With so many modern styles on the market, it’s hard to know what the best luggage is for you. The nature of your trip – length, level of adventure, and how far away it is from home – will largely dictate the kind of bag you take with you, but it also comes down to personal style. And how good you are at packing! Check out these best luggage tips to figure out what will be more suitable for your adventures.
Suitcase
This classic style of luggage has come on leaps and bounds in the last couple of decades. You can now find suitcases that are lightweight, durable, and simple to wheel around, making your travels easier than ever. These are among the most hard-wearing luggage around, especially firm cover suitcases that are in no danger of getting damaged by luggage handlers at airports. Some people don’t favour the traditional suitcase though because they can get under your (and other people’s) feet and be a pain to drag around.
Best for: Breaks to a single destination, road trips where they neatly pack into the trunk, and travellers who struggle to carry heavy loads
Not suitable for: long trips where you hop between countries
Backpack
Cherished by adventurous travellers, the backpack has also evolved hugely over the last few years. As backpacking has become more and more popular, and increasing numbers of people choose to hop on a flight to Thailand to explore Southeast Asia or go travelling around Europe, a broader range of backpack sizes and styles has been created. You can not get backpacks with pockets all over the place and secret compartments.
The drawback for some people with backpacks is that they’re slightly cumbersome to carry. This, of course, depends on how little you manage to pack inside you backpack, but if you’re going on a longer trip and need more things, lugging around a backpack can get a bit tiresome.
Best for: young people, multi-country trips, outdoor adventures
Not suitable for: bad backs!
Duffel bag
A duffel bag if often thought of as something in between a suitcase and a backpack. It’s got all the flexibility of a backpack, which means you can cram a lot in a duffel bag, and some of them come on wheels so you can switch between carrying your bag and pulling it along whenever you please.
The drawback of a duffel bag is that these aren’t quite as common so you might not find the right style you want. As they’re not often used for outdoor purposes, a duffel bag also might not be as durable as a suitcase or backpack – their fabric is more prone to tearing.
Best for: carry-on luggage – lots can fit in a duffel bag, travellers who want the versatility of carrying or pulling along
Not suitable for: trips that require durability and waterproof luggage
Carry-on only
Masters of luggage packing choose to only take a carry-on piece with them and not much else. The clear benefit of this is that you can enjoy the freedom of having minimal luggage to take around with you. With no heavy baggage weighing you down, your travels feel much smoother (especially when it comes to a stress-free airport experience).
If you’re not good at packing light, however, this option can be difficult. It’s sometimes not even worth the stress of trying to cram your things all into one small bag – just bite the bullet and check in a hold bag on your flight and save yourself the bother!
Best for: quick city breaks, ninja packers
Not suitable for: long-term trips
