Pack To Pack
Meh writer @skemmehs here (ICYMI). I’m traveling in Vietnam for a fortnight, using a backpack as my sole form of luggage (some might say “backpacking”) so I feel uniquely positioned to discuss the topic.
The main difference between these Case Logic backpacks lies in their organizational capabilities. Both have a compartment for your laptop or tablet, but the (more expensive) BEBP contains a middle compartment full of pockets, sleeves, nooks, and crannies for those who get off on such things. The (slightly cheaper) WMPB pack appeals to those of a less organized temperament.
And really, both approaches to life and backpackery are totally legitimate.
On the one hand, knowing exactly where you stowed your USB cable can save time in a pinch. And then there’s that calming, world-centering feeling of knowing everything’s in its right place.
On the other hand, the world is ruled by chaos, and our attempts to bring order to it by organizing our pens can be an exercise in futility. Throwing everything in the big compartment of your bag saves time up front and who knows, maybe you’ll never need that dongle, or maybe the sun will spontaneously explode tomorrow.
I understand both sides and their relative merits because I often find myself in the uneasy middle ground. I’m a devotee of packing cubes and always methodically organize while preparing for a trip. Yet, inevitably, entropy sinks in and I find myself caring less and less about maintaining that organization. By the end of the trip my bag is, inevitably, a disaster.
I’m currently on day 10 of my trip and the seams are already starting to show — dirty socks shoved in willy-nilly, cables not neatly bound by cable ties, etc. I’ll never be as Type A as I aspire.
Choosing which of these packs to buy is therefore not so much about comparing them but investigating yourself. If you’re the type who patiently unties their shoes upon getting home, the BEBP is calling your name. If you prefer to slip them off like a kid and worry about the consequences later, you sound like a WMPBy sort.
