Best Luggage for Cobblestone/Stairs
 

I am traveling to Europe (London, Paris, Loire Valley, Saintes, Bordeaux, Arcachon, Biarritz, Pamplona, Barcelona, and Madrid) for 15 days with a group from my school. My teacher has told us that we will be dragging our luggage across many long cobblestone streets and up several flights of stairs when we get to the hotels (we are not staying at American hotel chains like Hilton or Marriott if that helps). My question is: what is your recommendation for relatively lightweight luggage that will withstand cobblestone streets, train rides, and planes? I have read that Eagle Creek is a good brand, but it is a little out of my price range. I would be willing to spend up to around 300 USD. Would you recommend Travelpro or Samsonite and should I get hardside or softside or more of a rolling duffel type? Also, my teacher told us to take a larger bag (28-30 in) so we can have room to bring back souvenirs and things.

I have been looking at these but I am not sure if they would be good for this type of travel:
http://www.ebags.com/product/travelp...uctid=10296717
http://www.ebags.com/product/travelp...gs-and-reviews
http://www.ebags.com/product/samsoni...uctid=10321446

Thank you very much! Any help or tidbits you could provide would be greatly appreciated!

the bag is not the real importance but its wheels - good whells like inline skaters have are imperative - muy old Eagle Creek pack has literally gone over more cobbles than thought possible and are still in great shape

A wheeled pack can convert to a backpack at times like boarding trains and walking thru crowded areas it may be best to hoist the pack on your back.

Key - pack light!~

I'd say the bag, beyond quality wheels, as PalenQ says, is irrelevant. The weight of the bag, can you carry it comfortably when you need to, is the greater issue. Any quality bag packed lightly will do. Concentrate on what goes in, rather than the container, keeping in mind some bags are far lighter than others.

I should add, Eagle Creek is my brand too. I've gotten a new smaller one only for the weight, not because the older ones have ever failed me or been less than great.

Don't pack a bag that is too heavy to carry comfortably, then you can always carry it by it handle on stairs and particularly rough pavement. People always used to manage to carry their luggage.

Alternatively consider a rucksack.

To stretch your $$$ head to TJMaxx or Marshalls - they have extensive luggage departments w/ name brand and even some very high end brands at deep discounts.

What you probably want is something w/ substantial wheels but also light enough to easily carry over stairs/cobbles.

The ones you linked are all <B>EXTREMELY</B> large and would cost extra/overweight fees on the flights.

Stick to 19 to 22 inches - 24 max.

Why get wheeled luggage at all? I live in Italy where i need to climb hundreds of stairs just to empy my recycling. I use a backpack.

http://snarkynomad.com/5-of-the-best...al-adventures/

Agree that 28-30" is way too big.
Also, I much prefer a 2-wheeled rolling bag. I can't imagine trying to roll a spinner over rough pavement, gravel or cobblestones. The 2-wheeled are getting harder to find, but here's a Delsey 25" that's reasonably priced.

http://www.ebags.com/product/delsey/...uctid=10204720

I just noticed your teacher's instruction, the advice of a novice who likely never negotiated such a large bag, full. If you buy things you cannot live without and won't fit in your smart-sized bag, mail them home.

Here's the main problem, as I see it. When most of us pack, I include myself, we might make a list, then lay it all out to pack. If we have a larger bag, we discover too late that it's going to be a struggle everyday we must move the stupid thing because we tend to fill the space we give ourselves for stuff, much, if not most of it unnecessary. And if you have one the size your fearless leader has recommended, you may very well end up paying excess baggage fees for each flight. Even if you don't, you'll be punished for your sin of too much stuff while also looking ridiculous trying to lift it. Do yourself a huge favor, no larger than 22" and be the coolest, smartest one in sight. That includes that misinformed teacher.

Another recommendation for a backpack - provided it has a good hip belt to take the weight. Although I am currently using a wheeled bag (I'm old(er)) I traveled for a decade with an Eagle Creek convertible backpack - this may be the closest to what I used: http://shop.eaglecreek.com/gear-hauler/d/1291_cl_2295

I strongly disagree with your teacher. How on earth does s/he think you are going to handle bags that size on trains and buses? 22 inches is about as big as you should go. IF you insist on buying souvenirs (shopping is way down my list of things to do when traveling) then take a foldable tote to put them in. Tell your fellow students not to take bags that big!

You might find this instructive: https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-ti...s-packing-list

Or for my own packing list start here: https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...take-part-one/

With the euro so low now you cann afford to buy anything you need once there - pack light! Veteran travelers can never understimate this sage time proven advice we all learnt by taking way way too much.

Oo jeeze - I didn't even see that >>Also, my teacher told us to take a larger bag (28-30 in) so we can have room to bring back souvenirs and things.<<

Your teacher is nuts (don't tell him/her that >) ) But absolutely bonkers.

