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Some friends asked me what kind of luggage I use, especially for a trip this long, so I typed up a really long post for them. Here is a condensed version of it.
From top to bottom, right to left we have:
- Samsonite hard-body large suitcase - my main one if I need to check a bag, for any trips 1 week and up.
- Samsonite soft carry-on spinner - the new suitcase, will become my main carry-on from now on. I may also check it sometimes.
- Random soft carry-on - I got this in Barcelona, Spain for $10 at a market. It has surprisingly held up well as one of my main carry-ons for 4 years now. It's not good quality but it is light and a decent size for a 3-4 day trip.
- Blue Sisley flight purse - what I usually take as my "personal item", and I often put my laptop in there too. Very large purse basically.
- Garment bag - always taken when we go on cruises for formal wear.
- Pink leather laptop bag - I don't use this much anymore now that I have a 13" lappy, but it comes with me occasionally.
- Tan leather carry-on - we brought this back from Columbia 20 years ago, and it is still strong and beautiful. But it has no carry-strap.
- Brown carry-on - this is my other new one. Looks like a bag but has hidden wheels, yay!
- Black carry-on - given to me when I won a scholarship. It is my main bag for weekend trips and often a carry-on as well. Such a great bag!
- Sherpa dog carrier - this is Betsey's dog carrier for when I take her on planes. It is TSA approved and I cannot recommend it enough for in-cabin dog travel. This is a size medium - she is 9=10 lbs.
- Pacsafe travel purse - the most secure system you can have against pickpockets. I got it last year for trekking around and will use it this year too. I'll elaborate more on this in a bit.
- Pink Swissgear backpack - I used this when we did minor backpacking last year. It was great to go around with, really durable, I even checked it on one of our planes. I got a pink one because if someone grabbed it from me, it would be very easy to spot, and what male is going to want to grab a pink backpack? (same reason I have a pink camera, by the way)
So here's a few basic luggage tips:
- Travel with a carry-on. If you can get away with it and pack lightly, just take a carry-on. This saves the hassle of checking baggage, waiting for it later, and possibly loss, theft, or damaged luggage. In the past year, I have only checked a bag three times. Sometimes it adds up to an hour to get your bag after you land.
- Inspect your luggage before every trip. Straps, handles, and wheels. Today I found my big suitcase had old gum basically glued to a wheel. It took an hour to clean it out and would have been really bad if I had noticed it at the last minute.
- Label your suitcase! Label it! Now! I put at least one tag on the outside, usually two. If I'm going overseas, in the inside of the case I put my overseas address, my e-mail, and my travel itinerary. Put a tag on your carry-on too! Brightly colored tags, like you can see on my cheapo rolling bag, can make a plain black bag easier to spot.
- When you buy a suitcase, look at the quality. Is the fabric or plastic outside sturdy? Is there a liner on the inside? Are the zippers and locks nice? Make sure they are high quality and aren't already stuck or broken. Ballistic nylon and Codura nylon are the best fabrics. I don't recommend brocade or tweed because it's easily cut and heavy. Louis Vuitton and other designer suitcases are more likely to be broken into or have things stolen from.
- What size is it? And what size do you need? If the average length of your trips is 3 days, you can usually get by with a carry-on sized bag. If you travel for a week or more, at least one large bag is recommended. Women usually pack more than men do. If you need suits or nice dresses. a garment bag is nearly a necessity. It's nice to have a large assortment of bags to choose from, but the average casual traveler can usually get away with the basics: a large suitcase, a carry-on sized suitcase, and a soft duffel bag.
- What about wheels? Does it have any? 4 wheeled suitcases or spinners are the easiest to push around and can stand up without you holding them. Are the wheels thick and attached well? I've had them break mid-trip before and that's horrible. Recessed wheels that look like in-line skate wheels are the best and sturdiest.
- Handles - make sure they are comfortable for you. Pick up the suitcase. Pull out the telescoping handle and make sure it is a good length for you and that it's of good quality. Is it protected on the inside of the suitcase? Could it support other bags being looped over it?
- If you lock it, use TSA-approved locks. They even have luggage straps now, for those of you that like that sort of thing. Set all other combinations on your suitcase to 000 just in case, so the TSA won't break your locks.
- The interior hardware. Are there straps to hold clothes in place? Any interior pockets, and are there maybe too many pockets for you?If it's a garment bag, are the hanging portions very strong? Will it support 3-8 dresses or suits being hung in it? Can you use your own hangars in it?
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