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Take It With You: A smart idea for backpackers
Published 12:00 am PDT Sunday, May 4, 2008
Story appeared in TRAVEL section, Page M
Photo Caption: Earl Harper / harperstudios.com
Light travelers can usually fit their needs for a long weekend into a roomy day pack. The trouble is, most day packs are such caverns that everything slips down into a messy heap. Now veteran traveler and TV personality Rick Steves offers us a smart design.
New this month is the Velocé Travel Pack. It has two large interior compartments, plus nine more for slim or small things. One larger compartment is slim but big enough to hold my fleece jacket and bulky walking sandals. The bigger one (13.5 by 4 by 17 inches) has a sleeve for a laptop and plenty of room for a change of clothes and toiletries. Its best feature is the snap-together straps that cross diagonally to hold the contents in place.
At first, I wondered whether this pack without a frame or waist strap would be comfortable to carry when loaded. So I tested it. I packed both large compartments to the brim with clothes and put two magazines in an inside slip pocket. A modest-size guidebook went into an outside zip pocket, and a 16-ounce water bottle slipped into an outside mesh pocket. One pocket has a port for earphone cords.
The verdict: This is a great design for light travelers. The well-padded straps are easy to adjust, and the padded back adds comfort. Even better, the main compartment expands to accommodate souvenirs. When it's open, the little pack's interior space is 2,400 cubic inches. While I wouldn't want to walk all day with it, I highly recommend it.
Online shoppers need to note the pack's official name (Velocé Travel Pack) because a shoulder bag by Steves has a similar name. The new pack comes in five colors and retails for $79.95 at www.ricksteves.com or (425) 771-8303. In Sacramento, Bags & Baggage 5321 Sunrise Blvd., Fair Oaks, expects to stock the new pack within a few weeks.
– Judy Green
Special to The Bee
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