Backpack vs Messenger bag - Travel?

Hello I´m planning to travel to Europe, the Middle East and Asia. I will like to know if is better to travel with a backpack or a messenger bag. I´m trying to decide based on security, comfort, trying not to get attention (blending in), and so on.

A messenger bag will KILL your shoulders walking around in the airport, and in the cities. It will also be more difficult to maneuver in the cramped isles of an airplane with a messenger bag by your side.
I would definately choose a backpack!

messenger bag your backpack can easily be opened without you noticing it and its more comfortable in my opinion i wish i had the guts to do what your doing

Backpack definitely for comfort, and probably will not pose any more problems in security than a messenger bag would.

Have fun traveling, you're lucky you have time to do that!

Messenger bag.
you could loosen straps enough to allow bag to hang behind you low enough to not be a pain in your back.

Having traveled with both, I'd say a backpack. You do need to be more careful about security with one, but that can be easily remedied with a decent lock, and it more than makes up for the comfort factor. The messenger bag is definitely far lest comfortable. Also the backpack will have a lot more capacity, and is the standard for young travelers in Eurpe at least. So the blending in thing is fine.

Both. I took a large backpack when traveling destination to destination, then locked my backpack in a locker when at a particular city and took the meesengar bag with the things needed around town. Only problem with the messanger bags is that at places with lots of people thiefs can grab it slice the strap and go. A backpack with a small lock is much harder to steal.

It probably depends on what you're carrying, where you're going and how long you're going to stay.

My first reaction was a backpack--if you're going to do a lot of walking/backpacking, the weight will will more distributed across your shoulders (if you have the right type of backpack). I'd say you're more likely to blend in with the backpacking/touristy crowd.

It's always possible to get either stolen--people opening your backpack without noticing or your messenger being ripped off your shoulder. I knew someone who had his backpack stolen with most of his CD collection in it. Why he brought his CD collection wasn't really clear.

A messenger back is slightly more business-type, although again that depends on what the messenger looks like. You might be targeted if theives think you have a laptop.

You could always get either bag in black. That will blend in more because so many people's luggage is black. It might be harder to find and locate if you lose it/it gets stolen though.

Good luck! Enjoy your trip!!