My favorite luggage configuration for air travel includes a 46L duffel bag with stowable shoulder straps and a 30L backpack. The smaller pack contains my laptop, drone, camera, lenses, and travel essentials. The larger one is for clothing and meets the size constraints of an overhead bin. I prefer two backpacks to a roll-aboard and one backpack for several reasons. With dual backpacks, I can navigate over any terrain with ease (cobblestones, dirt, stairs, mud), all with both of my hands free and a near-perfect front-to-back weight balance. Furthermore, you can pack a lot more into a soft-sided pack than into one with a rigid shell, wheels, and a telescoping handle.

I leave early tomorrow morning for two weeks of travel in Bolivia and Colombia, and can be seen above testing the weight and balance of my fully loaded gear. I will post as regularly as internet access allows over the next two weeks.