cheska15

Go for it. You will have a fabulous time. It maybe one of the few times in life you have few responsibilities and you are a long time old and responsible. I'm for the backpack. After 6 European trips ours have never been pickpocketed or stolen.

Sassafrass

Simple way to decide about luggage.
Borrow a suitcase with wheels. Fill it up. Pull it around your neighborhood 8 or 10 blocks or 15 minutes. Take all the stuff out and put it in a backpack. Strap it on and walk those same blocks or the same amount of time.

rs899

"Simple way to decide about luggage.
Borrow a suitcase with wheels. Fill it up. Pull it around your neighborhood 8 or 10 blocks or 15 minutes. Take all the stuff out and put it in a backpack. Strap it on and walk those same blocks or the same amount of time."

...and then factor in how closely ancient Europe resembles your neighborhood. Did they remember to build in ramps on every curb in Europe? Are there elevators or escalators everywhere? Will a suitcase roll properly over cobblestones put down 500 years ago? Will you grow tired of pulling that handle up and down ascending and descending into trains? Will that hard sided bag fit into every cheap airlines go/no-go gauge (hint: it won't)?

rs899

...oh ...and then factor in how many times you wished you had two working hands rather than one.

marvelousmouse

What rs899 said!

There are some cities in Europe where rolling luggage is easy, like in a US city. But a lot of the historic centers have truly evil cobblestones and very narrow sidewalks. Not to mention the fact that the Paris metro really hasn't got that many elevators or escalators. A lot of hostels have at least some stairs. Some places, the elevator is weirdly inconvenient so you may end up taking the stairs anyway.

But I did fine with a rolling hard side suitcase and I prefer that over a backpack 75% of the time. Just make sure you can lift it into overhead racks. Do a carryon size if possible. Big luggage becomes a pain after a while, especially in hostels where you may not have that much space.

Take a lock for your suitcase, and take a moneybelt just in case. I was glad to have one on travel days. Sometimes buses and subways are so packed that you really would not notice a pickpocket in your space.

I like the smaller places but I wouldn't skip the cities. For one thing, don't think of them as big confusing places. They have distinct neighborhoods and many places have car free centers, which I loved. And they're often high end shopping and hotel districts- people around all the time and not at all sketchy. I was apparently staying in a less safe Paris neighborhood but even the less safe felt safer than many of the cities I've been to in the US.

There really isn't much difference between youth hostels and hostels these days. I only came across one hostel that had an upper age limit and lockout, and it was more a hostel, not a yh, in the sense that it really wasn't family oriented and it was privately run. The main thing about HIs these days is that they do tend to be more basic and family oriented than other hostels. I tend to prefer higher end boutique hostels, which have more amenities. But the His often have fantastic buildings, like the Nuremberg Castle stables.

Go. I wish I had gone at 18. You will have a blast!

janisj

I travel carry-on only and use a soft sided roller bag -- works better for me than either hard side or a backpack. I've used that type all over Europe, a few place in Asia and everywhere else. There are a few places the wheels are useless -- besides stairs in the metro/tube, some of the bridges in Venice come immediately to mind. But I pack light enough that carrying it up the stairs or scaling a bridge is no problem. 90% of the time I can easily roll it. So in the long run that's best for me.

I personally hate a pack weighing me down -- but have friends who always use a backpack and hate pulling/pushing a rollie bag. So you really need to try out both to see what works for you.

kerouac

All my life, I have just used canvas bags with no wheels. Generally just one bag except when I went on shopping trips to the U.S. I sling my bag over my shoulder and it ensures that I will never let it get too heavy. Even in the packing phase, I pick it up and put it on my shoulder several times, and this always helps me to decide to remove things.

People with roller bags often let things get out of hand as long as they can roll it. But there are plenty of places in Europe where it will not roll (huge cobblestones) or becomes a real ordeal to haul up stairs, even on the train.

