Tortuga Outbreaker
I bought my Tortuga Outbreaker travel back pack after ridding myself of an apartment’s worth of possessions to become a nomad three years ago. Maybe because I had de-accessioned so much and pocketed some cash along the way that the $300 price tag didn’t deter me. My pack was to be my portable home for the six months every year that I now travel. I wanted a great piece of equipment sure to last because I knew I had to rely on it as a home. In fact, the design of the Tortuga has caused me to think of one section the main compartment as my bedroom, another as my bathroom, a long shallow back pocket as my office — a feature I discovered only after being on a trip for a month. It a handy way to remember how to pack and where to find things like the checkbook I carry with me but have never used.
A challenge of long term traveling is gaining the experience and confidence to take less and less on long trips. I am not a minimalist but now on my third international trip, I have at least a third less than my inaugural trip and don’t miss a thing. Two long sleeved, 2 shirt sleeved shirts. Same with pants. That leaves room for things I find particularly practical like a clothes brush or collapsible kettle.
Another rule I have is that I never stuff my pack. The bag fits overhead on US carriers and I remove the waist belt easily the few times I’ve checked it to make it less tempting for entanglement. I love that it opens like a suit case (because I always unpack when I arrive at a place) and that it stands upright when I pack my flip flops at the bottom.
My Tortuga is home on my hips.
FYI:
According to the Tortuga website, your purchase supports “student travel by funding the Tortuga Study Abroad Scholarship and a Gap Year Grant through the Travel Access Project.”