Backpacking proves to be quite an exciting and stress-relieving experience, with the thrill of new sights and sounds, across new destinations. Because of the pilgrim-like experience of intermittent travel and camp-pitching, it is always essential to have all your essentials and accessories with you, to be able to cater for any needs or eventualities. It is here that having a rucksack proves to be much better, as it can accommodate more necessities than the traditional backpack.
If your rucksack has wheels, you become even more comfortable pulling your luggage during travelling or across rugged terrains than carrying the burdensome load for the length of your journey. However, your search for the best rucksack with wheels must ensure that comfort is balanced with reliability and safety for your items.
These rucksacks with wheels come with a retractable handle and can accommodate from 40-80 litres of your stuff. Now, isn’t that weighty? I recall backpacking once in the Alps and having to stressfully drag along a rucksack with wheels that was both cumbersome and fragile. I had the plastic handles on the rucksack messed up, halfway through the adventure, with the wheels displaced and worn off.
Having a good and reliable rucksack with wheels, you have to ensure that you have the best quality ones with durable fabrics, a sturdy wheelbase to survive a variety of rough terrains, and some style. I have reviewed ten of these best choices for your backpacking journey below, with a final recommendation of the cheapest, the most expensive, and the best value for your money.
Table of Contents
Top 10 Rucksack with Wheels UK
1. Kono Rucksack with Wheels
This Kono trolley backpack is practical and straightforward, and a perfect companion for your travel and backpacking needs. With its multiple pockets, it is easy to have a place for everything that you are taking along your travel while keeping your rucksack neat and orderly. It is also light and manageable with a beautiful luminous design that helps you to get some extra lighting at night. It is very affordable and is the cheapest of the products on review.
Features
- 30 x 17 x 48 cm.
- Top handle dropped by 8 cm.
- Appears in three different colours.
- The longest length of 56cm of telescopic handle.
- Luminous design at night.
- Lightweight and roomy.
- Made of high-quality polyester.
- Wheeled rucksack weight of 1.44kg.
- Waterproof.
- The detachable base that can be used as hand luggage.
2. Cabin Rucksack with Wheels
Your Cabin Max Flight-approved rucksack is quite a handful as a hybrid carry-on backpack with trolley. It is equipped with an easy-to-pull telescopic handle and fold-down wheel cover that protects your back from the wheels. It is shower-proof and strong and is your best bet for long-distance and rough terrain travel.
Features
- 55 x 40 x 20 cm.
- Extremely lightweight at 1.7kg.
- Available in five colours.
- Able to accommodate many items.
- Made of 600D shower-proof, anti-tear polyester with heavy-duty lockable zips.
- Easily convertible to a backpack.
3. DK Luggage Rucksack with Wheels
The DK luggage wheeled laptop backpack is best for your hiking, travelling and camping needs, with a spacious compartment for your items, and a beautiful simplistic design of two colours. It is made of nylon material and water-resistant. You can count on it for protecting your items, while not being cumbersome on your journey.
Features
- 51 x 36 x 20 cm.
- Approximate packing capacity of 27 litres and weight of 1.95kg.
- Made of high-quality rigid nylon material.
- Two double wheels and two feet for placing upright.
- Assorted compartments for items.
4. Cabin Max Rucksack with Wheels
The Cabin Max Manhattan Luggage trolley is an exquisite bag of beauty and many features. Well-designed, functional and durable, the bag offers various features that help seamless and easy travel for you. With a generous interior packing capacity and an adjustable compression system, you can get a fit-in for your items, while having your bag remain light and comfortable to carry along.
Features
- 55 x 40 x 20 cm.
- The lightweight of 2.8kg.
- Made of robust UV-coated Twill material with suede detailing.
- 44-litre compartment, with different pouches.
- 3-year warranty.
5. Samsonite Rucksack With Wheels
This bag is the costliest of all the products on review. It is however very much worth its cost, in value. As a weather-resistant bag, it is equipped with pouches and compartments to keep your various items in place and secure. It also has an ID tag integrated with a logo plate on all items, to enable you to label the items you have put in a store in your rucksack. It is durable, soft and handy.
Features
- 40 x 25 x 55 cm.
- Maximum weight of 2.4kg.
- Made of durable polyurethane and polyester that are weather-resistant and lasting.
- Ergonomic shoulder straps.
- Paradiver light.
- Comes in over seven different colours.
