2 Weeks south of France with the Corsurf Island Hopper 2.0 34l
I will be going on a two-week trip to the south of France (by train, not by plane), and I thought I would share my packing list—especially since there have been almost no threads about Corsurf and the Island Hopper backpacks.
Why Corsurf?
I was looking for a budget bag with a clamshell-style opening and internal organization. This made the available options quite limited, and other highly regarded bags like the Tomtoc T66 were already out of the question. I became aware of Corsurf thanks to a video by Regan Shorter, where she compared the 28L version to the Cotopaxi Alpa. Another option, of course, is the Decathlon Travel 500 backpack (which my partner uses), but I prefer the organization and look of the Island Hopper 2.0.
What I packed
Clothes
- Black hiking pants
- Gray pants (Kühl Renegade)
- Uniqlo beige casual dress pants
- White Uniqlo Airism T-shirt
- Blue Uniqlo Airism T-shirt
- Green Columbia Silver Ridge shirt
- White Columbia Omnishield shirt
- Black long-sleeve Omnishield Columbia shirt
- 3 pairs of Uniqlo underwear
- 3 pairs of Darn Tough socks
- White Adidas shoes
- Gray Lono barefoot shoes (stored in a dry bag)
- Black Decathlon lightweight top for sleeping
- Swimming trunks
This is probably overkill, and I could remove one pair of pants and one top. The barefoot shoes are another luxury item, but I like to switch shoes. I really like the Columbia shirts. They look nicer than a plain T-shirt (to me at least), do not get creases and are just very breathable in general.
Decathlon light Top with swimming trunks
Sport
- Homemade TRX trainer
- 2 resistance bands
- Yoga socks
- Decathlon workout top
- Decathlon shorts
We will be doing 30 minutes of yoga six days a week and 15 minutes of resistance training five days a week, so the yoga socks and TRX trainer are a must. The resistance bands might be optional.
Tech
- iPhone 15 Pro
- Fujifilm X-T30 with XF 27mm f/2.8
- DJI Action 5 Pro
- Boox Palma
- Wired headphones
- Small box with various adapters and an SD reader
I really like the photos and videos from my iPhone (thanks NoFusion & Blackmagic App) but since I plan to keep my phone out of reach, and I like the tactile feeling of cameras, this is a trade-off I’m willing to make (for now).
Tech I don’t need:
- Power bank: My phone will be in airplane mode most of the day, and both the camera and action cam have enough battery for a full day.
- iPad / laptop / gaming console: Even though we’ll spend a lot of time on trains, I won’t bring entertainment devices and stick to reading or audiobooks
- ANC Headphones: I want to be less distracted on my vacation, even if it is on a train. A simple pair of wired headphones is enough.
Toiletries
- No-name toiletries kit
- Fabric freshener: Not sure why this isn’t mentioned more often. It removes wrinkles and slight odors from clothes. I am a big fan.
- Small electric shaver from AliExpress & wet shaver: I like to be clean-shaven every day, using the wet shaver in the morning and the electric one in the evening. This gives me the least irritation.
- 2 toothbrushes (hard and soft bristles)
- Vitamin pills
- Tweezers, nail clipper, nail file
- Small mirror
I few items are double because they are almost empty. So I expect the kit to shrink by the end of the trip
Misc
- Small watercolor set: We like sitting in plazas or squares and painting a bit. This could probably be slimmed down.
- 3D-printed pentomino puzzle: Designed by me. You place the pieces on the board—apparently there are over 2,000 possible solutions.
- Flat-fold bowl + spoon/fork: Great for salads on the go or dipping bread in olive oil or local spreads.
- Sewing kit: Used on many trips and coming along again.
- Hand soap sheets: Too many restrooms without soap.
- Sanitizer: For trains and for removing odor from shoes at the end of the day.
- Laundry sheets and portable clothesline
- Wet wipes
- Instant coffee and kombucha packs
Extra Carry
- Decathlon foldable hip pack: Worn on the train to keep snacks and my Palma accessible while the backpack is in the overhead compartment.
- Decathlon foldable 15L sling bag
- Lightweight 20L daypack from AliExpress
This might be a bit weird, but I prefer slings. That said, we do a lot of grocery and snack shopping, and when things get heavy, a daypack with a proper back panel really helps. This setup worked well on my last trip, so I’m repeating it.
Daypack & the Sling, Daypack in the Sling
Packing, Weight & Self-assessment
Everything fits without issue, including the clothes I’ll be wearing. The laptop compartment is used to store the daypack.
Total weight is 7.5 kg, which is slightly more than planned but still acceptable.
Clothes on the left, everything else on the right
Overall, I think I did an okay-ish job. I could easily drop one top and one bottom, especially since there will be an opportunity to wash clothes midway through the vacation. The camera could also be left behind, and the toiletries kit and watercolor set could be slimmed down a bit. Where I "gain" some points in my opinion again, is by not bringing any bulky electronics.
The good thing is that I don’t anticipate bringing more, even if the trip were to get substantially longer. Flying on regular airlines (overhead bin, not under-seat) should not be a problem with this setup.
No comfort issues, even after wearing it for an hour
About the Island Hopper 2.0
I also wanted to talk about the bag, since there is so little information about it online.
I ordered both the Island Hopper 40L and the Island Hopper 2.0 34L, and overall I prefer the 2.0. The first version was extremely floppy and would collapse on itself due to the lack of structure. Thanks to the material, the 2.0 feels stiffer and, for me, more comfortable under heavier loads.
The Island Hopper 1 (on the right) was just always sagging a bit
In general I would describe the comfort as pretty good, even if the padding on the shoulder straps seems to be not super thick.
Hip belt can be stored away which is a nice touch
The organization is really nice, with plenty of pockets—if that’s your thing. This bag definitely forces you into a specific way of packing, which won’t be ideal for everyone.
The build quality feels solid; however, the bag lacks some of the details one might expect from a €100 backpack. Many in this sub might argue that €100 puts this in the budget category, but for me that’s mid-tier pricing, and I’ve had cheaper bags with better stitching.
A lot of loose threats & the sternum strap is really hard to move
The 2.0 version also removed some features that the previous version had, such as:
- No side pockets on the hip belt
- No flap covering the laptop zipper
This is strange to me. I can understand removing the hip belt pockets—they were so tight that they were hard to use—but removing the zipper cover makes no sense.
While this might sound quite negative, I still really like the bag. It lacks some finer details, but it feels very solid and comfortable overall. I can only give a final verdict after the vacation.
Island Hopper 2.0 vs. Decathlon Travel 500
While I prefer the look and extra compartments of the Island Hopper 2.0 and am happy with it overall, I think the Decathlon Travel 500 is actually the better backpack for most people. Its back panel is very stiff with decent padding, and combined with thicker hip-belt padding and load lifters, it will likely be more comfortable for many users. It’s also cheaper, and Decathlon offers great customer service and a 10-year warranty. If you’re unsure, and both appeal to you in a same way, I’d probably recommend the Travel 500 over the Island Hopper 2.0.
Island Hopper 2.0 vs. Cotopaxi Alpa
I’ve only handled the Alpa briefly in stores, so I can’t comment too deeply. That said, the difference between the two feels minimal. The stitching and details are better on the Alpa, while the material feels better on the Island Hopper 2.0. The Alpa is a bit stiffer—especially the harness—but the Island Hopper has two hidden back pockets that are quite handy.
Considering the price (100€ for the Island Hopper 2.0 vs. 200€ for the Cotopaxi Alpa here in Germany), I don’t see a backpack that’s twice as good in the Alpa. Even if both were the same price, I think I’d still choose the Island Hopper 2.0.