Hi, My name is Maria, and I’m an overpacker.
I always hear about people “backpacking” across Europe, or wherever they decide to go.. like really? how often are you REALLY changing your underwear?!
BUT recently we went to Kenya, and in all the blog reading and researching I did, at some point decided it would be a good idea to “backpack” (I think aliens kidnapped me, brainwashed me, and brought me back, because really, wtf is wrong with my thinking ability?!)
Most places in Kenya aren’t paved, its dirt, mud etc so you aren’t rolling a suitcase through there. There are 5 of us plus 4 more including the family we were vacationing with so 9 people in one sometimes 2 jeeps or vans, with lots of transfers from one camp to another, so if I could manage to get each of us packed in one backpack each, it would be less room in the vehicles, and easier to transfer through the rough terrain of another country. So I started doing research. (Ug.)
My Facebook was filled with 10 million backpack and packing ads from my research, big brother was watching my struggle and boy was it intense! My friend Carrie had one of the Ebag Mother Loader backpacks she was testing out for her trip and that was one of my top choices from my research, so she let me borrow it to check out! I made a video of me just kinda half way loading it, but decided that this was the bag for us! I sold about 5 backpacks to other people for Ebags from that video, I should have been one of their salesman lol then we purchased 3 Full size and 2 juniors ourselves for our trip. (I still thought I was crazy at this point)
I packed everyones bags so perfectly, (packing cubes are essential!) there truly is so much room in these backpacks (Watch the videos!) then it came to my bag.. 3 tries and a mini meltdown later we managed to get it packed, the backpack kept me in check and kept me from over packing (well, as much LOL)
Let’s keep in mind too that I had to pack weird things like toilet seat covers, bug spray, camping toilet paper, etc. that normally you wouldn’t need, but going to a third world country, be prepared.
5 backpacks (we checked at the airport) was what we had for the 5 of us for 2 weeks worth of clothing etc. and it worked! Not too heavy, Easy to load in the vehicles, easy to carry, easy to transfer from place to place. EASY Ebags! We loved them and cant wait to use them again! Next time I want to actually use it as a carry on, which is its intent, but we checked them this round.
Now, I will say we had 2 problems, one was the dirty clothes, dirty clothes just aren’t folded and packed as neatly and it made repacking after each stop a little more difficult. Secondly, we had to purchase a suitcase just for souvenirs because there wasn’t space left to pack any extras lol but all in all, it was a successful purchase, and we are now Ebag fans!! This Travel Agent gives it 2 thumbs up!
You can check out EBags and The Ebag TLS Mother Lode Weekender Backpack here, tell em I sent ya! 😉 Ebags
And check out my Test and packing videos here:
The World Through Me 