Suitcase Vs Backpack

Last Updated: Jul. 19, 2008

Tags: all countries, luggage, what to pack

More Tour and Travel Advice for: Europe, USA & Canada, Australia and New Zealand

“I would advise travellers to take a suitcase with an extendable handle and wheels for any overseas trip. Firstly, suitcases can be packed in a very organized manner so that anything is easily accessible once you hit your hotel room. Wheels and a handle allow for easy transport, whether into a hotel, a coach in the morning, or out onto a sidewalk to catch a cab to the airport. Additionally, suitcases offer better structural protection of anything remotely breakable or any souvenirs picked up in your travels.”

- Jordan Allen, Tour Manager, USA

Suitcases Vs. Backpacks

The general consensus taken from the forums is that suitcases are easier to travel with on a Contiki Tour. It should go without saying that wheels on any suitcase are a must and that the following pros and cons do not take into account personal preference.

Suitcase

Suitcase Pros

  • Can fit more in
  • Keeps your souvenirs safer
  • Makes you gear more accessible as you don’t have to rummage through a back pack

Suitcase Cons

  • Harder to carry up stairs in hotels and places where there is no elevator.

Backpack

Backpack Pros

  • Good if you are actually hiking somewhere
  • Easier to carry up stairs in hotels where there is no elevator
  • Often come with detachable backpacks
  • Good if you are travelling on by yourself after the tour

Backpack Cons

  • Hard to lift and get onto your back
  • Harder to organize you gear

The Hybrid

A new player has appeared on the luggage market – the backpack with wheels. By all accounts these offer the best of both worlds.

The Professional

Contiki Tour Mangers and Drivers are on the road most days of the year and almost all, without exception, use hard-shelled suitcases with wheels. Strength, practicality, durability and ease of loading on and off the coach make these a must for the Contiki veteran.

Camping Tours

If you travel Europe on a Camping Tour through Europe then you will stay in a tent for most, if not, all of your tour. You should certainly take this into consideration as it may be more practical to use a backpack as they are generally easier to fit into tents. You should also consider using a backpack with zips that can be locked with a small padlock to keep your property secure.

Add a Comment Comments (21)

  1. You’ll be fine….you wouldn’t want to get any bigger than this though. Size restrictions exist because if 50 people brought huge pieces of luggage with them, the luggage simple would not fit in the luggage hold of the coach.

    mattyvcontikimattyvcontiki posted 18 days ago Flag as Inappropriate

  2. We have just received our “contiki pack” for the European Highlights tour and it says you bag has to be no bigger then 73cm x 50cms x 25cm. Our hard cases are 76cms x 60cms x 30cms. including the handle. Can anyone tell me if this size rule is strictly adhered to or if our cases will be ok as they are only slightly over?

    Default_avatarExplorer1105221 posted 18 days ago Flag as Inappropriate

  3. I also bought the same high sierra duffel bag which has wheels. i used this with the wheels the majority of the time and the few times that we were in hotels with stairs and no lifts i used the straps that are hidden behind the zip down panel on the back. I found this bag useful for keeping the different kid of clothes separate so they were easier to find

    TracieTracie posted 24 days ago Flag as Inappropriate

  4. Hi,

    I’ve just bought a High Sierra backpack with wheels and a handle so if it gets a bit too heavy I can just pull it along. The measurments are 91cm(W) x 41cm(H) x 36cm(D.

    I hope this is OK. The size smaller than this was tiny.

    Courtney BuddCourtney Budd posted on Jun. 16, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate

  5. My first time I went to Europe with just my friend, we did the backpacking thing. Never again. For my male friend it was okay but I had a difficult time carrying around the weight even up the stairs. Second time I went the suitcase route and never regretted it. I just dragged it up the stairs. That was much preferable to the backpack :D

    Default_avatarExplorer1099891 posted on May. 14, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate

  6. I went on the wild west tour last year, i had a small backpack with wheels but i wish i’d used a my medium suitcase. Its good to travel light as you always packing and unpacking put a medium suitcase would have been fine,

    Default_avatarclaire2007 posted on May. 13, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate

  7. I brought a suitcase and my travel buddy brought a backpack. For the most part, the suitcase was much easier. It really depends on your preference on getting up stairs. You are in a different hotel every other day and you will usually end up taking the stairs to your room unless you, a) get lucky and have a first floor room, or b) want to take turns using the elevator with the other 35 folks on your bus.

    The suitcase is much better for getting to and from the bus/hotel. The backpack is easier for getting up the stairs, unless you have especially strong biceps. And if you don’t, no worries, you will by the end of the trip.

    If I was able to go again, I would take a suitcase again.

