How to Live Out of a Backpack: The Backpack

This is a series of posts about ‘how to live out of a backpack’ as a vagabond, minimalist, nomad, expat, traveler or for everyday life as a lifestyle.

THE BACKPACK //

Choosing a “life backpack” is like house / apartment hunting. It’s an incredibly personal and extremely comprehensive acquisition. You may not live in it like a home, but you’ll be living out of it – same difference.

So like a home, your backpack will be your closet, survival kit and essentially a life locker.

This means, if it wasn’t already clear, that your backpack is the most important purchase you’ll make in terms of gear as a nomad, vagabond or traveler.

Which in effect making it in most ways the single most important item of your packing list.

Ever since I started vagabonding and permanently living out of a backpack back in 2012, I’ve equipped Triple Aught Design’s FAST Pack line of backpacks.

My most current is the latest EDC Edition (above). It literally took me over 50 backpack candidates to test and modify before selecting their Litespeed Edition. Then upgrading to the new model then for the larger.

As with choosing a place to call home, you don’t pick the first one you see. That’s how important it is.

You’ll be relying on your backpack as if your whole life is in it because in some ways it is. It will be your baby, something that’s a part of you that you’ll never leave behind and always keeping it safe and close.

But it’s also like your partner, it should work well with you and be (literally) comfortable together.

This relationship with your backpack is about compatibility. Does it function according to your lifestyle? Will it hold up to your daily rigors? Does it fit on your body well? Does it look good to you?

The best backpack in the world to me is the one I currently have but I can’t tell you what will work for you, it’s “incredibly personal and extremely comprehensive”.

You’ll have an oddly profound attachment and appreciation for your backpack once you live like this.

Luckily there are countless different types and brands of backpacks to choose from, so finding the “one” may take time but it’s certainly out there.

If you’re not already EDC savvy, I suggest visiting local sporting / camping brick and mortar shops to try out the many kinds of backpacks available first hand.

Once you have a better understanding of the modern day backpack, then order them online.

Remember, you and your backpack will have a symbiotic relationship so it really needs to be a good match.

It may sound ridiculous to talk about a piece of luggage like this but when living out of a backpack as a way of life, it really becomes a part of your life.

How to Live Out of a Backpack:
The Backpack