traveltips.wpengine.com interviews Travel Channel Host, Samantha Brown, as she answers the question of which is better: hard or soft-case luggage.
Brown explains that both suitcases have a place in the travel world, with pros and cons of each. First, she talks about soft-case luggage. Although it is very lightweight, there is no protection for your items. If you check a soft-case bag, your items inside will get knocked around and potentially damaged by the bigger, harder suitcases that are also being checked. Brown recommends using a soft-case suitcase if you plan on carrying on your luggage, but not to check it.
On the other hand, hard-case suitcases have the potential to be a lot heavier. However, suitcase manufacturers are starting to design hard suitcases that are extremely lightweight. The advantages of a hard suitcase is that it will protect the contents of your suitcase much better than a soft-case will. The disadvantages of hard-case luggage is it can be bulky. For that particular reason, Brown recommends using soft-case luggage strictly for carrying on, and a hard suitcase when checking your bag.
I travelled aournd Europe for a month with 2 bags. One huge duffle from a company called Rome. It had wheels and you could also put it on your back. Then I had a smaller bookbag sort of thing. It also had wheels, but it was the kind of book bag with wheels for little kids. It was small, but it was great to take with you during the day out when you wouldn’t go back to the hotel. I took this on the plane with an overnight change of clothes. My luggage got lost in Rome, so I was lucky. I also had a fanny pack. It might be ugly, but it’s practical. I had a money wallet too, that I hung aournd my neck and kept under my shirt. It was a good thing too, ’cause some places are filled with pickpockets and gypsies (sp?).
February 12, 2016