Traveling w/ backpack vs. luggage piece: Which is better?

Post by **Winston** » January 27th, 2013, 5:00 am

I have some questions about traveling with a backpack as opposed to a luggage case.

Why do many people travel with backpacks rather than standard luggage cases with wheels that business travelers use?

Are backpacks better for perpetual traveling? Does it matter?

The problem with traveling with a big backpack is that:

1) It makes you look poor, like a backpacker or student on a budget. Wouldn't that turn off women?

2) How the hell can you walk around with such a huge load on your back like that? Wouldn't that be painful and strain your body? I can't fathom how people do it, especially girls.

What about traveling with just a small luggage piece? Would that be ok for a perpetual traveler?

What are the pros and cons of each?

Also, if I am going to carry my camcorder around to film my trips, should I put it in a camera bag strapped around my shoulder? What about a fanny pack? Do fanny packs look bad? They are very useful and convenient but they do look touristy right?

For short trips, it is better to carry a small backpack or use a shoulder bag? Do backpacks look bad? Do they make you look like a student?

What do you all think? What types of luggage do you carry during your travels? What's the best system to use in terms of luggage and baggage?

publicduende · Post by **publicduende** » January 27th, 2013, 6:05 am

It depends on what you mean by perpetual travelling. If you plan to move across hotels, inns or at least places which offer secure storage, I think a medium-sized luggage (for clothes and toiletries) plus a small backpack (for laptop, tech gadgets and valuables) is the best combination. If you are on such a budget that you will have to transport all of your luggage at all times, then the big backpack is probably a better option.

momopi · Post by **momopi** » January 27th, 2013, 9:29 am

I counted 17 question marks in Winston's post. Winston, do you realistically expect people to spend the time and answer 17 questions per post in detail?

Luggage with wheels only work nicely on paved surfaces, like airports, parking lots, hotel lobbies, etc.

eurobrat · Post by **eurobrat** » January 27th, 2013, 11:44 am

Jester · Post by **Jester** » January 27th, 2013, 11:52 am

@Momopi & Eurobrat:

Hey, lay off Fearless Leader!

Clearly he is making baby steps toward getting back on the road.

PS And a damn good thing that he is, too.... because The Hit Squad is after him!

Run, Winston, run!!!!!!!!!!!

publicduende · Post by **publicduende** » January 27th, 2013, 12:06 pm

Jester wrote:@Momopi & Eurobrat:

Hey, lay off Fearless Leader!

Clearly he is making baby steps toward getting back on the road.

PS And a damn good thing that he is, too.... because The Hit Squad is after him!

Run, Winston, run!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe, only, that's how the baby looks like

Post by **Winston** » January 27th, 2013, 12:39 pm

Can you guys stop horsing around and answer the questions seriously?

publicduende · Post by **publicduende** » January 27th, 2013, 12:46 pm

Winston wrote:Can you guys stop horsing around and answer the questions seriously?

Sorry for mocking you, Winston.

To my defense, I gave you my answer minutes after you wrote the OP.

It really depends on your travelling lifestyle, though. The way I see it, the type of luggage items really are a function of how you intend to travel and where you intend to sleep over. Having a modern trolley bag as the main storage for your clothes, toiletries, heavier items is a godsend if you always have a safe place where the bag can be stored, day and night.

If that's not the case, say if you're planning to spend most nights in cheap and busy youth hostels where things do routinely disappear, than a backpacker gives you the added security that everything is with you at all times, at the obvious cost of a few backaches.

publicduende · Post by **publicduende** » January 27th, 2013, 12:50 pm

By the way, who's your new avatar?

momopi · Post by **momopi** » January 27th, 2013, 1:10 pm

Winston wrote:Can you guys stop horsing around and answer the questions seriously?

Can you please reduce the number of questions from 17 to 3 or less?

