How to Choose Luggage

My best advice when choosing luggage to travel Australia with is to choose luggage that suits the travel you will be doing. I think an overnight bag or a suitcase is great if you are going away for a weekend or on a two week Aussie beach holiday. And I think the versatility of backpacks and travel packs are great when you will be backpacking for a month or more on the bus or train network. And when moving to a new location every couple of days. If doing the big lap of Australia, your luggage will depend on what vehicle you will be doing the big lap in. You may not need any luggage for the big lap however, you will need luggage storage for all your clothes and things. So ask yourself the following questions to help you choose the right luggage for you in your quest of backpack vs suitcase.

1. Where are You Going?

When choosing luggage to travel Australia you need to know where you are going on your travels before you can pack for them. Have you decided to backpack around Australia for months on end or are you going away for a weekend? Choose luggage for the adventure.

2. How Long are You Travelling For?

Next question to answer is how long are you planning to travel for? Are you planning a long weekend away, a one week, two week or two months or even years on the road. Maybe you are coming to Australia on a working holiday and will need work clothes for the year. No matter how long you will be travelling for you will want your luggage to be durable and last the distance of your trip.

3. What Kind of Trip are You Taking?

The type of trip you are taking should also be considered before you decide on what luggage to take. I have taken all different sorts of trips over my years of travelling Australia. From weekend getaways, interstate road trips, beach holidays and doing the big lap – not once, but twice. For each trip, I work out whether a suitcase or a backpack would suit the trip. For weekend getaways I use a duffle bag while travelling around the country I often use a suitcase with wheels. But when I use public transport to go as my transport I usually take my backpack as it is far easier to get in and out of transport and easy to carry around. So take this into consideration when choosing luggage to travel Australia.

4. What Is Your Travel Style?

Everyone’s travel style is unique and only you know yours. It isn’t really related to budget or luxury travel but what things you do. What I mean is, are you the person who doesn’t mind carrying your bags on public transport from the airport and walking the streets to get to your accommodation. Or are you the person who likes to get off a plane, straight into a taxi to your accommodation. If you are the latter, then it doesn’t matter if you have a suitcase or backpack. However, if you are the first kind of traveller, your luggage needs to be easy to carry around.

5. What are You Bringing?

Lastly, ask yourself are you bringing any special or specific items on your trip that need a particular type of luggage? If you are a digital nomad you will have your electronic tech  equipment with you. Or will you be taking business attire such as a suit, shirt and tie with you that you need to ensure is wrinkle free. More things to consider before choosing the best luggage to travel with. Before you make the decision on whether to travel with a suitcase vs backpack here are some pros and cons of suitcases vs backpacks.

Pros and Cons of Suitcases vs Backpacks

Once you know the type of travel you will be doing you need to weigh up the pros and cons of suitcases vs travel backpacks.

Suitcase Pros

• Wheels make them easy to move around.
• Made of material to protect your belongings.
• Can be carried or pulled along with one hand allowing your other hand to be free or to carry something else.
• Come in different sizes and small ones can be used as carry-on luggage.
• If you overpack, it is easier to sit on the lid of a suitcase to push it down while zipping it closed.

Suitcase Cons

• Can be heavy and hard to get in and out of transport regularly.
• Not always made from flexible material.
• Can be heavy and can make your muscles ache particularly if you have to drag them up and down stairs or over gravel.
• Make you lopsided.
• You can tend to overpack.
• If you are somewhere with a lot of people around you, they can get annoyed at you if you need to stop. A suitcase seems to take up more space than a backpack in crowds.

Travel Backpack Pros

• Easy to carry around. As it is designed to be on your back and not on the ground you don’t have to drag it over different surfaces like up and down stairs or over gravel.
• Has lots of compartments to store different things.
• The weight is even on your back.
• Because you are carrying the backpack you tend to pack less – because you know you have to carry it around.

Backpack Cons

• They are on your body and can make you hot.
• You cannot see your backpack, because it is on your back, so cannot see if anyone is trying to steal from your backpack as you are moving.
• When I see people wearing backpacks I know they have their whole life on their back and maybe its just me, but I feel that a safety issue.

What to Consider when Choosing a Travel Backpack

A travel backpack is an essential purchase for any traveller heading off travelling. The backpack, once seen as the budget traveller’s best friend, has evolved making it the ideal companion for the modern traveller. It is more than just a backpack, it carries your whole life’s possessions as you travel. So what do you look for in a pack? Here are some important features you need to consider.

