If you’re wondering how to find the best backpack with wheels then we’ve got you covered.
Choosing the right luggage is one of the most important things you’ll do when you’re preparing to travel. But it’s not always a simple task.
We’ve scoured the market to find and review the very best rucksacks with wheels for all occasions.
A travel backpack with wheels is a fantastic luggage choice for those who want the convenience of rolling their gear but with the option to sling it on their back when needed.
It gives you the best of both worlds and freedom to transport your luggage on your terms.
Perhaps you’re after the perfect small rolling backpack to take on business trips or weekend getaways.
Maybe you’re searching for a rucksack with wheels that’s possible to take on plane journeys as your carry on luggage.
Or it could be that you need a large rolling backpack for a huge round the world adventure you’re planning.
Whatever you need it for, there’s a piece of rolling backpack luggage here for you.
Our wheeled backpack reviews cover the full specifications of each model and what they’re best used for. So let’s dive in!
Best Travel Backpack With Wheels Overall 
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Best Travel Backpack With Wheels and Detachable Daypack 
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Best Midsized Trolley Backpack With Wheels 
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Best Large Travel Backpack With Wheels 
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Best Travel Backpack With Wheels for City Adventurers 
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Best Carry On Backpack With Wheels 
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Best Lightweight Backpack With Wheels 
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Best Travel Backpack With Wheels for Business Travellers 
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Most Durable Travel Backpack With Wheels 
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How to Choose the Best Wheeled Backpack for Travel
What kind of travel backpack with wheels you settle on will largely depend on exactly what you need it for. However, there are a number of elements that every good rolling travel backpack should have.
It needs to be sturdy and able to withstand the rigours of travel whether it’s on your back or rolling along the floor.
The wheels should be able to cope with different terrain and run smoothly at all times. No one wants to squeak and creak their way through a hotel.
A good travel backpack with wheels also needs to have comfortable straps. These are essential for those times when you want to carry it.
Best Travel Backpack With Wheels Overall
Osprey Farpoint 65 Wheeled Travel Pack
Our top choice for the best travel backpack with wheels overall is this awesome Osprey Farpoint 65.
Osprey’s Farpoint models have been hugely popular backpacks for many years and a favourite for travellers the world over. And Osprey wheeled luggage unquestionably sets the standard in this category.
This version of their classic Farpoint bag takes it to new levels by turning it into a rolling travel backpack. But don’t worry, they haven’t simply stuck a pair of wheels on the bottom.
Instead, Osprey have completely redesigned the Farpoint while retaining all of the great features that made it such a popular backpack in the first place.
At 65 litres it’s the average size that most medium to long term travellers opt for. Because of this it’s ideal for virtually any length of trip, from a long weekend to a 6 month adventure.
Its well thought out, top-in-class, hardwearing construction includes large, heavy-duty, high clearance wheels, reinforced chassis and soft straps. This means it’s cut out for everything from city jaunt to a rural getaway.
The straps pack away into their own zippered panel to avoid them getting caught in the wheels. So it feels exactly like a rucksack when you’re carrying it, but functions perfectly as wheeled luggage when you’re not, as any hybrid backpack with wheels should.
The Osprey Farpoint 65 is versatile, virtually indestructible, and a clear frontrunner in our pick for best travel backpack with wheels overall.
Osprey Wheeled Farpoint 65 Key Features
- Oversized, sealed-bearing wheels measuring 90mm provide fantastic clearance allowing you to roll on multiple surfaces
- Wheels are also super durable and built to withstand even the bumpiest of terrain
- Chassis has been strengthened to match
- A full length front panel makes it super simple to pack and unpack
- Padded straps are extremely comfortable and there’s a tensioned mesh panel that keeps the pack off your back for ventilation
- Padded hip belt distributes the weight evenly across your spine
- Top and side handles are padded for comfortable duffel-style carrying
- Extendible single tube rolling handle features comfortable ergonomic grip for excellent control
Osprey Wheeled Farpoint 65 Specifications
Capacity: 65 Litres
Backpack Weight: 6.17 lbs, 2.8 Kgs
Dimensions: 27.56H x 16.14W x 13.39D Inches, 70H x 41W x 34D Centimetres
Best Mid-Sized Trolley Backpack With Wheels
New Zealand gear makers Kathmandu have been perfecting this hybrid backpack with wheels for 15 years. And it’s paid off.
