Luggage Tips & Recommendations
Here are some things to consider when preparing your bags before going on vacation, shopping for luggage, and general packing tips. This is all based upon what we’ve learned through extensive traveling over the last several years.
We thought this would be worth sharing as we have gone through a lot (way too much) of luggage. Thanks to our experiences that include countless hotel changes, plus hundreds of hours dragging our luggage through airports, train stations, and cities, we’ve learned a lot. We thought we’d share some things to look for looking to buy new luggage, some good brands, some brands to avoid, and other various tidbits about luggage (specifically, carry-on luggage…you’ll read why that’s all we own).
Getting the “right” luggage is important, so let’s dig right into with our recommendations. For starters, we recommend doing only carry-on luggage for any trip that includes multiple destinations. This is not important if you’re traveling to Walt Disney World and will be staying in the same hotel the entire trip. If you’re simply moving luggage from the airport to Disney’s Magical Express to a hotel, it doesn’t really matter if you have a larger bag or a couple of bags. (If that’s the case for you, skip down to the ‘What to Buy’ section for recommendations.)
With that said, we still do a single carry-on bag for every trip, and that includes vacations to Walt Disney World. We are big time believers in only traveling with carry-on size luggage. Traveling with more or larger bags not only costs more (checked bag fees!), but is unnecessary. We’ve traveled to Europe and Asia for 14-day trips without doing checked bags, so it’s entirely possible for a trip to Florida.
When we travel to Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, or Hong Kong Disneyland, on the other hand, we are always doing more than visiting those parks. That means a lot of time on subways and in commute with our luggage. If you’ve ever been in any subway station at rush hour, you know just how stressful it would be with a bunch of bulky luggage. Travel expert Rick Steves turned us on to the idea, and we totally agree with his philosophy and rationale.
You may think taking only carry-on luggage is “impossible,” but it’s really not. This philosophy encompasses not just your carry-on roller bag, but also your personal item. As I’m big into photography, my personal item is a camera bag, and my carry-on contains a backpack camera, tripod, and other photography trinkets. So already, a lot of my space is reserved for photography equipment, and I still manage to do it. The key is not taking junk that isn’t essential. This doesn’t mean only taking one pair of underwear and wearing the same stuff over and over (I pack clothes for every day, and that usually includes dress clothes and shoes). You just need to pack efficiently and not take things that are unnecessary.
Still, some people won’t be able to do this for whatever reason, and that’s fine. It may not be practical for parents or those with special circumstances, but for most people, it is possible. It’s just a matter of willingness. Try packing this way before just assuming it isn’t possible. It’s quite liberating.
Also, it’s worth noting that this “carry it on” advice doesn’t mean carry a lot of stuff but avoid paying checked bag fees. In fact, whether you check these bags or carry them onto the plane really doesn’t make a huge difference (although we prefer carrying them on). The point is to travel light, with an amount that can easily be carried around (and the carry-on allowance is a good proxy for how much stuff this is).
We mention this because, invariably, whenever we’re going through security at the airport in Orlando, we see parents juggling strollers, their carry-on luggage and personal items, and luggage “belonging” to each of their kids (who are entitled to a carry-on allowance, but can’t carry the bags themselves). They look miserable. Checked bag fees have made people try to carry-on everything possible, inconveniencing them at the airport. The point of the above isn’t to avoid checked bag fees, it’s to avoid stress and being a sherpa while moving around places.
What to Buy?
In the past 10 years, we have gone through a lot of luggage. My first couple of suitcases as an adult were the cheapest plain models carried by Marshall’s or TJ Maxx, and after a couple years of light travel, each broke. Once we started traveling more regularly, I decided to invest in nice luggage. My first purchase was a Tumi Alpha Carry-on, which was ridiculously expensive, but I bought into the name brand hype.
After a little over a year of using this bag, I became dissatisfied with it. It wasn’t as well-built as the price would have suggested, and I highly doubted it would last years. In short, I felt ripped off. Sarah now uses the bag, and has had to have it repaired a number of times (as of 2016, the bag is on its last leg). In my opinion, Tumi is now resting on the laurels of its “luxury” name, having established a certain brand cachet. That doesn’t do a whole lot for me, so I will never purchase another Tumi bag, nor do I recommend it to even the most well-off and frequent travelers.
When it came time for me to purchase a replacement bag for the Tumi, I did a ton of research, and spent inordinate amounts of time on FlyerTalk, which is a great forum for getting opinions of other regular travelers on a range of topics. The brand that kept coming up in discussions of luggage was TravelPro, which is the top brand of luggage used by flight crews. (Next time you’re at the airport, look at the bags they are pulling behind; guarantee you’ll see the little Eiffel Tower logo on at least 50% of the suitcases.) After a lot of reading, I realized TravelPro was the brand of choice for many serious travelers who wanted something high quality, but didn’t want to pay exorbitant prices for a flashy logo.
