Travel Luggage?

[ToddB]

Hey guys,

I need your imput.. I mentioned that we are taking a trip over seas for summer. I'm have a problem on deciding what type of piece of luggage for travel. Do you guys have any suggestions? It will be me and the wife and and two kids. My mother in law is set already. We will traveling around on train as our prime way of travel.

Thanks for your help guys.

Todd

[Blackthorn]

Honestly, the airlines will do everything humanly possible to destroy your luggage. Go to Bed, Bath & Beyond and get the cheapest full set you can get, because it's disposable. Mrs B and I argued long about this last year, and she spent a ton of money on the most expensive looking, bullet proof suitcase she could find at Costco (another good place to get luggage), and on our first trip (to Spain), when we got there and picked up our suitcase, it was missing a wheel. So much for quality luggage.

[n11pilot]

In my opinion friend Blackthorn is correct. Unless you go all out and get luggage constructed of Kevlar, titanium, and buffalo leather it will not survive any long travel unscathed. Go inexpensive and light and don't develop any strong attachments to it, luggage handlers the world over will break your heart if you do.

Keep in mind size and portability too. Having ridden trains in Europe I know that there may be times when you have to haul all of your luggage for varying distances on your own. I found that it was helpful to mark my luggage with orange friction tape so I could readily identify it from a distance.

[ToddB]

Thanks guys.. I do have another question..? What size should I do? Should I do one case for me and the wife and another for the kids? What do you think?

ToddB

[Blackthorn]

Todd, go to any place that sells luggage and get a whole set, one where the smallest nests inside the next size up, and they both nest in the next one up from THAT, and so on until they all nest in the largest. It's very common to find these sets. I seem to remember on my first trip, having bought mine at Target, but I don't know if they still sell luggage now. In any case you'll see these sets everywhere. You and your wife are allowed at least one bag each (and only you can decide if that's enough for all your clothes, toiletries, etc), and each of your kids are allowed one of their own. Depending on how long you'll be gone, one set of clothes for each day, get it all packed and see if you need more suitcases. Only on one occasion have i ever taken more than one suitcase, and I was carrying a load of clothing for poor people in the country where I was headed. That was in 2006 and the airline never gave it a second thought at that time. I don't know if the requirements have changed at this point or not. You can call your airline and find out.

You can find more info here:http://thetravelinsider.info/travelaccessories/airlinecarryonluggageallowances.htm

[Blackthorn]

I forgot to say that in those nesting sets, the largest will still be legal for traveling on airlines. They are designed to be what you need.

[ToddB]

Thanks..

ToddB

[Doug Palumbo]

I hate checking bags. I always try to take only carry on stuff. A few years ago, my wife and I, along with our two boys went to California for two weeks, each only having one carry on. We did do some minor laundry in the hotel a few times but it significantly cut down on what we had to carry around and allowed room for us to bring stuff back from Disneyland.

[Steve]

I carry all of my clothing in a backpack when I travel, especially when I'm going to be on a train. Clothes go in the backpack (or a sling backpack if I'm traveling especially light), and my camera stays in a much smaller bag that I can carry alone when my clothes stay in my accommodation.

[ToddB]

Hey guys.. Thanks for all your imput.

ToddB

[Super Ordinary Guy]

I might add two items to the all of the above (which is good advice)..

I flew back into Belgium from Rome and upon trying to pick up my luggage it seemed I no longer had my luggage... Nope wasn't stolen but had got caught up in the luggage moving equipment. So the frame with bits and pieces of tattered material came out of the chute, not to mention my clothes were loose, some torn, and very dirty being pushed around by all the other luggage...

Don't even waste time by trying to get the airline to replace this... They told me they would have it repaired... I countered with but "only the bent frame is left". They said no matter and gave me a form and an address of a local business that would repair it for me...
When checking with that business I found it was a 3 month backlog because hey had so many pieces to repair.....

So be prepared to have some extra bucks to possibly buy some luggage while in another country..... otherwise you will have to cut into your travel money to buy luggage and perhaps a few pieces of new clothes....

One last trick I always do... Carry an extra set of underwear and of course your toiletries in your carry on.....

Everyone seems to try to do everything with a carry on now so be prepared to have your carry on trashed and smashed also.........

It will of course have to be stowed at the opposite end of the aircraft to where your seating is......

So with all these bright cheery thoughts,,, have a nice trip.....