It’s about time my travel bag caught up with my travel style. I haven’t considered myself a backpacker for a very long time. Sure, the term fit while we made our way around South America – changing locations every few days, lugging our belongings on treks and setting them down in dodgy hostels. But our travel style has long since evolved. We prefer extended stays in one location and choose house-sitsor apartment rentals over hostels. We still find ourselves in some pretty challenging locales from time-to-time, but for the large majority of our time neither of us require backpack straps to move our stuff around. For some reason, it took me awhile to realize that changes in the way we travel could be reflected in the way we pack. And now that I’ve made the switch to enjoy one of mankind’s most vital inventions – the lovely wheel – I will never go back. From henceforth, I shall once again celebrate wheeled luggage. Osprey offered to send me their 60L Sojourn bag, and I was skeptical of so many things.

How heavy would it be? Would it withstand constant use? What about those inevitable times when I will need to carry it some distance? I need not worry for one second. Because in the six months of having it, I have rejoiced in every single moment of use. Every single time Pete and I have packed and are ready to head out the door, my back thanks me for not putting it through repetitive and unnecessary strain. And, there are many other things about the bag that I am very happy with…When the bag first arrived, I figured the box to be empty – or at the very least, someone packed in shipping material but no luggage. It is less than 3.5kgs, which is remarkable considering the material required for the wheels and retractable handle. I think it is actually lighter than the backpack I previously used.While we haven’t taken it too far off-road yet, I believe it would hold up. The wheels are big and solid and handling these European cobblestones well. I trust that this bag will be with me for the long haul.

Did I mention it has sturdy wheels? What on earth took me so long to realize that I didn’t need to unnecessarily kill my back? But if I need to strap it on…The Sojourn is ready for me. Zip away the back panel to reveal comfortable straps to lug it the ol’ backpacker way. Thankfully I haven’t had to use them yet, but in this unplanned life that we lead, having that flexibility is key. The only slight thing that I don’t like about the bag… I lika me a lotta pockets. I adored the way I could organize my last bag. It had lots of components and pockets to keep everything in it’s place, and it has taken me awhile to get used to this one. It does have some handy slots on the inside for separating things, but I do struggle a bit to make it work. For example, the biggest slot on the inside does not close with my hiking boots in it. And while the pocket at the top to hold toiletries and whatnot is handily separated (very good if there is ever a spill), I wish it was a little roomier – it ain’t built for girls who have to struggle with several products to tame frizzy curls.

(But I can also chalk that up to my fairly random organizational style and reluctance to accept change.) Overall, I’m feeling some serious love for this bag. It is a perfect match for my flexible lifestyle, and I can’t believe it took me so long to realize that. Osprey sent me this complimentary bag for review. backpack rschAll opinions, as always, are my own.alienware vindicator backpack for saleYou are here: Home / Blog / I Love My Osprey Sojourn Backpack!backpack oxy acetylene cutting torch I Love My Osprey Sojourn Backpack!odst backpack for sale

It was time for me to upgrade to a better backpack — and I could not be more delighted with my new Osprey Sojourn 25-inch 60L pack. I will always cherish my 40L REI Venturi Backpack that I bought back before I started traveling long-term in 2010. It was fantastic for backpacking Southeast Asia, where you don’t need to bring anything but a handful of light clothing.gpc backpack phantom 2 But for anything more intense, I was feeling the strain. pugly backpackIt really couldn’t cut it — it was too small (technically 38L since I had the extra-small size) and not strong enough. Though it did survive a shipwreck intact! It was time to get something better. 1) I wanted it to be a bit larger but not too huge. 60 liters would be perfect. 2) I wanted it to be a rolling pack. There were two reasons for that: the first is that my back hurts toward the end of a long trip with my backpack, and the second is that I’m carrying much more computer and photography gear and using a larger daybag this time around.

3) I wanted a high quality backpack that would last a long time. I started talking to my friends, reading blogs, and researching online — and decided on the Osprey Sojourn line. These bags are ready for anything, and my friends who have them love them. I contacted Osprey’s team, and they kindly offered to provide both me and Mario with bags for our trip. I chose the 60L version in blue and Mario chose the 80L version in green. I decided to wait until l I had been traveling with it for a month to give a review. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS BAG. It feels like it was made for the military. Every piece of it is so strong. It’s like wearing a tank in the form of a backpack. The critical parts are high quality. The zippers are excellent, and haven’t even remotely come close to snagging. The wheels glide along the pavement like an ice skater over a freshly zambonied rink. And I’ve never felt such strong handles on a backpack in my life. The material is strong and seems like it could take a beating.

Hopefully we won’t have to test that. The inner and outer compartments are thoughtfully designed and very intuitive. There are two mesh-lined compartments running up either side within the pack, and I’ve been using them as my dirty laundry compartment. Laundry bags can quickly get out of control, but these keep the explosion to a minimum! Additionally, there are a few compartments close fo the top of the bag that are good for small items that you need to access easily. I use mine for medicine; Mario stores his daily contacts in his. There is also a back panel that seems to be intended for magazines, newspapers, or anything flat — but I find it works great for a blazer or cover-up. We started our trip in Paris, which was like being thrown through a gauntlet with lots of up and down stairs on the metro. Though it took a bit of getting used to, I was especially pleased with the handles and they were so incredibly strong. Having a wheeled backpack has changed my travels so much — it’s so much easier on my body.

I haven’t started using it as just a backpack yet, but I’m sure I will once we get to areas with rougher terrain. Mario loves his bag just as much as I love mine, and he especially loves that the materials are such high quality. My only issue with this bag is that due to its short and fat shape, it tends to flip over backwards when you take a corner too fast. The center of gravity is different, and I can’t zip around like I can with taller but skinnier bags. Still, that’s a very small qualm in the grand scheme of things. My 60L bag retails for $259 on Amazon. Mario’s 85L bag retails for $318.95 on Amazon. As far as pricing goes, that’s toward the mid-range-to-higher-end price point for backpacks. In my opinion, a backpack is a critical investment that you make. Getting a less-than-perfect backpack can ruin your body and your trip. This is especially important if you travel frequently or are planning to travel long-term. So paying an extra $100 for a bag this good is absolutely worth it.