When you’re planning on purchasing anything, it is important that you do your research first so that you don’t end up wasting money on something that you will end up hating.
This is especially crucial for travel items because you wouldn’t want something to go wrong when you’re nowhere near your house. Thus, you should always do the right research about your travel items, especially your luggage of choice.
There is a lot to consider when it comes to choosing the kind of luggage that you would want to be carrying during your travels. The factors that affect your choice will be based on preference, utility, and convenience.
With that said, below are some of the things you should consider when you plan on purchasing luggage:
1. Size and weight
The first thing you should consider before purchasing any sort of suitcase or piece of luggage is its size and weight. For example, carry-on luggage will be different from your check-in luggage.
For those who haven’t traveled by plane yet, let’s first define what is carry-on luggage and what is check-in luggage.
Carry-on luggage is a piece of luggage that you are allowed to bring with you into the passenger cabin of the plane. The check-in luggage is luggage that you leave in the hold of the plane. Considering their differences, you would need to determine a different set of size and weight for both.
The ideal size and weight of your carry-on depend on the airline, really. However, it should be smaller than your check-in because you have limited space to work with.
Your check-in shouldn’t be too large either because it may be heavy even without anything added into it, which would be a shame when it comes to the weighing of your luggage.
2. Security features
Sometimes, you can’t trust people to be decent enough not to mess with your stuff. So, you should make sure that you protect your belongings.
One way to do this is by purchasing luggage that has a great security feature. Most of the commercial pieces of luggage should have a security feature built-in or if they don’t, then they usually give you the option to attach a lock on your suitcase.
Make sure that you check that the suitcase you plan on purchasing has any form of security in place, not only for your peace of mind but also for prevention. It’s better to be safe than sorry, after all.
3. Construction and durability
The next factor that you should look into before buying is your luggage’s construction and durability.
Your luggage will go through quite a lot during your travels so you should make sure that you have a brand that is known to have a durable construction. Otherwise, it can be a hassle during the trip.
When it comes to durability, you should also look into waterproof suitcases or luggage. You wouldn’t want to get caught in the rain and all of your clothes, even the ones you aren’t wearing, are wet.
Look at customer reviews to give you a better insight into a brand’s overall durability and quality of construction.
4. Wheelability
Another important aspect when it comes to purchasing luggage or a suitcase is to determine just how wheelable your luggage is.
Luggage can come with either two or four wheels. It’s all a matter of preference, really, as both of these offer different advantages.
The two-wheeled luggage is a classic design and you’re sure that it will be pretty stable even when surfaces are at an incline. On the other hand, four-wheeled luggage can spin and move with relative ease. However, it may run away from you when you find yourself having to navigate with it at an incline.
5. Luggage portability
Last but not least, you should look into how portable your luggage is.
Don’t go for bulky bags because they can hinder the comfort of your travels. It’s best to pack light as much as possible. Plus, this will leave room for you to get some souvenirs in too.
You would want to have portable luggage because you will be on the move most of the time when traveling. This is especially true if you’re going backpacking and are carrying everything with you in one bag.