If your rambling is guided by the "light is right" principle, you can dispense with backpacks and wheeled luggage altogether. Carry less than 25 pounds and a good quality duffel bag is all you need. But don't confuse the current crop with the ubiquitous gym bags of '80s fame.

Jansport's Road Trip

Today's better designs have cushy shoulder straps and handles, waterproofed underside, zippered organizers and compression straps that cinch-down bulky loads. An added bonus for duffels: you'll spend about a third less than you would on other cubic-inch counterparts.

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