We took a 12 day trip in December to Austria/Slovenia. We flew into Munich, then bussed to Vienna. From there we went by bus to Ljubljana and Salzburg, returning to Munich to fly home.
We looked at our current options, including the RS classic Europe Through the Back Door we purchased in 2002. We ended up buying two RS Rolling Carryon bags. After reading reviews and looking at the specs, we decided to buy them over the spinner bag and the more expensive, bigger and heavier Ravenna bag.
We are very happy with our choice! The bags are well made and a great size. We had no problems with Delta as carryon bags, they fit the overhead bins with no problem.
When they arrived, they looked small, though there was plenty of room for our items. We are experienced travelers and big believers in packing light. We've learned over the years what is important and what can be left at home.
I like the hard shell back and had no qualms about checking our bags (at Delta's request) for the trip back home. We also ordered packing cubes that really help when moving from one hotel to the other. It's easy to keep things organized and unpack.
The bags did well when rolling, even on uneven surfaces. The ability to expand the size is a big plus. The one ding I could give the bags is weight distribution. You have to pack heavier items in the back. If not the bags tend to want to tip over.
I highly recommend them. I also highly recommend learning to travel light. It makes a huge difference in the enjoyment of your trip. We've been on several trips to Europe since our trip to Scotland in 2002, where we first embraced Rick Steves' travel philosophy. Happy travels!