 year old son to bring along on our upcoming trip to London mainly because of the size, price point, rain cover that is included and detachable backpack that he can use for a carry on. This one was purchased at Mountain Warehouse and will work well for this trip.

If you plan on doing a lot of walking with your pack we encourage you to try a few on so you can make sure the pack you choose fits your body well. Comfort is everything when you have a lot of miles to make! Alternatively, if you won’t be doing a lot of walking you might be able to get away with finding a good pack online and taking a guess on how it will go for you. Our 15 year old can get away with that, we can’t anymore.

If you are dreaming about your next adventure let’s make it happen. At Sierra Travel Sylvan Lake we enjoy the creation process of working with our clients to build an experience of a lifetime.