Eager to see the world, I decided at age 21 it was high time for me to check out life on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean from the United States. So I signed myself up for a study-abroad semester in Barcelona, Spain, and began thumbing my way through the Let’s Go guidebook. I couldn’t wait to become one of those twenty-somethings who moved from country to country, carrying everything they needed for their months-long journey in a pack on their back. Oblivious to the grime associated with the so-called “backpacker lifestyle,” I thought only of the great adventures that I would have.
Before I could head out on the road in true backpacker style, I needed the perfect pack: not too big, not too small, suitable for both city travel and extended overnight hiking trips. Next thing I knew I was in REI, the outdoors/sporting goods store, face-to-face with what would become my new partner-in-crime, the REI Venus Backpack.
On my overnight hiking trips, I greatly appreciated the pack’s woman-specific design: its ergonomic shoulder straps, slim width and short height. The design keeps the pack close to my back but the weight off my shoulders. Another feature I liked was the pack’s dual access to its main compartment via the horseshoe-shaped zippered opening on the front panel. This feature allows the pack to be converted nicely into a more practical suitcase for my many city adventures. Best of all, the pack’s lid comes off and converts into a fanny pack, perfect for daytime touring (if you don’t mind the slightly nerdy reputation associated with wearing a fanny pack). All of this came at a clearly unbeatable price.
Today, I wouldn’t trade my pack for any other except, perhaps, for the newer (and better hydration compatible) version, which REI sells today. Four continents and so many countries later, my pack has yet to fail me. Whether I found myself train-tripping through Europe or hiking the jungles of Borneo, the pack has held up when everything else seemed to break (read: sunglasses, camera, sandals). Nothing is too tough for it.
Bryce, Sweet Life contributor