Read More: Best Wheeled Duffle Bags
6. Eagle Rucksack with Wheels Bag
This carry-on bag is durable and sturdy, and extremely versatile in usage for you. With its comfortable backstraps, it is easy to carry this bag for long distances without feeling much discomfort. The bag is equipped with a central lock point to enable security for your items and your load.
Features
- 54 cm in size.
- 30 litres volume capacity.
- About 2.7kg in maximum weight capacity.
- Bi-tech armour lite to resist abrasion.
- Lockable, self-repairing zippers to secure compartments effectively.
- Central lock point.
- Heavy-duty, robust wheels.
7. Ariana Rucksack Bag
This Ariana Wheeled Backpack Trolley Laptop rucksack is a most impressive backpack made from heavy-duty polyester material that can be used for various needs. With a top grab handle and also a telescopic handle, the bag can be carried around easily with little discomfort for you. The rucksack is also made of nylon fabric that protects it from water and dirt and can be quite a handy companion on your journeys.
Features
- 36 x 22 x 52 cm.
- Maximum weight capacity of 2.1kg.
- Made of 1680D nylon fabric.
- Adjustable backstraps with telescopic handle.
- Well padded to protect fragile items and laptops.
- Two corner wheels.
8. Eastpak Suitcase with Wheel
This rucksack is formidable, not simply because of its overall capacity of 42 litres, or its durable make of polyester. With compression straps on the bag, it is easy to maintain good volume control for the rucksack while ensuring that all your items are in place. The Tranverz S has a pair of handles and numerous side-pockets to keep your valuables and handy items within easy reach.
Features
- 23 x 32.5 x 23 cm.
- Maximum weight capacity of 2.3kg.
- Made of 100% high-quality polyester.
- Compact and spacious with integrated TSA lock.
- Easy wheeling system for carriage and movement.
9. Cabin Greenwich Hybrid Bag with Wheels
This Greenwich rucksack offers numerous features like internal packing straps; side compression straps, top and side grab handles and is lightweight for easy carriage. Its elaborate and sturdy features ensure that this rucksack is a handy companion for even rough and tiring journeys. You can be sure of safety and comfort with its use, without having much stress.
Features
- 55 x 40 x 20 cm.
- Easy switch from the trolley function to a backpack.
- 44 litres volume capacity.
- Maximum weight capacity of 1.7kg.
- Made of shower-proof, durable 600D PU polyester.
10. 3-in-1 Cabin Bag with Wheels
This product offers a three-in-one experience, and so can be useful in quite some travelling situations. The bag is equipped with an extendable pull-along handle that has two lengths, with padded shoulder straps that make your carriage of the bag comfortable. Produced with the best quality polyester, the bag is waterproof and sturdy enough to carry heavy materials.
Features
- 3-in-1 features of a trolley pack, a backpack with comfortable and sturdy handles, and a hold-all bag.
- 48 x 38 x 20cm.
- Lightweight at about 2.3kg.
- Has a capacity of 42 litres.
- Made of durable, water-resistant 1680D polyester.
- Handle with a release button extends to over 55 cm.
- Comes in a wide variety of colours.
Rucksack with Wheels UK product Guide
Ideal Properties of Best Rucksack With wheels
The beauty of these rucksacks with wheels is that you can be pretty much mobile, no matter the situation, you pull them. You can pack your valuables into the bag, and walk along. So, if the terrain is very rocky, you can still walk, but you can push the bag if you need to, and you still have everything with you. You can also wear the bag if the terrain is flat, and not too harsh for walking.
Another useful feature of these rucksacks with wheels is that the retractable handle allows you to navigate difficult terrain, which is handy. It is a welcome relief when one is carrying a bag on their back, even if it doesn’t provide the same mobility that a backpack does.
The wheels also provide you with an added advantage to put the rucksack on your shoulders, which many people might find useful. Even in extremely hot conditions, you can still wear the rucksack on your shoulders. Still, if the terrain is slightly treacherous, you could probably wear it over your back, which also provides you with additional comfort. It is also good to have a bag that you can wear when carrying the heavy bag so that you can use your arms to power through.
In conclusion, a rucksack with wheels has many benefits, such as ease of transport, storage, and the ability to carry the burden of the rucksack without having to drag it up the rugged terrain.
Before taking that buying decision for a rucksack with wheels, it is apposite that you consider the following tips, to help you to make the wisest choice.