I took the plunge and purchased the TravelPro Flight Crew 22-Inch Rollaboard. It cost around $175 (currently, it’s $150 on Amazon), which I felt wasn’t too bad of a price by something that would last a long time. That was 3 years ago. It’s now 2016, and I’ve traveled 200+ days with that suitcase since buying it, and it’s still in near-perfect condition. It’ll easy last me another decade, which I’d say is pretty impressive given how much we travel and how hard I am on luggage. The thing is built like a nylon tank, and all at less than one-third the cost of the inferior Tumi. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is serious about luggage and travels a decent amount. There’s a good chance it’ll be the last suitcase you ever buy.
If you care more about brand names and want something that looks “classier”, this Briggs & Riley carry-on has come highly recommended to me. Personally, that seems like a waste of money (and honestly, I don’t think it looks any nicer than my TravelPro luggage). If you do care about brand names, though, go for that. (For what it’s worth, no one is impressed by Louis Vuitton luggage–to the contrary, LV owners are considered tacky jokes among seasoned travelers.)
A lot of these frequent fliers also recommended the $99 Kirkland carry-on roller at Costco. I didn’t see either of these bags in person, just throwing them out there as they receive a lot of online praise. LL Bean, Victorinox, and Samsonsite also came up from time to time in discussions of best options.
Even if you travel once or twice a year, you’ll find yourself replacing cheap-o luggage more often than if you just spent a little more and got a nicer bag. I realize everyone’s needs and budget are different, and not everyone needs something built like a tank. Marshall’s and TJ Maxx do have great options from time to time, and even something like a Samsonite bag is going to last most people a very long time, and it won’t break the bank. I would not recommend American Tourister (based on both personal experience and widespread reports of low quality) or other “cutesy” luggage found in many stores.
Luggage serves a critical purpose, and isn’t a place to make a fashion statement or show your personality with some type of ‘rad’ design in a non-functional bag. That’s not to say that there’s anything wrong with colorful designs, but when your luggage breaks on vacation, you might be wishing you got something practical instead of pretty.
Beyond these specific recommendations, here are some general tips regarding carry-on bags:
- Carry-on luggage should have wheels…unless you’re backpacking through Europe
- We highly recommend packing cubes and compression bags to save space and organize your suitcase.
- Unless you have a specific need for it, don’t get a spinner (two wheel in-line rollers are best)
- Unless you have a specific need for it, get soft-side luggage, not hard shell
- Don’t get what you don’t need–extra pockets, suiters, etc., all take up valuable internal volume, and if you don’t need these things, they are a waste of space
- Use luggage tags that stand out; black luggage tends to be accidentally “stolen” due to people confusing luggage.
- Look for ballistic nylon and some type of water resistance
- “Materials and defects” warranties are virtually worthless
As far as personal items go, I don’t really have any useful recommendations. I typically carry a camera bag as my personal item (if you plan on using a camera bag, here are my recommendations for those). For non-photographers, I think going with a small backpack is the best option if you will be on the move, as it’s easier than balancing another bag on top of your roller. If you want a tote, my recommendation would be to get whatever one goes with the suitcase you purchase. In the case of the Travelpro suitcases recommended above, that’s the Travelpro Crew Tote.
In terms of what else you might consider packing, we have a lot of ideas for travel essentials and things that will improve your vacation in our Unique Packing List. Some of these things will save space, while others will take up more space (but ultimately improve the quality of your trip). Pack accordingly.
Overall, everyone is going to have different needs, preferences, and all of that. The two big takeaways from this article should be: 1) don’t overpack–try to take as little luggage as possible, especially for multi-stop trips, and; 2) spending a little more on quality luggage that will stand the test of time will save you money in the long run! There are some other tips in there, as well, but those are the big ones that we think will benefit anyone taking a trip to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and beyond!
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Your Thoughts…
Do you have a specific brand or piece of luggage that you recommend? Any brands you don’t recommend? Any other tips regarding luggage? Hearing from you is half the fun, so please share any of your thoughts in the comments!
I usually love your posts, and I’m not one to ever really complain or take offense, but the “Vuitton is tacky” line rubbed me the wrong way. Of course everyone has their own style and preferences but I’m not sure why there was a need to describe a very specific brand of luggage as a “tacky joke” when not only does it not add any assistance to picking the right luggage but simultaneously insults some readers. I have 30-plus-year-old Vuitton luggage that not only looks brand new but does its job, which is getting me from A to B to C, and has held up remarkably well after decades of usage. If using my sturdy luggage makes me a “tacky joke” to some people, I guess so be it. At least my belongings will be there in one safe piece!
