Backpack suggestions

[Austruck]

I'm a big fan of thrift stores and secondhand shops... but I'll be spending most of my time on the train. I'm going to pack light, use compression space bags, and stop at a friend's house midway (where I hope I can do some laundry). I'm going to do a trial packing run soon to make sure I can fit what I want/need into the bigger backpack.

The Osprey bag showed up this morning. It's gloriously roomy without being overly bulky. Will definitely hold the tiny laptop and Kindle, etc., freeing up room in the backpack for clothing.

Thank you, oregon pioneer, for the suggestion of the Osprey bag!

 

[Skyline]

I use the same bigish backpack I used on the Appalachian Trail...a Mountainsmith Auspex. Probably not made any longer, but it's a 55L pack with a "brain" on top, side pockets, bungee cords in back to attach other gear if desired, and a huge interior. Use stuff sacks to organize, and the hydration reservoir sleeve for tablet, paperwork, etc. Works great on trains!

The pack you're showing is WAY too small for a marathon two-weeker.

 

[Austruck]

Skyline, I upgraded to this one, which is definitely bigger and roomier than the one I first posted:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019Z9U2EA

I'll also have that Osprey bag that oregon pioneer posted, plus a decent-sized sling bag. Looks like the backpack will only be needed for clothing and a few basic toiletries. The two other bags will be for all tech gear, snacks, other basics and toiletries, etc.

But I'll also be open to using a wheeled carry-on sized suitcase. I'm hoping to do a sort of trial run of packing before deciding for sure which bags to bring.

 

[Maglev]

I wanted to actually travel with this backpack before I suggested it to others. It worked very well on my recent trip, and I am now using it daily to and from work. It has a padded space for a laptop, which fits my MacBook Air in its padded bag. The main compartment also accommodated a winter jacket and my camera bag with room to spare. The front pocket has a hook for keys and several useful compartments.

For me, I like that the color coordinates with the rest of my luggage, as well as my cats and new truck.

On the train, I kept this handy in my room and occasionally took it with me to the lounge car. It is available at Amtrak's on-line store.

 

[manderson]

I have a Travelon wheeled underseat carryon, which is great for travelling in a roomette. It fits on the corner shelf, and because of the way it opens it stays on the shelf the entire trip. No need to take it down to remove items. In conjunction with packing envelopes for clothes, it's real handy for quick removal and packing of clothes without having to root through the bag.