How to Choose the travel Luggage Fit for You!
Samsonite Hard case Luggage
When we chose our travel luggage, we looked into many factors that all need consideration. Your luggage has to fit your lifestyle, and how long your piece of luggage lasts will be the answer on if you made the correct decision or not. We are going to outline the difference in types of luggage and explain how that will impact you so that you can make an educated decision.
1. Do I actually need luggage? Depending on the type of travelling you are doing, luggage can hold you back. Many backpackers that hop from location to location opt for getting a large backpack rather than a cumbersome heavy piece of luggage. Although most of these backpacks are not carry on capable as they can exceed the size maximum of the airline, they can store as much as a piece of luggage! If I am staying in a hotel for longer periods of time I opt to take luggage. If I am living off the beaten path and need to keep my luggage close to me I would definitely take a hiking/backpackers backpack.
2. Should I buy one with 2 wheels or 4 wheel?
I chose to buy the 4 wheel unit because of the easy glide it has in the airports. When you have 4 wheels it is easier to move around on flat ground and it does not tip over like the 2 wheel luggage. Most of the higher end luggage will have 4 wheels, that does not mean that they are the best for everyone. Having 4 wheels is one extra thing to break, we have experienced this first hand and the warranties these luggage come with will often not cover the wheel problems. You are not supposed to move a 4 wheel luggage on 2 wheels. This can be very hard not to do because anytime you are going uphill or in rougher terrain, you have to drag the luggage behind you.
If you know you will be doing a lot of this then make sure you buy the 2 wheel models as it will be easier to drag behind you and fast!
3. Hard Case or soft case?
Hard case luggage are solid and are great for carrying something you are trying to protect. For example I use my hard case luggage to carry electronics like my playstation or X Box because if it is packed tightly everything stays in place as if it were it a manufacturer box! One of the negatives of hard shell luggage is that they usually don’t have much for storage inside. Further to this if you buy lower end hard case luggage it can crack when the airport staff are throwing it around or if other luggage is stacked on top of it. You would not have this problem with any of the top luggage brands such as Samsonite, Rocklands, Kelsey, Briggs & Riley, Travel pro or US traveller.
Soft case luggage are great for all around travelling and organization, especially if you are travelling with kids. There are usually several compartments, one for you cords and chargers, one for toiletries, exterior pockets for shoes and jackets, and interior half for delicate item separate from the main compartment. You can also use this type of luggage as his and hers, where each person has their own side of the luggage. We love to shop so having luggage that has a bit of stretch is very important for us! Again I stress that you should stick with the more popular brands as their warranties are much better and the quality of bag is usually much better. I have had a lot of cheap luggage in my days and they do not last. For a large size expect to pay $120 to $250 depending on what you want.
4. Expansion zippers
Expansion zippers in luggage can allow you to fit up to 25% more in the bag. This is great if you find some good sales in you travels! Also if you are using one bag for a whole family the space is important.
5. Size of luggage
There can be many opinions for this but in my opinion as an all around traveller that sometimes does short trips and also does long trips is that medium sized bags make no sense. They are and extra item that the luggage companies capitalize on so that you either have to buy a small cabin capable bag or a large bag eventually. I have a large bag 30 inch X19 inch because it does not matter once it is checked in. Along with a cabin sized luggage for the short trips. The cabin sized luggage can actually store a lot of stuff. Enough for 3-4 day getaways for a single person. Cabin sized bags are 19 inch X 13 inch on average.
6. Super lightweight bags or standard?
Samsonite and a few other brands have come out with super lightweight bags. These things are incredible and will eventually pay for themselves in weight overage at airports. They are 7-12lbs lighter than the average empty bag allowing you to pack more stuff. I would say lightweight all day. With lightweight luggage you don’t even have to skimp on the compartments it is all the same!
For more travel tips check out our blog at…..adventugo.com/blog. You can also get a custom itinerary from adventugo.com/travel-plans/.
You can also follow Adventugo on Facebook and instagram! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adventugoinc/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adventugo/