The ongoing idea behind the Kathmandu Hybrid Trolley has been to make it as comfortable and functional as possible. But they wanted to do this while keeping it extremely lightweight.
They’ve tirelessly strived to update and improve this model and this is what most of their decade and a half of work on this bag has gone into.
Stripping out anything unnecessary to ensure that it’s the leanest, meanest mid-sized piece of wheeled backpack luggage on the market.
At 50 litres it’s a fantastic sized piece of rolling backpack luggage for lighter packers. Perfect for long weekends, short breaks or even minimalist long term travellers.
It’s super quick to transform from rolling to carrying and the straps pack away neatly in a zippered compartment.
Kathmandu Hybrid Trolley Key Features
- Durable wheels designed to withstand rough terrain
- Large, front-loading opening for easy packing and unpacking
- Comfortable padded straps intended for extended carrrying
- Padded hip belt to distribute weight evenly across your spine
- Mesh panel to keep pack off your back for ventilation
- Padded top and side handles for comfortable, duffel-style carrying
- Single comfortable extendable handle provides good control when rolling
Kathmandu Hybrid Trolley Specifications
Capacity: 50 Litres
Backpack Weight: 6.87 lbs, 3.12 Kgs
Dimensions: 27.56H x 11.8W x 14.56D Inches, 70H x 30W x 37D Centimetres
Best Large Travel Backpack With Wheels
Find it impossible to pack light? Struggle with the concept of minimalism? Or perhaps you just love bringing back souvenirs from your travels. You’ll need a large travel backpack with wheels.
With a capacity of 80 litres, this Osprey Sojourn is big enough for even the most extravagant of packers.
This bag has two compartments. A top pocket ideal for toiletries and small accessories, plus a large main front-loading compartment for clothes.
The carrying and rolling aspects of this large travel backpack with wheels have both been designed specifically with comfort in mind.
Its backpack straps, back panel and hip belt are all completely adjustable to suit your body type and size.
The strengthened chassis can cope with even the bulkiest of loads while the extra-large wheels make for a smooth roll. Even on uneven or rough surfaces.
Unlike almost any other large backpack with wheels, the Osprey Sojourn 80L has been designed with comfort in mind. You’ll barely know you’re carrying or wheeling extra luggage.
If you’re after a large rolling backpack to take on your travels, look no further.
Osprey Sojourn 80L Key Features
- Tough wheels designed to withstand rough terrain on High Wheeled chassis for extra clearance
- Large, front-loading opening and handy top pocket for easy packing and unpacking
- Main compartment has 4 zippered pockets to help with organisation of your gear
- Comfortable, fully adjustable padded straps intended for extended carrying
- Padded hip belt to distribute weight evenly across your spine
- Anti-gravity inspired back panel and ventilated hip belt for unbelievably comfortable carrying on your back
- Backpanel suspension is removable to provide additional storage if required
- Padded top and side handles for comfortable, duffel-style carrying
- Dual tube extendable handle with comfortable ergonomic grip helps control large loads, particularly on uneven surfaces
Osprey Sojourn 80L Specifications
Capacity: 80 Litres
Backpack Weight: 9 lbs, 4.08 Kgs
Dimensions: 28H x 14W x 14D Inches, 71H x 36W x 35D Centimetres
Best Travel Backpack With Wheels and Detachable Daypack
One of the most popular recent innovations in backpack design has been the addition of detachable daypacks.
Ordinarily you’d have to carry your backpack on your back and your daypack on your front. It makes you look like some kind of pot-bellied turtle.
But backpacks that feature a detachable daypack solve this problem by allowing you to attach one to the other.
