Which bag for your micro-adventure?

Thomas - founder / mad of backpacks -

That's it... we'll finally be able to frolic again! Plan a route, make sandwiches, put on sunscreen. I don't know about you, but in my eyes, all those once mundane little things have taken on a lot of importance. Seriously, I waited for the end of the confinement as I waited for Christmas at 10 years old: stamping with impatience. After more than 50 days cloistered at home, we are freed… up to 100 km. Finally, within a radius of 100 km. It's already better than nothing and after all, if it can save us a 2nd confinement, the question of this distance limitation does not even arise.

The micro adventure: a cure for Covid-19

Spontaneously, we say to ourselves that 100 km around is not huge. Often, our friends are in the area but not our family and for those who have been affected by this damn virus, the desire to be able to find their parents or sisters and brothers has become essential. But let's try to see the glass half full: unless you live in the middle of the desert, there are bound to be a lot of things to do to clear your mind in the 100 terminals around you. Finding awesome things to do to keep busy nearby is the very concept of micro-adventure! After all, are we forced to travel thousands of miles to flourish and get rich? I am convinced that I know the south of Italy better than the department of Oise! However, in the Oise we also come across (be careful, cliché) nudists who listen to Umberto Tozzi's hits on the transistor (yes!) Well, we agree, the experience of a trip abroad is irreplaceable. But with the micro adventure, you can also fill up on thrills. In truth, the micro adventure is a bit like meditation (admit that you got into it during confinement): I take full advantage of what is offered to me in the present moment. And meditation is good for the body and the mind. Becoming a micro-adventurer means choosing to refocus positively on your daily life by using your curiosity (“oh, a marker on my desk. Fascinating this marker! Oh, a pencil sharpener on my desk. Fascinating this…” in short, you get the idea). In spirit, the micro-adventure is also close to “slow design” or “slow food”, concepts that we particularly appreciate at Keus. If "slow design" concerns the products that surround us (designing by favoring the use of recycled, recyclable, local materials and traditional and non-polluting techniques), "slow food" consists, among other things, of taking the time to eat. It seems obvious, however, are many of us really focused on what we eat? In short, in micro-adventure, we follow the motto of the Diplomatic World "we stop, we think".

Guides to prepare for your micro adventure

Well, there's no question of turning into a snail. And to be able to enjoy the 100 kilometers that surround you at your own pace, and thus become a micro-adventurer, you can help yourself with guides. There are several that are particularly well done. That of Others for example, which you can easily download by subscribing to their newsletter. Inside you will find no less than 52 truly exciting micro-adventures. The Others are now a major reference in the world of travel. Launched on the web in 2012 and then in print 3 years later, this independent media offers its readers many solutions to travel differently and discover hyper atypical places on the planet, sometimes almost secret. I visit their site very regularly to find inspiration and, for the pleasure of the eyes, there is also their Instagram account. I know what you say to yourself, “yeah the guy makes us dream with beautiful photos…” but FYI, the cover photo of this article was taken in the Pyrenees = not at the other end of the world. Good O.K., the Pyrenees for Parisians, it's not for now.

2nd position on the top 3 micro-adventure guides: that of Chilowé. In fact, they have actually created a website dedicated to micro adventure on which you can find great ideas, especially thanks to their interactive map. And I advise you to also subscribe to their newsletter to take advantage of their good deals, once a week, it's really worth it! There is also a paper guide, for those who like to touch things. As the creators of Chilowé, Ferdinand & Thibaud a.k.a. Castor & Toucan “(…) we didn’t invent anything and most of you didn’t wait for us to learn how to pitch a tent, but everything we offer you will encourage you to do it more often. “And always the same animals:” We may have traveled all over the world, we found nothing better than France to live extraordinary experiences in nature. It takes less time, it costs less and it hurts the planet less. " That is well said. What is the most brilliant in the micro adventure is that everyone can create their own. “Is going to talk to your next door neighbor a micro-adventure? I'll let you go to our imaginary FAQ to find some answers.

Also note that Chilowé is organizing a festival this year at the GoodPlanet Foundation (in the Bois de Boulogne) on 19 & September 20 next. It will be the 1st festoche dedicated to nature and micro adventure and there will be workshops, screenings and conferences = save the date! 3/3 stars out of the top 3: Candice Poitrey's randonneeautourdeparis.com site, which last summer (in 2019) toured Île-de-France. For 3 weeks she followed the GR1 route (a 550 km loop around Paris, yeah anyway yeah). And for our greatest pleasure, we can find on his mega playful website full of sound and visual samples of his escapades. Its interactive map is just brilliant and allows you to find many exciting destinations from the 6 Parisian stations. (For those of you who feel comfortable on sites like Airbnb, you can take a look at the fairly essential Helloways site, which lists all the best hikes around, accessible without a car). Well, I don't know about you, but for me it makes me want to go for a walk with all that, with, for example, a bag on my back. That would be pretty cool, right? You saw me coming… well, I'm not here to talk all-in. I like that, huh, carpets, but I don't know anything about them.

Which backpack for a micro-adventure?

As we saw earlier, it's difficult to qualify a micro-adventure (it can go from a hike in the Pyrenees, to roundabouts by bike). So, to equip yourself in a relevant way, it is advisable to ask yourself what you need to carry out your expedition. You have to find the right compromise between nudism and delusions of grandeur. Work by elimination if it's easier for you. “Do I take my sleeping bag to make a herbarium? (Go to the fake FAQ). As a general rule, if you're going for a day or two at most, you should only need a bag with a capacity of between 15 and 35 litres. And, unless you like to ride in the rain (especially with your computer), you may not need a 100% waterproof bag. A priori, if it rains you will seek shelter, your bag with you. On the other hand, it seems almost essential to leave with a backpack equipped with an outside pocket to store your water bottle. The compression straps can also be a great asset: depending on what you put in the bag, you can easily adapt its volume. In this, the Rover Pack and Mountain Pack backpacks from Topo Designs might interest you. Both equipped with easily accessible top pockets, the Mountain Pack backpack has straps attached to the front with strong bartak seams, allowing you to attach whatever you want (wet shoes, water bottle, etc.) , clothes…). The Mountain Pack is a kind of multi-function backpack, in short. With a more urban look, the Bernt from Sandqvist is no less functional: it also has external pockets and side compression straps. Its volume of 20 liters can also represent a good compromise. Made of Cordura®, this backpack will withstand any bramble! Finally, the Motion series from the German brand Heimplanet such as the Motion Ellipse 25 L or its little brother the Motion Arc 20 L are perfectly suited to this type of use. Very resistant, light and equipped with numerous pockets, they both have an internal compartment in which it is possible to store (a computer, but above all) a water bladder (very practical when hiking), as well as an ergonomic and well-designed back. airy. To have access to a wider selection of backpacks, you can take a look in our shop or directly in the category of travel backpacks.

The rules of the micro-adventurer Before going into the bush, it is worth remembering a few essential rules (which you certainly already know). In the forest, be careful not to make too much noise, or to feed the animals with your low-fat chips. Favor walking or cycling and as a last resort the train or carpooling with anti-nausea bracelets for those who are sick in transport (I am one of them). Leave the places as you found them, unless you come across beer cans and do not pitch your tent anywhere. There you go, I hope this article has been useful to you (or entertained, if not), I wish you very nice micro-adventures, and don't hesitate to share them with us, does it always make us super happy? !

Thomas.

Photo credits: Shoesyourpath / Les Others / Axel Masson / Candice Poitrey