![]() There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that - my former ladyboss, a foreign correspondent at TIME, kicked ass in a backpack while on assignment regularly. Maybe it was because the boys in first class would come in with their snazzy Tumi bags and I would stand there awkwardly shoving my bag in the overhead bin. You can’t go wrong choosing a backpack to hike Kilimanjaro around in. The point is this: backpacks were built to be optimal for adventure. It’s part of the reason why travelers often think they need a bigger capacity backpack when they actually don’t. In fact, they’re built with the outdoors, camping and intense multi-day treks in mind. Most backpacks aren’t actually built with travel in mind. No Hunchback of Notre Dames allowed in here. Consequently, the weight and drag will never be as even as it is in a backpack.Īssuming you’re relatively fit, carrying a pack also forces you to have somewhat better posture when you’re carrying a load. This doesn’t happen with a suitcase because one must choose to drag the suitcase with their left or right hand. This should not be confused with weight relief! Instead, in a backpack, the weight is evenly dispersed on the left and right side of your body. Who wants to drive over dirt, gravel and grass?īut if I know I’ll be bouncing from place to place or hostel to hotel, I’d much prefer the simplicity of a backpack. ![]() It is based on the most basic of reasons - suitcases are just better suited for traveling when the road is paved. If I know I’m going to be situated in one place for a while, I’ll think about using a suitcase instead of a backpack. Suitcases get annoying and are cumbersome to lug around all the time when you can just simply throw a backpack on and go. This ties straight into the mobility issue. I can spend more time digging through my suitcase’s back compartment because things have started shifting around unnecessarily and fall out of place. Suitcases often have less pockets and therefore, as a result, less organization. In this particular way, backpacks can be just as secure as suitcases because everything is diversified into separate sections. I’ve memorized them inside out and can tell you in a heartbeat where everything is. In fact, everything-from my toiletries to my power adapter-has a particular spot where it resides in my backpack. It’s a beast you’ve got to be intimate with in order for you to easily get to my secrets. There are so many small and hidden ones and I often use the most unobtrusive, non-obvious one as my “hiding spot” for backup cash, valuables and my passport. I love the side pockets and all the different placements on a backpack I even love my backpack’s bottom pocket for its inbuilt rain cover. There's nothing about pockets I don't like. ![]() Suitcases don’t have this flexibility a lot of the times I end up standing awkwardly on the escalator to the baggage claim because I can’t be bothered to pick it up by the handle and haul it down the stairs. Not speaking from experience, I swear.) If there are five minutes left before the plane/bus departs, I’d choose to be stuck with a backpack rather than a suitcase. ![]() (Well, I can at least toss the bag over the fence and then climb over the fence. I can still run, crouch and climb over fences with it. Nothing else can really replace backpacks in the mobility department. They’re still the choice of most adventurists for a good reason.ĭo you think she'd rather use a suitcase? (Nate Kay / Flickr) Though I’ve started using a suitcase pretty recently for most of my travels, there’s a part of me that will always remain partial to backpacks. It was my first taste globetrotting and, though someone essentially planned it out for me, the first thing I did when I returned home was invest in a REI bag. I still remember the day when my best friend threw me a fake Quechua/North Face bag-right, the two companies decided to make a hybrid bag-and literally sent me off to the airport with nothing but a string of flights. In short, there are significant advantages and drawbacks to each type of luggage. If you're looking for something that offers maximum mobility backpacks might be your best bet but there's something about the order a suitcase can provide. Though most people tend to have a preference toward one, I actually split most of my travel alternating between a suitcase and a backpack. What you should reach for when it's time to pack up the belongings can differ depending on the trip and what you're looking for in a bag. The differences between traveling with a suitcase and backpack are vast.
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