How much grief do we get if we use a 25" roller?

I've never taken a Rick Steves tour, but I doubt you'll get grief. However, I took a 38-lb. 24" suitcase to Europe in 2015. It wasn't clothing, I swear! But even with wheels it was heavy. You better believe I figured out a way to get rid of some of that stuff before last year's trip. I also bought a smaller and significantly lighter suitcase. Still too heavy at 28 lb., but much better. I know you won't be dealing with flights of stairs in railroad stations while you're on the tour, but what if you have stairs at the hotel, or the bus can't get all the way to the hotel? Be sure you don't make yourself miserable.

I visited Slovenia, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Serbia during the 2015 trip. That segment of the trip lasted from August 12 to October 12. Weather obviously varies from place to place as well as from year to year, and I know the tour includes some some more northerly countries. However, my weather didn't change until September 25 or 26. Up until that point it felt like summer. Afterward, I began to get some rain. The first distinctly chilly day hit me in Zagreb around October 10.

I think you'd be fine with a set of long underwear to use under standard-weight clothing, a warm layer and a waterproof jacket.

If you're remotely interested in shopping, take that into consideration, too. I found crafts to be somewhat less expensive east of Germany and was unable to resist buying some.

Okay. Patti, just chill out and use the 25" suitcase. Feel better ?
If you can carry it, it works for you. We travel with carry-on size, but we always check the bags on flights. That works for us. (Although I admit to wishing at least once during every trip that I had left some of my stuff home.)

Patti, it's okay. Nobody's going to give you any grief, and I doubt you'll even see any raised eyebrows. We've been on 10 RS tours, and have never once seen anyone pull out a tape measure. We have seen people with large, full-sized suitcases, especially on city tours. Take what you want - maybe you'll cause some other folks to have bag envy.

Just be sure you can handle the bag over cobblestones and up stairs.

As long as you can carry or otherwise handle it then you'll be fine. I've been on a number of tours and I've taken a 24" bag. Never an issue. The guide is not going to whip out a tape measure and no one will say anything as long as you can handle your bag.

Have a great trip.

Well, I take a 747-sized suitcase, so no judgement here. Really, it is the largest size you can check. (It's in storage now and I don't know what size it is, but it's large!) I always max out the weight, and take it to my veterinarian's office to weigh it the day before my flight (because of the step-on scale).

The reason is because every 5 years, I travel to the University of Heidelberg Alumni Festival, which is 5 or 6 days long, requiring all modes of dress and all modes of shoes. Plus I want to take leisure wear too. It is cumbersome, but it rolls, and I plan my ground transportation and my hotels VERY CAREFULLY. Because I am at an event for the long-term, I'm landing at the hotel and staying, so I'm not schlepping.

I also take a small canvas duffle-bag for the trip home; into this duffle, I place my shoes and other heavy stuff, and that goes on as a carry-on, for under the seat, and I can rest my feet on it comfortably.

But for a trip where you are travelling from one place to the next, yes, the smaller the better, because you encounter stairs everywhere you go.

Along with nearly everyone else who has replied to you, I will say bring whatever you are willing to take care of yourselves. I have been on many RS tours and seen everything from what I consider really tiny backpacks to suitcases larger than yours. As long as you are willing and able to get them where they need to be, I don't think anyone will say a word! So, by all means do "chill out" and try really hard not to worry about it! BTW, I will be on the EE tour only ours will begin 20 August. I am so looking forward to it!

As long as it has wheels and a handle, don't worry. I dragged a 26" incher on a family trip which held both mine and my daughter's stuff. I stayed at b&b's with many stairs and that were not close to train stations. It worked! You can do this. Try to compress with packing cubes and down size to a 22". Smaller cases are easier on trains. But, you can still take a 25" incher on trains.

Hi,

I would not worry about this at all. The spinner I bring is a 25 inch, my main problem is to keep it below 27 lbs so that I can easily toss it on the ICE train luggage racks.

Starting in September, anyone bringing a bag larger than 21 x 14 x 9 will be ostracized in front of their tour group and be forced to wear a sign saying "I pack heavy."

Just kidding.

If you can manage it, you can bring it. I'm willing to bet that you won't be the only one.

Patti -- i totally get what you're saying. Some people have a smaller "main" bag but then end up loading themselves with so many supplemental bags to make up the difference that they become an unwieldy creature in the aisles of the bus (and the hallways of the hotels!). I think your plan makes total sense and will be much more comfortable for you. Raise your eyebrows back at 'em!!

I just returned from my first RS tour. I would say at least 50% (I think more like 75%) of the bags were oversized bags and no one ever complained, except a couple of the owners who had to carry them. Basically, if you can carry them you are fine. I just have to keep mine around 20-22lbs. My personal item was smaller than most as well. We didn't have any big shoppers on our tour so bags did not get bigger, at least until the last day.

PS. There were only a couple of people who did the full RS system with backpack.

I'm not taking a tour, but considering using a 25" rolling bag on my upcoming trip. I have really tried to pack light, and compared to what I used to do, I am packing lighter. But somehow a 21" roller does not seem big enough. It's JUST big enough.
This time I will be sink washing undies and socks, which means I can bring fewer. I will keep trying!

Have you tried packing cubes or a folder to organize and compress your stuff? Can really make a difference. That way,the above poster doesn't have to sink wash as much - which is something I personally hate and try to avoid. I use laundromats - both self- service and hired-service.

SunBaked--I'm guessing you are addressing me? Yes, I do have packing cubes and am going to try the Konmari folding method this trip. There is a laundromat nearby so if my "bigger clothes" get stinky, I will take them there. Last year I did smalls in the sink and it was much easier than I thought it would be. I got little Woolite packets on Amazon for the trip.

You are free to bring any kind, size, color, shape, weight, or number of bags you want as long as they fit in the bus luggage space. The only restriction is YOU must carry all of it. I have seen some things on RS tours that were hard to believe. All the way from the guy who had 2 check size bags, backpack, briefcase, and computer bag to the woman who had just a purse and bought clothes as needed on the tour disposing of them when they got dirty. No one will care what you have.

Thank-you everybody. I loved the advice to chill, roll with it, re-consider the size, and all the suggestions. But especially the puns.

I love packing cubes. Can't travel without them.
I agree with a post about sink washing. I prefer to throw away my stock of old "smalls" as I go along. Yup! Best advice somebody gave me years ago on this site. They have been left in the trash (discreetly) all over Europe.

Regarding laundry during the trip, even though it isn't my favorite way to spend a couple hours, because of the unique places we stay on RS trips, it is one of my favorite memories. Once after doing my laundry, I literally bumped into the MOST famous rocker of all times. He was a local doing local things (not laundry...) and was strolling thru his village. It was awesome.

I have to rethink the 25 inch. I thought they were smaller than my jumbo suitcase in the attic. I thought for sure it was a 29 inch suitcase. Surprise to me - it is 25 inches, 13-14 inches wide, but the deepest suitcase I ever saw. I was not thinking of THAT large a bag.

Thanks to you all, I am no longer stressed about it all. I wish you all safe and happy travels. And I can't wait to read more blogs.

patti, you ran into Mick Jagger??!!! 😃

Sir Paul?

patti -
Surely you are not going to leave that story unfinished?

We aren't supposed to tell. And I won't! Because the village is just the prettiest place and RS should always go there. I will only say it was the Paris trip down the Loire, to Mont st Michel, to Giverny, etc, etc, etc. the most fabulous trip. But the post was really about how wandering around town doing laundry CAN be interesting.