Hi everyone,
We begin our RTW April 2007 can't wait, we'll be off for up to a year. I'm retiring in 7 weeks my husband and a male friend retire in March, we're all in our 60s and are in good health. Having said that my husband from time to time can have problems with his back. I think he should take a suitcase to be sensible, and not a backpack for all the gear but he insists you can't go backpacking with a suitcase. Just wondered what other BootnAll members thought.
Thanks
Jeanie

I disagree you can go with whatever suits you. I would say something with wheels that he can comfortably pull around would be fine.

To me it depends on where you're going and how you're staying at each stop. With many longer stays a suitcase makes sense. Personally I prefer a duffle bag plus a small backpack for use as a daypack and for cameras.

Backpacking to me to more a state of mind or style of travel..it has nothing to do with lugging a bag on your back ..espcially if you are hurt.

I seriously am thinking what to do as well as I have a very bad shoulder injury and will be going to Argentina this Dec. I might go with a suitcase this time around.

check out what the people in the sillouette at the top right hand of hte page are using...suitcases or backpacks? oh, wait, NEITHER! i guess they arent travelers. just a bunch of folks waiting in line...but for what?

I see one backpack. A suitcase, two travel cases...and the guy at the right edge is clearly a flasher. Bare legs and an open trenchcoat. He is heading off to the BnA Nation party.

This silhouette is JFK, I know it.

As for the backpack debate. It depends on what you plan to do...I hate a suitcase cause it's tough to lug around. I hate the wheelies cause they are not built for the bumps of travelling. I like a pack. My suggestion, if in doubt, is this....There are slightly under one million packs that are both wheelies and backpacks. SO you can switch fairly easily between the two. Maybe dude should try one of these. This also allows for an exciting afternoon at the pack store to get yourself set up.

D

Big thank you to everyone you gave their comments, didn't realise you could get rucksacks with wheels. That could be the way to go, can't wait to tell my husband he still thinks he's 25 but then so do I.
Regards
Jeanie

No problem Jeanie. Many of these wheelie packs have really good rigging, so you are all right either way. Plus the advantage of a standup pack. My buddy Bugs, to your left, seldom stands up by hisself for long.

Go to REI and try everything...some of the wheel packs are really good (tad bit heavier)

Jeanie~
I totally agree with these kids. I'm 33 and on my trip to mexico took a backpack (i'm a bad ass!) but another friend of the same age had a huge duffle on rollers and since we really were kind of parking in hostels for a week at a time or more, sometimes i wished i had had a duffel too! i'm seriously considering it for next time. Keep us posted!

I have a backpack that has wheels too--it's GREAT! I love it! Mine isn't very big--only really good for short trips, however, I think you can get bigger ones.

Hi Jeanie, I have to chime in on this one! I'm 61. I agonized and sweated over what to use in Portugal in summer 06--thought I might be walking long distances, wasn't sure. Ended up with an ultralight very expensive backpack that lasted about a week on the road. I ran into bedbugs and had to throw away everything that couldn't be washed and dried on high heat (to avoid carrying eggs and infestations with me). Expensive backpack went into a dumpster. I went to a local market and got a cheap suitcase on rollers, and it was GREAT for the way I ended up traveling--on buses, from town to town, staying four or five days in a hostel and then moving on again. The backpack had always been in the way, awkward to stow overhead, bumping into people, all those floppy straps. The suitcase was WAY better. I'd been warned that rolling suitcases wouldn't do on cobblestones and hills, but the ones in Europe have larger wheels than the ones in the US, and the one I ended up with was perfect for the trip.

Hello there Jeannie,

I'm inclined to agree with Grannygold, nothing worse than back trouble becoming back problems. Go for the suitcase.
After all when your RTW trip is over, what will you remember most,my back was killing me, or oh we had a fantastic time!


Have a nice day, Whistler.

I'm 58, was stubborn and continued to use a backpack until 5 years ago. All I can say is the wheel is a great invention!

Hi everyone,
I appreciate all your comments on this subject and have showed my husband you letters. Guess what though he's got the backpack 65lt wouldn't listen to common sense thinks he's still 25 so we'll see what happens on the trip. I am buying a suitcase and I'll use my small backpack for the passports and money and all the things that need to be kept safe. We're now starting mid June because we're going west first instead of east. The RTW ticket worked out a lot less expensive.
I am now retired, it is so good and I just am so happy. Free at last thank god I am free at last. No more getting up with the alarm at 6.00 am obsolute bliss.
Happy New Year to everyone and my best wishes for 2007 this is a great site.
Regards
Jeanie