Opinion: I’m sick of your suitcase shaming

Packing light and carrying a backpack doesn't make you a better person, says Rebecca Hallett.

Everyone has their travel pet peeves. People who recline their seats on aeroplanes, selfie sticks, coach tours… For me, it’s suitcase shaming. I’m used to arriving at the airport and being greeted with a glance at my bag, a raised eyebrow and a “wow, someone doesn’t travel light.”

This inevitable comment always used to be accompanied by a sinking in my stomach. I’d force a smile and try to laugh it off: “you know me, always high maintenance, what can I do?” Though there are worse things than a snarky line from a travel companion, it would start every trip on a sour note.

But over time I’ve realised that I’m not the problem – and my lovely, practical, hardwearing suitcase certainly isn’t. The problem is the weird need for one-upmanship so prevalent in travel, the sense that casually swinging a backpack over your shoulder or never checking a bag makes you a better traveller than your friend with the wheelie suitcase.

I’m not buying it anymore – and here’s why.

A backpack isn’t always best

The first thing people seem to take issue with is the bag itself, and I admit, there are some places where my big wheelie suitcase would not be appropriate – on a trek in the Amazon Basin, for instance, or in Venice if I don’t want dirty looks from the locals.

But the same can be true of the backpacks “proper” travellers like to insist I should use instead, which don’t exactly lend themselves to a weekend in Paris and will not make you any friends on the metro.

Unsplash

Can’t you just buy it there?

Of course, most of the judgement I receive isn’t about the bag, it’s about… well, what I’ve packed. And one argument that keeps getting wheeled out (no pun intended) is the classic “can’t you just buy it all when you’re there?”.

This does make sense in a lot of ways, of course. Most of us know the joys of wandering around a foreign supermarket, happily uncertain about whether that jar of gloop is even sweet or savoury. But this pleasant sense of ignorance doesn’t extend to toiletries for me.

The thought of spending my precious holiday time trying to find a replacement shampoo seems like a waste. Not to mention the frustration of trying to figure out what’s suitable for me when confronted with shelves of unfamiliar brand names. Why waste my time, money and a hefty amount of plastic when I already own that stuff?

Unsplash

Minimalism isn’t for everyone

The most insidious aspect of suitcase shaming is the moral element. There’s a sense that you’re showing reliance on the trappings of economic privilege, that a good person just doesn’t need that much stuff. It only weighs you down, man.

Of course, being able to travel for leisure is itself a huge privilege, regardless of what you bring with you. But leaving that aside, I just don’t think this argument holds water.

If you’re someone who’s happy throwing two pairs of shoes, two outfits and some clean underwear into a backpack and jetting off, that’s great. But not everyone enjoys that. It doesn’t mean we’re slaves to capitalism, or that we can’t cope without a cocoon of home comforts. It really does just mean that we prefer to have more things with us on holiday, that we like having different outfits for hiking, museum visits and fancy dinners. Maybe there’s no hidden meaning here?

Over time, I’ve got used to the gentle judgement inherent in the “someone doesn’t pack light” comment. It no longer makes me feel ashamed, or even particularly annoyed. Now, I just smile and say “no, it’s not for me. By the way, if you’ve forgotten anything, don’t worry, you can borrow some of mine.” And they always need to in the end.

Read more travel opinion pieces

Why tallying up the countries you've visited misses the point entirely

What a carry on: in praise of the checked bag

In defence of the travel selfie