The start of a series thinking about long-term budget travelling.

Sore arms? Sore back? Trust me, you don’t want to start your travels with the wrong type of luggage. It’s uncomfortable, expensive to change, and a giant pain in the butt. In this post we’ll look briefly at some of the pros and cons involved in taking a pack (rucksack) or a suitcase on your trip. Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments.

It was August and I had just hopped off the bus at the end of the line. I had arrived in a tiny village in the mountains bordering France and Italy. The views were spectacular: forests and vineyards surrounding the mediaeval castle we were staying in. I was here for just under a week doing work training. Narrow medieval pathways led steeply up through the town to the mountain’s peak where a ruined church sat alongside the renovated remains of the castle. I shouldered my pack and enjoyed the walk. My travel companions didn’t do so well; their suitcases were too heavy for them to lift and the cobbled pathways and steps wreaked havoc with their wheels.

Depending on your point of view, wheeled suitcases are a boon or a curse for travellers. If you’re visiting mountain villages…Good luck. A pack moves wherever you do. It’s not too heavy to carry for short distances (like that frustrating airport security line) and saves so much hassle on medium to long journeys and over rough ground.

Last month I arrived back in Italy: Bologna with a group of six colleagues. Most had wheely suitcases; I, my pack. We made three trips: airport to bus, bus to taxi, taxi to hostel. Complete walking time? About 10 minutes. How I envied those suitcases! While I was struggling to lift my pack and set its harness, my colleagues were out of the door. Furthermore, while my pack is showing signs of wear from rough handling, their hard-shelled suitcases appeared to weather baggage handling much better.

The suitcase wins hands down on a short trip with a central base and whilst suitcases are designed to withstand the pressures of being stacked and knocked about by airport staff, packs end up being crushed. A pack’s material weave is also more likely to pick up oils and other liquids from storage and handling areas.

Whatever your choice, never take more luggage than you can easily carry — and I mean carry — on your own. You never know when the train will grind to a halt, your ride leave you on the side of the road or the wheels break off in a mountain village. How can you pack that light? That’s for another post.

Pack or suitcase? Leave your comments below.

Craig Martin is soon to be a regular contributor to the amateur traveler, podcasts at indietravelpodcast.com and blogs at Our Crazy Travels. He currently lives out of a pack somewhere in Europe.