The age old travelling question... Suitcase or Rucksack?

So.. having decided I was once again to jet off, my mind came along to the age old problem of do I take a suitcase or a backpack?

When I went to Australia I had my Dad's old 85l rucksack, and while it was a godsend at the time because I didn't own one of my own, it was made for a man, it was heavy, and I definitely overpacked it because half of my stuff stayed at the bottom and never saw the light of day!

So when I decided to go again, I knew several things. If I took a rucksack again, it wouldn't be a toploader, and it would be made for a woman. And also ... that maybe I might just take a suitcase instead!

I've had a good hunt round some travel blogs and some travel websites and I have come down to two options..

Option number 1! Dakine Girls Split Roller Large suitcase. So.. what attracted me to this one? Well, firstly, it's a split level suitcase, which as you can see from the pictures means there is space to pack your stuff on both sides. The Dakine suitcases have some really great reviews. The top level of the suitcase has three compartments to separate and keep your things organised. IT HAS WHEELS! (I like wheels..) And also... it comes in some really nice designs (pictured is the 'Juliet'). It's also available in either a 65l or a 100l option (100l pictured).

Price? This varies a lot between size and design. A plain black 65l will set you back £112.50 on Amazon, whereas a 100l in the Juliet design as pictured will cost you around £140. Not too shabby for what seems to be a pretty decent piece of kit.

Option number 2? The traditional rucksack! Vango Freedom 60 + 20 girls rucksack. So.. what were the benefits of this lovely piece of kit? First off.. it's available in purple. Anyone who knows me, knows that this is a big pro! (my laptop is also purple!) So other than the glorious colour, it is also a side loading rucksack which means it unzips around the side and opens up like a suitcase, making it a lot easier to find what you need than the standard top loading rucksack. It has a detachable daypack which would be extremely handy for trips out and about. It has an adjustable back system made for women, which will help prevent back pain. And it equals out at 80l total, which is a more than reasonable amount of storage space.

Price? On Amazon right now it's priced at £69.99 but I have seen it for £60 on some other sites, so it's a pretty good bargain in my eyes.


So... my decision? Well I've decided to go with long term investment potential, and I don't know if I'll be going travelling again when I come back from New Zealand. I've decided to go for the Dakine split roller as I can use this for a million different things, when realistically I'm not going to use a backpack to take on a sunny beach holiday!
The only thing now is do I need the 100l or can I condense myself down to the 65l? Oh, this is the tough bit...

[links not sponsored, all opinions are my own]