What to Consider

Your mode of transport, how long you are intending to be away, and where you are staying are all factors to consider when deciding which luggage to take with you. You may also want to think about how often you are likely to travel as well.

Your travel mode will clearly dictate your choice of bags to a degree, as different kinds of transport afford you varying amounts of space for your possessions. For example, traveling by plane you will usually be allowed either one or two pieces of luggage to check in and one you can take on the plane with you.

On the other hand, making your journey by bus or train often restricts the available storage space. There may be a hold baggage area on these means of transport where bags can be stored but this is more often than not an overhead compartment which is only really suitable for smaller pieces of luggage. If you are making your journey by car, your only restriction is the size of the car.

However long you are going away for will also be another obvious decider in what luggage to take. A weekend trip will only require a small hold all or bag as you will not be taking anywhere near the amount of belongings you would if you were going away for three weeks or so.

Where will you be staying when you get to your destination? You will have to store your luggage when you get there so this is something you need to think about in advance. Are there any facilities to launder some of your clothes where you are staying? If this is the case, you will not need to take as many clothes with you so smaller bags will do quite nicely. You will need luggage which locks and is not so easy to get into if you are staying at a place where security measures are somewhat lacking.

Last of all, thinking about how often you go on your travels is necessary as buying new bags can be costly. If this is your first journey and you are not planning to go away again in the near future, simply borrow a bag from a friend or family member.

However, if you are a globe trotter and intend to continue taking trips here, there and everywhere, you may find it will pay to choose the more durable kind of luggage which will be able to cope with any conditions it may be subjected to throughout your many journeys.

You should always think about the quality of your luggage as well as the size. Bags can sometimes take a bit of a hammering when being thrown around in the handling process of travel and there is nothing worse than a broken zipper or a seam coming undone when you are in the middle of the airport or staying at a place far away from home.