Backpacks For Travel: Picking One With Style
Got travel plans in the books? You’re probably beyond excited planning your big trip and are already thinking about what to pack, all the cool adventures you will go on, and how you’ll map out the trip.
Although all of these are VERY important when traveling, you can’t forget what you’ll pack in: your travel backpack.
You don’t have to skimp on style when choosing the right travel backpack that will help you keep everything you need together.
You can be stylish and prepared for your upcoming travels.
This is definitely important when you are out and about and meeting new people; you definitely want to make a good first style impression.
Don’t believe us?
We’ve got all the right trendy tips you need below when picking out your next pack.
Explore Different Prints
When picking our stylish bookbags, don’t be afraid to explore different types of prints.
Print backpacks are extremely stylish and can show off your unique and playful look. If you’re not sure of what types of prints work best for you, here a couple of popular prints that go with pretty much everything to complete your look:
- Animal Print - These types of cool prints are always en vogue and a great splash of fun for any travel bookbag. Particularly fun prints include snake , cheetah, and leopard, all of which are great to mix and match.
- Floral - If you’re looking for something a touch more earthy, look no further than floral prints for your travel backpack. This arrangement of flowers and plant life will give your travel backpack an eye-catching look.
- Argyle - This retro diamond-patterned print is also great for your travel bookbag. Like polka dots, argyle has been around for ages and has a cool, sophisticated feel. Although it is commonly seen as a popular pattern for vests, socks, or legging, you can definitely rock it as a travel backpack too.
- Gingham - This print made super fashionable by Dorthy’s blue dress from Wizard of Oz is a great pattern. This checkered design also gives off a picnic vibe, and hey, who doesn’t want to be at a picnic or pay homage to our fave traveler herself, Dorothy?
There are also many other types of prints you can play with as well that are more avant-garde, especially if you want something a little more edgy and alternative to the classics out there.
If this is describing you, try checking out these new style trends for travel bookbags:
- Honeycomb
- Splatter
- Geometric
- Galaxy
- Gradient
No matter your style, you can definitely find a print that matches your own unique look with all of the patterned prints out there.
The Mini Makes a Huge Impact
Your instincts are probably telling you that you need to have a massive backpack to travel.
It makes sense, right? You’ll be on the go, so you need space big enough for all of your travel go-to’s like toiletries and phone chargers, right?
Well, we’re here to challenge that by letting you know the mini backpack can do all that for you and so much more.
Before you call us crazy, let us explain.
Having a mini backpack is great for the following reasons:
- Less is more - When you’re traveling, you don’t want a lot of stuff weighing you down, and that definitely includes your backpack. Also, having less in your luggage makes you more mobile, whether that be traveling further and longer or moving between narrow cliffs on your intense hikes.
- The bare necessities - Another great benefit of having a mini backpack is that it forces you only to bring the things you need. When traveling, you definitely only want to keep things light, and only bringing what you need will do that.
- They’re in style - More and more travelers are opting for the mini for their travel needs, so there are plenty of styles out there for you to choose from due to supply and demand.
So, now that you know how awesome a mini backpack is for traveling, it’s time you stop sleeping on them.
They offer so much more than what the name implies. And remember, toting around less means you’ll have the privilege and freedom to do so much more.
Classic Solid
Are prints and mini backpacks not really your thing, especially when you’re traveling?
If you want to lay low with your travel backpack style, definitely consider getting solid colors.
Check out some great types of solid colors below you can get for your travel backpack:
- Earth Tones - Although many people only consider the color brown and variations of the color brown when it comes to earth tones, other earth tones include dark greens, muted yellows, and deep reds. These colors have a soothing, natural vibe.
- Pastels - This color group is mainly bright and cheery colors like bright pinks, bright blues, and bright yellows. Pastels are really popular for holidays like Easter or to represent spring.
- Neon - Neon colors have definitely become very popular lately. These typically include fluorescent colors such as blue, green, yellow, and purple.
- Neutrals - If you’re wanting something a little more subtle, definitely go for neutral colors like beige and ivory.
- Metallics - for those who want to push the color envelope a little bit further, metallics are for you. These include colors such as black and grays, as well as variations of these colors like aluminum and charcoal.
- Pantone Color of the Year - T he Pantone Color Institute provides specific and custom colors each year. You probably have heard of “Pantone Color of The Year,” which changes every year, and this year, it’s a deep, classic blue. If you want the regal prestige of a Pantone color, this would also be a solid choice of color for a travel backpack.
Classic colors can still be exciting, so don’t be worried that you can’t have fun with them and your style.
