Hi all,

Hope everyone had a nice Christmas.

We're setting off in April on our 5 month trip. Tickets are booked and everything :)

I'd like some advice for our rucksacks on how to prepare them for the trip in aircraft holds. Is there a good way to wrap the straps up etc. I'm a bit concerned they'll get pulled off. What do others out there do??

As much advice would be great..

Happy new year to you all..

D.

If not, how about looking at the ones designed for flying, which let you zip away the harness and so on.

They used not to be great to carry as a rucksack, but the newer ones seem to have much better harnesses, and are just as comfortable as far as I can tell as the sort that won't let you stow away the straps.

If you have already got the backpacks, then I'd just look at them to see how easy it is to tighten the straps, and tie all the loose ends together.
Airlines (or rather airports seem to vary as to whether they put them on the belts with everything else, or send you off to some weird corner and get you to dump the back pack on a trolley... so far mine has reappeared at the other end...

I think I have seen light weight bags that you can zip them into, but that would add to the weight that you ahve to carry, and anyway, I might be muddling them up with rain guards! (You could try those steel mesh covers - which are designed to repel thieves I guess).

Emma

Many airlines put your pack into a plastic bag to keep the straps from dangling. Or you can bring your own plastic bag. I just bought a pack that is carry-on size (all the straps zip inside too so they don't dangle) so that I don't have to worry about it - although carry-on size may not be an option for you depending on your destinations if you have to carry clothes for multiple climates etc. have a good trip!

Thanks for the advice and info.

D.

Trent,
Take along some dental floss ... it's great for mending your pack when rips occur. Much stronger than regular thread.

I've never had a problem with the straps on my bag...so far. When I still travelled with a bigger bag, it had a flap for zipping over the straps to make it into a suitcasey thing. My under-the-seat bag that I use exclusively now has no such flap but then I stay in charge of the bag so it's not a problem.

NL