So you’re heading off on the trip of your dreams and you’re wondering how to pack? There are so many different types of luggage available these days, it can be hard to know what will be best for your dream trip.
Let me give you a few things to consider when picking your most important travel accessory. This is your ultimate guide on how to choose the best luggage.
Luggage size – don’t let your eyes be bigger than your muscles!
Many people make the mistake of travelling with luggage that is too big and too full – it becomes an inconvenience. In my nine years of being a tour leader, I saw too many people struggling to move their luggage even a couple of metres! Sometimes you may find yourself in smaller accommodations that don’t have elevators, so keep in mind that you may end up climbing many flights of stairs.
I would always recommend a medium sized suitcase for these kinds of trips and to be selective with what you pack. You’re better off leaving home with some free space in your luggage because you are guaranteed to buy things along the way.
For travelling to city destinations, I like to apply the theory of ‘If I need it, I’ll buy it.’ The plus side? You get to go home wearing clothes you picked up in Paris or Rome and inevitably people back home will ask you where you got it, leading to your casually cool response about the awesome places you’ve been to!
Packing your suitcase can also become a tiring daily chore for even the most experienced traveller, which evolves into a bigger hurdle when it’s so full you have to sit on it to zip it closed. Save yourself the frustration and pack only eighty percent full before you head off.
Hard or soft case suitcase?
A lot of people get worried about things breaking in a soft case suitcase. I have travelled extensively with both hard and soft suitcases and I find soft is my preference. As long as you make sure breakables are near the centre, you should be fine. They also tend to be lighter than hard case suitcases and so you’ll have less trouble weighing in at the airport.
If you prefer to go with a hard case, my recommendation is that you don’t skimp on the quality. I have seen many hard suitcases crack, so it’s worth investing in a decent brand. Whichever you prefer, you’ll find most have a zip right along the middle, opening the case into two even halves. This was a revolutionary development in suitcase design, making your belongings much easier to access than back in the old days where you had to dig to the depths of your case to find what you were looking for.
Some other things to consider…
Don’t be shy when choosing your travel companion, let your personality shine! A colourful or patterned suitcase will be easier to spot on the airport luggage belt and amongst the luggage of your tour group.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a case these days which doesn’t have wheels, but should you get a two or four wheeler? Both work well, but I find the two-wheelers break less often, are better on cobble-stones and take up less space in the coach luggage compartment.
If you decide you want to lock your suitcase, I would always recommend a good combination lock. That way there are no keys for you to lose or lock inside your suitcase, leading to a hunt for the nearest bolt-cutters! Better to avoid that all together with a key-free lock.
For tours that start and finish in the same place, you may want to enquire with the hotel about storing luggage for the duration of the tour if it’s just a small part of a longer trip. That way you can leave anything you don’t need at the start/end point of your tour and avoid lugging things around unnecessarily. However, not all hotels will oblige, so shoot them an email or give them a call in advance.
A note on carry-on luggage…
Again, smaller is the way forward. Remember that even if you’re on a full-sized coach, small suitcases are not usually classified as carry-on luggage in the tour operator’s luggage restrictions. These small suitcases will fit in the overheads on an airplane, but not in your home-on-wheels! Better to go with a small backpack or a large soft hand-bag.
It’s also always a good idea to make sure all of your valuables are in your carry-on luggage, along with basic necessities (medication, underwear, etc), should the worst happen and your luggage is delayed. Remember though, that liquids need to be under 100ml when you go through airport security!
Suitcases are a good option for travel where you don’t anticipate walking long distances with your luggage, where most of your destinations are cities and hotels, but for nature and adventure tours or camping tours, luggage that you can carry on your shoulders is the way to go.
There are some great backpacks on the market these days, also with a zip around the middle for easier access. There are some models with wheels, but I find they can be uncomfortable on your back where the handle slides in.
But wherever you’re going and whichever suitcase or pack you fall in love with, remember – if you can’t carry it, you don’t need it!
