Luggage
Apr 29th, 2005, 12:36 PM
#1
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Luggage
I'm new to traveling and my first trip to Europe will be for my honeymoon to Italy for 2 weeks. We are going to three different places so I want to make sure I have the perfect luggage for packing, unpacking and moving around. Does anyone have any suggestions of the essential pieces I need or your "can't live without" piece of luggege. Thanks!
Apr 29th, 2005, 12:47 PM
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Reminded me of that great line in Steel Magnolias, "Oh, you know I love you more than my luggage."
Hope you get some great responses, I am always up for hearing about this stuff!
Congrats honeymooner, T.
Hope you get some great responses, I am always up for hearing about this stuff!
Congrats honeymooner, T.
Apr 29th, 2005, 12:56 PM
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There is no perfect luggage.
What you select is a trade off among many factors including size, weight, strength, and cost.
I buy the cheapest luggage from a reputable department store. The suitcase must look and feel sturdy because even the best gets badly dinged in transit, particularly on trans Atlantic flights.
Empty weight is also a factor. Those rolling cases are fine but the wheel mechanisms and the handle assembly can be very heavy when you have to hoist them up higher than your head, like onto a train luggage rack. Then, even 25 pounds can seem very heavy unless you are a weight lifter.
You need two pieces of luggage for a long trip. One piece is your main luggage that contains most of your clothes. This one for me usually is in the 25 inch to 27 inch range, with wheels and a handle. The second piece is one that is small enough to fit into the overhead bin of an airplane but large enough to carry what I need. I personally have a bag from Samsonite that is softsided,has a shoulder strap, and is flexible enough to be squeezed into place if need be.
Never travel with your medicines and other essential supplies in your checked luggage. And I always have enough clean clothes in my carry-on to sustain me for a day in case my main suitcase goes elsewhere.
For example, two years ago when we flew home from Munich, we got as far as Charlotte in style. Then, US Airways Express cancelled two consecutive flights to our final destination, and we were stuck. We ended up in a motel with only our carry-on luggage. Fortunately, the essentials were in our hands.
You never know, so go prepared.
I never could stuff enough into cabin baggage to last me the full two or three weeks! But remember, if you travel by train, you will have to carry your luggage and lift it frequently.
The acid test is this: can you get your luggage down from the rack, get it off the train, and carry it to your next train which leaves in 3 minutes?
One person cannot carry all the luggage for two people - usually.
What you select is a trade off among many factors including size, weight, strength, and cost.
I buy the cheapest luggage from a reputable department store. The suitcase must look and feel sturdy because even the best gets badly dinged in transit, particularly on trans Atlantic flights.
Empty weight is also a factor. Those rolling cases are fine but the wheel mechanisms and the handle assembly can be very heavy when you have to hoist them up higher than your head, like onto a train luggage rack. Then, even 25 pounds can seem very heavy unless you are a weight lifter.
You need two pieces of luggage for a long trip. One piece is your main luggage that contains most of your clothes. This one for me usually is in the 25 inch to 27 inch range, with wheels and a handle. The second piece is one that is small enough to fit into the overhead bin of an airplane but large enough to carry what I need. I personally have a bag from Samsonite that is softsided,has a shoulder strap, and is flexible enough to be squeezed into place if need be.
Never travel with your medicines and other essential supplies in your checked luggage. And I always have enough clean clothes in my carry-on to sustain me for a day in case my main suitcase goes elsewhere.
For example, two years ago when we flew home from Munich, we got as far as Charlotte in style. Then, US Airways Express cancelled two consecutive flights to our final destination, and we were stuck. We ended up in a motel with only our carry-on luggage. Fortunately, the essentials were in our hands.
You never know, so go prepared.
I never could stuff enough into cabin baggage to last me the full two or three weeks! But remember, if you travel by train, you will have to carry your luggage and lift it frequently.
The acid test is this: can you get your luggage down from the rack, get it off the train, and carry it to your next train which leaves in 3 minutes?
One person cannot carry all the luggage for two people - usually.
Apr 29th, 2005, 01:21 PM
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Hi Aug2005honeymooner, Congratulations on your wedding and honeymoon. Cannot think of a better country to visit for this wonderful event then Italy!
bob_brown has given you some great advice. Do make sure the luggage you buy is a light as possible. I got rid of a couple of fantastic pieces because one day I realized they were heavy even before I put anything in them.
A lot of people have suggested looking at luggage on EBay. Others have had fantastic luck with luggage from Ross, Marshall's etc.
As far as essentials, one piece of luggage and one carryon each is all you should take. A lot of people have been able to get by with a 22inch suitcase. The one I have is bigger and consequently I am thinking of buying a 22 inch.
If you utilize the search box here on Fodor's you will find good post regarding how to pack without overpacking, although I know you will want to feel wonderful every moment of your honeymoon.
It seems to be true that buying the most expensive luggage does not mean you are buying the best luggage for travelling (which is what we buy our luggage for).
Use this search engine here for ideas from other experienced travellers, go out and look around and see what appeals to you. Nothing else to do while preparing for a wedding is there?
Best wishes.
bob_brown has given you some great advice. Do make sure the luggage you buy is a light as possible. I got rid of a couple of fantastic pieces because one day I realized they were heavy even before I put anything in them.
A lot of people have suggested looking at luggage on EBay. Others have had fantastic luck with luggage from Ross, Marshall's etc.
As far as essentials, one piece of luggage and one carryon each is all you should take. A lot of people have been able to get by with a 22inch suitcase. The one I have is bigger and consequently I am thinking of buying a 22 inch.
If you utilize the search box here on Fodor's you will find good post regarding how to pack without overpacking, although I know you will want to feel wonderful every moment of your honeymoon.
It seems to be true that buying the most expensive luggage does not mean you are buying the best luggage for travelling (which is what we buy our luggage for).
Use this search engine here for ideas from other experienced travellers, go out and look around and see what appeals to you. Nothing else to do while preparing for a wedding is there?
Best wishes.
Apr 29th, 2005, 03:23 PM
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For price, styles and comparison shopping check out www.packinglight.com and www.ebags.com
Apr 29th, 2005, 03:35 PM
#6
I'd suggest one rolling suitcase between 22"-25" plus one additional small suitcase or tote that you use as your carry-on for the plane and which then piggy-backs onto the larger case, so they roll along together.
Apr 29th, 2005, 06:16 PM
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When you look at luggage in a store, it is usually in collections all the same style.
The larger pieces seem smaller than they really are because the largest in the line is really huge. I picked one once, too, it home, and realized that it was gargantuan. I took it back and swapped it for a smaller size. It was a good decision.
Some of the luggage I have seen has a zipped expansion area. Be careful about using that! You need some reserve in casse you buy something to bring back that is bulky.
We got my son a Royal Daulton mug for his collection and fortunately we had just enough room to get it and all the bubble wrap in my carryon and transfer some of the dirty clothes to the suitcase. I still had my reserve and my prescriptions with me. But I was going home on a direct flight to Atlanta! And i figured I could get to my home where my other clothes were!!
The larger pieces seem smaller than they really are because the largest in the line is really huge. I picked one once, too, it home, and realized that it was gargantuan. I took it back and swapped it for a smaller size. It was a good decision.
Some of the luggage I have seen has a zipped expansion area. Be careful about using that! You need some reserve in casse you buy something to bring back that is bulky.
We got my son a Royal Daulton mug for his collection and fortunately we had just enough room to get it and all the bubble wrap in my carryon and transfer some of the dirty clothes to the suitcase. I still had my reserve and my prescriptions with me. But I was going home on a direct flight to Atlanta! And i figured I could get to my home where my other clothes were!!
