A few years ago, I had the opportunity to venture out of the country and stay abroad for over nine months. I toured much of Europe, and visited Morocco, all of the UK and Iceland. And perhaps the biggest lesson I learned was as a backpacker. Because when you’re traveling for nine months out of the year, weather and the changing of seasons will surely dictate what sort of clothing is needed, as well as your footwear and all other outerwear.
The secret to backpacking comfortably is to have a well-made, comfortable rucksack filled with all your absolute necessities, weighing as little as possible. Sparing even an additional ounce can cause your back and shoulders unrelenting pain, especially if you are like me, and spend five to ten hours wandering by foot each day. You can treat it as a game when it comes time to cut weight, but the truth is it is difficult to get right. Now that I’ve done it, I feel confident in my ability to pack what I need, at its lightest form, but for anyone new to the art of backpacking, it would be beneficial reading more blogs like this, and asking folks who have done it.
There are quite a few options out there to help remedy this challenge, and while anything can happen to you, the truth is that what you need to bring is totally dependent on what you plan to do. For example, if using public transportation to go from city to city, focusing mostly on the art and histories of the EU is your thing, then your packing list and your struggle with weight will vary tremendously than someone who plans to sleep in a tent and spend more time in nature.
Today, I wanted to bring to light a new product which provides multiple benefits. The HoboRoll by Gobi Gear is like a dry sack with a twist. It is a dry sack with openings at both ends, which can be closed off, and compartments inside that help you organize as well as compress your belongings. The HoboRoll is a very lightweight sack at 3.5 oz with five compartments that compress the amount of space required to store your items.
The HoboRoll runs at 18.5L, and with a height of 14” and diameter of 10”, it is small enough to pack in a rucksack or can be easily carried, or hung from your pack. The compression straps are the best, as you can pack several outfits in a small space, or you can separate your gear into this water resistent pouch, then by tightening the straps, you have greatly lessened the amount of wasted space. I found the fabric to be quite striking and lightweight, but built to last. I wish I had the HoboRoll when I went on my trip… It would have saved me countless trips to the post office, mailing things home that ended up being too heavy or too bulky.
If you’re interested in learning more about Gobi Gear, click here.
(Photo by alanenglish via Flickr)
Article written by Brandon Scott
There are quite a few options out there to help remedy this challenge, and while anything can happen to you, the truth is that what you need to bring is totally dependent on what you plan to do. For example, if using public transportation to go from city to city, focusing mostly on the art and histories of the EU is your thing, then your packing list and your struggle with weight will vary tremendously than someone who plans to sleep in a tent and spend more time in nature.
Today, I wanted to bring to light a new product which provides multiple benefits. The HoboRoll by Gobi Gear is like a dry sack with a twist. It is a dry sack with openings at both ends, which can be closed off, and compartments inside that help you organize as well as compress your belongings. The HoboRoll is a very lightweight sack at 3.5 oz with five compartments that compress the amount of space required to store your items.
The HoboRoll runs at 18.5L, and with a height of 14” and diameter of 10”, it is small enough to pack in a rucksack or can be easily carried, or hung from your pack. The compression straps are the best, as you can pack several outfits in a small space, or you can separate your gear into this water resistent pouch, then by tightening the straps, you have greatly lessened the amount of wasted space. I found the fabric to be quite striking and lightweight, but built to last. I wish I had the HoboRoll when I went on my trip… It would have saved me countless trips to the post office, mailing things home that ended up being too heavy or too bulky.
If you’re interested in learning more about Gobi Gear, click here.
(Photo by alanenglish via Flickr)
Article written by Brandon Scott
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