While it’s a simple concept, it has to be executed correctly. The most important consideration is that they need to distribute the weight effectively. This stops you toppling over as well as freeing up your front and allowing you ease of movement.
As the market leaders in travel backpacks with wheels, it’s little wonder that Osprey have come up with a winning design once again.
The Osprey Meridian range combines both the detachable daypack and their wheeled backpack technology for the best of both worlds.
The daypack isn’t an afterthought either, it’s a great piece of kit on its own merit. It features a ventilated, tensioned mesh back panel to avoid a sweaty back.
Inside there’s a padded laptop sleeve and zippered tablet sleeve. Plus, on the front there are two mesh pockets for things like water bottles or smaller accessories.
The design of the main pack is extremely spacious. There’s a top pocket ideal for toiletries and small accessories, plus a large main front-loading compartment for clothes.
It still boasts the highroad chassis with large wheels for clearance that the other Osprey models have.
If you’re planning on taking both a backpack and daypack, this makes them extremely easy to carry.
Osprey Meridian 60L Key Features
- Tough wheels designed to withstand rough terrain on High Wheeled chassis for extra clearance
- Large, front-loading opening and handy top pocket for easy packing and unpacking
- Main compartment has 4 zippered pockets to help with organisation of your gear
- Comfortable, adjustable padded straps
- Straps are removable to provide additional storage if required
- Padded top and side handles for comfortable, duffel-style carrying
- Dual tube extendable handle with comfortable ergonomic grip helps control large loads, particularly on uneven surfaces
Osprey Meridian 60L Specifications
Capacity: 60 Litres
Backpack Weight: 8 lbs, 4 Kgs
Dimensions: 22H x 14W x 9D Inches, 56H x 36W x 23D Centimetres
Best Travel Backpack With Wheels for City Adventurers
Eagle Creek Expanse Convertible
If you’re planning on using your bag largely for city breaks, then this Eagle Creek Expanse Convertible is a fantastic option.
This is because in our opinion, it’s primarily a roller. But it does have a great conversion system suitable for occasional use as a backpack when needed.
At 78 litres, it’s a large travel backpack with wheels. But if you’re going to use it as a backpack regularly, we think the Osprey Sojourn 80L is a better option.
However, if you’re looking for wheeled backpack luggage that you can easily throw on your back from time to time, this is definitely a contender.
The design features one large internal compartment with a front opening that runs virtually the length of the backpack. This makes it easy for packing and unpacking and locating items.
It’s made from extremely durable materials to withstand the scuffs and bangs you get with city travel.
The straps and hip support pack away neatly into a panel on the back so you wouldn’t know they were there. The extendable handle is dual tube giving great control over the backpack.
Eagle Creek Expanse Convertible Key Features
- Ultra-durable wheels and a heavy-duty wheel housing able to cope with all terrains
- Large, front-loading opening
- Large external zippered front pocket and a zippered water-bottle side pocket
- Self healing zips
- Interior compression straps
- Comfortable, adjustable padded suspension shoulder straps and hip strap that pack away neatly behind zipped panel
- Made from scuff-proof material designed to be resistant to and hide any knocks and scratches
- Top and side handles for comfortable, duffel-style carrying
- Dual tube extendable aluminium handle with comfortable grip
Eagle Creek Expanse Convertible Specifications
Capacity: 78 Litres
Backpack Weight: 9.47 lbs, 4.3 Kgs
Dimensions: 16H x 29W x 12.25D Inches, 41H x 74W x 31D Centimetres
Best Carry On Backpack With Wheels
Victorinox VX Touring Wheeled 2-in-1 Carry-On
If you’re looking for a stylish lightweight backpack with wheels, then this Victorinox Vx Touring ticks all the boxes.
Cool rolling backpacks aren’t too easy to come by, most are designed for function first and foremost. However, this backpack roller bag not only works perfectly, but it looks great as well.
You probably associate the Victorinox brand with their world renowned line of Swiss Army Knives. But they do so much more than that, making everything from watches to fragrances and plenty in between.
