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Meet Connie Hum and Her Kelty Redwing 50

Connie Hum's Redwing pack

This post is part of a series in which ladies on the road offer a review of their backpack. Today’s post comes from Connie, a perpetual volunteer and English teacher in Asia.

Connie Hum is a freelance writer and blogger specializing in travel, food, and culture. Connie has traveled to over 35 countries, and has lived in New York City, Istanbul, and Hong Kong. Connie continues to accumulate a lifetime of memorable stories and enjoys sharing her experiences with anyone willing to listen.

Connie Hum

What’s your backpack brand and model? How much does this backpack typically cost?

I use a Kelty Redwing 50 backpack. The MFRP is $110 USD.

>> Find the Kelty Redwing 50 on Amazon.

How long have you had your backpack and where have you traveled with it?

I’ve had my backpack since 2006, and I’ve traveled to Grenada, Peru, Costa Rica, Iceland, Mexico, Turkey, Sweden, Denmark, Jordan, Egypt, England, Burma, India, Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Malaysia, and the United States with it.

What factors were most important to you in choosing a backpack? How did you come to choose this one?

Technically considered a “daypack,” the Kelty Redwing 50 is definitely a lot smaller than a typical backpackers’ pack, but it can still hold a lot. For someone with a small frame like me, it’s perfect because it’s not huge and cumbersome. I also have a problematic back so extra weight can give me serious backaches. With the Kelty Redwing 50, I don’t really give myself the opportunity to pack too much, which is good for my back.

Connie Hum's Redwing pack
Connie Hum’s Redwing pack

What do you like most about your backpack? Any down sides?

Like I mentioned above, it’s small enough to fit my petite frame and lessens the load on my back. On the other hand, because it’s smaller than your average backpack, it also means that I can’t pack as much even when I want to. It’s not a big deal because I like to travel light, but sometimes I do wish that I had the extra space, especially when I’m traveling in places like India or Egypt and want to buy a ton of souvenirs to take home.

Tell us about the fit and comfort level of your backpack.

The smaller frame of the Kelty Redwing 50 is great for me because I’m a bit short and it’s very comfortable. The shoulder and waist straps are padded and provide good cushioning. There’s plenty of back support too.

If you want to take your backpack as carry-on luggage, can you?

Yes, I can take my backpack on as carry-on luggage, which is fantastic! I just have to be careful of how I pack. Because the Kelty Redwing 50 can expand quite a ways outwards, getting it to fit into the overhead compartment can be challenging. I just have to make sure that I’m packing the right way: sideways as opposed to outwards.

Have you found the size to be too small, just right, or too large?

I think the size is perfect for my body size and type, but I still wish it were just a little bigger so that I can fit more things inside, however unnecessary those things might be.

Overall, would you recommend your backpack?

Yes, I definitely recommend this pack BUT ONLY for people with smaller frames who don’t pack much.

>> Find the Kelty Redwing 50 on Amazon, or learn more about other Kelty packs right here on Her Packing List: Kelty Redwing 2650 and the Kelty Arch 65.

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You can find her blog at www.connvoyage.com. Connie also tweets about her adventures on Twitter at @connvoyage.

>>See more women’s travel backpacks here.

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Comments

  1. OCDemon says

    I’ve been perusing each and every backpack review on this site and it’s been quite helpful. Just thought I’d mention that there’s a new version of the Redwing since this review, and the men’s version comes in 2 different sizes, so that might help with the sizing issue the reviewer mentions. It also has a hybrid top/panel loading combo design that’s pretty neat.

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