Pros and Cons of traveling with only a 20 liter backpack

I usually travel with no more than a 20 liter backpack. This started because I once saw a friend of mine having his wheel bag lost by the airline and having to live for 4 days with only the clothes he was wearing.

I also started to get tired of dragging a noisy wheel bag through the city and sweating because I had to carry it down subway stairs.

This made me change my travel method to use the lightest bag I could find, which was a 20 liter backpack.

There are a lot of positives of traveling only with a 20 liter backpack, but it doesn't come without it's compromises.

So, I wanted to share what I've experienced throughout the years by traveling only with a small backpack. Here is my Pros and Cons list.

 


Pros

  • Save money on airline baggage fees.
  • Avoid getting my bag lost by airport handlers.
  • Increase bag life by not having it thrown carelessly by airport handlers.
  • Avoid getting my bag sent to aircraft cargo hold because there isn't enough space in overhead bins.
  • Save time by not having to wait for my bag at the airport. 
  • Go in and out of public transportation with ease.
  • Increase safety by having my bag with you at all times.
  • Increase safety by not drawing as much attention to my small bag. 
  • Save money by not paying for baggage holding since it is easy to carry all day.
  • Not carrying too much means if I loose my bag everything in it is easy to replace (it is very rare that I carry my computer).
  • It's easy to change trip plans since I do not need to worry where I'll leave by bag (I can carry it with me because it is very lightweight).

 

Cons

  • Not having a lot of outfit options.
  • Having to wash my clothes if I travel for more than 4 or 5 days.
  • Having to manage what you can take into the aircraft (e.g., shampoo, perfumes, etc. only up to 100ml; not being able to carry a pocket knife).
  • Not being able to carry "just in case" items.


In my opinion the pros largely outweigh the cons, so my conclusion has been that it truly pays off to travel with a smaller bag, especially one with the capacity up to 20 liters. I will not be turning back to a bigger bag.

Overcoming the Cons is just a matter of trip planning, which, with practice, doesn't take any time. Please click on the link to see my article on how to avoid the challenges of traveling only with a personal item.



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