recomend a pack for travel?

Brian:

Any quality bookbag with a couple of different zippable compartments will do. They are light, easy to access, and they don’t draw attention at all. My current travel pack for trips lasting 1 day to 1 year is the REI Trig — happily on sale — but there are literally thousands to choose from on sites like Ebags. YMMV, of course, but unless your trip is gear intensive, the aforementioned pack is all that you need for pretty much all domestic and world travels.

Thanks Ben,
I think thats the problem Im having, too many to choose from. Ill just have to find one that suits my fancy and run with it.

Some expensive options but check out:

http://www.tombihn.com

I can recommend the granite gear vapor day, great carrying pack,
http://www.granitegearstore.com/Vapor-Day-P115.aspx

I have used it with a few of these accessories – the shirt folders in the smallest size fit great
http://www.seatosummit.com.au/showproduct.php?Category=Travelling%20Light

Maybe this is too much like luggage and not pack-like enough, but the Patagonia MLC (Maximum Legal Carry-on) is pretty nice for multi-day/week trips. I don't know the volume, but it's very simple with one main compartment, is extremely sturdy, and has both a shoulder strap and backpack-style straps that zip away in the back panel.

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I over thought it. I just need to look around for an inexpensive bookbag the right size.

This is your pack. I've been through 52 country's over the past 20 years and this has always been my pack. Check it out. REI carry's the pack.

Rick Steve's the travel guru has one made for him by Kiva Designs.

http://travelstore.ricksteves.com/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=product&theParentId=8&id=139

I think I found what Im looking for:
Jansport Wayfarer
After doing some searching I came up with this thread:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=40534
on sale for 30 bucks!

Good choice and good price too. IMO, for travel day packs, there's no need to go for brand name, 'technical' (i.e. overpriced) packs. Curious, going anywhere in particular?

"Curious, going anywhere in particular?"
to be determined ;) still in the in the dreaming stage. I feel I need to get things lined up to get the ball moving if you know what I mean.

I feel cautious about putting this forth on a lightweight backpacking forum: its heavy, and quite expensive, but I think that the Kifaru Marauder is an excellent travel pack. Its dimensions are perfect for carry on. It a panel loader so you can access all gear at once, and its highly organizable, to the extreme in fact. The rectangular shape allows for easy packing and stacking amongst other gear. The pack is virtually indestructible, you'd have it for a lifetime. You can quickly remove/attach the waist belt. Adding pouches is a cinch. It also has a 'grab loop' to easily move it around when.
Sometimes I will use use this as a carry on, plus a shoulder bag for small items (book, inflatable pillow, aspirin, ear plugs, phone, etc.) as your other small allowable item, and then attach that pouch back to the main bag when I get to a destination to create 'one' bag.
I have the G1 version for the last err…4..5 years? If you don't like the 'look' i'm sure you could request a version w/o the PALS, but I never even worry about it; its been through a number of airports and I never get any looks.

Look for them used online.

cheers!

PS, I can shoot you some pics with the interior pockets/pouches, exterior, etc. etc.

By all means this!

Seems the Kifaru might draw the wrong kind of attention. In the book "What Am I Doing Here" Bruce Chatwin writes of being accused of being a mercenary when caught up in a coup in Africa. How do you prove you are NOT a mercenary? The Kifaru packs are tough, but…

How about the Rivendell Mountain Works Mariposa?

http://www.rivendellmountainworks.com/mariposa.html

That is a nice option…

but just to the point about drawing attention…never once worried about it…pack is black on black, hotels, airports, international security…meh…

I suppose in some circumstance say in crossing a war-torn country's security checkpoint with guns and the whole 9 yards…but you'd hope a mercenary would be carrying more heat than his backpack ;)

I agree with ben that finding a generic / minimalist basic book bag is going to be the cheapest and lightest option, as well as most likely to blend in. You should be able to find something for less than $40.

If you want something more that that, I would choice the Osprey Porter 46L and the Thule Crossover 40L but there are several others I have on my light travel page.

If you are going places you are really concerned about “blending in” don’t forget to uglify your pack: a bit of spray paint, some black utility tape or duct tapes. You can transform your pack into something that doesn’t look very appealing.

–mark