Luggage options

Get a copy of Ricks book "Europe Thru the Back Door" which explains how to pack and travel lightly. All you need is a single carry-on bag and the right types of clothes. Those would be ones you can wash in the sink and have dry by the morning.

You're not moving there, you're spending 14 days. You don't need that much stuff! While we stay in hotels instead of hostels, I've taken plenty of trains and talked with people staying in hostels. They had a single bag, often a backpack. It's up to you, but my bet is you'll regret lugging a duffel bag around Europe, even if it rolls.

BTW make SURE it has a extendable handle on a bar, if you're determined to go that route. I've seen rolling duffels that just have a handle sewn to one end, and you can't roll that thing loaded more than 50 yards without your shoulder being tired.

Alayna,

Rick's suggestions are a little too sparse and unrealistic for most people who travel in my opinion. So take his suggestions with a grain of salt.

Pack enough so you have to wash clothes at a laundry (or have them done) only once - 7-8 days. That sets maximum number. Unless you want to meet Mr. Right, looks are not important so if it can be worn more than once without washing, nobody will care that you wore the same thing yesterday or if you have that special alluring perfume.

Before you leave, see exactly how much cosmetics you really use in 2 weeks and find containers that hold only that much. Remember, you can always buy it there and so what if ABC brand is perfect for you, CDE will work just fine for two weeks.

Check your bag to avoid liquid limit hassles. It only adds a little time at the other end vs. carryon. We took one carryon sized bag each on most of our trips but checked them anyway.

You don't need more than one extra pair of shoes.

Check out onebag.com for tips and reviews of some bags. It doesn't sound like you are planning to take one bag. If you are staying at hostels and riding public transportation, however, you will be much happier travelling with only one carry on size bag.

Whatever you take if it is not a backpack-make sure it has wheels!

After that it is up to you, search this site and you will find people that will swear by a rolling duffle and denounce all suitcases and other people that are the opposite.

If primping stuff is important take it, however watch the clothes, more than laptops, I have heard of (girls')clothes getting taken in hostels.

Weight will be your key issue. Your other posts mentioned a lot of trains which means de-boarding, and changing keys, or stations, and not all train stations have elevators so that means that you could end up hauling your suitcase up/down stairs (sometimes two flights or more) (You should see what the locals haul)

I have never gone wrong with a 24-27" rolling suitcase and a day pack.

Haha, I am not a diva, I'm very much a tomboy, but I do like to fix my hair, I don't have much cosmetics. Some jjeans, tshirts, and maybe an outfit for vienna opera... I think I'll look into a medium wheeling duffel since I want to take my backpack.Since now I'm going to fly rather than train, I'll look and see the carryon size but won''t count on it. I think spending money on a "Backpack" I''d only use for this and probably wouldn''t fit all my stuff in it.

Alayna... packing lite will take time. If your really a fashion diva then you probably wont enjoythe hostels much - kinda out of place with big bags there! But you sound like yorue up for adventure so do look at Ricks Packing list on line - and at ONEBAG.com. You will find it very interesting. In reality - 14 days really only calls for 3-sets of clothes (maybe extra underwear/socks etc that are small if you dont like laundry each nite). Dep on the time of year you also can layer more. For me - it was more about leaving extra "stuff" behind (to make room for DSLR!) - the clothes i take are hiking/travel type clothes that are meant to be lite - but hopefully still nice enough for the city!
Bag wise - you cant go wrong with the RS bag and a good small day pack (i pref Northface for the day pack).
Try looking at the list - then lay out your stuff on the floor and start removing items! Test it for 2-3 days at home as if you were on vacation and see you like it!

If you're interested in a wheeled duffel bag, I can recommend "ebags" own duffel bags. I have both their small and medium sized ones. They're great. Well made. Well thought out.

I will take the ebags small rolling duffel from now on. It's carry-on size.

I'm a firm believer in packing light. My family of 4 spent 16 days in Europe and we each only had one of Rick's backpacks. I did purchase the compression bags, also the mesh packing cubes and my backpacks came with the white mesh bags for socks and underwear - which really helped. I wore one pair of shoes all through our trip and the rest of my family each wore a pair and packed a pair. I took the washing solution along and EVERYTHING we wore was nylon or dry-fit. Makes a big difference - it's all so lightweight and dries in a few hours. It really can be done. Since then, we have taken several U.S. touristy trips as a family with only 3 backpacks between the 4 of us and then one other small carry on. I had been to Europe 4 previous times, and I have to say this was by far my most enjoyable trip and I would never check a bag again for a trip like this.

I travelled for 3 weeks and i brought 3pcs of luggage which was

Wheeled Luggage: for my clothes and souvenirs
Backpack: for my personal and electronic gear
Mini duffle: for hairdryer, straightener, toiletries, cosmetics and many beauty products

In Spain, where it's scorching hot in the summer, I hauled my stuff walking from hostel to train station, down/up stairs coming from the metro, flight of stairs from the lobby to the room. Many hostels don't have elevators. Many times finding room to store luggage on the train, the bottom shelves where full. Luckily there nice hombres who would help me store luggages on the top shelf for me

I wished I packed much lighter. I packed clothes that I didn't even wear. Wear the same clothes 2-3 times, do laundry. Next time I go, I'm just taking my backpack and luggage which will store my clothes, some toiletries and enough room to hold stuff that I will buy while vacationing.

If maximizing space (as opposed to minimizing weight) is your goal, consider buying a set of compressor bags, sold in any travel or luggage store. These are plastic bags equipped with one-way valves that force all the excess air from your clothes. I usually travel to Europe in the colder months, and these can reduce the volume of my sweaters, socks and underwear by about 30-50%. The only real downside is that the bags can wrinkle your more vulnerable clothes if you don't pack carefully.

Alayna, one thing to add. Jeans suck as travel clothes on long trips. Yes, they are comfy, and you can wear the same pair at least 4 or 5 days before obvious filth shows, but, no matter what eventually you must wash them! LOL
Jeans cannot without great difficulty be hand washed in a sink in your hotel, and even if you suceed at that fun task they will take days to dry and will dry stiff as cardboard and wrinkly. If you don't believe me try it at home.. I dare ya, LOL .
So, if you rely on jeans as your only " bottoms" you will have to find and pay for laundry, whereas with many other fabrics you can cheat and hand wash, thus avoid wasting time and money with formal laundering.
I would bring jeans, just as an addition to wardrobe definately not as main component.

Ps. You will pack things you don't wear, everyone does the first time.LOL

Ha, pat-
yeah, jeans are pretty much all I own, w/e of a pair of dickies I will probably bring for the opera. My hostels have a launderette I can use after a few days though.
you''re right; they take forever to dry, I''d worry about some chick swiping them if I let them hang!

Wow, that is great hostels have launderettes , that is really great, wonder if I could sneak in.... LOL

Looks like a duffel w/ wheels and a backpack will be adequate. I checked the airline i'll be flying in europe and your checked bag can''t be over 32 kilo, so I should have no issue w/ that.