Traveling is one of the greatest things about being alive. There’s nothing like jet-setting through Europe, hiking through Asia, or even just getting away for a weekend. The excitement of adventure and exploration is one of the few constants in life that never gets old. But just like eating or going to the bathroom, traveling has one particularly necessary evil: packing. Packing lists, deciding what to bring and what to leave, folding and rolling, repacking, and how to make it all fit, the whole process can be surprisingly stressful for most travelers.
So, they naturally reach for what they assume to be the more “professional” or “practical” option: a suitcase. Suitcases might look super professional and organized, but they actually create a whole lot of extra unnecessary hassle. Travelers are slowly waking up to the fact that the modern way to travel is with a backpack. It’s lighter, faster, and more flexible than anything else out there, and exactly what modern travel requires.
The Suitcase Option
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To be honest, the reason that most people select a suitcase over other options is that it’s an easy cop-out. A rolling bag means more space, so it’s very easy to overpack with “just in case” nonsense you never end up using. The hard-sided box and separate compartments make everything look neat and tidy, and the wheels protect your arms from lifting any weight at all, at least when you’re walking on a smooth airport floor.
As soon as you leave the airport, however, the case’s convenience quickly evaporates. Suitcases are bulkier and harder to transport, a constant annoyance on cobblestone streets, subway stairs, or country paths. Suitcases also slow you down when you need to switch trains or flights. And there’s nothing more frustrating than a big suitcase taking up twice as much space in a hotel room or a two-bedroom Airbnb apartment.
Let’s not even talk about the price. Checked bag fees add up over a few trips, and a nice suitcase is no small investment. And let’s be honest, luggage is a fragile product: wheels snap, zippers freeze, straps loosen in the middle of a trip. Sure, a suitcase looks sleek and modern, but more often than not, it’s just the accessory that travelers always manage to drag behind them.
Why a Backpack Is Better
Travel requires your hands a lot. When you’re out and about, you are often doing many things with your hands, getting tickets, looking up street maps, taking photos, ordering food, and shopping, just to name a few. It is inconvenient to always be holding or dragging a bag behind you, with your hands and arms busy. A backpack lets you go hands-free. You’ll be able to easily run up and down stairs and buses and move through tight crowds or narrow passages without having to worry about where your bag is.
Suitcases and wheeled bags don’t follow your body’s movement, so they constantly scrape against other people, walls, and uneven floors. A backpack is attached to your body 99% of the time. It doesn’t get in the way of shaking a stranger’s hand or getting too close to a vendor. You can easily push it aside or move it around to get a better look at an exhibit without concern that your bag will fall over or be damaged in some way.
If you invest in a good travel backpack, you’ll quickly notice how well-designed they are and how they all offer special compartments, zippers, and hidden pockets for effective and efficient organization. Everything has its place, and you can store your electronics, camera, toiletries, snacks, guidebooks, and more in a way that makes sense for easy access. When it’s all on your back, you can take what you need without having to dig through a suitcase or pile of clothes.