Rinsing out certain clothing items in the hotel sink and drying them overnight has been a part of my life as long as I have traveled. Some people still seem to think they are going to a fashion show or something and need to change clothes every day. Too bad...

PalenQ

There are backpacks that convert to rollers - best of both worlds.

PalenQ

About too heavy backpacks - will never forget young gal in Nice train station who had a pack so heavy that when she put it on she literally fell over on her back.

Pack light!

teacherCanada

hes123 - loads of great advice here.

Please go. Talk to others who have gone. Read Lonely Planet on line. Stay in hostels. Talk to others in the hostels - its your best source of travel info. Ask where they have been, what they recommend, ask how they get from one place to another.

I've travelled with a backpack in the past - but now prefer a little wheeled suitcase (carry on size) and a small backpack. Never had trouble with the wheelie.

Arrive at a new destination in the daytime.

best wishes

tC

rs899

"So you really need to try out both to see what works for you"

I get stuck with both. I get to schlep my wife's roller bag sometimes. I hate it.

bvlenci

A backpack that converts to a roller bag is too heavy as a backpack.

I used to carry backpacks, but I've switched to rollers. I use such a small roller bag that there's no risk that I'll bring too much stuff, and I can easily lift it over my head or carry it up a staircase.

I haven't yet found paving that's too rough for my roller bag,not even in Rome, but if I did, I'd just carry it for a while.

The main disadvantage of a backpack, in my experience, is that it's a nuisance when you have to sit down or turn around on public transportation. An over-the-shoulder bag, like Kerouac's doesn't have this problem, but I find that anything carried over my shoulder gets tiresome after a while.

I don't wash clothing in the sink, except in very unusual circumstances, but I also wear things more than once or twice.

PalenQ

A backpack that converts to a roller bag is too heavy as a backpack. >

But I only use it as a backpack when going up stairs or along cobbles or boarding crowded metros and trains, etc.

rs899

"But I only use it as a backpack when going up stairs or along cobbles or boarding crowded metros and trains, etc"

I usually just sling my small backpack over one shoulder and only rarely use it with both arms through it. It is a lethal weapon when on your back in crowded places. I think Rick Steves uses this technique, not that he is God.

janisj

>>There are backpacks that convert to rollers - best of both worlds<<

. . . Not. Just adding unnecessary weight to something one would most;y be carrying.

There are backpack people and there are roller bag people.

PalenQ

In any case I always use it as rollers except in a few situations-crowded train cars, etc - so it is rolling luggage that can convert to a backpack but come to think of it - I rarely used it as a backpack.

Rolling luggage IMO is the way to go-one not packed so heavy that it can't be lifted few times when needed. You're right - don't need the backpack part but it is just two padded straps -but yes someone wanting to use mainly as backpack forget the extra weight.

I used backpack for years before good rolling packs came out -can't see why anyone would do a backpack anymore. I've rolled my bag literally miles around some cities - to accommodations or when I just get off train for a short look at some city rather than stuffing it in a locker.

Q- why would anyone just want a backpack?

fuzzbucket

Backpacks tend to get hot and heavy as the day goes on.
Bring a soft-sided bag with wheels - not too large.

Wheels were invented a very long time ago. People seem to have coped with them all right.

cheska15

I love my backpack as i have my arms free. The weight for our three month trip was 13kgs, and I still took too much stuff. As stated there are backpack people and rollerbag bag people. It was also great to slide our packs between the seats of the train so it was close to us at all times.

PalenQ

Yes a light smallish backpack not packed to gills with all kind of things dangling from it could I see be easier to carry than pulling a wheel things around all the time.

janisj

>>The weight for our three month trip was 13kgs, <<

My rollaboard typically weighs about 9.5-10 kg -- maybe 10.5 or 11 when I take a 3rd pair of shoes and/or my SLR. So I have no problem carrying it up and down stairs.

>>It was also great to slide our packs between the seats of the train so it was close to us at all times.<<

My rollaboard also fits between the seats.