What Bag to Pack? - Why Luggage Choice is Important.

Choosing the wrong bag can be a frustrating experience.

Virtually every trip you take will involve luggage of one sort or another. Whether it is an 2 suiter overnight bag, laptop carry on, or a full 5 piece set of luggage for a two week safari, the type of trip you are taking will determine what type of luggage you should be packing, or buying the next time you are in the market for new luggage. Your choice of luggage will help determine how easy and enjoyable your trip will be.

The first consideration you should decide on is - Hardside or Softside luggage? They both have advantages and disadvantages and you should make your choice accordingly.

One of the advantages of hardside luggage is that it will help protect any valuables packed inside, the advantage of softside bags is that they are often lighter and expandable.

The second thing that you need to decide is - How many bags do you need to take?

Are you just goinging on an overnight business trip, then you can probably get away with a laptop case and rolling carry-on garment bag. Most carry-on garment bags nowadays will carry more than enough clothes to last 2 days, including a spare set of dress clothes.

If you are going on trips that will last longer than 3-4 days, you should be considering a set of luggage. Luggage sets will allow you to mix and match multiple sizes of baggage in order to find the optimum mix of cargo room and ease of carrying.

I usually advise people to carry two smaller bags rather than one large bag. Two small or medium size bags are more maneuverable and easier to pick up and place into cars, cabs and shuttle buses than one large bag.

There is one last item for consideration when packing - Will you be carrying or moving your luggage long distances either at the beginning or end of your trip? Or will you be changing modes of transportation and need to move your own luggage from one terminal to another?

The suitcase that doesn’t seem heavy at all when moving from your bedroom to your front door can feel like half-ton when trying to carry it across large long-term satellite parking lots, changing from railway to airplane or airline to cruise ship or just from the baggage carousel to the curbside pickup area.

Rolling luggage or luggage with extra padded carrying handles and/or shoulder straps can help lighten even the heaviest load when moving long distances with your luggage.

Remember, packing is just like any other job, the right tools and a little bit of preparation can mean the difference between a job well done or a frustrating and stressful experience.