This is something I debated over a lot on, now that I’ve decided on what to bring, what do I put my things in?
When packing, I recommend bringing 1 medium/large rolling suitcase, one 35-40L hiking/travel backpack, and a small purse (or man purse) to make accessing your go-to items a bit easier. I decided on the 35L MEC Flair in the end, as it was reasonably priced at $119 CAD, and had most of the features I wanted (decent organization/pockets, hip belt with pockets, chest belt, front loading, fairly large, water resistant, compression straps).
Bringing two suitcases on the tram, train, and through town in general will be quite a nightmare. Unless if you plan on taking the taxi quite a fair amount, stick to the one suitcase. You can use the backpack for weekend trips in the future. Make sure to watch out for the size of it, ensure that it is under the maximum size for budget airlines like Ryanair should you ever take one of their flights.
Check the Ryanair website for the most recent rules, but as of December 2017, you are allowed two free bags in the cabin. The first one (typically backpack, duffle bag, or roller suitcase) is a maximum of 10kg with maximum dimensions of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm. The second one is a small cabin bag of up to 35 x 20 x 20 cm. Note that, in my four Ryanair flights and my experience having heard from my friends, nobody has ever actually checked the dimensions (size) or weight of their backpacks. It really depends on the mood of the staff at the Ryanair gate at the time to see how strict they are. They are definitely stricter on rolling suitcases for some reason, and I’ve seen people forced to put it into the sizer before. You can push these rules to the limit and bring a huge backpack if you wish – but be warned. It might work once or twice, but you might bump into someone in a bad mood some day.
Things that I really appreciated :
- A bag with compression straps
- Will let you cinch everything in tighter when you need to fit your bags into the tiny Ryanair overhead compartments
- It’ll make your bag not as gigantic when walking around town with it
- You can make your backpack as big and roomy as you want, depending on how tight you pulled your straps
- A bag with good organization
- Rather than a large top loading bag, I prioritized a bag with built in organization. I have a place designated for my keys, my lock, my homework (if I brought any), my laptop, my clothes, and dirty clothes.
- A lightweight suitcase
- You’ll probably buy a ton of stuff while in Europe. Make sure that your 50lb is towards your items, not 1/5 – 2/5 for the weight of the empty suitcase itself
- You can find large suitcases for as low as 4 lbs
Studying in the Quadrate 