Backpack or suitcase? That was one of the many packing dilemmas I faced before departure.
With Nathan all-in for the pack and me wanting suitcases, we let a two-for-one, 1-Day internet deal settle the dispute and ended up with what I affectionately termed "slashies". As in backpack/suitcase.
They have fold-away back straps, as well as wheels, and zips that open more fully than a backpack, although still less than a suitcase. They seemed like a good compromise.
They are also relatively small, which was one way of curbing our over-packing habits.
I also liked that we matched. Twinnies! (I bet you all have new-found respect for Nathan's tolerance right now).
Shortly after the purchase, my younger brother returned from a European trip with his own slashy, and was quick to tell me "don't do it - mine broke straight away". He also told me that I would never use the backpack straps and would treat it like a suitcase anyway.
That conversation came roaring back to me today when one of my bag's handles broke off, a week after Nathan's suffered the same fate.
My affectionately termed "slashy" quickly became known as "this freaking, stupid, cheap bag - I knew I should've just got a suitcase". And then I kicked it and hurt my toe.
While we can make do without the handles, I'm convinced their failings are a sign of things to come. The seam strains show each time I zip it up and I can feel the limited lifespan.
Incidentally, I think my brother was right. I haven't used the backpack part yet, and I have been frustrated not having the same access as I would with a suitcase.
However, Nathan maintains that he still likes his slashy. He says it's not the point that he hasn't used it as a backpack, it's the fact that he can that he likes. He's also a fan of its soft shell, rather than the hard exterior of a suitcase.
Has anyone else used these slashy bags? Am I wrong to lose faith so soon?
To be fair, the bags have been under heavy strain. While I started with 11kg, a couple of purchases have obviously pushed it to its outer limits.
Nathan is also struggling to do up the zip each morning ... he hasn't bought anything though, and has lost three shirts. I can't explain that. Maybe items grow as you become more frustrated with packing.
With the likely possibility that my possessions will have to be transferred to a new home in a short time, what should the replacement be?
Up until now, we've had a rental car for the majority of the trip, but when we get to the East Coast we will be taking trains, and when we get to Europe we are jumping on a Busabout tour for a couple of months - will I regret it if I revert to a suitcase?
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You rookie, if you're traveling, which you seem to be, you use a backpack. If you're on holiday you use a suitcase.
I used to be a constant customer of 1-day - now I have unsubscribed for good - so much of what they sell is UTTER crap and falls apart almost immediately. They started out so well but now I think greed has taken hold and they have lost all scruples. Those bags you bought are VERY good - but like most things Im afraid you have to buy quality. 1-day ....... tsk tsk
I can't stand suitcases they are such a pain in train stations etc, they always slow you down on the inevitable flights of stairs. I have a good quality backpack and can walk for ages with no problems at all :)
Backpack!!! there are soooo many steps in European and the UK you will rue the day the wheelie suitcase was ever invented! Also ditch the 'slashy' and get a proper backpack it will last you for years and you will never regret it.
My choice was a no-brainer. I am taking a suitcase. It's just as easy to move about airports, it's easier to access the clothes that I have shoved right to the bottom and I don't have to carry it around towns everywhere (I am a petite girl). I am taking a small backpack/daypack inside my suitcase for the quick trips away, but the suitcase wins :)
Go get a proper bag from Kathmandu
Two round the world trips over a total of 9 months travel, two "slashies" of different brands with lengthy warranties, two full refunds of the purchase price, after I got home when the hated bags were redundant.
On one the zips would come apart (on a bus in London heading to the airport, trying frantically to jam things back in and get the zip to stick together) and the pull along handle came off in my hand (in the middle of the street, again on the way to the airport, in Havana Cuba).
On the other again with the zips coming apart (full view of contents waiting to spill out as bag came on luggage conveyor belt at San Francisco airport) and the seams split (pretty much all of them) so I spent alot of time sewing those.
Buy some sticky tape and a needle and thread kit - you're probably going to need it!
A decent hybrid bag is fine. Some of the problems you mentioned would happen with a cheap suitcase as well. I travelled for 7 months with a Macpac 60L hybrid wheeled pack that was wonderful and sturdy. I don't think I ever used it as a backpack, but it had other benefits because of its design. Sure, it got a bit small as I accumulated more clothes and souvenirs, especially as it didn't expand at all, but I was grateful that I hadn't been lugging a huge suitcase around the whole time (I've done that as well before... NOT fun). I became brilliant at stuffing things in tightly, and I eventually posted some items back home (and discarded some along the way) to make more space. If you get a suitcase then try get one that will be easy to transport (if wheeled, make sure the wheels won't break off the moment you hit a cobblestone), not too big (but perhaps expandable) with very sturdy handles. Through America and Europe you generally can manage with a suitcase, but if travelling by train you need to be able to get it on and off the train quickly. You also need to be able to haul it up the many steep and narrow flights of stairs you will encounter in Europe. That's why the macpac bag was good, as it was narrower than a regular suitcase and had super sturdy handles on the side for carrying. Personally I wouldn't go for a normal pack (without wheels), as I don't want to exhaust myself by carrying a heavy pack at all times. I find wheeling much easier. BUT this is personal preference. With Amtrak you can sometimes check your luggage in. It goes in a luggage car and they unload it for you at your final destination, which is much easier than doing it yourself and feels safer than having to keep an eye on it at all times
My wife and I just came back from 7 weeks touring around Europe. We took a backpack each (hers a second-hand Kathmandu job off TradeMe and mine an old Pack n Pedal one) and found them great. They both unzipped almost as far as suitcases did, were extremely sturdy (you get what you pay for) and the straps zipped away for when they went onto planes.
For travelling without a car the backpacks were brilliant - it is so much easier to move around railway stations, go on buses or walk a few blocks to your accommodation when you can throw your bag onto your back rather than having to drag/lug heavy suitcases across undulating European footpaths. And we managed to fit in sufficient clothes to do us 7 weeks AND still had sufficient space to bring home lots of souvenirs, chocolates etc.
We have used suitcases in the past when travelling to the USA, despite never having to carry/drag them more than 200m at a time they were an absolute nuisance to travel with. Heavy to lift, difficult to manoeuvres , whenever we had to walk somewhere with them without a luggage trolley it was extremely slow. I'd take the backpack any day.
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Swap it for a pack if you can or break out the straps if they hold up - you will NOT enjoy trying to lug a case up and down the stairs and lack of lifts you'll encounter all over Europe.