Backpacking the world and roaming from place to place is a special thing that only people who do it truly understand. There’s a freedom in being able to wander, where there are no time crunches and no external expectations, and (if you’re lucky enough) no end date. It’s not the easiest way to travel, but it certainly can be the cheapest. Sure, your back is burdened with the weight of your rucksack, and everything you own is strapped over your shoulders, but when you can go for months, living out of a pack, and see and experience the different cultures, the landscapes, the difference from where you originated, you’re giving yourself a unique opportunity to be reborn as a new you; one that has seen things that few others have and one that has experienced other cultures, ways of life, and new perspectives that you never knew existed. Because once you’ve expanded your mind to accept the new world view, a real understanding of what life is, can and will grip you, if you search long enough and with a true enough heart.
I spent nine months trekking Europe and Northern Africa, and in that time I experienced life in twenty countries, and came back a changed person, with new ideals, a new understanding on what life is, what I wanted out of it, and who I was and wanted to be. Traveling for that long, by myself, with only my pack on my back, I had a lot of time to see things differently, and time to think. And that changed me. I left a confused boy, searching for where he belongs, and I came back a world citizen, with a drive to do something real with my life. Travel can change you. It’s when you’re alone in a country where you don’t speak the language that it truly changes you.
During my earliest trip overseas in my young twenties, I arrived in Spain and found that I had indeed chosen the wrong pack, and subsequently I ended up buying another pack, shipping it and some other items home. I’m sure you can imagine how big of a pain in the butt that was. The funny thing is, it happened twice more on that trip, for the simple reason that I did not have the right pack to begin with. I took a canvas backpack that chafed my arms at first, so within three hours of arrival, I was already shipping things back. Then, I purchased a larger bookbag, which was not large enough for all my stuff, but I made do anyway… For a few months, then I couldn’t handle it anymore, as I had purchased a secondary bag to wear in my front. After all that, I finally realized that I needed to suck it up and transition over to a large rucksack. My original fear was that my back would hate me for wearing something so large and heavy. But to later hilarity, I found that choosing the right rucksack would indeed be a game changer for me and my travels.
During my earliest trip overseas in my young twenties, I arrived in Spain and found that I had indeed chosen the wrong pack, and subsequently I ended up buying another pack, shipping it and some other items home. I’m sure you can imagine how big of a pain in the butt that was. The funny thing is, it happened twice more on that trip, for the simple reason that I did not have the right pack to begin with. I took a canvas backpack that chafed my arms at first, so within three hours of arrival, I was already shipping things back. Then, I purchased a larger bookbag, which was not large enough for all my stuff, but I made do anyway… For a few months, then I couldn’t handle it anymore, as I had purchased a secondary bag to wear in my front. After all that, I finally realized that I needed to suck it up and transition over to a large rucksack. My original fear was that my back would hate me for wearing something so large and heavy. But to later hilarity, I found that choosing the right rucksack would indeed be a game changer for me and my travels.
Today, I am featuring the Hobo King 85 pack by Jack Wolfskin… Why, you might ask? Because it’s the best rucksack I’ve come across in my many years of traveling. There are a few mountaineering companies who also make fine bags, but the 85-liter Hobo King is the Cadillac of rucksacks, as far as I’m concerned. Not only is it jam packed with features, it’s also extremely comfortable. You can load this pack up and still get around Europe with minimal back and shoulder pains (depending on the state of your own body, and how hard you push yourself in your travels).
The Hobo King is a large pack at 85-liters, which means it’s sizable enough to support a global trip for an entire year, or more. It’s described as robust, and there isn’t anything truer, because it is a hefty pack, with enough space to hold clothing, toiletries, camera/computer gear, as well as camping equipment. There are zippered pockets, with pockets inside pockets, providing the user with all kinds of space and organizational options. Compression straps are also included. A dirty laundry compartment is located separate from the rest of the bag at the base, which is something I never had, and I really, really wish I had! There are handles to carry the bag from the front, as well as extremely comfortable padded shoulder straps and waist band, which helps to balance the weight carried between your upper, middle, lower back and shoulders. What I love most about the shape of the bag is how the portion that sits upon the back is ergonomically designed so that it helps keep the arch your back requires, while also balancing the weight you carry. Not many packs successfully manage to help posture and stance, but the designers at Jack Wolfskin have knocked this one out of the park.
The Hobo King is a large pack at 85-liters, which means it’s sizable enough to support a global trip for an entire year, or more. It’s described as robust, and there isn’t anything truer, because it is a hefty pack, with enough space to hold clothing, toiletries, camera/computer gear, as well as camping equipment. There are zippered pockets, with pockets inside pockets, providing the user with all kinds of space and organizational options. Compression straps are also included. A dirty laundry compartment is located separate from the rest of the bag at the base, which is something I never had, and I really, really wish I had! There are handles to carry the bag from the front, as well as extremely comfortable padded shoulder straps and waist band, which helps to balance the weight carried between your upper, middle, lower back and shoulders. What I love most about the shape of the bag is how the portion that sits upon the back is ergonomically designed so that it helps keep the arch your back requires, while also balancing the weight you carry. Not many packs successfully manage to help posture and stance, but the designers at Jack Wolfskin have knocked this one out of the park.
There are a ton more features (like the name and address card, chest strap, occipital cavity, suspension system, hydration system, and world map with a blank bucket list printed inside the top of the back–how cool is that?!), that I could spend another 1000 words on, but I’d like to get into my review portion, because when I say this is the Cadillac of rucksacks, I want to explain why I feel that way. The truth is that this pack is loaded with just about everything I can think of that would make up the perfect rucksack. The Hobo King 85 is a robust pack, made for world travelers, that provides the user with optimum space, organization, weight management and support. Most bags have an open portion in the middle, so you can stuff everything together, which makes it a huge pain in the butt when you need something from the bottom portion, and with little else. Most packs don’t have world maps and bucket lists, nor ergonomic carrying system, nor hydration system. I found Jack Wolfskin to be a top quality brand, and now, my go-to for when I travel the world as a backpacker.
If you would like to find out more about Jack Wolfskin, click here.
Article written & Photos by Brandon Scott / Eye & Pen – Product shot © Jack Wolfskin.
If you would like to find out more about Jack Wolfskin, click here.
Article written & Photos by Brandon Scott / Eye & Pen – Product shot © Jack Wolfskin.
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