But that combination of kick-ass design and outstanding functionality is a constant theme running through all their products. This hybrid backpack with wheels is no different.
The main compartment is spacious at 40 litres and features numerous zippered compartments to help organise your gear.
The pack also expands for those occasions when you need to stuff more things in, controlled with external compression straps.
Its wheels are designed for smooth and easy rolling on a range of surfaces and made from solid materials.
To convert it to a backpack you simply attach the comfortable, padded shoulder straps and adjust. It can be done in a matter of seconds.
There’s also a handy fabric wheel cover that slides over them when you’ve got it on your back to protect your clothing.
If you’re into travelling stylishly without compromising on practicality, this backpacking bag with wheels is an excellent choice.
Victorinox Vx Touring Key Features
- Sturdy wheels for smooth rolling
- Zip-away wheel cover to protect clothing from dirt when using as backpack
- Lightweight, durable construction
- Large, front-loading opening
- Main compartment has numerous organisational pockets
- Large external zippered front pocket and a zippered water-bottle side pocket
- Exterior padded front laptop pocket
- Zippered side pocket for quick access
- Two rear, wet pockets perfect for things like shoes, swimsuits or worn clothes.
- Exterior compression straps
- Comfortable, adjustable padded shoulder straps with chest strap that pack away neatly behind zipped panel
- Beautiful patterned fabric design made from water resistant material
- Top and side handles for comfortable, duffel-style carrying
- Single pole handle system with comfortable grip handle that locks into three different positions
Victorinox Vx Touring Convertible Specifications
Capacity: 40 Litres
Backpack Weight: 6 lbs, 2.7 Kgs
Dimensions: 21.6H x 14.1W x 9D Inches, 55H x 36W x 23D Centimetres
Best Lightweight Backpack With Wheels
Ideal for carry on luggage, the Hynes Eagle is an extremely lightweight rolling backpack.
Weighing in at just 4.6 lbs (2.1 Kgs), it’s the lightest travel rucksack with wheels on our list. It’s also one of the lightest on the market period.
But despite the fact that it’s a lightweight backpack with wheels, it packs a punch that belies its size.
It’s deceptively roomy with a large, front opening main compartment that’s easy to access and zips almost full length.
It also has an external front organiser compartment that features numerous pockets and organisational segments. It’s perfect for things like passports, pens, notebooks and electrical gadgets. There’s also a detachable sleeve for laptops or tablets.
Thanks to its size and shape it fits both under the seat or in the overhead compartments on most airlines. Though we’d always recommend you double check with each specific airline beforehand.
The wheels are designed to be smooth rolling, though they’re pretty small and don’t have huge clearance. Because of this, the Hynes Eagle is more suited to less rural environments with smooth, even surfaces to roll on.
It’s super simple to switch it to a backpack by freeing the straps from their cover. The straps themselves are padded for extra comfort and there’s also a waist strap to distribute the weight.
The bag also has a wheel cover for when you choose to use it as a backpack. This stops dirt and debris from the wheels from getting on your clothing.
Hynes Eagle 42L Key Features
- Extremely lightweight backpack with wheels that’s suitable for carry-on luggage
- Extremely lightweight construction but durable and hard-wearing at the same time
- Large, front-loading opening
- Large front organiser compartment with detachable laptop/tablet case
- Exterior compression straps
- Comfortable, adjustable padded suspension shoulder straps and hip strap that pack away neatly behind panel
- Constructed from durable material to withstand knocks and scratches
- Padded top handle for comfortable, duffel-style carrying
- Single tube telescopic handle with comfortable grip
Hynes Eagle 42L Convertible Specifications
Capacity: 42 Litres
Backpack Weight: 4.6 lbs, 2.1 Kgs
Dimensions: 21.3H x 13.8W x 9.0D Inches, 54H x 35W x 23D Centimetres
Best Travel Backpack With Wheels for Business Travellers
This Racini Business model is a small backpack with wheels that’s perfect for business travel and short trips.
