jlbartley

I'm doing my first trip to Europe but don't know what to pack in. I'm trying to pack light due to moving around so much. We'll be there about 2 1/2 weeks and sleeping in up to 10 different locations which means dragging luggage around a lot. I'm a pretty small person 5"3" 120 lbs and not overly muscled.
I'm trying to bring just one bag but don't know what kind would work best.
Small wheeled luggage,
backpack http://www.amazon.com/Dana-Designs-M.../dp/B000CC37U6
or backpack/luggage (has wheels and backpack straps)stylehttp://www.highsierrasport.com/ItemDetail?itemNum=AT206

Advice from experienced travelers would really help. Thanks in advance!

Here's some detail on our itinerary if it helps.
4/22 Stuttgart
4/23-24 Fussen & Munich
4/25-26 Salzburg
4/27 Innsbruck
4/28-4/29 St.Gallen/Appenzell (overnight train to Venice)
4/30 Venice
5/1-5/3 Somewhere in Italy - orginally thinking Florence & area
5/4-5/6 Rome
5/7 Fly home

alanRow

The backpack luggage is over 80l and on your frame will look as if you are wearing a gorilla. Ditto the Dana Designs @ 75l. Both are heavy and when you invariably overpack "because you've got the space" it will feel as if you have all the troubles of the world on your back

Small wheeled luggage are great if all you are doing is going from train to taxi to hotel, they are useless if you have to haul over cobbles / up & down stairs. They become even more useless if a wheel breaks

Go to a shop that sells smaller backpacks (3000cu in / 50l) and try them on with weight in and go for a walk.

As for your itinerary, have you considered staying long enough somewhere to actually unpack - what I see is a LOT of train travel. I mean who spends ONE day in Venice

suze

I always travel with either a 22" or 24" rolling suitcase (no backpack adaption).

suze

In my experience it bounces just fine along cobblestones, etc. I could not stand that much weight (25 lbs.) on my back.

I would add those "extra" days in Italy to either Venice or Rome. You already have plenty of places on your list imo!

rkkwan

Depends on where you're going to stay and whether you'll have them pre-booked.

If you do your homework to find and book all your hotels to be close to the train station or with very convenient transport, then I suggest 22" rollaboard.

My parents travel that way around Europe each year. Last summer, they went to England and Norway, staying at no fewer than 9 places for a 2-week trip. Not a problem. You get to the new city, go straight to hotel, unload, then sightsee.

But if you're going to go without reservations, or is looking for the cheapest hostels despite its location, or if your itinerary means requires you to sightsee with your luggage, then you need a backpack type.

jlbartley

We are prebooking our hotels and most of them are pretty close to the train station. Our plan was to go to the hotel directly after arriving, drop our stuff and sightsee. I just wasn't sure if rolling luggage was feasible with getting on and off trains and I think that several of the places that we're staying do not have elevators (we've booked into smaller B&B type places). Wasn't sure if this would be manageable with wheeled luggage.

Most of the travelling I've done has been cruises and resorts where light packing was not the objective. I'll certainly have to learn for this trip!

Would love to hear some more feedback on this.

CarolA

I have rolled my 22" luggage all over Europe and carried it up five flights of stairs. I would MUCH rather do that then carry a back pack around.... I think the "backpack" modification just takes up space for something I won't use. Rolling works well for me. (And lots of my hotels wind up being a distance from the train station!)

MKE

The first time to Europe I over-packed a 26 inch rolling suitcase and a small backpack with an extra change of clothes. My second trip, I packed a 22 inch "convertible" suitcase (see Rick Steves' site) and a small backpack. Carrying those through the Paris Medtro stations was backbreaking.

My last trip (to Germany and Austria last October), I just packed a 22 inch rolling suitcase and I was glad I had made the switch. I'll go with a two wheeler again this year, packing even less and relying on washing more often.

I would strongly recommend a rolling 21 or 22 inch suitcase. Make sure the wheels are on the wide end of the suitcase instead of the narrow end and don't buy one of the ones with four wheels. Also, buy the lightest one you can find.

As far as your ininerary, I would add one or two more days to Munich, skip Innsbruck and St. Gallen, add at least one more day to Venice (preferably two more days). If you have time left, Florence wouldn't be bad for one or two days. If two days, use one day for a side trip to Pisa (I had the best pizza in Italy at the Pisa train station). Two days in Rome is also cutting it short. Better to leave some cities for a future visit than trying to see it all in one trip.

jlbartley

Thank you everyone for responding to this. A couple of more questions. I'm looking at the following 3 bags
http://www.luggageonline.com/product...roduct_ID=5719
http://www.luggageonline.com/product...roduct_ID=5718

Any feedback? I'm trying to find something very light as well as not too big so I don't overpack. Any thoughts on a bag like this that's wheeled but has the zip out option for a backpack?

suze

I know it's personal preference but I just don't like the backpack style or those (too bulky) plus the 25" version is still too big imo.

I use a slim normal square shaped type roller without the straps, zippers and doo-dahs.

The trick to traveling successfully with a rolling bag is that it is light enough you can pick it up and carry it for short distances, like up a set of stairs. More often than not, when you are on the move, you will be able to roll it along.

Also I have never paid more than $50 for a suitcase and they last for years. I shop at someplace like Marshalls, TJ Maxx or JC Pennys.

janisj

I agree w/ suze. It is personal preferance of course. But I am short (and teach packing classes) and I by far prefer rectangualr wheeled rollaboardsw/o a backpack option.

I do demonstrate how packpacks and duffles can work - but for myself, I definitely go for a wheeled suitcase -- 19" to 21" max.