Korean Job Discussion Forums

Kim Jong Jordan · Joined: 13 Mar 2004 Location: The Internet

I'm in the market for a backpack to travel with. I'm talking about one that would be big enough to hold a months or so worth of clothes to travel and live out of for a roughly equal amount of time. I am looking for recommendations you may possibly have, but I don't want to spend a fortune. Are there good websites that I can order from to have delivered to Korea? Are there any good stores in Korea that I could order from? Thanks.

Cerebroden · Joined: 27 Dec 2006

not korea, but Hanoi has knock off North face back packs going for like $20 for the huge ones.

oskinny1 · Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Location: Right behind you!

Kim Jong Jordan · Joined: 13 Mar 2004 Location: The Internet

i want something for all seasons. i'll be heading to the phillipines for a couple weeks in the summer and then i'll spend a month or two going around the rest of southeast asia at the end of my contract (next april). i also plan on spending a couple months in Europe. I was thinking of buying a North Face pack but they are more expensive in korea than back home, but quality is the most important thing for me as I intend on using whatever I buy for a few years.

DCJames · Joined: 27 Jul 2006

Why get a big @ss backpack to bog you down? Take a smaller more mobile bag and take only the essentials. Most of Southeast Asia is cheap and you can buy everything else you need.

Carrying around a big heavy bag from place to place is no fun.

indytrucks · Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Location: The Shelf

If you're traveling around SE Asia for only a month or two tops, there's no need for an enormous 60 or 70 litre pack. You'll look like a moron. The only reason to lug around a pack that size is for an expedition to Everest.

Traveling light is always the best way to go. A medium sized bag will do the job (30-40 litres). I went round SE Asia (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia) for two and half months with a 40 litre pack and my camera backpack. More than sufficient. You shouldn't be cheap about it though ... go with a reputable brand, which you can find at any department store in Seoul. I personally prefer Berghaus ... they have a shop all the way up near Dobongsan on Line 1, but it's worth the trip. Stay away from the knockoffs in Namdaemun or Dongdaemun.

waltjocketty · Joined: 09 Oct 2006

dana design, in my opinion, makes the best packs in the world. the hipbelt and the top compartment can be combined into a fanny pack for dayhikes, and the top part can be shortened into a larger day pack. they are very comfortable and I've had my current Dana pack for 9 years. I've hiked a couple thousand miles in it and it's still holding up. Some people swear by Gregory or Arc'Teryx, as well. But if you're just using it for frontcountry explorations, maybe you don't need a real backpacking pack and you can get by with something a bit cheaper.

I used to work at an outdoor shop when I lived in Colorado, so if you need more info, feel free to PM me.

mnhnhyouh · Joined: 21 Nov 2006 Location: The Middle Kingdom

In southeast Asia and southern India I travel really light. Last trip to India, for a month, two of us had 7.5 kg (18lb ?) between us. We came home with nearly 40 kg of clothes and books.

If you are going hiking then lightweight good walking boots are very handy, and the new ones are very light and tough.

For backpacks, I prefer a New Zealand brand Macpac, very sturdy. I bought my backpack (now 10 years and many trips old) here in my suitcase. My preference is for only a top opening and only one pocket in the lid. To avoid the need for a bottom opening I keep most things in bags and pack carefully knowing what I will need for the day in most situations. Less openings makes for a cheaper pack, fewer zips and clips to fail, and less points for water to get in.

I will find somewhere to put the suitcase and laptop etc when I go for 3 months to SE Asia after my contract and then get it back in Taiwan next year.

If you are going to be there in the rainy season, I strongly recommend Pelican Cases. These small cases are perfect for iPods, small cameras and phones. While they are heavy, they are tough enough to put a car on, and waterproof to 40 m. If you are caught out in the rain, the last thing you want to be doing is worrying about your electronics.

http://pelican.com/case_category.php?CaseSize=%&New=%

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