On my recent trip to Berlin I once again had to suffer the dilemma of luggage for a short trip. The dilemma being not able to take my trusty backpack – a 60 litre is just ridiculous for a three day adventure. But suitcases drive me absolutely crazy, ‘suitcase etiquette’ even more so (i.e. having one in your possession does not automatically give you right of way) but for a long weekend they are sometimes the only option unless I pack a very small daypack.
I haven’t quite mastered a three day trip with a 10-15 litre pack… yet.
Ironically I find it hard to pack for a couple of days than I do for a few weeks, but when I came across a suitcase that could also transform into, and be used as, a backpack I praised the travel lords for such an ingenious invention. The Karrimor Global Equator 40 Wheeled Travel Case has both a pull up handle and hidden straps which pull out and clip on to wear as a backpack.
Not only did it boast a great 40 litres of space, it was also listed as a size suitable for maximum hand luggage requirements. Hurrah!
Was it a decent backpack?
Sadly not. It’s not built to be contoured to body shape like your standard backpack and because of this it killed my shoulders and pretty much hurt trying to fling it on and off. However, it was useful to quickly whip up onto one shoulder and skim through a big crowd and get up and down stairs, just not for use on a lengthy journey.
Was it a decent suitcase?
Although it pains me to say I used it as such, when I so wanted a mini backpack, I fully recommend it. It’s available in three colours (including a girly purple pantone), it’s smart looking, maximises space well (enough to squeeze your handbag in when you need to get on the plane with one item of hand luggage only) and it’s got really smooth and quiet wheels. If I have to use a suitcase it has to glide… effortlessly. Which was very handy for Berlin and the long walks between metro stops.
I just had to accept that for a few days my beloved blue backpack wasn’t an option. It was hard to suck it up and difficult to avoid being one of those annoying people that runs over people’s feet with a case and manoeuvres corners briskly like a travellers version of Formula 1, of which I became one. Still, it’s certainly ready and waiting for the next short trip.
The Karrimor Global Equator 40 was supplied by Sports Direct for review. All opinions are my own.
This looks like a pretty cool invention. It’s a shame it’s not so comfortable to carry, but sadly you can rarely have everything you want in one bag.
Yea, it works in parts… but I will always love my backpack
Oh, you can tell just by looking at the straps it’d make a terrible backpack. And if it’s not going on my back I’d rather just have a carry on sized wheely bag. I’ve come to love my hard cased 360 swivel bag for short trips. And the packing stays so much nicer than in a backpack!
Yea, that’s true, although it’s handy in some respects. But nothing beats a proper pack. I’ve found packing cells have been good at keeping my packing all nice…and not lost in the depths of the backpack.