Post by **Winston** » January 27th, 2013, 2:06 pm

publicduende wrote:
Winston wrote:Can you guys stop horsing around and answer the questions seriously?
Sorry for mocking you, Winston. To my defense, I gave you my answer minutes after you wrote the OP.

It really depends on your travelling lifestyle, though. The way I see it, the type of luggage items really are a function of how you intend to travel and where you intend to sleep over. Having a modern trolley bag as the main storage for your clothes, toiletries, heavier items is a godsend if you always have a safe place where the bag can be stored, day and night.

If that's not the case, say if you're planning to spend most nights in cheap and busy youth hostels where things do routinely disappear, than a backpacker gives you the added security that everything is with you at all times, at the obvious cost of a few backaches.

Oh ok. Why do so many use backpacks though? What's the appeal? How do you walk with that much weight on your back? I don't get it. I don't see how carry a ton of weight on you is better than rolling wheels. Neither are ideal.

And what about backpacks vs. shoulder bags?

By the way, who's your new avatar?

See the "Holy mackerel! Perfect FSU Goddesses" thread. lol

momopi wrote: Can you please reduce the number of questions from 17 to 3 or less?

Why? You don't make sense. You are smart enough to answer multiple questions. You aren't dumb. In this case, you can answer a few main questions which would cover the other ones, since the questions are all related. This is common sense.

It's very easy to combine things in this case. Maybe you are not good at seeing the big picture?

publicduende · Post by **publicduende** » January 27th, 2013, 2:33 pm

Winston wrote:Oh ok. Why do so many use backpacks though? What's the appeal? How do you walk with that much weight on your back? I don't get it. I don't see how carry a ton of weight on you is better than rolling wheels. Neither are ideal.

I only used one of those huge backpacks once, the only time I went camping with a few friends. It was constant pain, as we had to do quite a few treks on steep slopes for 30/40 minutes at a time to reach the different camps. And it was summer, and mosquitos abounded, which means a lot of biting without even being able to readily bow and stratch yourself or shoo the suckers off.

I don't think a big backpack is a fashionable item. It's a necessity.

Trolleys are ideal on flat surfaces like airport lounges and corridors and hotel halls. In places with lots of rough or uneven road is expected, any kind of wheely bag becomes a liability, methinks. I remember taking my trolley in Bali, and even the few minutes I had to carry it on the non-existent pavements of Kuta, it was a major pain.

I don't actually agree with Momopi, you are free to pen as many questions as you want, so long you don't mind people not necessarily wanting to give you a point-to-point answer.

momopi · Post by **momopi** » January 27th, 2013, 3:30 pm

Winston wrote:
momopi wrote: Can you please reduce the number of questions from 17 to 3 or less?
Why? You don't make sense. You are smart enough to answer multiple questions. You aren't dumb. In this case, you can answer a few main questions which would cover the other ones, since the questions are all related. This is common sense.
It's very easy to combine things in this case. Maybe you are not good at seeing the big picture?

This is about your bad habit of asking 17 questions in a single post. You don't have to take my word for it. Feel free to ask others if it's bad etiquette or not.

publicduende wrote: I don't actually agree with Momopi, you are free to pen as many questions as you want, so long you don't mind people not necessarily wanting to give you a point-to-point answer.

It's simple question-asking etiquette to be concise.

publicduende · Post by **publicduende** » January 27th, 2013, 4:07 pm

momopi wrote:
publicduende wrote: I don't actually agree with Momopi, you are free to pen as many questions as you want, so long you don't mind people not necessarily wanting to give you a point-to-point answer.
It's simple question-asking etiquette to be concise.

Well, true. To be honest though, I have seen far worse breaches of netiquette and conversation standards on this forum

terminator · Post by **terminator** » January 27th, 2013, 4:21 pm

I've always used suitcases as you can fit more in and my pet hate is having to buy necessities when travelling as I want to fit in my power adaptors, enough shoes and clothes. I also get a sore back with back-packs - but I have a small trolley to make rolling the case easy e.g. along the subway as I also hate taking taxis.