Top 3 Things To Look For In A Travel Luggage
My current travel luggage lasted me over 10 years and been with me to over 15 different countries in all kinds of terrain and weather condition. Now its time for a replacement due to broken wheels and the handle bar disconnecting from the luggage itself. This luggage has been taken on bumpy cobblestone streets of Europe, survived the harsh winter of Hokkaido, Japan and even thrown into a bed of an uber truck in Las Vegas. I love things that last a long time and things that aren’t expensive. Here are my top 3 tips on things to look for in a travel luggage.
Table of Contents
1. Buy only hard shell, not soft shell luggages
The two main kinds of luggage you will choose is between Hard Shell and Soft Shell. Despite Soft Shell luggage being on average a bit cheaper and lighter than Hard Shell, Hard Shell luggage are worth the extra money. Because of their Hard Shell nature, its more resistant to all kinds of weather and environment. They are also easier to clean than their Soft Shell counterparts since liquids do not soak into the materials. If you are like me and want to bring back souvenirs, there is a substantial higher chance of your gifts being in one piece in a Hard Shell luggage because the shell doesn’t flex.
Despite Soft Shell luggage being on average a bit cheaper and lighter than Hard Shell, Hard Shell luggage are worth the extra money.
2. The hard shell luggage must have double-wheels
The wheels are an important part of your purchasing decision unless you plan on carrying your things on your back. There are two main kinds of wheels, one is a single wheel and the other is a double wheeled. Get the double wheeled all the time because it provides a more stable experience in rocky terrain and most important, far more reliable. The weight of your luggage is distributed to eight wheels in a double wheeled setup instead of four. Less pressure per wheel means less wear and tear. So observe carefully that your luggage is double wheeled.
3. Medium travel luggage is the perfect size
There are three main types of size of luggage you will come across. The smallest is the carry-on size. Then there are the medium check in luggage and the large check in luggage. I recommend getting the medium check in luggage as it hits the sweet spot between portability and practically. Its big enough for your essential goods and gifts but compact enough so you can temporary lift it up if you need to go down stairs.
Bonus Information, built-in TSA locks
Only purchase a luggage model with a built in TSA lock. For the safety of your items, its good to have a built in lock to protect it against thief. Also with the built in TSA lock, no need to worry about losing the keys to unlock it since all of them are opened via combination. Nowadays even the affordable and cheap luggage has a built in TSA lock so there is no excuse not to have one.