Material type and quality
Firstly, you must evaluate the kind of material that you want to choose from for your rucksack. This is important because the material has to be strong, durable and should be able to be used as a backpack as well, without inconveniencing you considerably. A water-resistant material would therefore be of great value, with a dirt-resistant quality, so that you don’t have your rucksack messed up after a distance of travel. It is also necessary to have a breathable rucksack, to enable ventilation, especially when you have items that could go bad if enclosed in a poorly-ventilated bag. This ventilation is helped by smooth and sturdy zip tracks and pulls, a neat but spaced threadwork on the bag, and a strong bag body frame.
Size of the rucksack
The choice of size depends on you, and the volume of items you are going with on your journey. Some persons are light-packers, and would instead go with a few things than others who are heavy-packers. Also, the length of your trip may determine the type and size of the rucksack of your choice. When embarking on a longer journey, it is essential to pay attention to having a bigger rucksack than the ordinary. Standard IATA dimensions for bags remain at 22” x 18” x 10” which is about 56 x 45 x 25 cm. The reasons for these concerns are so that you do not get to overload and get bothered unnecessarily at the airport for excess luggage.
Durability
Of these buying tips above, this latter one is very crucial. This could be that you did not buy a durable rucksack, you may have yourself suffering the inconveniences of a spoilt and ruffled rucksack while into your journey, especially if the terrain is rough. The durability of your rucksack also affects the state of the items you have in, to avoid you getting some things squashed or spoiled before you have made use of them on your journey. Also, you would love to have a rucksack that you could always reuse on another adventure sometime again.
Style and comfort
Apart from durability, style is quite necessary. You would still want a rucksack that you would love to take memorable pictures with—a rucksack that you’re proud of taking along. In this regard, a rucksack has to have some style and beauty. This style should help the rucksack also to be comfortable. As some designs allow you to carry or pull along your rucksack with little inconveniences comfortably. Some rucksacks are equipped with padding to ease the pressure on your back. When you decide to wear the rucksack over your back. Some others have sturdy designs of handles to make it easy to pull along your rucksack while journeying. Also, the right choice of colour is essential to match your clothing, and also limit the appearance of dirtiness that can come with the rigours of travel. A good, matching and dark hue of colour could be the best for you if you’re avoiding easy stains, or a lighter shade, if you want a more conspicuous companion on your journey.
Pouch designs and ease of packing
Some rucksacks come with numerous pouch openings that help you to put your items in easy-to-remember places in your rucksack carefully. This makes easy the troublesome task of packing and unpacking. When you frequently travel, move, time is of the essence, and ensuring that you get a rucksack with a good pouch design, and an assortment of pouches can help to ease the challenge of getting at a needed item at a short time.
FAQ
These are common questions that you should be aware of before going to take that buying decision on the best rucksack with wheels.
Do the wheels dig into your back when you carry the rucksack?
Yes, sometimes. This is why it is crucial to get a rucksack that has its wheels in place, and not protruding towards the front. Also, some rucksacks come with a foldable cover to place over the wheels to prevent them from digging into your back. Others may be detachable to take off the trolley function of the rucksack.
What is the handle height of the rucksack?
This depends a lot on the product you are buying. Some handles go as far as 55cm when extended further. This enables you to easily pull along your rucksack without the difficulty of bending down towards it. Some other rucksacks have various other grab handles by the sides to allow you to pick up the rucksack like a suitcase. Whichever, ensure that you choose a handle height that is comfortable for you, and adjustable.
What is a good weight for your rucksack?
There are standard IATA recommendations on weight and size; however, you can make sure that you choose a rucksack that is lightweight and can accommodate your items adequately. If the rucksack is heavy, it would merely add to the weight of your items, and this could hinder you from getting past airport requirements. Ensure that your rucksack is also well-padded. This helps the weight not to be overburdening on you when you carry your rucksack.
Conclusion
Without a doubt, travel is quite an adventure. While taking in the beauty of new sights and sounds, it is, however, necessary that you are not inconvenienced or discomforted. Having a handy and useful rucksack with wheels affords you the luxury of enjoying your travel and backpacking experience. Of the many products reviewed, while the Kono Functional Laptop Rucksack with Rolling Wheels is recommended because of its relative affordability, and at the same time, its balance of good features, which is a must-have when trying to make the best choice. The Eagle Creek Expanse Convertible International Carry-On Hand Luggage, even while being the most expensive, is of the best value for your money. Nonetheless, it is my recommendation that the best choice of cost and quality would be the 3-in-1 Wheeled Cabin Approved Trolley Travel Bag. This latter choice offers you a wide range of features and comfort while keeping a relatively low and affordable price for you.
For whichever that you finally choose, ensure that you get the best for your travelling experience. Move quickly from one adventure to another with the best rucksack on wheels.