Even being on a tour where some poor schlub will load your bags on/off the buses . . . do you have any idea how much a filled 30 inch suitcase weighs??? Most airlines charge a LOT for overweight. Most allow up to 50 lbs. But between 50 and 70 lbs it can cost $200 extra. Over 70lbs can cost $400 or even more.

The travelpro you linked weighs almost 11 lbs <i>empty</i> and would easily weigh more than 50 lbs just partially filled. I've see 30 inchers being weighed at checkin at over 100 lbs.

I bought a new lightweight London Fog for a good price at Marshall's for my trip last fall. It is a spinner, and I love it for the airports. As MaineGG said it is not for cobblestones, but what you can do is tilt it and pull it behind you.

Mine is a 24" and was pretty heavy, but we went for three weeks and I needed more space, or at least I thought I did. I agree that 22" would be easier.

Boy, you are doing a lot of traveling in 15 days. Will you even have time to shop? Just kidding.

I pack a large tote bag that folds into almost nothing into my luggage. On my return flight, I keep the special souvenirs (no liquids) in the folding tote and check my larger piece of luggage. I don't buy a lot of souvenirs and certainly don't move around as much as you so it is easy for me to do.

I bought a Timbuk2 Co-Pilot bag on sale at Sports Basement about a year ago. It's clamshell style, which I like because I can keep things separate. It's lightweight so I can lift it even if I've overpacked. They use skateboard wheels, and I've found that those are pretty durable.

Mine is 21" (I think they call it 20"but including wheels it's 21"). I wouldn't mind having the next size up, just a bit roomier because I always bring running shoes and running clothes in addition to my normal stuff on trips. And then I tend to hit a few dressy restaurants so I need shoes and clothes for those occasions too. I always check my bag. YMMV.

http://www.timbuk2.com/copilot-carry...FY2Ufgodv7AA5g

Meant to add I have an old sturdy Samsonite and an old sturdy TravelPro, one 22" and one 24"--both have been over cobblestones many times, no problems. But in my opinion you don't need a 28" bag. The Samsonite I got on clearance at Macy's completely randomly--marked way, way down to $89 and it is a great piece of luggage. Heavy, though.

Have fun!

Between the itinerary and the luggage recommendation I am wondering how much travel experience your teacher has... Are you traveling with one of the agencies that handles school group travel, like http://www.eftours.com/, or is this a one-off your teacher is arranging her/himself? If the latter I urge you to do some research on your own.

Maybe: http://www.roughguides.com/shop/roug...t-time-europe/
Or: Rick Steves Europe Through the Back Door 2015

We made the mistake of buying a large 28-30"suitcase. We used it once. NEVER AGAIN. It was too big to manhandle and too heavy to carry and you are likely to get done for excess baggage. Just how many souvenires are you planning to bring back with you? Stick to 22". Be ruthless when you pack and don't take more than you need. Remember you will be unpacking and repacking your suitcase many times during this trip and things never repack as well. Make sure you have left space on the start of the trip for things acquired during the holiday.

Rolling duffle bags hold lots of stuff but they are more difficult to pack and things do tend to get more squashed up and creased in them and it is less easy to find clothes in a half unpacked bag.

My latest Eagle Creek is a rolling duffle, a small one. I use organizers and things don't get "squashed up". Ziplock bags do the same thing.

I agree with the comment that with that schedule there will be little time shopping.
Pack light, make sure whatever bag you choose is in itself lightweight, and make sure when it is pack you not only can lift it, but actually carry it comfortably.

I also think the size suitcase your teacher suggests is too big. 24-25" is the largest I would take.

You can get EagleCreek within your budget at Sierra Trading Post. Sign up for emails--they do frequent, substantial sales:
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/eagle-creek~b~5040/

Do not take more than a 20-21" carry-on; you still may have to check this size depending on your air carrier, but believe me, you do not want larger. Purchase a tote or backpack that can be bungeed atop the 21" without falling off while you negotiation cobblestones or metro stairs. We are doing 4 wks in France with this. I pack my Lucas 21" to weigh 29 lbs with expandable popped up. My husband has a 21" Olympian also expandable. I am taking 4 pairs of pants at least a dozen tops, packing 2-3 pairs or shoes/sandals, underwear, bathing suit, rainproof jacket, yup, it all fits. When we went to Spain for 3 weeks few years ago, we both dragged huge wheeled duffels that open flat like a traditional Pullman. It weighed 45# and with all our frequent moves, you will not feel like to digging through all to find something. Pack all tee shirts in one superthin nylon packing bag, all underwear in another, long sleeve shirts in another, pj's etc in another. When you get somewhere you know what to pull out without rifling through things. Take a nylon tote for purchases that folds into itself and weighs ounces. Think small when you are shopping! I find art, jewelry and other small things that fit. You can do it!! Yes, Marshalls & TJMaxx have bags I mentioned above for $50. $300?? That was my Hartmann that was years ago and way too heavy to travel with now.....

here's another recommendation to pack light. my bag on my recent trip to Venice was only 15kgs, but by the time I'd dragged/carrried it over the innumerable bridges between Piazzale Roma and my B&B on the other side of the Grand Canal, i was regretting that extra pair of shoes, which in fact I never wore.

i regretted them even more when i arrived at the apartment block where I was staying and discovered that I was staying on the 6th floor, there were 71 steps, and no lift.

