Originally Posted by
heffman
As many others have mentioned, this whole debate/dialogue is pretty personal; we each need whatever it is we each swear by. My only advice is to use what works best for you but not to close doors you haven't yet opened either.
All of my luggage is carry-on and my needs change per itinerary. It can also change based on expected efficiency. A wheeled bag is easier on my body when waiting in long and inefficient lines while a backpack/shoulder bag can be easier to handle on public transit or tight connections. Two wheels is easier on carpets, spinners are good on hard ground and level streets. And so my luggage collection grows
Your itinerary sounds like a good candidate for a clamshell open backpack like eBags Weekender or Osprey Porter/Farpoint. It is easier to live out of a wider opening vs a top opening requiring you to unpack to get to the bottom and I'm sure room mates in hostels would appreciate you accessing things quickly and quietly. Use luggage carts as needed. Budget a bit for cabs or busses (and sim card for local data sim to find said busses/Uber/car share) for inclement weather or when you're feeling tired. Unless you're a very light packer (which usually doesn't come without practice), if you intend to walk a few miles you will want a good backpack suspension system, not a "just in case" setup.