The Search Begins!
Back in 2019 or so, I was in the market for a new backpack. This sent me on a bit of a journey. 
I was working long hours at multiple jobs and finally making decent money, so I could afford a quality backpack. I'm very "hard" on the things I own, and in school I would cycle through backpacks every year since they would always get ruined. Because of that, I'd always have to buy the cheapest backpacks, and the vicious cycle continued.
But I was working long and hard hours, and I wanted something better for myself. I wanted a backpack that would last me decades, not months. I wanted a backpack that would be a work buddy and travel partner. I discovered so-called minimalist and one bag travel, and I became obsessed with finding the one backpack that could do it all. A daily backpack that would go around the world.
Around the World in a BackpackOther than some childhood trips to Disney, I had never traveled anywhere. I've long since deleted social media from my phone, but I remember how envious I was seeing people travel. I desperately wanted to see the world, and I was finally starting to make enough money to think about a vacation somewhere... anywhere. Finding the backpack to rule them all was the first step on that journey for me.
There's a ProZD sketch on YouTube that satirizes how niche Reddit communities can take something mundane, like drinking water, and form strong opinions and obsess over hyper-specific technical jargon. Backpacks are a prime example of this and I was sucked down the rabbithole. What is the weight of the nylon? Is it cordura fabric? What size YKK brand zippers does it have? Some questions are, of course, very important when choosing a backpack. Will it fit under budget airline seats as a Personal Item? ...and the big one: How much does it cost?
That last one was a sticking point for me because I was about to spend over $100 on something. One HUNDRED dollars! It's so much easier for me to buy things for friends than for myself. I spent months agonizing over this decision. I'd never had a good quality bag before... was I about to make a big mistake? I had a list of must-haves and nice-to-haves, but there was no backpack, it seemed, that had-it-all.
One Backpack to Rule them All
Eventually, I narrowed my search down to Chrome Industries and Topo Designs. Neither ticked all of my boxes. Chrome has a reputation for nigh-indestructible bags favored by bike messengers. They are cool. Topo has a more outdoorsy hipster vibe. Topo is also high quality, and with a promise of lifetime repairs-- even going as far as to give you money to pay your local backpack repairman (that's a thing?) so no need to ship it back and forth if you ever need it fixed. After more weeks of agonizing, I couldn't take it anymore. I needed a new backpack to bring to work. I bought the Topo.
Immediately after clicking "Buy," I went back to YouTube and Reddit to find more posts and reviews to assuage any buyer's remorse. I came across a video by someone named Chase Reeves reviewing the backpack I just purchased and it put my mind at ease. I haven't watched any of his other videos whatsoever, but I keep coming back to this review, even all these years later. If you want to know the technical specifications of my backpack, it's a good watch, but this is the part that resonated with me, around 16 minutes in or so:
This is the perfect bag for most of us, developmentally. You don't need a bunch of fancy, a bunch of expensive, a bunch of whatever. Just bring your shit to where you are going. Because life is what the thing is about, man. It's not about what you look like while you do that. Which is why I love this dad-bag vibe. The mustache and bring-your-own-trail-mix aesthetic. And then, final thing here, is that this is just affordable! ... And it's going to be around in your bag closet for a long time! ... This thing is going to last a really long time... This is the thing in like 20 years you see someone get on the plane with and you'll be like Oh shit, how long have you had that bag? and they'll be like Twenty fucking years.
That's exactly what I needed to hear. My $129 purchase was not a mistake. The truth is there is no perfect backpack. I was over-analyzing everything. Yes, it's very nice to have nice things and use good tools, but it's also just a backpack. Find a good one that'll last you a while. Stop thinking and start living!
The Actual ReviewI don't like obsessing over material goods or designer brands. I am happy with the quality of my backpack, but please don't take this page as an endorsement for any specific brand. My backpack, the Topo Core Pack, was actually discontinued sometime in 2020, so it's difficult to find them for sale anywhere. That being said, here are some of the features I really love about it, in no particular order:
After living with this backpack, taking it to work, the grocery store, and around the world for over five years, that random YouTuber was totally right. It was perfect for me, developmentally.
After years of saving I finally had enough money to visit Europe. This backpack was all I brought with me. I've since taken it on many other trips, to nearby cities and to other countries, and it's been a faithful partner. My other big goal, financially, was to get a new saxophone. When I saw a Conn 10M tenor saxophone for sale on Craigslist, I thought back to my backpack buying journey. I couldn't agonize over the decision for long, so I contacted the seller a few days after seeing the ad. I haven't regretted that purchase either. I just needed to trust myself.
