I deal with a LOT of luggage. No joke. When I work a big bus tour, I handle more than 50 bags every day. I know which ones break! I see some bags that don't make it 6 days on a bus tour. This article I'm calling part 1 of my tool box.
Luggage
Even the word is daunting. LUG anything around and it is a burden. With more and more airlines charging for checked bags, and now carry-on bags, this is becoming even more important. Square or round, soft-sided or hard-shell...? I spoke to a contact who is an engineer in airport operations. I have carried each of these bags at some point in time. Long story short, I keep returning to this one bag that I got in high school every time another suitcase breaks. It's an LL Bean Rolling Adventure Duffle. Current retail price is $109.95, but I see this item on sale a lot, especially during the holidays.
The good, and the not as good...
Soft shell: This bag is tough, but beware, it's not a hard shell bag. If your goals are to buy nice artwork, put it in a cardboard tube, and carry it home in this luggage, then you might want to consider a hard shell. For everything else, this is great. The soft shell means the bag is very light. When on a long trip, every pound counts. It is also a standard duffle, meaning it is meant to lay flat on the ground. I roll my eyes watching people trying to stand this bag on end... so, watch out, this bag will end up being dropped a lot, but it can handle it (as long as your contents can handle it, too!). I have brought home big bottles of olive oil wrapped up in clothes in this bag with no problem. But, always double bag them in zip top bags!!! (just a side note- if you travel to Italy, Spain, or Greece and want to bring back olive oil, always pack 4 or 5 two-gallon zipper bags. Then, you can double, or even triple bag it for added security on the flight home.
Wheels and handle: Very sturdy. This bag has been traveling with me for years to Europe. It has rolled through snow, ice, cobblestones, and more. I've never had to replace a wheel. The handle fits flush into the bag, so no fears of those pesky airlines breaking it. It also has a handle on the bottom so that you can easily pick it up with both hands to load it into a car, or carry it down the steps at a subway station.
Size: Get LARGE. The extra large is too big to fly with. I find that the large stuffed to the brim with clothes is reliably under 50 pounds (the limit for most checked bags). Add more weight for liquids, shoes, and souvenirs.
Interior: This is a one-pocket bag. Yes, it can be difficult to organize, but a purchase of some packing cubes can cure that problem! Personally, I like the one large pocket. It prevents that really disturbing scenario of pulling a bag out of the closet a year after a trip and finding a pair of dirty socks stuffed into one of the pockets!
The manufacturer: It is rare these days to find a company that stands by their products like this. LL Bean has a satisfaction guarantee. If anything on the bag doesn't live up, they will replace it. I have had this bag since high school, and I only sent it back once. The reason? One plastic buckle on the cinch-down straps broke off on it's 200th (?) flight. I tried to get them to mail me a new buckle, but they insisted on replacing the entire bag. That's a company I want to buy from again!
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