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Luggage - What will you carry and will it fit?
Posted by Whole Earth | 04.09.2019
Luggage - What will you carry and will it fit?
There are times when packing for a trip that one might envy the snail or the hermit crab for their ability to travel while simultaneously remaining at home. They don’t have to make decisions about what to take when traveling and are unconcerned whether it will all fit in their luggage.
But for most travelers, the questions of what to carry and will it fit are challenges to be faced again and again. If you’re traveling for business, chances are good that you won’t need to pack your scuba gear. And if you’re heading out for adventure, you probably won’t need your business suit. At Whole Earth Provision Co., we can outfit you with luggage for either trip, and many others as well.
If you’re looking to purchase a bag for an upcoming trip, or perhaps giving one as a gift (graduation is on the horizon!), here are a few tips for choosing a bag that should be able to go the distance with you.
• If you’re planning to use your bag for carry on, what’s an acceptable size for domestic or international travel?
• Is the bag made of materials that can stand up to the wear and tear of life in the luggage compartment?
• Are the seams well-sewn and reinforced at the corners and other stress points?
• Is the zipper sturdy and moves smoothly, especially around corners?
• Does the handle deploy with ease?
• Is the interior space divided or wide open? Which is more useful for you?
• What guarantee comes with the bag? A reputable maker stands behind their product.
The wheeled suitcase is the basic, go-to bag for most travelers. While they may all seem alike, especially when going round and round on the baggage carousel at the airport, when you take into consideration the features to look for, you’ll soon be able to distinguish among them. A wheeled suitcase is particularly useful when traveling in cities and towns in where sidewalks and paved streets are common.
If you’re heading to a destination where you may have to carry your bag rather than roll it, you may prefer taking a backpack. Like suitcases, they come in a variety of sizes, from small daypacks to large backpacks. Some traveling packs have wheels and a handle like a rolling suitcase, giving you the benefit of both. Be sure to check if the shoulder straps are padded and adjustable.
If you have gear you need to carry on you travels, a duffel may be just what you are looking for. The wide open space within the duffel can handle oddly shaped objects and gear of all kinds, and some also come with wheels and a retractable handle. Some travelers pack a lightweight duffel in their bags ready to be used to carry gifts and treasures back home at their journey’s end.
If you’re looking for a waterproof duffel, check for waterproof materials, zippers and construction. Water repellent is not the same as waterproof. Waterproof bags are submersible and their contents will remain dry. Water repellent bags are made of materials that repel water, but water can still enter the bag through the zipper and the holes in the fabric made when the bag was stitched. So carefully consider the degree of water protection the items you’re carrying may require.
Smaller bags can be handy for traveling as well. A messenger bag can carry electronic devices, papers, the essentials that you want to keep close at hand at all times. The tote is usually less structured but no less useful for carrying a wide variety of objects. You’ll find padded pockets for a laptop or other electronic devices, as well as other use specific pockets in most messenger bags. The tote may have a few internal pockets and a designated spot for a water bottle, but otherwise, the space is available to use as you will.
No matter what you need to carry with you on your travels, Whole Earth has a quality bag that will do the job.