    Default_avatarjennymac posted on May. 13, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate

  8. Hi emma-lol
    im an 18 year old guy from australia going on the greek island hopping tour in june. how is it? got ne tips? also would it b better to take a backpack or suitcase?
    thanks

    Default_avatarmacca posted on Apr. 24, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate

  9. I would go a suitcase with wheels any day of the week!As a small petite female there is no way I could lug a large backpack around a country for a month!Trust me when you get to the airport after spending 13 hours + on a flight wheels are you’re best friend!

    Default_avatarPrincessvixen posted on Apr. 12, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate

  10. hi everyone, i went on the greek island hopping last year it changed everything for me. my tour manager was amazing (nick). im off to australia in september to meet some of the girls i met in greece, cant wait. love emma g

    Default_avataremma-lol posted on Mar. 17, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate

  11. Well… I got a backpack on my Europe tour. It was great to carry around, althought it is hard to organize all your stuff in it and it can really hurt your back depending of how long is going to be your walk. I would get a suitcase next time.

    Default_avatarGregui posted on Mar. 11, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate

  12. If you do use a backpack, make sure you have a good inconspicuous lock and keep it locked always. My brother had a lock but 2 weeks into the trip he got annoyed with it and stoped locking it, walking down a street in Rome a kid unziped it and had it almost empty before my brother felt anything at all. Also keep it infront of you on crowded trains cause I was told theives can cut your straps and dissapeared with all your stuff before you can even turn around!

    AsherAsher posted on Jan. 24, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate

  13. I’ve got a Rick Steves backpack that can be carried (like a suitcase) or on your back. It was perfect for my Contiki tour!

    Default_avatarmarla posted on Jan. 18, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate

  14. Personally I’d recommend taking a suitcase over a backpack. I purchased a new, standard-size, expandable suitcase two years ago. It fits all flight requirements (which was an issue for flying inside Egypt), is easy to wheel around, pack and unpack. I pack it lightly at the beginning of trips and have the ability to expand as I go…although I still end up buying a second bag at the end of my trips…what’s with that? I chose the brightest, most obnoxious exterior I could find so I could easily identify it. I’ve taken that luggage to 14 countries since I bought it and it’s never been late or lost…which is more than I can say for myself. What can I say…they were great Contiki trips!

    MarloMarlo posted on Jan. 13, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate

  15. im going to australia doing the aussie explorer tour, does anyone know if a back pack or suitcase is best?

    Default_avatarExplorer1085746 posted on Jan. 12, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate

  16. I have to agree with getting a High Sierra backpack/suitcase. I was fortunate to get one for free but I haven’t put it to good use yet. It has tons of pockets for easy storage of miscellaneous things.

    Default_avatarTwiisters posted on Jan. 05, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate

  17. Hard shelled suitcase? Absolutely no problem, they’re fav luggage but it’s personal choice/opinion….the only reason no metal frames are not allowed is that the metal frame may damage other peoples luggage when it’s in the luggage hold of the bus…I think metal framed backpacks went out circa 1987 though…

    mattyvcontikimattyvcontiki posted on Dec. 24, 2007 Flag as Inappropriate

  18. Was wondering if hard shelled suitcases are allowed on concept tours, as I noticed backpacks with rigid external frames are not?? Also, what exactly are the regulations on a backpack, can it be partially rigid??

    Default_avatarExplorer1083384 posted on Dec. 22, 2007 Flag as Inappropriate

  19. i brought a high sierra backpack,but i should have bought a hard shelled suitcase with wheels.its a lot easier,trust me.i just got back from the winter wanderer tour,and a big backpack sucked carrying around.get the suitcase.

    Default_avatarr.i.traveler posted on Nov. 27, 2007 Flag as Inappropriate

  20. I took a backpack on a European winter hotel tour. It was really useful to walk up the stairs to my room with it rather than wait 30min in the lobby for the tiny hotel lifts to ferry suitcases up and down all the time. It was also good to carry my luggage from bus to hotel – suitcase owners had to wheel theirs through snow and slush crossing the roads. My backpack was also fabulous for the cabins on the Scandi/Russia tour. Cabins are often up hills or along paths of stone/dirt/mud, making life difficult for suitcase owners to drag their stuff to their cabins …

    snavekssnaveks posted on Nov. 17, 2007 Flag as Inappropriate

  21. I bought a high sierra duffel bag, it cost me $120 and has wheels, it also has a zip down pannel on the back and you can pull out the back pack straps, so i cant complain. the straps are super compfy! I also have a high sierra laptop back pack, its awesome has like a 10 pockets both big and small, also has a small compartment for an ipod/or walkman and a hole for the cords to come out, i got it brand new off ebay for $27… also very comfortable and loads of room!

    Default_avatarAussie_Jacqui posted on Nov. 15, 2007 Flag as Inappropriate

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