Also a back pack to take some of the load is a very good idea.

Yet another person telling you that your teacher is nuts :-) Hopefully s/he is a good teacher and will have lots of information to share that is *not* related to packing.

My family has made it easily on trips to Europe (almost 4 weeks) and California (8 weeks) with each of us using a 20-22" rolling suitcase plus small backpack. We also had a fold-out carry-on size duffle that we used for laundry during our travels. When we came home, we checked our rolling bags and carried on the duffle with anything breakable, along with our small backpacks.

If I were young and fit, though, I'd skip the rollers and just use a backpack. I traveled with one of the first Rick Steves 'Europe through the Backdoor' backpacks when I was in my early 20s and it was much easier to get around in varied terrain with it compared to a roller bag. On trips where I don't have to shift my luggage much, I still prefer the Rick Steves bag (going strong after 25 years of regular use) or a small or medium Lands End duffle to my roller bag, but the latter saves my middle-aged back and trashed knees on longer trips.

Good luck on your trip - carry light!

Oh, and I don't work for Rick Steves, but I went there while writing my post (had to check and see if they still had the bag I used - the Classic is closest, though mine has a shoulder strap, which I find useful).

Anyway, I noticed they have a 20% off sale right now through April 5th, so if any of those bags appeal, now's the time. I can't recommend them enough. We have two of the old Classics that have managed through lots of travel (at least 1-2 trips a year) for 25 years, and we were given older Rick Steves rolling bags that they used for 2 trips a year for over 12 years before our kids started using them five years ago. So they're tough!

The size bag your teacher is talking about is a disaster in the making. How will you ever carry 70 pounds or more up seerla flights of stairs. Borrow a very large bag, fill it and then try to carry up even one flight of stairs.

IMHO you should have not more than a 24" bag - soft sided (hard sided are just luggage weight versus clothing/useful items). If you plan on a lot of shopping will you have the budget?) carry a small parachute nylon tote that weights nothing and you can fill up with items bought and use as a carry-on.

As for specific brands - I don't think it matters - just as long as the wheels are sturdy. Before buying try them out in the store on uneven surfaces and or steps.

If the OP is male, he can handle 50 pound bags. Also, males don't pack neatly so they need larger luggage. :D

If the OP going to spend over say $150 and get a suitcase which will always be checked, he or she should keep in mind that checked suitcases get dirty real fast, so that immaculate $800 Tumi gets ragged real fast.

Of course, these premium brands promise all kinds of warranties but they're as much as 10 times more expensive.

I've seen those cheap suitcases at Ross and TJ Max and am somewhat tempted. Figure if those things fall apart after a couple of years, you're still way ahead than if you bought a $200 or more piece.

Costco has some decent-looking pieces

As for hard vs. soft side, the latter lets you overpack if necessary and it's great to have external pockets. I use them for among other things, bringing back my dirty laundry, which is inside plastic shopping bags.

I've not used a spinner bag before. I take a 27-inch roller board and a wheeled carryon which carries my laptop and other electronics. I can plop the carryon on top of the 27 inch and take the both for a couple of blocks if necessary.

I wonder how durable those small wheels would be, even if tilted back onto two wheels. They're supposedly getting better but I've pulled bags over curbs and cobblestone streets. I've lost wheels too so again, it's a question of whether more expensive luggage is really more durable or it's better to go through a bunch of cheaper ones.

Rick Steves has a great line: Nobody ever came back from Europe saying they wish they had taken more luggage.

Absolutely do NOT take anything larger than a carryon size bag. You will be the one who has to carry it everywhere and you will come to hate that bag with a passion if it is any larger. Your classmates will envy your mobility and wish they hadn't listened to an inexperienced teacher.

Oh, here's another bag I have. This thing holds soooo much stuff and is carryon size, wheel-free backpack. I took it on a Rwanda/Kenya/Amsterdam trip. I was bringing a lot of crazy gear--full size heavy duty binoculars, DSLR with multiple lenses, a daypack for gorilla trekking that I packed inside the luggage, mini medical kit for the bush, clothes for three climates, etc. It ALL fit--and more. But it got super heavy for a 39 year old woman (my fault). Might be a great choice for a teenager.

http://www.ebags.com/product/ebags/m...ductid=1370034

Look at the Redoxx Air Boss and the middle-sized range of Tom Bihn bags (google both).