Size: New travellers are notorious for filling their luggage with clothes they might wear and knick-knacks they might use and so purchase the largest pack possible. Big is not always best. The bigger the pack, the more likely you are to over pack and end up with a very heavy pack which can hinder your well-being while travelling. Most packs are measured by their litre capacity which, if you’re like most, doesn’t mean very much at all. Therefore, a visual evaluation and some guidance from an attendant in a specialist travel/adventure accessory store will be your best bet.

Comfort: Not everyone is the same height or size so try the pack on first. The only thing worse than a heavy pack is an uncomfortable heavy pack. Your pack should fit you like a glove because the more comfortable you are the better you travel.

Versatility: As well as being the right length straps should be adjustable and storable in a compartment in the pack. Most packs have straps and handles enabling you to carry the pack like a suitcase.

Style: A pack that unzips like a suitcase is much easier to pack and re-pack than top-opening ones mostly used by hikers. This is because people with top opening ones may have to dig deep or unpack their belongings to find what they are looking for.

Detachable day-pack: Many packs come with a detachable day-pack which will be handy for overnight stays and for carrying knick-knacks around. Some packs include a removable toiletries bag.

Quality: The quality of the pack will determine its strength and sturdiness. In particular, a lot of strain is exerted in the zip area. A pack with a heavy-duty lockable zip is a good investment.

Price: Packs can and do vary in price so it is really up to you to do your research and purchase a pack that will suit your needs. Speak to staff in adventure gear, camping and disposal stores.

TIP: If you can, head to a store that sells travel backpacks and try different models on before you purchase.

Best Travel Backpacks on the Market

There are loads of travel backpacks out there in the marketplace. Some notable brands to look out for include, but are not limited to, Osprey, NorthFace, Pacsafe and REI. I have an Osprey myself that I purchased from one of my favourite outdoor adventures stores – Anaconda. I chose it because of its versatility, durability and I liked the colour.

What To Consider When Choosing a Suitcase

When choosing a suitcase to travel Australia, there are various sizes of suitcase available. The size you will need will depend on luggage limits such as on transport and also what type of travel you are embarking on.

Size: Suitcases are available in a number of sizes. It is best to match the size required to the type of travel you are embarking on. If you are only going for a weekend away then a small suitcase will suffice. If you are heading away indefinitely then a larger one with wheels and a telescopic handle would suit. It is important to look in to any restrictions of size with the transport ie. airlines, bus tours, etc. that you will be going on to ensure you comply.

Comfort and Versatility: There aren’t many comfort options for suitcases. I would suggest you get one with a telescopic handle that you can adjust to your height to make it easier on your arms when you are dragging the bag behind you. Also ensure it has wheels. Before purchase I would do a quick walk around the shop to ensure the wheels roll smoothly.

Style: There are many styles available which have a soft or hard casing. Softer casings can expand more than hard casings as well as have outer pockets (hopefully zipped) where you can store things.

Quality & Price: Both quality and price can vary with suitcases. It will probably depend on your budget as to how much you wish to spend but really all you want is something that will last the distance.

Best Brands of Suitcases To Consider

Like travel backpacks, there are a number of notable suitcase brands that have a great reputation. These include, but are not limited to, Samsonite, a favourite of mine, American Tourister, Delsey and Travelpro.

How About Both? Let’s Talk About the Backpack Suitcase Hybrid

There are always times when it would be great to have both a backpack and a suitcase as you travel. Well, now you can with a backpack suitcase hybrid. What are they exactly? Well, basically it is a backpack on wheels. So you will have the flexibility of a backpack that you can turn into a rolling suitcase by having wheels and a telescopic handle. But coming with this flexibility is weight. And when weight matters while travelling, you will need to decide if the extra weight of around 1.5 kilograms (3.3 pounds) is worth it. I think these are a great option and i’m hoping my next luggage choice will be a hybrid backpack.

Other Luggage

Suitcases vs Backpacks Which One is Better?

I don’t think that one is better than the other. Both suitcases and backpacks have a place in travel. However, I do think that suitcases are fine if you plan on going straight to your hotel and not moving at any point during your holiday. While I find the convenience and versatility of a backpack way better on travels where you move around a lot. What do you think? Are you team backpack or team suitcase or both, like me? Let me know in the comments below.