Rollerbag vs. Convertible carry on

If I were doing lots of train travel and lots of walking up and down stairs as well as cobbled streets I would lean towards a rolling duffel bag - much easier to pick up and manoevre. They usually have a shoulder strap as well. In terms of packing I prefer a suitcase as I find it easier to organise clothes and they don't move around as much but rolling duffels (or similar) have their place for sure - in my opinion.

You are correct in that this question is asked and answered frequently. Scan back a couple weeks and you will get lots of opinion. It is a personal perference -- both have advantages and disadvantages. When traveling in the US we prefer the rolling carryon and in Europe the backpack style. In Europe the subways, sidewalks, etc. are more crowded, less smooth (no curb cuts, etc.) which makes it less convenient to pull a bag. I also like having my hands free and the flexibility to move quickly in a crowded situation without worrying about someone tripping over the bag I am dragging behind me. The one time we tried roll bags in Europe we found we carried it about as much as we pulled it. And finally we are seeing more and more rolling bags rejected as carryon becaues the wheels and handles do not fit inside the sizing box used by the airlines. Also, the backpack style forces you to pack a little lighter. But it is your choice.

Frank has got it right: it depends on where you are going and your personal preferences. Rollerbags are heavier because of the wheels and they are a problem on the cobblestones, trains, stairs, and other uneven surfaces more frequently encountered in Europe than in the US. You can use the search box in the upper right corner to search on the key terms and find many recent comments on this subject.

I don't know about other rolling luggage. I do know that the Rick Steves' 21" Roll Aboard works very well on the cobblestone side walks and streets in Europe. My daughter and I each use one during our 8 week trip...handled very well. Plus it expands.

Just to keep something in mind....

The europeans when the travel almost exclusively use roll arounds. Everything duffle bags, purses, file boxes, market bags, and suitcases. They manage the stairs and everything just fine. Almost all trainstations have elevators and ramps for luggage. True, I don't know where you are going but, there are fewer cobblestones to roll luggage over than you would expect, Rarely will you be rolling down the middle of the road.

Whenever I am in a crush in France, at the market, rushhour on the metro, or trainstation. I feel most cumbersome with a backpack (day or long haul). A rolled back is always more convienient when you have to stand around. I seem to be always bumping into people. Backpacks are not so much the cultural norm there as here, it is almost as if collectively people know how to move around wheeled objects but just dont expect to have move around someone with 12" on their back.

Rarely are convertables comfortable. But that's a heavy suitcase

Roller bags will still have to be carried up stairs. it's better to save the weight and get a convertible bag. I love the convenience of putting the bag on my back and having free hands.

I'm heading to Italy with my daughter for a week in November, we're taking backpacks and very little in the way of clothing...for one week, one pair of pants a few shirts, under stuff and very light on the toiletries. We'll wear/carry our jackets on the plane.

I'm so excited to know that I can get everything I need in a small bag, can't wait to pack.

My husband and I have backpacks--my son has a roller bag that converts to a backpack. As I'm walking and walking with a backpack on looking for our hotel, my son is rolling his bag easily and effortlessly on the cobblestone streets and sidewalks. I always envy him and think--next trip I'm getting a rollerbag. On stairs, he picks it up by the handles. He seldom uses the backpack, but it is available.

I really struggled over this question for our recent trip. When I realized that my roller bag would weigh 10 pounds more, I decided to give the old (truly vintage) Back Door Bag a try. Meanwhile, my daughter took our roller bag. I was really happy with the backpack, because we travelled by train and bus, and Central Europe has lots of cobblestones. The light weight was a big plus, and my neck and shoulders did better than I expected them to. My daughter had to manhandle the rollerbag in some awkward situations, but it didn't seem to bother her. So, both worked fine, but do factor in the amount of lifting on and off trains, trams and buses you will be doing. Above all, be brave and travel light so you don't have to check a bag! It was a delight to fly so unencumbered, and we got through customs with lightning speed!

Although this has been exhaustively discussed, pro and con, in many archived links you will find, because you mention using the train a lot and walking to and from the station I thought I would chime in. (This is also because you don't mention any back problems.)I always swore by a rolling bag, but this past trip was mostly trains and also with a tight connection both ways I didn't want to risk being parted from my rolling carry-on even if it was lightly packed. I got a new convertible bag that I wore on my back when checking in and going past the gate agent. Plus it was black! They never even looked at it, at any of the airports. The streets were jammed (this was July) and I found it easier to have my hands free and not be pulling something behind me, security-wise, in those crowds. Ditto for getting up and down and on and off those skinny train steps and doorways. It did get heavy after about 15-20 minutes, but most of the RS hotels are only that distance from the train stations.

I, as the person without one, hate roller bags.
I carry my stuff, by back or by hand and always found it much faster and more convenient. With my pack I have helped others struggling with a heavy roller bag in one hand and invariably, bags in the other.
Approach some stairs? Without missing a beat and a carry on you are stepping up as opposed to stopping (and suddenly stopping all those behind you, collapsing the handle, oh it stuck, etc.) I always avoid being behind these folks. Besides the stopping and starting, these take up more room - the end of the bag is a yard behind you on a crowded street. Yes, certainly a back pack on a back in a tight space takes up room too - simple: be considerate and take it off and carry. Not unlike the invariably heavier roller bag. See for yourself, just watch folks walking along as the bags tip and turn behind them on less than level pathways than they have at home at the local shopping mall.
Non-roller bas are usually lighter too