RS or other Rolling Backpacks

I have the original rolling backpack and am pleased with it. I have traveled for 3 weeks in the winter with it. It is smaller than a regular carry on and fits in a lot of spaces.

Frugal First Class Travel has a review of it.

I have the RS rolling backpack and tend to use it only on shorter trips (less than 2 weeks) because it doesn't expand and has a slightly smaller interior than the RS rolling carryon. That being said, I've had no real problems getting enough things into it and having it function well over a 9 day period, 10 day period and a 12 day period. These were trips within the USA or Mexico. As I recall, the only problem was that it tipped over easily. However, I have learned to pack my regular RS rolling carryon so it no longer tips over easily and I suspect that might be the same with the rolling backpack. Although I rolled it almost everywhere, I did use it in backpack mode mostly for long flights of outdoor stairs and it worked well.

If you like your daughter's Explorer 55, High Sierra also makes several models of wheeled backpack.
http://shop.highsierra.com/backpacks/wheeled/
I have one of these and like the quality. For me, the combo of wheels and backpack is good - - - backpack for short distances and stairs, and wheels for the airport.

I have an REI Stratocruiser 22 and absolutely love it. I also love the integrated day-pack which I use as my "under the seat" personal item on flights...

The Stratocruiser has a detachable backpack harness for those trip when you don't need it (why add the weight if you don't have to) and when packed sparingly, it fits into the overheads of regional-jet aircraft.

@Margaret. - The comfort factor of the rolling backpack is dependent on what you put inside it. My summer bags are under 6.5 kg and my winter bags are around 8-9 kg maximum (depends on the trip)
I found the backpack to be comfortable when loaded. I have piriformis muscle problems from spine surgery 20 years ago.
i backpack and hike quite a bit so my assessment of "heavy" may be different than yours.

Thanks for input.

Basically I've decided I absolutely want a roller and I absolutely want a backpack. So for me the best combination is a rolling backpack.

What I'm not sold on are the rolling backpacks that have a detachable bag/backpack included. It seems the ones suggested above all include that.

Basically I don't want or need a detachable bag as they are overkill IMO and take up space that could be used for the suitcase portion. If that makes sense.

I like the Rick Steves rolling backpack the only thing keeping me from it is it is considerably smaller than many carry-ons. I wish it was expendable.

I want to be able to to comfortably use it on 2 or 3 week European (and other ) vacations.

I have the Osprey Ozone Convertible. I took it on a month long tour of South America, and it was very light and sturdy. However, it doesn't hold much and it doesn't expand (which is technically ok for a rolling backpack). There is also a design flaw with it - there is no structure at the top zipper section, so there is nothing to 'grab on to' to give the zipper leverage to close. The top will just bunch up and not zip. I broke a sweat almost every time I had to zip it up. I ended up having to underpack a bit in order to give space at the top. Also I didn't use the daypack, as it was tiny, so I carried my own North Face pack.

I haven't used RS's one, but I would probably pick it over the Osprey. Also note REI has a good one that has a separate pack that will sit down in the front of the luggage vs. zipping onto it. I initially bought it, but I returned it as I wanted a different size. It was a really nice bag though.

Vick,

Rolling Backpacks are not an ideal solution, as the rolling mechanism adds weight and reduces cargo size. I've seen a few complaints from people that found their clothes had a few stains on them from the wheels, when the luggage was used as a Backpack. Using either a "normal" Backpack or a wheelie bag would be preferred (IMO).

Hopefully Frank II will spot this thread as I'm sure he will have some good tips to add.

While my husband and I can each live out of a RS rollaboard (per
person)for three weeks

I think Rick once commented that he packs the same for a week as for all summer. I basically take three changes of clothes and wash every night. That way, I can go indefinitely with about 10 pounds of clothes and accessories.

My bag, packed, doesn't weigh much more than a gallon of milk. I think most people can carry a gallon of milk without a cart.

Re Ken's comment on stains from the wheels... If it is a properly designed bag (the Osprey is, for example), 1) it will have something to cover the wheels with, and 2) the hip support straps will be designed in such a way to prevent the wheels from ever touching your clothes.

I debated the rolling backpack vs. just a roll aboard or backpack, and I'm glad I went with the rolling backpack. I rolled it 95% of the time (whereas those with backpacks were struggling), and when I did use it as a backpack in rocky/muddy areas, I'm glad I had it available. Find a good one & you won't go back. :)

Vick (the OP), ignore the naysayers. Every piece of luggage has an upside and downside. Also, no one way of travel is correct..... just because someone cuts the pockets out of their pants to make them lighter, doesn't mean you have to do it. I do pack a bit differently when going on longer or shorter trips.....that's because I'm not Rick Steves. While I almost always use regular wheeled luggage, the few times I have taken my rolling backpack on trips it has been great. If you have given it some serious thought and think a Rolling Backpack will work for you, go for it. Remember, you aren't trying to please the naysayers, only yourself.

