[Short of time? Read the Haiku review instead] I’ve only been robbed once while on the road. I mean properly robbed; of course I’ve had objects mysteriously disappear – a cap here and there, a bag of chilli grasshoppers, two beard trimmers in as many weeks in Ethiopia – but there’s only been one occasion on which a person has walked up to me and intentionally stolen from me. I’m not counting the time I was roofied in Texas as I’ve got no idea what happened then (see review of Snow Peak Titanium Spork). I think one of the reasons my pack has never been comprehensively rifled is that I rarely lock it. Top-loading backpacks of the type I own aren’t easily locked anyway. I think the only way to
[Short of time? Read the Haiku review instead] The trend in travel equipment today is firmly focussed on weight. Every item must be super-light, multi-purpose and have a half-life of 1000 years. This is a sensible drift, of course, and I’ve seen too many first-time backpackers automatically buy the biggest pack they can find, one the size of a small fridge, in the fear of being without some precious home comfort. With 100+ litres at their disposal, they fill up with such essentials as puzzle books, beach towels, the hairdryer or favourite snack foods (I mean, really, is there anywhere in the world you can’t get a chocolate bar? Experience local junk food instead). This exuberant packing resu
