How to buy Luggage
Luggage is important to all tourists. A holiday can easily be ruined by luggage that is the wrong size or that simply isn´t up to the punishment of international travel. There is nothing worse for a traveller than running out of luggage space or even having that luggage fall to pieces - baggage handlers are notorious for their harsh treatment of your valued possessions. Here are a few tips to bring you and your ideal luggage set together.
- Your first task is to determine the volume/size that you will require. Consider how long you will be travelling for and how much you will want to bring with you. More is not always better - the larger your luggage the more effort it will require on your part to haul it around on your travels. If you will be moving from city to city every few days, two medium sized cases will be better than one overly large case. Likewise, if you will be staying in places for extended periods, the bigger the better. Also remember to include spare space in your calculations for all the things that you'll buy on your travels.
- Your next step will be to determine your budget. By having a predetermined amount that you are willing to spend, you can narrow your search faster - there are a myriad options out there - and you'll be able to more easily identify the best quality luggage that you can afford.
- If you decide to purchase luggage with built in wheels, you must make sure that the support for them robust - expect many uneven surfaces. If you are going to roll your luggage even over short distances in a city like Amsterdam, it is going to take a battering due to the many cobble stone streets. Another thing to remember is the spacing of the wheels. Wheels that are too closely spaced to each other relative to the width of the luggage will mean it will tend to fall over as you pull it.
- If you pick soft luggage, you'll need to make sure that the fabric is durable enough and not of poor quality. The advantage of soft luggage is it is more easily placed in to over head comparments etc. Hard luggage will either fit or it will not, there is no possibility of squeezing it in to a slightly smaller space. Soft luggage though will leave your possessions more vulnerable to moisture and hard knocks. On the other hand, a hard knock won't damage the soft luggage itself, whereas a hard knock to hard luggage will leave a lasting dent.
- Zippers and seams are usually the vulnerable points of luggage. Make sure they are sturdy and of high quality. A broken zip or busted seam can render your luggage useless.
- The color of your luggage is also important. The majority of travellers pick black as it is a better option for hiding those bumps and knocks that will dirty your luggage. However, consider going for another color as it will make identifying your luggage a lot more easy when it is in a large stack with other luggage, such as at the airport. A good option is a dark shaded color so you can easily spot your luggage, but it also hides any small bumps and scratches well.
- Make sure you check with your airline in advance for any restrictions on size - especially for carry on luggage.
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