I'm a female and I have used the RS rolling backpack on 3 RS tours. We usually have extra days on our tours, so I have lived out of them for 3 weeks. I love my bag because it keeps you from overpacking. There just isn't room to put a lot, but there is enough for my trips which included a mix of cold and hot weather clothes and 2 pairs of shoes along with personal items. I have never used it as a backpack. I'm spoiled by the rolling feature. My husband started with the RS backpack and after 2 trips he purchased the rolling bag when they were on sale. He liked the back pack if you are walking long distances, but taking it off and on multiple times was rough on his arms (tore up the skin on his arms). It is much larger than mine, which means that it got heavier as we added souvenirs and it was difficult to handle. He now uses just the RS rolling bag. It is expandable. He used it on our GAS tour last fall and the zipper broke on the expandable part (it wouldn't zip back to be un-expanded). We called Rick Steves office after we got home. They asked for a picture of the damaged zipper. We emailed it to them and they sent us a brand new suitcase. They said we could keep the old one (which is fine, it's just in constant expand mode) or donate it. I will continue to use my little roller backpack because it is so light and easy to carry up stairs in European hotels.

I did a review of the RS Rolling Backpack on my website a little over a year ago. Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to link to it.

I liked the bag. It was fairly well made for the price and the backpack straps were fairly comfortable. I wouldn't want to walk a long distance with it, bur for a short jaunt it would be fine.

It is smaller than other rollers but that just means learning to pack more efficiently. An idea would be to use the rolling backpack and get a second bag to ride on the rolling one. (I used the Ravenna BP on my last trip because it has a pass thru for the extendable handle.)

One warning, if you pack it full, the front will extend out and go well past the 7".

Vick, if you do not like the detachable daypack, want to reduce the weight or mee the carry-on size requirement, you can just detach it and leave it at home.

I looked at buying a rolling backpack last year. I found them a bit too heavy because of all the included features. Also, l felt that the backpack would be uncomfortable to carry. The back of the pack is straight and stiff with the bottom edge and wheels dug into the small of my back. The ones i saw did not have a hip-belt which meant most of the weight would be on my shoulders.

Frank I found your website and your blog. Thanks

I guess maybe what I'm really looking for is just the ability to carry as much stuff as possible in my carry-on. My Delsey carryon is great. I can fit quite a bit of stuff in it and it's expandable and it rolls but I can't really swing it over my shoulder if I need to.

I've had a few close calls where the airlines made me squeeze it into the little bin to make sure it fit and I have had to take things out of it before. But I'm willing to run that risk.

So I guess as I thought this through more maybe I don't really need a backpack roller so much as the ability to just sling it over my shoulder in times where you just can't use a roller.

I'm not too worried about the weight necessarily either. Because I honestly don't intend on carrying it all that often. I mostly want to use it as a roller but want that flexibility of being able to carry it easily if I absolutely have to.

I also was planning to use a small backpack as my second carry on toour. Which is what I always do anyway.

. So really wanting to maximize the size and space of my rolling carry-on but also want to be able to carry it if I need to.

I'm just not quite convinced Ricks rolling backpack is large enough for my needs. We generally plan to stay two and a half to 3 weeks when we go to Europe.

Perhaps it's time to do a packing list and "rethink" the "take as much as possible" mantra. Whether it's one week, three and a half weeks or three and a half months, pack the same.

I just did 10 weeks away and packed basically the same as I would have for one week. (i did have to take more prescription meds than I would have for a one week trip but that's about it.)

And for my next 9-10 week trip later this year, I redid my packing list and will take a little less. It can be done.

One carry-on compliant roller and one personal item.

I would love it if Rick sold a convertible backpack the size of the rolling backpack (1960 ci). HINT HINT

And without the wheels, handles, and associated structure it might weigh well under 3 lb.

I'll share my recent experience in case it helps. I agonized about luggage decisions last year, but after a long trip, I'm very pleased with my choices. I've just returned from 7 weeks in Italy using the Lync System 20" rolling backpack and the matching small asap daypack. Both are very light and sturdy and, with these ultralight packing cubes, I moved around easily without problems the whole time. The bags fit in all overhead compartments or shelves on planes and trains, and I could lift them over my head without help. The bags can be attached to each other, but I didn't do so to make it easier to put the bags up. I did decide to leave the Lync's detachable backpack straps at home, since I had the daypack on my back, and I didn't regret it. So I'm not sure how much benefit I will get from the rolling backpack combination. However, even with the wheels on, it's about the lightest bag I could find and packed nicely every time I changed locations (12 times in 7 weeks.) Both bags survived the trip in perfect condition, and so did I, especially as compared to my friends with their 26" and 28" spinners. I recommend this combination of two small bags, particularly for shorter women like me.

Vick, Sounds like you have a pretty good idea about what you want to take and what will make your trip comfortable for you. The idea of checking out packs at an REI is a good one. Although I have not purchased any luggage there, I certainly have perused (many times) their selections of luggage, backpacks and other travel accessories.

I have the RS rolling carry-on and then I use a backpack that I got from REI as my second bag (I cannot get everything I need for three weeks into the carry-on only ;) That system seems to work well for me and then I have the backpack handy if I need it during our day trips for non-valuables. I use the packing cubes for my rolling carry-on to keep it organized and makes my packing more efficient. I also have the Veloce iPad bag that I use as my "purse" that nests inside my backpack, which is great b/c it has secure pockets behind zippers/clasps and I can keep it in front of me.

As others have said, there's no one right type of bag for everyone. One question that crosses my mind with the convertible bags is are you more likely to stop, pull out the straps, put the bag on your shoulders, or just grab the handle and lift it?

For me, and partly this is because I'm much more likely to have a few flights of stairs or a short muddy patch than going long distances over rough terrain, I know I'd rarely or never bother to choose backpack straps but that may be different for you.