The Tom Bihn bags convert into backpacks; the Air Boss is just maximally cool. Both are expensive but well-made in the US and will last you the rest of your life, or at least until you are too old to carry them. Neither has wheels; both offer groovy colors. They fit the carryon requirements of budget European airlines.

Interesting, the difference in terminology. I've just spent 5 minutes Googling roller board (actually called a "roll-a-board"), duffle bag (a bit different to the on I had at school, a long time ago) and a "spinner" suitcase.

I agree with so many of the above. Being a backpacker for a few years I would generally avoid wheels at all cost. However in saying that, there are some extremely robust hybrids out there. Essentially a back pack with wheels. Good for stairs/cobblestone streets/getting on and off of public transport. But easy enough to pull out the handle and wheel it through terminals or roads etc.
But most importantly, and I can't stress this enough, pack light! :-)

There's another 'L' word besides luggage to consider: Laundry. Your group, together, could suggest that a couple of evening hours, half way through the tour, be spent in a local Laundromat, washing and drying -- and cutting your basic wardrobe needs in half. It's actually a good way to meet the locals since you probably will need help with the operating instructions.
I've worn out plenty of luggage. Whoever put wheels on bags is my hero. Once I ditched my backpack for a wheeled bag the world became a safer place; backpacks are a real hazard on crowded streets and public transit, whomping an innocent neighbour every time you turn around. I like two wheels rather than four, as easier to steer and firmer on bumpy pavement. Better products are designed to partially cover the wheel for protection against collisions in the baggage hold (and checking your luggage is far easier than muscling it aboard yourself -- the risk of loss is minor.) Many bags have an expansion feature that allows an extra inch of space for trinkets purchased en route. One more tip: Never pay list price. Luggage is sold in many ways with constant discounts.

Shop Marshalls , Ross, TJMax for ultra light luggage. these weigh about 4lbs. Next trick we have used many times-pack clothes that you can throw away each day. clothes that you still use but maybe were going to retire anyway. shirts, pants, socks, underwear etc. Bring only. One pair of comfortable shoes.
If weather perimits , bring more shorts than pants. Also bring some lightweight items that you can wash out and hang to dry.. This approach will generate room in your luggage each day for the shopping and which by the way shopping is not low on my list and I suspect on others as well.
Need.ess to say all of your toiletries should be travel size and used up by the end of your trip.

"Rick Steves has a great line: Nobody ever came back from Europe saying they wish they had taken more luggage."

That's a useless generalization. When we were in Germany last year, we bought enough Erzgebirge craft items and Saxon wine to make us wish we had another suitcase. So we bought one. And we managed the extra bag fine.

For a packed itinerary, then I agree with going smaller than 28", but most people can handle a 24 inch bag without any difficulty. And if it has good wheels, it will be easy to maneuver on cobblestone streets. I do it many times a year.

If you will be taking trains, be sure you can lift your bag above your shoulders. While the trains have some luggage racks at the end of each car, the space is very limited and tends to fill up right away. If you are traveling on second class trains this is even more so. We travel by first class trains and. Find that I have to use the overhead racks to store our.large bags. At. 40 to 50lbs. That can be difficult for many.

Don't take a huge bag. If you load up a 28-30 inch bag, you'll pay over weight charges to get it on the plane and it will be an albatross lugging it around europe. It is cheaper to send your putchases home by post. Wheels don't work well on cobblestones or stairs. A convertible bag that doubles as a backpack would be more practical and pack light. Rick Steves' Europe through the Backdoor has good tips. Buy a copy and share it with your classmates. This has the potential of being the trip of a lifetime, don't burden yourself with too much stuff. Bon voyage.

One thing you might do is buy cheap tshirts before you leave and throw them away as you go.

Also, if you buy a lot of souveniers, pack them in your bag and mail your dirty laundry home. I've found over the years that my dirty laundry arrives much quicker than the souveniers I've bought.

>>If you buy things you cannot live without and won't fit in your smart-sized bag, mail them home<<

>>mail your dirty laundry home.<<

While this is usually good advice -- it may not be practical for the OP's situation. It appears to be a (very) fast paced student tour. There may be no time/opportunity to search out post offices/mailing supplies.

But it is also such a short trip, that extra measures aren't likely necessary. A small suitcase used <u>'un-expanded'</u> for the flight over can be expanded for the flight home. That will provide the extra space needed for all the souvenirs/dirty clothing the OP might pile up.

Taking light weight garments that can dry overnight is the best idea - things need to be dry and in the suitcase early in the AM before they load the coach for the next leg.

My guess is a high school student won't be buying all that many large souvenirs . . .

This is the point where it's all been said and we repeat ourselves.

And the worst ideas rise once more from the depths ("-pack clothes that you can throw away each day.")

And the OP seems to have disappeared.