Originally Posted by
LondonElite
Because they have the tendency to whack people in the face when they turn and generally take up more space standing than they need to.
OK, I see your point. However, backpacks are certainly preferable to shoulder bags when going from point A to point B (I don't use wheeled cases) and are less likely to whack people when walking down the aisle of a plane than, say, a shoulder bag. Also, the backpacks that I use (Goruck, Tom Bihn, Red Oxx) are not hiking/backpacking packs with heavy shoulder harnesses, hip belts, and straps hanging all over the place, but are sleek, functional bags which do not take up a great deal of space.