Whether you travel for business or pleasure, a suitcase or two is an important thing to have. However, buying a suitcase is not as easy as it looks at first. To ensure you walk away with a good deal, a suitcase that will last for years, and to get a good value for your money, there are a number of factors you want to consider when buying a suitcase, whether it's a name brand like Hartmann or Samsonite suitcases, or a cheap suitcase you find on sale. What are these factors?
1 - Suitcase Size
When it comes to suitcase size, you want to consider whether you are using this suitcase as carry-on bag or checked luggage. This will have a huge impact on your size. A good approach to ensure you choose the best sized suitcase is to check the online website of the airline you frequently fly; they should have their carry-on and checked luggage limitations listed. You might want to buy a little on the small side of what the airlines allow, they seem to be cracking down more and more on luggage allowances these days.
2 - Luggage Portability
Not only is it important to get a good-sized suitcase to ensure you don't have to check your carry-on bag or pay an extra fee due to an oversized bag, size is important to portability too. Of course, you want a suitcase that is easy to lift. However, Samsonite suitcases and other popular brands come with wheels and a pull-along handle. While you may be unable to wheel your suitcase down an airplane aisle, extra portability should come in handy when walking around the airport.
3 - Accessibility Of Packed Items
When buying a suitcase, accessibility should be an important factor to consider. Whether it be in your hotel or reaching up into the luggage compartment, it should be easy to find what you need. A million small compartments sounds nice at first, but this tends to make it harder to quickly get items from your suitcase and is more tedious to pack and unpack. Small suitcases designed as carry-on luggage are more accessible and this is important since you may need to grab something from your bag on the airplane. With an easy-to-access bag, you can just open the compartment, unzip, and grab what you need.
4 - Durability - Will Your Suitcase Last?
Durability is a must when buying a suitcase. Whether it be a carry-on suitcase or a checked suitcase, they go through a lot of abuse. Your luggage is worthless if it can't stand up to a few dings or tosses from airport luggage handlers. You want wheels that can handle bumpy paths and the weather. You want zippers that open with ease for hundreds of zips and unzips. Some of the most well-known brands, such as Samsonite suitcases, have solid warranties, typically up to 10 years, that backs up their durability luggage claims.
5 - Cost Of The Suitcase - Is Cheap Luggage Worth It?
Here is the thing about costs: we as consumers want to save money, but you should never sacrifice quality for price. Remember, a strong and durable suitcase is a better investment for years of use than one that is cheap, but will deteriorate quickly over time. Not only does a nice suitcase improve the overall travel experience, but you get a better value for your money in the long run. Find a good brand, such as TravelPro, Hartmann, or Samsonite suitcases. Then compare prices on those to find the best price on high-quality items. A cheap suitcase may seem like a good deal now, but not when you need to buy a replacement more quickly than you had anticipated.
