The purchase of a suitcase means one thing: it’s vacation time. Some of us use the same suitcase we’ve had since we were little, whereas others feel the need to buy another one for every other trip. Whatever the case may be (pun not intended), we feel the need to clear some things up about the ins and outs of purchasing such an item.
We’d argue that picking the right, best suitcase is definitely as important as picking what college to attend. Here are five things to do before you buy a suitcase, and five things to avoid.
10. DO – Test The Strength
A quick test of strength requires you to pick up the suitcase and feel how sturdy it is because let’s face it, a soft suitcase isn’t going to get the job done and could cause you quite a few problems.
Testing it out in the shop that you purchase it from is probably a good idea, too, but you also need to try and picture what it’ll feel like when it’s full. In a perfect world, shops would have an example of that readily available to you, but either way, avoiding a weaker suitcase that could capitulate at any moment is the logical move.
9. AVOID – Going For Cheap Option
Being cheap and cheerful with your shopping is a mentality that we tend to agree with for a lot of things, but not for suitcases. This item is going to hold a lot of your belongings in it, and as a result, you need to do everything in your power to ensure that it functions properly.
Cheaper options can sometimes work out but that is rarely the case, and it usually means the manufacturing has been a lot lazier and therefore increases the likelihood of you needing to go and buy another one within a matter of weeks if not days.
8. DO – Find Out Required Measurements
The majority of airlines work in centimeters when it comes to the measurements of a suitcase, so make sure to do your homework and figure out what you’re dealing with. The last thing that anyone would want is for the suitcase in question to be too large, leading to extra charges that you simply didn’t budget for.
All manufacturers are required to let you know what the measurements are going to be in some way, so don’t be swindled into believing that this is information you simply don’t need to have at your disposal.
7. AVOID – Going With The Crowd
Do all of your friends have designer suitcases with a specific brand? Great, that’s nice for them, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to follow in their footsteps. Picking the right suitcase is all about selecting something that suits your own needs and desires, as opposed to what the latest trend is online.
It’ll look forced, and often, the ones that look good on the outside aren’t always so efficient on the inside… which is a point we’ll touch upon a bit later. Long story short: be your own person.
6. DO – Go For Something Noticeable
We aren’t suggesting that everyone should get a lime green and purple case, but standing out from the crowd is definitely going to make a difference.
From a personal point of view it’s just nice to have that unique look, but logically speaking, when your suitcase is flying around the carousel and you’re looking for which one is yours, it’s going to be much easier to spot the one that looks like a unicorn has thrown up on it. Sure, you may get a few funny looks if it’s completely outrageous, but that’s part of the fun.
5. AVOID – Buying It Online
As is the case with buying anything online, there’s a level of uncertainty over the product that you’re purchasing. In order to get a really good feel for the material, for the style and most importantly for the size, you need to be getting it in-store.
Plus, who knows how long it’ll take to be delivered? At the very least with an in-person purchase, you can take it home and rest comfortably knowing that’s one less thing to worry about before the trip gets underway. That’d be a real priority for us.
4. DO – Aim For Four Wheels
Anyone who has a suitcase with two wheels needs to stop living in the past and evolve because four-wheel suitcases make about one million times more sense. As opposed to dragging it around everywhere, you’ve got the luxury of just pushing it along, to the point where you’ll barely even know it’s there.
Oh, and for those of you looking to kill some time and be a little bit silly, we’d argue that there is absolutely nothing wrong with flying around the airport in a suitcase race. Sure, it’s a little bit immature, but still fun.
3. AVOID – Dull Colors
We’d like to encourage everyone to avoid boring colors in regards to suitcases. It’s no fun for anyone to be stuck in a situation where you’re desperately searching for your bag amongst a sea of grey and black, and it’s even less fun to pack for a getaway when quite literally nothing about your suitcase excites you.
When you get it out, there should be a sense of jubilation, as opposed to making you feel like this is just another part of the journey before arriving at your eventual destination.
2. DO – Consider How It’ll Be Used
The big question is what kind of trip, or trips, are you planning on going on? The difference between business and leisure is pretty huge, and not just because of the design (although you wouldn’t want to show up to a meeting with a Spider-Man suitcase unless you work at Marvel).
Certain suitcases work better for certain events which is one of the primary reasons why some people will go all out and buy more than one. That doesn’t always need to happen, but we can’t pretend like there aren’t benefits to it.
1. AVOID – Lack Of Compartments
We’ve all heard the “don’t judge a book” phrase and in this instance, we couldn’t agree more. A suitcase may look utterly awesome from the outside, but until you’ve taken a deep dive inside, you’ll never truly know.
The sign of a great suitcase comes from the security and compartments that are featured. The more compartments there are the more room you’re going to have, and if you want the security side of things, check for a possible lock as well as a secure belt that is going to prevent all of your stuff from falling out.