Have been reading a lot of different packing tips and recommendations about luggage, but this one guarantees me to try it out. Thank you for sharing these tips. Would definitely try these.
I personally prefer Briggs & Riley any day of the year. Their quality is outstanding, and their warranty deal is hard to beat. Admittedly, Travelpro’s Platinum collection is a step up from their ordinary bags, and they also have a warranty that resembles Briggs & Riley’s on that line. I believe that the saying “you get what you pay for” is very much applicable when it comes to luggage, most of the time.
Where did you get the luggage tag?
That’s from Aulani Resort in Hawaii.
OK, I totally get that LV luggage does look pretty tacky, HOWEVER, I have a set that my mom purchased in the 80s that is still in perfect condition. Say what you will, but they pretty much invented luggage and as far as wear and tear goes, LV is unbeatable. Just my two cents! Also more trips reports please 🙂
I’ve used Travel pro luggage for over 15 years. I have 3 small carry on’s and 2 larger sized (24 inches ) pieces. The larger ones are pretty banged up from getting thrown around at the airport, the corners are well worn, but only the zipper pulls have broken off. I know there is a travel pro outlet in Florida , where you can get them at a discounted price . They recommend not to get the lightweight pieces as they are not as durable. I plan on replacing theses with more of the same.
Good info. My 67 yr old mother travels to Europe frequently (and without my dad,) so she needed a lightweight suitcase that she could lift on and off planes and trains. She uses the Samsonite Liftwo in a 21″ carryon and 25″ regular size. Since that is discontinued, I just purchased the Lite Air by Samsonite. Trying it out next week and in July. Hoping for good results!
The Costco luggage has held up for me for decades of traveling for trade shows. I got the entire set that fits one inside the other like Russian stacking dolls. I rarely use the huge one anymore, since I’m not packing show items, but if I need a good sized check in bag, the next size down is very good. Inside that is the carry on. Inside that is a rolling duffle bag and inside that is a tote that I used for makeup, blow dryers, etc. The heavy use ones are the one check in bag and the carry on. The wheels have never gone crazy on me and are big enough to keep the bag from twisting around at the wrong time. I’d recommend the Costco luggage highly.
How’s your Travelpro holding up? My mother is in airports about 60% of the time for work and I recognize the Eiffel Tower logo from my youth, but I don’t know if that’s what she still uses.
It is still going strong despite a serious amount of travel in the last few years. Meanwhile, my wife’s Tumi bag looks like it has been through war.
I don’t think I’d ever buy another non-Travelpro bag again.
My family of five (including three kids ages 6, 3, and 3) just finished a 14-day trip through Italy from Palermo in Sicily to Milan with only three carry-ons (1/2 of which was for my husband’s larger clothes)! It was nice not to have to wait for baggage carousels and very handy wheeling on cobblestone streets and onto trains. We had laundry done twice, and expanded two bags and checked them on the way back for souvenirs and bottles of wine (darn 3 oz liquid rule). We’re looking to visit Japan and S Korea next year for two weeks and would never consider checking a bag now that we know we can fit everything we need in the carry-ons.
I am a huge believer in the carry on travel philosophy, and I definitely recommend checking out onebag.com for more advice. Based on a recommendation from the site, my primary travel bag for over a decade (with only a single zipper repair), has been the MEI Voyageur, a 21″x14x9″ carry-on size travel pack, with soft sides, internal frame, and stowable padded shoulder straps and waist belt.
This is very late but hopefully you can help me on this one Tom!
I was looking at the thread and didn’t find any information on the exact bag that you got. Was it the Flightcrew4 20″ or 22″? I’m looking at both and am concerned that the 22″ is slightly too big. I’ve read some reports that the Flightcrew range is 1-1.5″ longer than published. If possible, can you send through measurements?
Your help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks
May I ask, why no hard shell suitcases? My husband has been pricing them out for our next trip so if they’re a bad idea, I’d like to head him off before we spend the money.
I am glad I found this blog. There aren’t many reviews about FlightCrew4. I am almost going to pull the trigger on the FlightCrew4 22″, do you know the exact height of the luggage? From wheel to top handle? UA is starting to force the “carry on sizer”, I am little bit worrying about the 22 is too big for that sizer. another quick question, do you ever experienced the “Tipping Over” issue with FlightCrew4? I heard a lot tipping issue on Crew9 22″. Again, Big Thanks.
I don’t have my bag in front of me right now, but I encountered the same issue with Frontier on our last flight, and the bag does fit in the sizer (at least Frontier’s). I don’t think it could’ve been another half-inch larger on any side and still fit, though!
