Luggage recommedations - Back-pack or suitcase?
 

I am about to go to a few European cities ( Paris, Brugge & Amsterdam ) and well will be traveling everywhere by train.

Because we'll be arriving into cities such as Paris on the Metro I am thinking a large back-pack would be more practical when roaming the streets looking for the hotel than a hard suitcase that you have to wheel around. I dont mean one of those massive backpacks that backpackers use on their 6 months discover tours around the World....some medium sized. It's only a 2 week trip, so not THAT much space needed.

Does anyone have an opinion on this? Or maybe you've been in a similar situation where you've found yourself trying to wheel a suitcase down a coble-stone street in Europe?!

Any recommendations on a brand or style would be great too.

thanks

Sorry...I mean "we will be traveling..."

I know how fanatical people in this forum are about spelling and grammar....sorry. There should be a way of editing posts.

I vote for backpack. It frees your hands to hold your train tickets and other items.

Definitely a backpack.

Make sure you invest some $$$ to get a properly fitting one and your body will thank you for it.

I always travel with mine. It's about 40 or 45 litres big and there is enough room there for several weeks travel. If I do need more room, I either take or buy a case that's small enough to be used as hand luggage.

How secure are backpacks though? We'll be flying some of the journey and I worry that they are plenty of zips and pockets that someone could slip something into.

Do you put a padlock on every one of them?

We have used both over the years and would definitely choose a wheeled bag. Much easier to handle, even over cobblestones. There's no weight sitting on your shoulders and it looks much better too. Get one that is not too big, that you can easily lift over your head - when full - on to the luggage racks in the train. We would never go back to backpacks.

By the way, we've had about 60 short European trips in the past few years and about 90% of travellers use a wheeled bag, usually fairly small.
Kay

Please if you get a backpack, remove and carry it down the aisle in the plane and remove it on the metro . They tend to smack people in the face in crowded situations

Good quality backpacks do have locks on them, just check when purchasing and comparing. Mez is right on with his/her suggestion, there are different packs suited to men and women so do take the time to make sure its fits well.

Backpack all the way...gives you free hands and cases with wheels in just get in everyone elses way...
I you are a tall woman then don't buy the woman's style one, as they don't fit taller women.

Reading this forum, I've noticed that what type of luggage to use can often invoke quite heated debate and have come to the conclusion that people are either firmly in the backpack camp or the suitcase camp and neither will persuade the other.

I have also noticed that in every post about luggage some one will complain of being smacked about by a back pack. Personally, I cannot recall ever being hit by a back pack or knowingly ever hit anyone else. Does this really happen? Does it really happen more than with suitcases? I'm genuinely curious.

For myself, I travel with a back pack when I travel for pleasure and a small roller or suitcase for business, but prefer the former because I can stride out and have my hands free for money, tickets, maps, etc. My pet hate is people who feel that they can't leave home without luggage big enough to fit in themselves!

IMO, the best solution is a backpack with wheels. That is what we use. Carry it on your back when convenient, but still have the option of getting it off of your back when possible, such as, wheeling around airports after checkin, train stations, level sidewalks, etc. We love the hands free part of backpacks when dealing with documents at the many checkin points of our travel.

Good luck & Merry Christmas everyone, Julie

There are pros and cons to each - there is no one size fits all answer.

I prefer a rolling suitcase. When I travel I tend to stay in a location longer rather than move around a lot so the number of times I needs hands free to access documents is very limited. I like the ease of access of a suitcase - I can flip open the lid and get to everything in one compartment. I also have a hook on strap to which I can attach a 2nd bag such as a duffel bag, and with the wheels I don't carry any weight on my back.

I would go with a backpack. I suppose there are thieves everywhere, but it's just that two attempts were made on my wife's backpack on the Paris metro. We do not carry anything important or valuable in the backpacks, but the risk is something you need to be aware of. The really annoying thing about cases with wheels is the way they always want to rotate when one wheel hits a cigarette end.

" have also noticed that in every post about luggage some one will complain of being smacked about by a back pack. Personally, I cannot recall ever being hit by a back pack or knowingly ever hit anyone else. Does this really happen?"

Yes it really happens. I was smacked in the face and my glasses broken while sitting in my aisle seat on a flight out to London. And the Bast didn't even apologize. Fortunately I had a spare pair of glasses in my cosmetic bag

I've been smacked in the face/head by a backpack more times than I can recall, on planes, trains, subways, and buses. And I've never been hit in the face/head with a suitcase. A 22" rollaboard works best for me.

I have been near tripped my cases on wheels more than a few times and never been kit by a rucksack.....however, I am but a small statistical sample!

OK, for 'my cases' read 'by cases' and for 'kit by a rucksack' read 'hit by a rucksack'!

And of course the worst case offenders are the ones heading across a busy station concourse with a case wheeled along on each side...taking up with width of 3 people, but with the attention of only one person.

"I know how fanatical people in this forum are about spelling and grammar....sorry. There should be a way of editing posts."

I've enjoyed your ability to give it right back and stay on topic in your quest for an apt in Paris. May I gently suggest that there IS a way to sort of edit your posts?

After writing a post hit "Preview" and read your post through a couple of times to be sure you've spelled dilemna, dilemma, whatever the f&%$ that word is before hitting "Submit" so as not to set off the nitpickers.
-Ann Marie

Look at Rick Steves bags, with and without(like a backpack) wheels, on his website. You can carry them on easily. We use the ones with wheels.

amwosu, thanks for that advice. I do find the editing ability in these forums very primitive. It would be nice to be able to quote previous posts to give some context.