There’s one main detail that sets it apart from all the other travel backpacks with wheels on this list. In fact, it’s unlike almost every other rucksack with wheels on the market because it has four wheels, not two.
This might seem like a small difference, but for many people it’s an important distinction. Four wheels means you don’t have to pull the bag behind you or incline it to roll.
For some travellers this is preferable as it’s really easy to wheel, particularly on smoother surfaces. It’s far easier to manoeuvre and takes less effort to shift.
This is the reason it’s a great bag for business travellers or short trips like weekend getaways. You’re not likely to be rolling across rough terrain.
It’s easily converted into a backpack with comfortable straps that enable you to sling it on your back. Additionally, the wheels are all removable. Useful if you’re planning to use it as a backpack for an extended period of time.
Racini Business Key Features
- Four 360 degree wheels, perfect for smooth surfaces
- Durable, lightweight material that’s also tear and water resistant
- Multiple handy external pockets including 2 side and 2 front pockets
- Large external zippered front pocket and a zippered water-bottle side pocket
- Anti-theft zips
- Comfortable, adjustable, padded, air-flow shoulders straps suspension that pack away into zipped back panel
- Padded top handle for comfortable carrying
- Fully adjustable, single extendable aluminium handle with comfortable grip
Racini Business Specifications
Capacity: Unknown
Backpack Weight: 7.6 lbs, 3.4 Kgs
Dimensions: 22.4H x 13.8W x 9.6D Inches, 56.8H x 35W x 24.3D Centimetres
Most Durable Travel Backpack With Wheels
Want a travel backpack with wheels that’s designed to be rolled in even the toughest of conditions? Here it is.
The Lowe Alpine AT 60 was made especially for adventurers and designed from top to bottom with durability in mind.
The fabric itself is TPU coated meaning it’s both hard-wearing and water resistant. It’s able to stand up to even the roughest of treatment.
Its wheels are oversized and were created specifically for off-road expeditions meaning they’re perfect for almost any surface.
Virtually unbreakable metal buckles secure the external compression straps and the lockable zips are completely tamper proof. Your stuff is undoubtedly safe and secure in this backpack roller bag.
This trolley backpack boasts top functionality while managing to look great at the same time.
At 60 litres it’s spacious enough for any length of trip, from short journeys to extended expeditions.
Lowe Alpine AT Wheelie Key Features
- Extra large, extremely durable wheels designed to cope with off-road terrains
- Extremely lightweight construction but durable and hard-wearing at the same time
- Large, front-loading opening with interior organisational mesh compartment
- Internal and external compression straps
- Comfortable, adjustable padded shoulder strap harness system that packs away neatly behind zipped panel
- Made from hard-wearing TPU coated fabric for great durability and water resistance
- Tamper-proof, lockable zips
- Top and side grab handles for comfortable, duffel-style carrying
- Unique, extra wide dual tube handle for excellent control and comfort
Lowe Alpine AT Wheelie Specifications
Capacity: 60 Litres
Backpack Weight: 8.92 lbs, 4.05 Kgs
Dimensions: 27.1H x 16.5W x 14.1D Inches, 69H x 42W x 36D Centimetres
Do You Need Packing Cubes for Your Rucksack With Wheels?
Regardless of which travel backpack with wheels you opt for, we’d strongly recommend you pair it with a great set of packing cubes. They help organise your backpack and maximise the available space.
We learnt the hard way how essential packing cubes are to keeping your sanity on the road. We use them on every trip we take now and wouldn’t go anywhere without them.
If you want to know more about how to choose the perfect set of packing cubes we’ve got a full rundown here.
But if you’re looking for a quick solution, we’d suggest checking out this eBags set which is our top pick.
Check Out Our Other Travel Gear Recommendation Posts
- The Best Towel for Travel 2023
- The Best Water Bottle With Filter for Travel 2023
- Best Packing Cubes for Backpacking 2023
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Travel lover, professional writer and football (soccer) obsessive, James loves nothing more than getting outside and exploring little known corners of the globe. He’s also very partial to a drop of Guinness.
