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Travel Luggage Guide

In a world where travel has become an everyday part of life for many and where air travel has become so cheap if you travel light, finding the right travel luggage for your trip is essential! Gone are the days when you could take on board the largest suitcase you could possibly find and cram it jam packed with items you don’t need. No, today’s travel is all about packing smartly and only taking the essential items you will need but somehow trying to fit them all into a travel bag that will manage to comply with your hand luggage allowance, hand luggage restrictions and weight.

Choosing The Right Travel Luggage For Your Trip

So, you are embarking on your holiday or business trip but what is the best travel luggage for you?

The first thing you need to consider is how long you will be away and what you will actually need for your trip. This will then determine how much luggage you will need to take and whether or not you can get away with only taking hand luggage or whether you will need to take extra luggage or check-in ‘hold luggage’ too. Obviously, the amount of luggage you can take and what type of luggage you take will be determine by the type of transport you are travelling by. Air, rail, coach, car and sea travel all have their own advantages and disadvantage regarding travel luggage, restrictions and allowances and you should ensure you a familiar with the policies before travel.

The plus point about travel luggage today is that is has become lighter and lighter and if you are restricted on weight, one important feature that any type of luggage should have is its weight. Some suitcases are so heavy when they are empty that even before you have put a single item in them, you have used up a considerable portion of your weight allowance. This really is a total waste of valuable weight and certainly the type of luggage you should avoid, especially if you are hoping to use your weight allowance to the maximum. If possible, you should try and buy the lightest type of travel luggage you can find! Whether you are only travelling with hand luggage or with extra Hold luggage, the lighter the suitcase is when it is empty, the better!

Everyone’s travel requirements are different and so too are their reasons for travel. People travel for all manner of reasons and this is why travel luggage varies so much. There are a wide variety of different types of travel luggage available on the market today and they are all designed for specific types of travel. No matter what type of travel luggage you are looking for, you will always find that the different makes and models all vary in weight and it can be worthwhile paying a little extra for the lightest one.

The traditional suitcase is probably one of the most popular types of travel luggage sold but there are so many other types such as cabin bags, trolley cases, holdalls, backpacks, rucksacks, shoulder bags, briefcases, suit carriers, ski bags, snowboard bags, golf bags to name but a few and no matter what your reason for travel is, you will be able to find suitable luggage for your trip.

Below is a list of some of the more popular types of travel luggage.

Light Weight Suitcases

As we mentioned previously, luggage has become so much lighter and now you can buy a 22 litre capacity ‘Cabin Bag’ that weighs just 1.41kg. You can also buy large lightweight suitcases for hold luggage, which weigh a lot less than other suitcases of the same size. This is great for any traveller who wishes to travel with only hand luggage. Having ultra lightweight luggage that is so light when it is empty, gives you much more packing ability in terms of weight and what you can put in it. The tough fibre glass frame means that although the bag is lightweight, it is still strong and very durable.

Cabin Size Luggage

Due to the introduction of low cost flights, ‘Cabin Size Luggage’ has become very popular. More and more companies are now making luggage to the exact dimensions to comply with the low cost airlines ‘Hand Luggage’ policies. Once again, these cabin size luggage options are becoming lighter and lighter in both soft and hard shell.

Golf Travel Bag 

Golf holidays have become more popular over the years, especially now that more and more destinations around the world have golf courses. If you are travelling with golf clubs, you will want to ensure that they are protected in transit. Golf bags are the perfect solutions for protecting your golf clubs and they are relatively cheap in comparison to how much your clubs are worth and how much it would cost to replace them if they were damaged. Golf bags come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours and you can get them in soft or hard shell. If you are looking for ultimate protection, a hard golf travel case such as the Big Max I-Guard Travel Case, would be the ideal choice.

Weekender Bags

Weekender Bags are a great choice of travel luggage if you are going away for the weekend or for a couple of days on a short break. The casual look of the weekender bag means that you can use it for many occasion and even when you are away, it can be used as a beach bag, shoulder bag or larger handbag. They come in a range of sizes and if you are going away for a night or two, they are big enough to fit in a change of clothes, toiletries and other accessories you may need.

Hard Case Suitcase

Hard case suitcases are a popular option and certainly offer better protection that soft suitcases if you are wanting to pack items that are fragile. However, hard suitcases can be more expensive and tend to be a little heavier. Also, because they are hard, they do not have much flexibility and this can be a disadvantage when you need to place the suitcase in the ‘cabin Baggage Size guide’ at the departure gate or check-in. Obviously, the choice is yours as to which type of suitcase you choose between soft or hard and if you are not too bothered about the weight and price, then a hard suitcase it a great choice.

Travel Luggage With Wheels

Luggage with wheels is a god send, especially when you have a long distance to walk from terminal to terminal at the airport or from your transfer to your accommodation. Whatever type of luggage you are looking for, you will be able to find one that has wheels. If you can find luggage with wheels, it is certainly worth purchasing it rather than purchasing luggage without wheels. Travel luggage with wheels has become much cheaper over the years and you can now find some real bargains!

4 Wheeled Suitcases      

Any luggage with wheels is a bonus and now you can buy luggage with 4 wheels. The beauty of a 4 wheeled suitcase is that you do not have to tip it and you can push and steer the luggage in the upright position as you walk. This type of travel luggage is excellent for people with mobility issues as it takes very little effort and minimal lifting.

Overnight Bags

Pretty much like Weekender bags, overnight bags are ideal for one or two night stays. They are casual, medium sized and can be used for all manner of occasions. They are fantastic for carrying as hand luggage and do not exceed the ‘Hand Luggage restriction’ limit.

Toiletry Bags

Toiletry bags may not be the first items of luggage you think about when you talk about travel luggage but they are an essential piece of luggage for most people. When you are buying a toiletry bag, try to choose a compact lightweight bag that you can easily carry in your hand luggage and that will not make too much difference to your weight. Remember, all your toiletries will need to go into the bag and they will all add to the total weight of your baggage.

Sports Bags

Many people travel all around the world to destinations that offer sports activities. Skiing and snowboarding are certainly two of the more popular activities people do throughout the year and as a result, need to transport their ski and snowboard equipment to their chosen destination. Ski and snowboard bags come in a wide range of styles and if you have your own ski or snowboard equipment, you should ensure you have the correct protection.

Business Luggage

If you are a regular business traveller, you will know just how important it is to have a good travel bag that is designed for business professionals. Having the right luggage for your business travel needs makes travelling for business so much easier. There are some great pieces of luggage on the market that are designed for the business traveller which have separate compartments for files, documents, laptops, ipads, mobile phones, chargers and a main compartment for clothes.

Find the right travel luggage for your trip below.

 

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