I’ve never had a problem with the bag tipping over.
Thank you Tom, I just pulled the trigger on FlightCrew4 22″. I appreciate your information. 🙂
Just to throw this up there, as a larger person, fitting 7 days worth of clothing into a carryon is near impossible. I have a standard size suitcase and carryon that I take with me on any 7+ day trip. As I’m shrinking, hopefully this won’t be the case forever.
Trying carryon for the first time this year problem is flying out of Australia only allowed 2 x 7kgs carryons we have had to find the lightest luggage available have chosen a samsonite 72 hour it is only 1.5kg in weight it has 4 rollers but same capacity as any 2roller out there and is ar least 2 kg lighter also
For our personal item we have lippault totes. We are staying in a villa at the Boardwalk so laundry is not a problem. I also cheat and use a scottevest trech coat for my ipad phone documents and have even put a change of clothes in the pockeks as well as those paper soaps conditioner shaving cream bodywash
And laundry sheets. ps love your blog posts and have bookmarked all your tips about photography
You must have been at the Orlando airport on May 16, 2012 when we arrived (or on May 26,2012, when we left) and saw us with our 8 carryon bags, 2 strollers, and personal items (plus 3 checked bags!)! We were the family with 2 kids and grandma traveling across the country to spend time with Mickey. Diapers, wipes, and baby food for 2 children required our largest piece of luggage that we checked in. The good news was by the end of that trip the bag was empty and we were able to pack a smaller suitcase in it. Even the flight attendants suggested we check in our carry on for the trip home since really only my husband and I were capable of carrying everything. We swore not to travel like that ever again. It was CRAZY!
You’re not delving into smaller luggage items here, but this LL Bean toiletry bag (which also comes in small, large, and an enormous family-sized version) is amazing and wonderful. I recently took it on a fairly intense 16 day road trip and it held tons of stuff more compactly than I would have imagined. The shower hanger holds bath toiletries and dries very quickly, making quick pack-ups easier. Mine held a fair bit of make-up, a full-sized bottle of suntan lotion, a large package of face-wipes, a brush (so few toiletry bags can hold a brush!), an electric razor, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, etc.
The main compartment would easily hold a baggie with liquids
and gels on a carry-on only flight, and I think other compartments could hold things like power cords without fear of wetness from spilling as the material is very watertight. It hangs on a hook so all of these little things (that can so easily be lost in a hotel room at Disney!) are easy to find when you need them, and easy to put back when you’re done.
It’s expensive (I got mine during a sale, but they don’t seem to come up often), but very sturdy and very well designed.
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/73882?feat=203-GN1&page=personal-organizer-toiletry-bag-medium
Also, Ebay and 6PM.com are often good resources for less-expensive luggage. Older Eddie Bauer and LL Bean boarding bags often go for great prices on Ebay, (and sometimes the older products are of better quality), and 6PM carries tons of stuff (they’re “related” to Zappos) at sometimes excellent discounts — for example, they have a bunch of stuff from Dakine going for 45% off suggested retail.
I love my REI store brand duffel bags. I had one that was check size and I bought a second smaller one to use as a carry-on because it was so great.
Best feature- there are hidden straps integrated into the bag that zip away. The bag can be worn like a backpack, but then the straps can be folded and the bag can be carried or slung over the shoulder with a detachable strap. If they made the same design In a briefcase, I’d buy that too.
They’re SUPER lightweight, well-designed, and though they look flimsy, they’re totally bulletproof! I’ve worn the bag on my back all over the world and love it!
Sounds interesting. Do you by chance have links to them?
This is the larger size for checking:
http://www.rei.com/product/844617/rei-tech-beast-100l-duffel#video-inner
Here’s a carry-on version:
http://www.rei.com/product/844628/rei-tech-beast-65l-duffel#video-inner
I switch out which one I travel with based on the trip needs, duration, etc, but both are solid.
My wife still uses a rolled suitcase, so I can sling this duffel on my back and still have hands free to help pull her suitcase. I’ve had the larger version for almost four years and it’s been to Italy, London, Hong Kong, Costa Rica, WDW, and on probably 25 domestic business trips and still looks brand new. I was worried about rips and tears, but there’s not one sign of wear. Never come home with a broken item inside either, despite it having soft sides.
We are a family of 4. We travel on a very regular basis and have found Dakine Duffle bags to work best for us. The 74L size is large enough for two people when packing conservatively. These bags are very well made with strong zippers. The duffle bag style allows them to be fit into the vehicle when traveling or on route to the airport. They have virtually no weight and will not come close to airline weight limits when full. It’s not really a typical luggage bag but has worked very well for our needs
http://www.dakine.com