Back vs. Roll
Let me be clear on one thing: I am not a backpacking hippie. While a backpack may be the easiest way to roam around Europe for a week, for me, it has an unpleasant association with patchouli and Birkenstocks that makes me want to avoid it.
But this little rolling backpack from Eddie Bauer gives me pause. It’s 21″, so conceivably it’s big enough for a week-long trip (if I wear clothes more than once), but it gives you the option to wear it as a backpack or roll it along like a regular suitcase. At $80 it’s not a bad price, and it’s small enough that I won’t look like I’m trying to hike the Appalachian Trail.
This one goes in the “maybe” pile. One luxury of planning a trip a year ahead is that I get to mull over packing possibilities, aka shop.