Luggage Buying Tips

From LoveToKnow Buy

Buying a simple piece of luggage isn't exactly a science, but there is method to the madness. Many travelers stuff their belongings in a duffel bag, others get suitcases large enough to fit a whole person. Very few travelers buy smart luggage, an astonishing fact seeing as how easy it is to do so. You can find inexpensive but good quality luggage at many retail stores and online dealers. Below you'll find some tips for choosing the luggage that best fits your travel needs and your bank account.

How to Buy Luggage, Baggage, Suitcases and Travel Bags

Luggage Buying Tips

Size

Packing light is the first mantra of every travel guide, but perfecting it is an artform that takes time to master. To facilitate packing minimalism, keep your luggage small and simple. Avoid buying big suitcases, as these encourage you to throw any and everything into the empty space without further consideration.

Comfort

You'll be carrying this stuff around for a long time, so make sure it's comfortable. Wheels, padded straps and shoulder loops ease the strain on your tired muscles. The most efficient bag has lots of small pouches on the outside with loops and zippers to attach other things. This distributes the weight, encourages you to pack smartly, and helps you keep your things organized for quick-access to passports or other important items.

Design

When choosing a luggage design, don't go for the usual boring black. Standing at the airport carousel, you'll see hundreds of identical suitcases float by. Opt for something a little different, a piece of luggage with a design or a simple stripe of color can make you a lot less jumpy when waiting for your bags.

Durability

Luggage takes a pounding. Don't expect it to continue to look new and clean trip after trip, and don't expect it to last forever. However, focused research over the last number of years has produced some great fabrics and components that are surprisingly resilient. Nylon is the preferred fabric for durability, specifically ballistic nylon. There are many levels of strength in the various ballistic nylons, and they do generally line up by price. Ballistic refers to the weave, a 2-over-2 pattern, and is, as you probably guessed, the type of fabric weave used in bulletproof vests. Strength of the fiber itself is measured in "denier", but beware the use of this term in marketing! Higher denier numbers are not necessarily better. For example, a DuPont 1050 Denier ballistic is one of the best--stronger than common 1680 or 2520 Denier weaves. Most zippers are nylon coil and "self-healing", that is, a few zips back and forth, and any bad zipper teeth connections usually straighten out. Zipper tabs should be oversized, big enough to grab and pull with ease. On upright luggage (which most is these days) the better wheels have sealed ball bearings and are the same wheels used on in-line skates. They run smoothly and quietly. Pull-up handles should be aluminum or fiberglas--lightweight yet strong. They should lock into place and some feature more than one height setting. A good consideration when buying a suitcase is to look for supportive "back-up" straps. These usually wrap around the bag and snap in the front, ensuring the bag doesn't burst open if the zipper fails. In general the sturdier straps the better, as they can be tied and linked together for an extra secure bag.

Where to Buy Luggage

Just about any department store or travel outlet will have a good selection of luggage. Brand names will usually offer better quality, but test the strength of the zippers' teeth and tug on the straps yourself just to make sure.

Sharon Luggage & Gifts Longtime luggage and travel retailer Sharon Luggage & Gifts features top quality brands built for the serious traveler including Tumi, Hartmann, Andiamo, Briggs & Riley, and Victorinox by Swiss Army Brands. Durability with style is the focus here, accompanied by expert customer service. Sharon Luggage also features casual luggage, packing and travel accessories for your trip, as well as a huge selection of business cases.

Rick Steves' Store - The famous traveler has an online store with some of the most intelligently-designed luggage on the planet. Rick's job is to write travel guides and he spends more than 6 months out of each year on the road living out of his luggage. Everything here is designed with comfort and efficiency in mind.

eBay Luggage - Online retailer eBay offers a good luggage guide with accompanying auctions and store links where you can find the luggage you need at the prices you want.

LuggageSource - This online resource has many famous brands in one convenient location. If you're looking for a particular manufacturer, this is the best place to go.