The ABCs of Travel Luggage: How to Choose the Right Option for Your Needs

If you travel often you know how important a good suitcase is. Your travel luggage should be sturdy, durable, spacious and fit to your needs. You should never compromise on quality. Make sure you invest a couple of more dollars now because you’ll be replacing the cheap suitcase after just a few trips to the airport.

If you think about it, your suitcase is an extension of yourself while travelling. It holds everything you need for your trip and keeps it safe throughout your journey. That’s why you should be extra careful when selecting a spacious and versatile travel suitcase on sale to make sure that it meets all your requirements.

Types of Travell Luggage

Carry-On

Just like the name suggests, this is the type of luggage you carry with you in the plane and store it in the locker over your head. This is a very broad category of luggage that embraces everything from suitcases to backpacks. Every carry-on is a different size, so always check the size guide for the specific airline you’re travelling with.

A carry-on is a great way to save some money on check-in fees. But this will only work if you’re a person who doesn’t carry around a lot of clothes, shoes and other necessities. They’re limited with space and often don’t fit more than 8-10kg of cargo. When it comes to style and design, you have plenty of options. You can get a high-quality travel suitcase on sale and use it for many years to come.

Check-In

This type of luggage is bigger than the carry-on. This is the one you need to check in at the airport because it’s too big to fit inside the aeroplane’s cabin. Again, this includes luggage in many shapes and sizes. Every airline has some limitations when it comes to the size and weight of the suitcase so make sure you follow those.

Check-in luggage has its own pros and cons. One big pro is that you can carry more items with you. More clothes, more accessories. Many of them have wheels so you can easily transport them from point A to point B. However, all airlines ask for extra payment for these suitcases. Oftentimes, the heavier it is, the more you have to pay.

Duffel Bags

Over time, the duffel bag has become one of the most popular luggage options. People love it for many reasons. The number one reason is its affordability. Next comes its durability and practicality. Some of them even come with dedicated wheels for easier transport. The ones with wheels are usually bigger and have more compartments and pockets to store your belongings.

The non-wheeled ones are simpler and smaller. They usually have only one zipped compartment and not a lot of pockets. Another great feature of duffel bags is their shoulder strap which makes them much easier to carry around. Overall, these bags are excellent for both frequent and not-so-frequent travellers.

Weekend Bags

The stylish weekend bag, often known as the weekender, is made for quick getaways. It has a sleek aesthetics and appeals to stylish city dwellers. This is the main thing that sets it apart from the duffel bag. Weekend bags are usually made of leather and they’re very durable. If you don’t want to spend your money on leather, there are more budget-friendly materials. It’s perfect for short trips, but if you need to pack heavy, this is not the bag for you.

What to Consider When Buying

Size

Size is a very important factor to consider. Not only because of the airline’s regulations but because of your ability to handle it when you’re alone. Sometimes, there won’t be people around to help you carry that 30kg suitcase up the stairs. If you’re buying your first travel suitcase on sale, make sure it suits the requirements of the airline with its height, width, depth and weight.

Features

Modern luggage comes with many different features that will make your travels much simpler and easier. They’ll help you with transportation, storage and protection. First, choose a recognisable colour. Something bright or with fun patterns from the luggage sale, you can easily see on the luggage carousel. A piggyback clip can be very practical. It allows you to clip another bag on the first one. This is an attachment you can buy separately if the suitcase doesn’t have one.

Wheels are a great addition. Suitcases can have 2 or 4 wheels. 2-wheeled ones are lighter and easier to handle when you’re running and going over a curb. 4-wheeled ones are more balanced and easier to pull sideways. Rolling luggage is much easier to carry around if you have a telescopic handle. The handle should be easily retractable and sturdy.

It shouldn’t be too long to annoy other people or too short for your feet to kick it with every step. If you’re a person who likes to go shopping when travelling, you’ll need an expandable suitcase. Security locks will give you peace of mind. They’ll keep your valuables locked and safe from possible thieves. There are many types of locks, lock and key, combination locks, cable locks, keyless locks etc.

Hard vs. Soft Shell Luggage

Hard Shell

Hard-shell luggage is the more durable option. It has a more rigid exterior and it’s made of stronger materials such as polycarbonate, polypropylene, ABS plastic and an addition of aluminium. It’s not very flexible but this means that your belongings, especially delicate, fragile items, are well protected.

The shell itself is water resistant. The only way water can get inside is through the zipper. Hard-shell suitcases are more resilient to the rigours treatment that checked-in baggage goes through. They often have a divider inside and a few pockets for smaller items.

Soft Shell

Soft shell luggage is also known as soft-sided luggage and it’s made of materials such as nylon, polyester or a combination of both. It usually has expandable sides which adds more storage space. It’s usually not so good at water resistance but there’s a waterproof PVC lining that can save your things during a light rain. Compared to hard-shell luggage, this one has many compartments and pockets inside and out. This will make you more organised and give you space to store your valuables carefully.