Packing is the science of balance. A balance between what to include and what to omit – tough existential questions that confound even the most experienced travelers. In the words of YouTuber Matt D’Avella, “packing can be a mini-experiment in minimalism.”
Carry-on backpacks are a great way to force yourself to get into the good habit of practicing packing balance, as they provide you with enough latitude to include your essentials and then some while forcing you to think long and hard about extraneous and often unnecessary items that you might be tempted to bring along.
It’s pretty obvious that a backpack saves you time when you travel, but just how can you make this ingenious piece of travel gear work for you when you’re rushing to get your destination? Keep reading to find out.
- Skip the check-in queues and go straight to self-check-in
Perhaps the first and most obvious benefit; not having to check your luggage in at a counter. This is especially true if you fly out of airports which have self-service kiosks that allow you to bypass the counters completely, streamlining your check-in process. Carrying a backpack can seem somewhat academic when you’re forced to use check-in counters, but the few minutes you save by not weighing your bag and going through the rigmarole of declaring your valuables counts for something in our books.
- Skip the baggage collection carousels and go straight to your transit
Oh, the joys of zipping past all the poor sods waiting at the baggage carousels, and making a beeline for the exit gates – yet another time-saving point to the humble yet ever-so-awesome carry-on backpack.
- It’s easier to access things when you’re waiting for/ electronics, headphones, etc.
If we’re comparing your traditional hard shell wheeled luggage to carry-on backpacks, then ease of access must go to the backpack. The features and compartments far outnumber those on traditional wheeled bags, with handy slots for your passport and travel documents, electronics and headsets and even our nifty waist straps, designed to hold small amounts of cash.
- It’s easier to appease nosy TSA agents
The backpack racks up yet another notch, as it’s simpler to pack unpack – particularly useful should you have customs officials rifling through your items. Toiletries can be an especially sticky point when it comes to security checks, so our advice to you is to keep your toiletries on top of your Arcido bag where it’s easiest to access. The Arcido washbag could also save you precious moments, with a fully transparent design that blends seamlessly with the rest of the Arcido range.
- They’re easier to get into overhead luggage bins
If you’ve seen this video of a dimwitted traveler trying to unsuccessfully cram his luggage into an overhead bin, then you can rest easy if you’ve got an Arcido carry-on backpack. All Arcido bags fall within the size and capacity requirements for overhead bins, so you’ll never have to worry about stowing your luggage in the overhead compartments.
- You have less worry about any potential damage or theft
Not specific to backpacks but carry-on luggage in general, is the very real threat of theft or damage. An extreme scenario could see your precious goods stolen, meaning hours wasted trying to get airlines and insurance to compensate you. Carry-on luggage completely removes any concern that you might have about unscrupulous baggage handlers with no regard for your belongings.
All said, backpacks are perhaps the single most important travel investment you can make, and these time-saving benefits are just a few of the many advantages of switching to carry-on bags only. If we’ve inspired you to take the leap into single bag travel, then be sure to check out the Arcido range.