A traveler’s guide to choosing the right type of luggage
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Getting ready for a new trip ? I’m sure the thought of what type of luggage to carry with you is on your mind. This article will tell you which factors to consider when making your choice about the type of luggage to carry.
Let’s get right to it. Here are the factors you should keep in mind when making your decision :
- Your mode of travel
- Your duration of stay
- Your “home away from home” (where you’ll be staying)
- Your frequency of travel (how often you travel)
Mode of travel
How much room you have for your luggage will depend on your mode of transport. If you travel by airplane, you’re usually allowed to check-in 2 pieces of luggage, and carry one piece of hand (or carry on) luggage.
However, traveling by bus or train often limits the amount of luggage you can carry. Sometimes you might find a hold baggage area in a bus or train to stow away your bags. But more often, you will only have the luxury of stowing one small piece of luggage in an overhead compartment or bin. If you are traveling by car, on the other hand, your luggage space is limited only by the size of your car.
Your duration of stay
The length of your journey is also another obvious factor for your luggage size. You’ll want to carry a smaller bag for your weekend business trip, compared to the one you’ll carry on a three-week long visit to your Aunt Glenda.
Basically, the longer you’ll be away, the more clothes and other personal items you’ll need. So, in this case, make sure you carry a bigger bag that you can fit all that stuff into.
Your “home away from home” (where you’ll be staying)
This factor is often overlooked, but it is still useful to take this into account when choosing your luggage. Here are 2 examples of how your place of stay might influence your luggage selection :
- If you are going to have access to laundry facilities, you may not need to pack as many clothes, and hence should need smaller bags.
- If you are staying in a place that’s not the safest in the world, you will want luggage that can be securely locked and that is difficult to break into.
I’m sure you can think of other ways your place of stay would affect your choice of luggage, depending on your specific circumstances.
Your frequency of travel (how often you travel)
If you’re not a frequent traveler, and don’t plan on traveling anytime soon in the near future, then borrowing luggage, rather than buying it, might be more cost-effective for you.
But if you travel often, you will be better off buying luggage that is extremely durable and that can handle the wear and tear that your luggage will endure (especially airplane luggage). In this case, you might end up spending a little more, but I strongly suggest you go for a sturdier piece of luggage. This one-time investment will pay for itself over time.
SIDEBAR
Of course, you should always keep in mind not only the size, but the quality of the luggage you are buying. Bags are often thrown around and handled roughly when you travel. The last thing you want to deal with is a broken zipper or a ripped seam when you are in an airport or hotel far from home.
END SIDEBAR
So, now you have a good idea of how your luggage selection should depend upon how you are traveling, how long you’ll be gone, where you will be staying, and how often you travel overall. With the information in this article, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about the right type of luggage to carry with you on your future trips.
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