You’ve booked your holiday and the countdown begins. It still feels like it is somehow never going to happen. That is until you fill a suitcase full of brand new summer clothes. For your perfect trip, you will want to look fabulous and have confidence that the wheels attached to your luggage are not going to fall off on the way to the hotel. Or perhaps you often travel on business and your main concern is functionality. Whatever the reason you are searching for some new luggage, we can help steer you in the right direction.
Read on to see our suggestions of things you may wish to consider when choosing the best luggage for you.
What is luggage?
Luggage is a bag or suitcase that is used to carry items needed for travel. You can find luggage made from synthetic materials or even leather. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes with a variety of features. With a little bit of effort, you can usually find a piece of luggage that matches both your personality and your needs. You can even get motorized luggage if manual labor isn’t your forte.
You can find suitcases that are super stylish or purely functional. Technically a small handbag is classed as luggage if it is required for travel. For the purpose of this guide, we will concentrate on luggage that is large enough for at least a long weekend away.
Why do you need luggage?
Most people will need to buy luggage at some point. There are many reasons why this might be the case. Here is a list of some of them.
Regular Jet Setter
Many social media influencers travel as part of their job. Someone who is wealthy might just choose to spend a few years traveling the globe and broadening their minds. It is also popular for students to take a gap year to travel or volunteer abroad. For people who move from place to place using the same luggage, it is important to consider the changing terrain. You may wish to consider what type of wheels your suitcase uses. In this instance, a wheeled suitcase with a strap for your back might be the best option.
Travel For Work
If you regularly travel for work, you will want a suitcase that looks professional. Staying away for a couple of nights will only require a suitcase that can be taken on a plane as hand luggage. You will need to consider the dimensions of the case and its weight.
For example, In-line skate wheels create smaller dimensions but take up some of the inner room of a suitcase. Spinner wheels, on the other hand, add to dimensions and take up no inner room. Consider that you might also need different compartments within your suitcase for storing documents etc.
Moving Away Temporarily
There are several reasons why you might need to move somewhere for a certain amount of time and return to your original address. You may need to travel with the army, or work and live on an outdoor activities site. Maybe you are going away to college.
You will probably need a couple of pieces of luggage for these trips. One piece of hold luggage and one piece of cabin luggage, depending on how you travel. You may also want to consider buying both a suitcase and a backpack. You may struggle if you need to carry all your luggage in your hands.
City Break or a Week’s Vacation
If you like to go on a good vacation once a year, you might only need to buy a suitcase once in your lifetime, especially if you choose one that has a good reputation for its durability. You will need to consider how many items you are taking with you and the terrain of the place you are visiting. You might want to choose a suitcase a little larger than you need so you can buy souvenirs.
Things to consider before buying luggage?
Some luggage is better suited to particular trips than others. To get the most out of your luggage, you may want to consider some factors
Backpack, Tote Bag, or Suitcase?
Backpacks are the best option for rough terrain and camping trips. They may also be better suited to trips involving a lot of public transport use. Sometimes there is not enough room on public transport to wheel a suitcase behind you. Backpacks are also great for keeping your hands free.
Tote bags might be the preferred option for short trips that involve light items. You don’t want to carry a heavy bag if you don’t have to. Tote bags are great if you are driving and only moving your luggage from your car to your hotel room. They often have the most unique and beautiful designs as well, so you can arrive in style.
Suitcases are perfect for flights and vacations where you get a taxi from the airport. They may require more physical strength to maneuver than a tote bag and backpack, but they can also hold a lot more items.
Size and shape
If you are choosing cabin luggage, you will need to follow the weight and size guidance specified on your booking confirmation. Bringing a piece of luggage that is too large will result in paying extra to put it on the hold. If you are sharing a car with someone else, you don’t want to use up all the space with your luggage alone.
Two pieces of luggage that look similar on the outside could have different amounts of inner space available. This will depend on the material used and the space taken up by the wheels. Some suitcases contain internal compression systems. They are more expensive but might be worth the investment.
Material
Softside luggage, as the name suggests, is made from softer materials than hardside luggage. The flexibility of material luggage allows a bit of stretch for over-packing. The pliability also makes the luggage a little easier to maneuver into overhead compartments. Choose materials that are stain-resistant and waterproof. Ballistic nylon is often used as it defends wear and tear. Some designs give you the option to carry the luggage like a backpack or wheel it along the ground. These are great for multiple terrains.
Hardside luggage is the best option if you are transporting fragile items. Most older models of hardside luggage will be much heavier than softside luggage. Newer models are often lighter than their vintage counterparts, but just as strong. However, they offer less flexibility than softside luggage.
Visual design
You will want to be able to pick your suitcase out from the crowd at the airport. Choosing a bright design will help you to do just that when you’re waiting at the baggage carousel. If you are driving yourself or have a backpack that is unlikely to leave your side, this is probably less of a concern.
Luggage comes in a variety of colors and designs to suit whatever your style may be.
Luggage price range
The price of your suitcase depends on the brand as well as the size and its features. You can expect to pay around $50 on a budget. For a mid-tier suitcase, you are looking at $100. For a premium suitcase, you should expect to spend $200. Backpack and tote bags vary between $20 and $200. The designer doesn’t always mean better, but it certainly means more expensive.
FAQ
What is the most durable luggage material?
For hardside luggage polycarbonate, aluminum, ABS, and polypropylene are the most popular materials. Aluminum suitcases are one of the strongest but more expensive, followed by polycarbonate, polypropylene, and ABS.
What size suitcase do I need for a two-week holiday?
Choose a medium to a large suitcase. You want to make sure it still has a level of durability so traversing the airport is as painless as possible.