emabromleyAhead of my year long trip to Europe and Asia, I did a lot of research as to which was the best luggage to take: backback or wheelie suitcase?
All the articles made very good points for taking a backpack:
- easy to carry
- safer – its on your back all the time which reduces the risk of anyone walking off with it
- convenient – it avoids having to struggle pulling it across cobbled streets, or carrying it up three flights of stairs in the hostel / hotel when there is no lift
All very good points for taking a backpack.
But then I realised… I just don’t want to take carry around a large backpack!
That’s not me anymore. I backpacked through India and China when I was 32, but soon l will be 55, and ‘Backpacker’ is not the look I am going for anymore. I am more ‘Artist on Tour’ nowadays. And, as for all the drawbacks of taking a wheelie suitcase, I figured that if there is ground l can’t pull it across – I’ll call a taxi, and if lam struggling to carry my suitcase up the stairs – I am sure a kind person will offer to help me – hopefully.
Plus, I already have a great 78 litre Eastpak soft top wheelie suitcase, which I find ideal for travelling. Not replacing it world save me £200, as well as being better for the environment. I will find out in a few months if l have made the right choice and will let your know.
To accompany my trusty Eastpak, I choose the Pacsafe Citysafe CX backpack.
It offered exactly what I was looking for in a daypack – providing not only an array of anti-theft design features, a stylish look for visiting cities, ample compartments to hold my iPad, phone, passport, money, sketchbooks, pens, water bottle, umbrella, etc. but also environmental credentials, as it is made from Econyl (recycled fishing nets and nylon).
I can report that so far, after visiting four cities in the first two weeks in Europe, l am very pleased with both choices. The eastpak is really sturdy and copes well over uneven ground, and the Pacsafe is exactly what I needed: practical, spacious, organised, lightweight and elegant. And one of the features is a security hook which enables me to secure my bag to a fixture when I am sleeping on trains, giving me extra peace of mind that no one is going to walk off with it whilst I am sleeping. I can highly recommend.
Now let’s see how they cope in Asia.
