Daypacks

A good daypack should be your constant companion, containing your camera, film, notebook, guidebook, maps, and all those bits and pieces you need every day. If you follow my advice, you’ll get a big one and live out of it. If not, then go for a medium-sized, high-quality lockable version. Spend some time finding one that you like, since you will be using it a lot. As with your main pack, I recommend getting one with a zipper that goes around the perimeter of the pack, so you don’t have to pour out all of the contents to find a small item. By the way, fanny packs are no substitute for a daypack; they are too small, and are much more vulnerable to theft.

Some travel packs have daypacks that zip onto the larger pack. While this seems like a neat idea, it puts your most important and valuable things hanging out there in the breeze, out of your sight and out of your feeling, and practically in the hands of razor-wielding thieves. A terrible idea. It is far better to leave enough space to fit your daypack inside your main pack, where it will be out of sight, and leave you only one piece to worry about. If this is too heavy, or you don’t have space, wear your daypack in front of you, as you will see most experienced travelers doing. This will also help balance the weight of your main pack when you walk.