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Hi Robert,
Yep! If you can go minimal and light weight (and not everybody is prepared to), then a small backpack makes travel very easy!

But I must counter that I don’t think rolling luggage is dorky – at all! What’s dorky, in my opinion, is wearing a large backpack on the back, and a smaller daypack on the front. Not only does it look dorky (especially when walking into a high-end hotel), but in my experience it’s awkward and impractical.
(But of course, this wouldn’t be you if you’re traveling so light – I’ll bet you only have the one backpack, which is in considerably better taste) 😉

Hi Magdalena,
Well, if your friend already has back problems, then I recommend the wheeled backpack for sure! 90-99% of the time, you’ll be able to use the wheels, and the few times you can’t, the straps will be handy and you won’t likely have to go far with your pack on your back.

Also, because you’ve already bought the Pacsafe daypack, if you have a trekking backpack, you’ll have to wear one pack on your back and the other on your front, which isn’t comfortable (or stylish, if you care about such things).

You may want to check out this post, for some updated luggage recommendations: https://www.theprofessionalhobo.com/checked-vs-carry-on-luggage-and-why-checked-is-best/

First, let me compliment your writing stile – it’s great how you can make one laugh out loud, even when writing just about luggage 😀 That’s exactly the kind of blog entry I needed after reading tons of backpack reviews.

Now here’s my problem: Even if your blog entry gave me a really good image about all the pros and cons of different luggage types, I´m still not sure if I should rather choose a usual trekking backpack (which might be more comfortable when carrying on the back) or a trolleybackpack like the Osprey Ozone 75 Convertible.

We plan to travel from Corsica to Norway in four months, mostly using trains and buses. I think usually the trolley funktion would be pretty practical in the most regions in Europe, but in winter in Norway and Sweden snow might be an issue.

After these four months we will fly to Costa Rica and stay in one place for one month, just leaving for daytrips.

Than we will fly to South America for one and a half months of free backpacking (aproximately in Ecuador, Peru and Chile).
Bolivia will be our final destination where we will stay in La Paz or Santa Cruz (still has to be chosen, do you have experiences with these cities?) for five months, only leaving for weekend trips (maybe also longer hiking trips).

According to luggage reviews I heard about people being totally satisfied with their trolley-backpacks and others who say that a comfortable trekking backpack is still the better option and the trolleys wheels might hurt your back… Honestly, the more I search for luggage experiences, the more controverse opinions I find.

Do you (or does anyone else) have a good advice for my friend (back problems already) and me? Regular trekking backpack or trolleybackpack?

Thanks in advance!

Magdalena

Hi Nora! If you want a writing retreat in Michigan next Fall or Spring, come and stay with me. Email me. You saw my TLS Mother Lode Weekender in Ecuador and me and my girls like them for Asia and Latin America because they pack up great with compartments and cubes, and open like a suitcase. We often would have to walk into a smallish town after a bus leaves you by the highway or walk a ways to a hostel from the center of town bus/train. Taxis either are not around or are silly expensive to travel a mile. Wheels add weight and can get wrecked fast on even one mile of dirt road or bumpy sidewalks. I want to find a foldable super light luggage cart to add to this system though! Do you know of any?

Hi Elizabeth,
Unfortunately I can’t recommend any portable luggage carts from experience. I guess I’ve done pretty well choosing luggage with sturdy wheels; I ran my Eagle Creek gear warrior through its paces on a 3km hike up a dirt road in India….none the worse for wear. I also hauled it up a few gravel roads in Ecuador 😉

Anyway, post here if you find a luggage cart worth mentioning! 🙂

Hi Nora! If you want a writing retreat in Michigan next Fall or Spring, come and stay with me. Email me. You saw my TLS Mother Lode Weekender in Ecuador and me and my girls like them for Asia and Latin America because they pack up great with compartments and cubes, and open like a suitcase. We often would have to walk into a smallish town after a bus leaves you by the highway or walk a ways to a hostel from the center of town bus/train. Taxis either are not around or are silly expensive to travel a mile. Wheels add weight and can get wrecked fast on even one mile of dirt road or bumpy sidewalks. I want to find a foldable super light luggage cart to add to this system though! Do you know of any?