One of the purest ways to see the world is also, from my experience, the absolute best way to see a country, experience a culture and effectively find what it means to truly travel. The backpacker lifestyle is the furthest thing from luxury or comfort, yet the experiences one can have can change, inspire, and teach humanity and compassion better than any lesson or class. And once you have an amazing experience with total strangers, each of good hearts, you will think differently about other people and foreign cultures. Becoming a global citizen starts with the external journey of one’s search within and ends with an open mind, a full and honest heart and a new way of seeing and living.
Backpacking isn’t easy, and it’s not glamorous. The backpacking lifestyle is strenuous, and challenging, but the most rewarding thing you can do for yourself and for the way you perceive the world. So, when you find yourself deciding that this lifestyle is for you, even if it’s only for a short time, it’s important to realize that it won’t be a vacation, but exploring is rarely about the creature comforts or the time spent by the pool, because what it’s truly about is the people. When you’re in a foreign country and you don’t speak the language, there is a change that happens within humans. You begin to feel alone, realizing the difference between you and what you had once thought and what is real. And once that happens, and as long as you continue forward with an open and curious mind and heart, then you will find yourself on a whimsical path of constant companionship, new experiences, and life changing surprises.
But as I said, backpacking isn’t easy. It can and will scare you. It will beat down on your body; your feet and back will scream, but your eyes, mind and heart will forever see anew. Backpacking starts with the pack, better known as a rucksack, and is something you don’t want to get wrong. Trust me, for the beginning leg of my nine month trek through Europe and Northern Africa, I brought along the worst backpack ever. Mere hours before landing on the plane, I had thought I had purchased the right pack. But after about an hour of tramping through Barcelona, I knew that I was wrong… Very wrong. Not only was the weight disrupted badly and killing my shoulders and mid back, but the thick canvas straps were eating my skin away underneath. So, within the first few hours of my nine month trek, I already had to purchase a new pack, repack everything and send a package home with extras. Not fun, nor cheap.
The point here is to put some thought into what will be carrying everything you will own for the next __blank__ amount of time, AND what will be weighing like a burden upon your shoulders. Not all rucksacks are created equal, actually from my experience, almost none of them are. A good rucksack is a large, typically tall, pack that can carry a lot, but can also help with weight distribution as well as organization. The right rucksack will not destroy your back and shoulders, but will balance the weight between your upper back and shoulders, as well as your waist and lower back, to ultimately create a carrying experience that you won’t regret anytime soon.
But as I said, backpacking isn’t easy. It can and will scare you. It will beat down on your body; your feet and back will scream, but your eyes, mind and heart will forever see anew. Backpacking starts with the pack, better known as a rucksack, and is something you don’t want to get wrong. Trust me, for the beginning leg of my nine month trek through Europe and Northern Africa, I brought along the worst backpack ever. Mere hours before landing on the plane, I had thought I had purchased the right pack. But after about an hour of tramping through Barcelona, I knew that I was wrong… Very wrong. Not only was the weight disrupted badly and killing my shoulders and mid back, but the thick canvas straps were eating my skin away underneath. So, within the first few hours of my nine month trek, I already had to purchase a new pack, repack everything and send a package home with extras. Not fun, nor cheap.
The point here is to put some thought into what will be carrying everything you will own for the next __blank__ amount of time, AND what will be weighing like a burden upon your shoulders. Not all rucksacks are created equal, actually from my experience, almost none of them are. A good rucksack is a large, typically tall, pack that can carry a lot, but can also help with weight distribution as well as organization. The right rucksack will not destroy your back and shoulders, but will balance the weight between your upper back and shoulders, as well as your waist and lower back, to ultimately create a carrying experience that you won’t regret anytime soon.
One of my favorite rucksacks is the Terraplane by Mystery Ranch. The Terraplane is a serious pack for a serious backpacker, because, at 82L volume, it’s not small, but it coms equipped with quality weight distribution and is built to last a year stint around the world, and longer. The straps and hardware are strong, capable of withstanding the elements as well as heavy use. The top-loading inner compartment is large and deep, allowing you to carry enough clothes and provisions to get you through, even if you decide to hike the Appalachian Trail or the Camino de Santiago. The frame system is perhaps the best hidden aspect of the pack, and until you put it on with a pack load of weight you may not fully appreciate how important it is to have ergonomic back support, with arch and weight distribution support. On the outside, there are compartments for additional items and a special spot for your sleeping bag, as well as straps that are available so you may store additional gear, trekking poles, etc. Compression straps on the sides of the pack help you condense the size of your gear, which comes in handy when you’re flying from place to place, such as on a round the world trip.
All in all, I came away very impressed after testing the Terraplane rucksack. As I said, it’s a serious rucksack for a serious traveler. It’s jam-packed with awesome features and creative pockets, which help to make the backpacker life that much less trying and difficult, while giving the user the ability to store a lot without killing themselves as they wander, learn and change from within. The Terraplane is built extremely well, with high quality materials and hardware that can withstand the most challenging trips. My final opinion is: I love it and everything about the pack. It’s one of the best on the market.
If you would like to find out more about Mystery Ranch, click here.
Article written & Photos by Brandon Scott / Eye & Pen
All in all, I came away very impressed after testing the Terraplane rucksack. As I said, it’s a serious rucksack for a serious traveler. It’s jam-packed with awesome features and creative pockets, which help to make the backpacker life that much less trying and difficult, while giving the user the ability to store a lot without killing themselves as they wander, learn and change from within. The Terraplane is built extremely well, with high quality materials and hardware that can withstand the most challenging trips. My final opinion is: I love it and everything about the pack. It’s one of the best on the market.
If you would like to find out more about Mystery Ranch, click here.
Article written & Photos by Brandon Scott / Eye & Pen
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