Turns out a 128GB USB stick is big enough for me to make a full (excluding some caches and temp directories), multiple-snapshot rsync backup of my laptop's /home/. Yay!
It feels slower than an external HDD, but way more convenient, especially while travelling.
Just gotta remember to take the USB out of my pocket before doing the laundry this time.
@HerraBRE Or get a waterproof one :-) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Traveler-Waterproof-Shockproof-Memory-Unibody-Silver/dp/B014IJXXR0/ref=sr_1_3/258-0147754-3306352?ie=UTF8&qid=1519052064&sr=8-3&keywords=waterproof+usb
Personally, I keep my backup drive at that level on my keyring so it's out of the house when I am but isn't likely to be lost or washed. (First level is 1TB drive on my desk, second USB drive on keyring, third is pair of 2TB drives which are alternately off-site from home.)
@edavies I'm gradually finding myself multi-tiered as well.
One drive I update and leave in Italy, another in Iceland... and now the USB I carry around. All well encrypted, since I leave them unattended a lot.
I'll probably just move the USB from my jeans to my leather jacket and avoid the laundry problem that way. The main constraint is it can't live in the same bag as my laptop.
@edavies I just LUKSed the memory stick.
It's big enough I can just use my standard rsync-based snapshots!
Woooo! Backup nerdfuntime!
@HerraBRE Off-site good, off-tectonic-plate better.
Yep, LUKS (almost) everywhere. Additionally gpg for the tars on the memory stick.