Thread: Good wheelie pack?

Personally, I think a good compromise is a small backpack of say 30 li for your back (that you can use as a day-pack and carry-on) and a 70li trolley-case (you'll find good light weight ones made by Antler and Paklite). That way you can keep the heavy stuff in the trolley case if necessary.

Thanks everyone for your feedback! Had a browse through some of the outdoor shops here in Wellington and think I may have found a goer. The Sojourn pack from Osprey. It actually looks like a backpack with wheels rather than a wheelie case with straps! http://www.ospreypacks.com/Packs/SojournSeries/ Doesn't come in red, but you can't have everything! Anyone used their packs? Any good? Not a brand I'd heard of before. Cheers!

Osprey is among the top three brands in backpacks, at least.

The problem is, you don't really use the wheels very much if you'll be in South America. After you leave the airport, it's lots of steps, cobblestones, narrow sidewalks, and other impediments. The few times I've had a wheeled bag of some kind in those countries I've carried it more than I wheeled it. So now I usually take a backpack or over-the-shoulder bag when going solo. (When I'm with my wife though it's...

Wheelies are good for urban trips -- like business trips where you can easily wheel the thing from airport to taxi to hotel and back. If your S. America trip fits the above -- then I'd recommend Eagle Creek wheelies. Otherwise, as above, go for a regular backpack and pack light.

I'd second BenzWorld's approach - remember that when you're not using the wheels they're just dead weight that you have to carry around or take into account when you're packing in readiness for the bag to go on the check-in desk's scales. Pack light, take lots of multi function wash and wear clothing, wear your boots on any plane journeys. Smallest bags used so far was a briefcase for a visit to Yorkshire's...

I've traveled through S.E. Asia for the last 5 years (1 month a year) with a carry on sized wheeled bag. I found the bag pretty handy in most areas. I beat the crap out of that bag, and I just bought a new one from High Sierra. This new one is about the same size, but also has backpack straps hidden in the back. It also has a detachable day pack and an extra strap so you can "piggy-back" another bag. I found my new bag on Ebay...

I agree with PradoSaab, Ive tossed up both ideas over the past few months, done a hell of a lot of research testing and trying asking lots of questions... Once you try a good backpack you will understand why they are so much better than wheely bags in the long run and the short. But it also depends on what you will be doing. If you find you'll be doing a lot of walking go the backpack if not and you can safely store the bag at the hotel...

Check the catalogs and web sites for LL Bean and Lands End.