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How Do I Choose the Best Wheeled Luggage?

By Alicia Sparks
Updated May 17, 2024
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Shopping for best wheeled luggage means searching for a piece, or a set, that meets your needs and budget. Considerations include an appropriate size, a material that will fit your lifestyle as well as the items you’re carrying, and a quality that will stand up to the kinds of stresses wheeled luggage face. Whether you’re shopping online or in person at a department store, it’s important to compare a variety of pieces and prices before making a decision. Doing so can help you choose the best quality at a price you can afford.

Even though using wheeled luggage is usually easier than carrying regular suitcases, size is an issue. For instance, adults can handle larger pieces of luggage than can children. At the same time, older children can usually handle larger pieces than can younger children. When shopping for wheeled luggage for children, consider taking the child to the store with you so she can test out the luggage herself. You might find she needs a wheeled suitcase designed especially for children, or that she can handle small models of regular wheeled suitcases.

Other size-related considerations, beyond who will be using the wheeled luggage, are important, too. If you’re purchasing a luggage set, chances are there will be different sizes of luggage within that set. Sets are convenient because they allow you to choose one or more of the pieces based your needs for each trip. On the other hand, if you’re purchasing an individual piece of luggage, you’ll need to look for a size that will accommodate all or most of your traveling needs. For example, if you frequently go out of town for many days at a time, you might need a larger piece of wheeled luggage than if you only occasionally go on overnight trips.

These days, most types of luggage are made of some sort of sturdy fabric, such as polyester, with harder types of materials, such as plastic or metal, acting as corner reinforcements. This doesn’t mean hard case luggage is obsolete. Consider the items you’ll carry in your luggage and then determine which of the luggage materials will best protect those items. Keep in mind, though, that hard case luggage is usually heavier. This could pose a problem even though you’ll spend more time rolling it than lifting and carrying it.

Since wheeled luggage typically undergoes more stress than regular luggage, it’s important to choose pieces that offer durability beyond their main fabric or hard case materials. Buying luggage from a traditional brick-and-mortar store allows you to check the quality of certain important features like the luggage wheels and handles for yourself. If you’re shopping online, be sure to look for customer reviews and find out the company’s return policy. Note that quality can affect price, so you might pay more for durable pieces that can last longer than those made of cheaper, less resilient materials. Shopping around and comparing prices can help you find the best luggage for your needs and budget.

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Discussion Comments

By ZipLine — On Aug 05, 2014

Since airline rules have changed and smaller limits have been placed on how much luggage can weigh, the weight of the luggage itself should also be considered while shopping.

Most airlines now charge extra fees for luggage that weigh more than a certain amount. If the baggage itself is heavy, then that limit is going to be filled rather quickly.

By burcinc — On Aug 05, 2014

@fBoyle-- I don't have a recommendation for a specific brand, but I do recommend spinner luggage.

It's actually difficult to find luggage that won't tip over. If you pack the luggage in such a way that the weight at the front or the back is much greater than the other side, it will tip over. So avoiding this problem has more to do with learning the right packing method, rather than the luggage itself.

But in my experience, spinner luggage which has four wheels that can turn in all directions is much more useful. It can be wheeled with ease and it won't topple as regular luggage does when wheeled to quickly.

By fBoyle — On Aug 04, 2014

I'm looking for a nice, good quality luggage set with a variety of sizes. I want to have something that I can use as a carry on, as well as luggage that I can check in at the airport. But the most important thing is that they should wheel easily without falling or tipping. That's the most annoying thing every. Does anyone have a recommendation for me?

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