What Suits Me Best! – Suitcases & Luggage
On February 2, 2019 by ClaireTravel can have its pros and cons. Mostly, I find the pros greatly outweigh the cons. But I never anticipated this happening! I was standing on a walkway at the airport when I was struck by a piece of “runaway” luggage!
This was the first time I learned about the minor disadvantage of luggage with spinning wheels – and the good and bad points! These rotating wheels allow you to easily pull, push or turn the luggage. It’s very convenient. But just be sure, that it’s on a flat surface and not a slope, when you come to a stop!
In choosing the right suitcase for yourself, there are several things to take into consideration. One of the first things to decide is if you want soft sided luggage, or a hard shell. Some people find the hard shell to be more durable, but the soft sided luggage is more flexible for packing.
Depending on how often you travel – whether it’s seldom, on a regular basis, or frequently, will have a lot to do with your final decision. People who travel on business and need to packs suits, will want to look for luggage where the inside has different compartments, and an area for hanging suits. If you’re traveling by air, train, bus, or car, that will make a difference in your choice as well.
If you travel on a regular basis, I highly recommend purchasing luggage that has durable zippers, high-quality wheels, hardware and handles. The “wear and tear” on luggage especially when traveling by air, is more than you think. The last thing you want, is a wheel falling off your baggage while walking long distances at airports, train stations, etc.! It’s not fun being jet-lagged and having to drag your suitcase along for quite a distance, especially after a long, bumpy flight!
I have personally observed some baggage handlers not being the most cautious employees, so please keep that in mind. When it comes to soft-sided luggage, I have seen small tears in my new luggage (which the airlines will not cover) within my first couple of flights. Regardless you will get wear and tear on your luggage after so many flights, and will need to replace it eventually.
The size of the luggage is also important. The length of your trip, how much you pack, and even the climate at your destination, will help you determine the size you need. You must keep in mind if you are traveling by air, what the size and weight limitations are for your airline. Luggage scales are a convenient way to check the weight of your luggage.
I also like my luggage to have some different compartments. Some have pockets on the inside, both large and small, that help keep my packed items more organized. When there are compartments on the outside, I find them convenient to use for items that I need to easily reach.
The price of each piece of luggage will vary upon the size, the materials, and quality which you desire. Luggage comes in many different colors. The color is a personal preference, although the darker colors show less dirt than the lighter colors.
These are my personal recommendations on how to decide which luggage to buy, based on many years of traveling. I hope you find that some of these tips are useful to you!
Listed below are some links for luggage that I have used or recommend, which come in a variety of size, quality and price. For an even more specific search, where you are looking for an exact item name and brand, type it into the search box of the page that appears when the link is clicked on, and it will then come up immediately.
For a FREE general packing list, click here.
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Briggs and Riley Luggage on Amazon
Great picture: And the tortoise!