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Controversial Question: Backpack or Suitcase
November 3, 2025
6 min read
By Taylor & Evan

Controversial Question: Backpack or Suitcase

Everything you need to know about choosing a backpack or suitcase - which is better for your holiday!

Travel

So the age-old (sort of) question - a backpack or a suitcase. 

Evan and I have been travelling full time for over 3 months now, and have had heaps of previous travel experience and I think we’ve made up our mind on this question. 

And the answer is…

It depends where you’re going and how long you’re going for. 

Sorry, we know it’s a boring answer but we truly think it is the best answer to the question. Let us explain. 

Firstly, the choice of destination. Why does destination have an impact on what you should bring? Think about the difference between a place like the United States and Cambodia. In the USA, chances are most of the locations you are going to go are paved, which means wheels are easy to maneuver. In contrast, Cambodia has a lot of dirt roads which can be more challenging if you've got wheels to pull along. In addition, the number of people. If you’re going to be in a highly dense place with lots and lots of people, chances are you’re going to want to take up as little space as possible and have your belongings nice and close to you at all times. Whereas if places are more spacious, a wheeled companion will be very easy to move around.

See what we mean?

Also, the length of time - why does that matter? When you’re on the road for a long time you probably are going to get sick of packing and unpacking repeatedly. After only 3 months Evan and I sure are. So accessibility is key. Having a backpack where you have to pull everything out to find that favourite shirt of yours stuffed right at the bottom can be an absolute nightmare. Also you never know what might’ve happened inside that bag whilst it was on the aeroplane - I have vivid memories of accidentally slicing my finger open after finding out that my razor cap had fallen off during the handling of my baggage. 


But a suitcase? Ah, the bliss! Opening your perfectly rectangular luggage to find your belongings neatly separated on two sides certainly hits differently after living out of a backpack. 

If you have one, is it worth buying the other? Again, depends on what you’re doing. If you’re planning on hiking with a suitcase, I tip my hat off to you. But if a vacation in general is your plan,  we’re sure you could survive with what you’ve already got. If you’re about to travel and are wondering what to buy, here are our top tips for choosing a backpack and a suitcase. 


Tips for a choosing a backpack: 

  • Get one that either opens up when it’s lying horizontally or can be opened from both bottom or top (makes it way easier to find something stuffed at either end)

  • Make sure it is comfy to wear. Some stores will fit the backpack to you - i.e. adjust the strap positioning - to make it comfortable for you to wear. I couldn’t recommend this highly enough. 

  • If you’re planning on bringing carry-on as well, choosing a backpack where there is a small carry-on backpack that actually attaches to your big bag is such a bonus. It means you can go hands free rather than having to put your day pack on your front. 

    • Again, there are cons to this as well in that the security of whatever you have in your day pack is certainly less (that’s where we’d suggest a bum bag/belt bag/fanny pack)

  • For the love of god, make sure the zippers are strong. There is NOTHING WORSE than having a zipper break on you. Also on that note, you want your backpack material to be stretchy, but also strong so you can fit every last morsel of luggage into that tiny space.

  • Being able to zip up a cover over your straps is handy so that no clips get damaged. If you’re going to do this, we would recommend doing it whilst waiting in line at the airport as it can take quite some time and fiddling!

  • I quite like more compartments than not as it is easy to organise your things. However the downside of this is that it may also reduce the amount of space you have.

  • Some websites that may help you in your search:


Tips for choosing a suitcase: 

  • Wheels: Spinner wheels are where it’s at. Whilst two wheel suitcases can be useful, four wheels tend to be a lot more maneuverable. With four wheels you can push AND pull your suitcase, rather than just pull Also: Make sure the wheels are sturdy. They are going to be under significant weight and rolling along lots of surfaces, so need to be durable. 

  • Hard shell versus soft shell: Each has their advantages. Hard shell protects your belongings better, but soft-shell will stretch more. We went with hard-shell

  • Material: particularly when choosing a hard-shell suitcase you need to be aware of the different material types and how they fare with all the rough baggage handling they go through. Different material types also contribute massively to the weight of your luggage. 

    • CURV: Extremely lightweight and very impact resistant. Very expensive.

      • Brands: Samsonite

    • Polycarbonate: Lightweight and impact resistant. Also slightly more flexible than CURV. Expensive.

      • Brands: Antler, Samsonite, TravelPro, Monos etc.

    • Polypropylene: Lightweight and impact resistant. Softer, and more prone to damage. Reduced temperature resistance. Excellent value for money.

      • Brands: American Tourister, Antler, TravelPro, John Lewis, Aerolite, DK Luggage etc. 

    • ABS: Impact resistance. Heavier than other materials. Less flexible than polypropylene or polycarbonate. Good value for money. 

    • Aluminium: Premium material, very strong and durable. Heavy and reduced flexibility. Prone to dents and cracks. 

  • Size: It is important to consider how much you ACTUALLY need to bring on your trip, and how many litres you would actually need in a suitcase. Some large suitcases are exceptionally big, and with lots of space comes lots of luggage. And with lots of luggage, comes lots of weight. Sometimes more space is NOT better as it can cause you to go over weight limits of airlines and end up paying baggage fees. 

    • Evan and I each have 60L backpacks which we travel full time with. We have recently bought 1 x 80L suitcase which we will hopefully share between the two of us. 

    • We honestly both feel we both have too much stuff and would definitely advocate for carry on travel wherever able. 

  • Handles: Make sure your handles are retractable. 


Is there anything we’ve missed? Do you have any brands you love to use? Others you would never use? Let us know by getting in contact and remember to follow us on Instagram @taylorandevansadventures for exclusive content!