Check out those different color groups mentioned above, and so many more, and experiment with the different types of solid colors out there.
Unique Straps
So, enough about color. Let’s talk about travel backpacks with different strap styles that are very trendy right now. There are different styles of strap s, so it may be worth trying out several, especially if you have back pain.
If you want are backpack that differs from the two straps over the shoulder style, check out some stylish alternatives below:
- Sling - These typically strap around your side and over one side of your shoulder. They are definitely great for travel as they typically distribute weight more evenly around your body. Trendy versions of slings also include the always sophisticated messenger bags.
- Drawstring - Known more popularly as a gym bag, these are also great for travel since they tend to be more lightweight. They are also extremely versatile and can come in water-proof, cotton, and insulating materials, but on the downside, they’re prone to breaking.
- Harness - Looking for something more secure with your travel backpack? A harness strap added to your traditional backpack is a great way to go for that added security. You can also play around with different styles of harness straps by using different colors and patterns. Since they connect to your backpack, you can have a lot of freedom mixing and matching.
- Criss Cross - If you’re not down for committing to one type of alternate strap for your travel backpack, consider taking the straps of your two over the shoulder straps and cross-crossing them around your front or back. Not only is it great for balancing the weight in your back, but it also gives your backpack style a unique look as well.
Stylish with the Satchel
Don’t let the idea of the satchel being associated only with carrying books fool you.
This type of backpack is definitely great for traveling. With its two simple and thin shoulder straps and lightweight bag, it is a dream to use when you travel.
Other defining features of a satchel backpack include:
- Soft-sided, which means it's comfortable to wear and feel.
- Includes a pouch with a front flap for safe-keeping all of your personal items.
- Single and sometimes double pocket on the front.
- Sometimes includes a handle in case you want to give your straps a break.
See? You don’t have to fill it with books to realize a satchel is a great travel backpack.
Keeping It Real With The Classic
There is absolutely nothing wrong with sticking to the basics and using what you know works.
Classic backpacks have been around for a long time, and their simple two over the shoulder straps design hasn’t been tampered with because it just works, plain and simple.
As a refresher on a classic backpack’s finest features, here are some of our favorites:
- Two parallel shoulder straps for disturbing the weight of the contents in your bag.
- Typically two standard pockets, one for inside the bag and one as a smaller pocket on the front. Some classic packs can come with many more pockets.
- Zippers for all closed packets for easy safekeeping of your pack’s contents.
So if you want to keep your style more on the simplistic side, the classic backpack is the tried and true way to go.
Roughing It with a Rucksack
The lightweight rucksack was and has been extremely popular in the U.S. Military, and for a good reason.
It’s typically made out of waterproof material and is made for those who are really roughing it out there, especially when they travel.
So if you’re planning to do some intense and exhaustive traveling through some questionable terrains, the rucksack would be a perfect fit.
Although the camouflage is the most defining style of the rucksack, you don’t have to just stick to that design if it’s not to your liking.
Instead, choose a rucksack that has your favorite color and print, and you will get all the benefits of a hardcore traveler while still being stylish.
Not sure what exactly a rucksack is or how it’s made?
Check out the popular features of a rucksack below:
- Easy access for compartments and pockets located on the top of the backpack.
- Smaller pockets on the front to stash away smaller items.
- Belts and loops for connecting other travel items like sleeping bags and containers.
Traveling with a Transit Bag
If none of the other backpack styles are to your liking, try looking into a transit backpack.
These types of packs are great for carrying more stuff, and you don’t have to skip on style. Even though we definitely recommend going light when traveling, we get that’s not feasible for every trip.
Some defining features of a transit backpack include:
- Extra room for more carrying capacity.
- More pockets, nooks, and crannies for organizing all of your stuff.
- Additional padding to keep everything from knocking around.
- Padded shoulder straps to make your pack comfier for the ride.
With all of these deluxe features, you can still get it personalized.
Popular styles of transit backpacks include color block, solid colors, and two-toned bags.
Just because it has versatility doesn’t mean you can’t make it look great with your own unique style.
Pick the Perfect Pack for You
Now that you know there are different colors, prints, and even different strap styles of backpacks you can choose from, your options are basically endless.
But don’t feel overwhelmed by all these fantastic choices. You know your own style and what you like, so you can definitely have fun trying out these different styles.
Traveling is a lot of fun and you can definitely be ultra-trendy when doing it. You have a whole world out there that is yours for the taking. So next time you are planning out your next awesome adventure, know that you can travel in stride and style with our trendy travel backpack guide.
Sources:
merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rucksack
pantone.com/color-intelligence/color - of-the-year/color-of-the-year