Roller or backpack in Gimmelwald?

Pack light and use a backpack.

Hi Judy. From your comment about 'rolling a suitcase through the Alps to get to our hotel'; I wonder if you have the wrong impression of Gimmelwald. From my recollection, it is an easily walkable town, and most of the places to stay are within a block or two of the lift on a paved road; a rolling suitcase would work fine. Enjoy your trip!

Judy, unless you are planning to climb the mountain face to get to it, Gimmelwald is a short pleasant walk from the cable car that drops you right in Gimmelwald, or a 20 minute stroll on a paved path down the hill from Mürren. That should not be the deciding factor in choosing a bag for your trip.
I know the description in RS book makes it sound like a remote end-of-the-earth kind of place, its not.

Judy, I love my RS Rolling Backpack! On sale now, too. It's designed to be a better rolling bag than it is a backpack, but in a pinch it works just fine.

https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/rolling-backpack

I've used non-rollered, convertible travel bags for the last 15 years (10 trips), and I wouldn't have it any other way. It's not just a question of Gimmelwald. I love the hands-freedom of the bags. Unless you stay only in one floor accommodations or more expensive places with elevators, you are going to have to get your luggage up stairs, and rollers don't work well for that. Two years ago, I stayed on the 3rd floor (our 4th) of a hotel with a steep circular staircase. I was thankful not to have a roller bags.

95% of travelers use wheeled suitcases since it's almost impossible to find any other kind, and they work just fine. Unless you plan to go hiking in the Alps with them!

Just don't assume that you will never have to carry the bag; even with wheels, you will encounter staircases and curbs and will have to lift into luggage compartments and storage lockers. So don't pack heavy.

Judy,

I find that a Backpack works well for me for the reasons you mentioned. I don't own any rolling luggage. I'm sure Backpack technology has advanced a lot in the last 27 years, so you should be able to find a good model that works well for you.

In terms of getting around Gimmelwald, either type of luggage will work as the streets are easy to navigate, as can be seen in THIS photo. The road on the lower right is the one leading to the cable car station (which is only about a one minute walk to the point where the photo was taken), and the large building in the centre is Esther's Guesthouse. Once you've checked into your hotel, the luggage won't be a concern.

Thank you everyone for your helpful thoughts. The photo of Gimmelwald was very helpful - in my head I was picturing a dirt trail so that is much different! I think I'll test out my daughter's backpack with some weight in it, and see if I can do it. And yes, I will definitely pack light! Thanks all.

I like rollerbags. I used mine in Murren last summer and was glad that I had it. You shouldn't have any difficulties there no matter which bag you pick. One major disadvantage of the backpacks is that when people wear them in the mountain trams they forget how far it sticks out behind them and it is easy to whack other people if the car is crowded.

Actually I think many travelers who have never visited the alpine villages of Wengen, Murren or Gimmelwald picture dirt trails and chalets in total isolated seclusion...which is NOT the case. just because a village is car-free doesn't mean it's been left behind in the stone age.

We use roller bags exclusively, but your choice need not be determined by the location. It depends on your own travel preference. Just my opinion, but I would not have picked Gimmelwald because the views from either Murren (our top choice) or Wengen are SO much better. Think of it as a big bowl. Murren and Wengen are at the top ( on opposite sides) of the bowl, with Murren being a bit higher up. Gimmelwald is like the bottom of the bowl. There is a paved sidewalk/ramp going down from Murren as others have noted.

there's been a moving webcam on top of the Schilthorn for some time now, FWIW. Must/should be checked before setting out.

One of my favorite memories of many trips is from our first ( of many) trips to Switzerland with 8 family members. We arrived at the Mürren train station and needed to make our way to Chalet Fontana on the main road. Turns out there was a big Fest going on that day---young women handing out free wine and cheese in the station. Apparently there was a parade scheduled to start soon, so we hurried to walk to our lodging. People were already lining the parade route and started cheering as we walked, thinking we were the start of the parade. ( Tourists dragging roller bags). We got into the idea and started waving at the crowd and they waved back and cheered louder. We finally arrived at Chalet Fontana and went upstairs to our rooms to watch the real parade out the window.

But this remains one of my favorite many good memories if Switzerland. Year 2002.

Point is, you can take a roller bag most anywhere in Mürren or Gimmelwald. The paths are paved --- but some are steep.

P.s. To Judy---I grew up in Newport Beach "before it was the OC" as my friends like to say.