Quality Luggage for Travelers

Good luggage protects your clothing and other gear. Lousy luggage splits its seams at the worst possible moment. Good luggage stores conveniently in the sometimes odd-shape spaces on board your aircraft. Bad luggage jams on conveyers. Good luggage fits under seats and in luggage racks if you don't need big bags. Bad luggage means waits at luggage "Sorrow-go-rounds"

Good luggage survives. Lousy luggage succumbs to the ravages of baggage handlers. Good luggage is light enough so you do not risk hurting your back when you tote your own gear. Bad Luggage isn't hard to find. Luggage that can fill your needs for years and years requires close attention to type, design and materials if you want quality.

As a full-time travel writers I have put thousands of miles on our Orvis luggage. Quality luggage stands up. Our luggage has survived tropical heat and jungle boats, artic cold and snowmobiles and the dubious joys of the world's worst baggage handlers. It has been tossed into dugout canoes, fishing skiffs, sailboats, jet boats and cruise liners. So we know the importance of first class luggage.

You share this knowledge if you ever stood by the baggage return "slot machine" at the airport. If so you have seen luggage delivered in boxes, in parts and with intimate apparel hanging out. You know the importance of reasonably light luggage if you ever had to haul baggage from one terminal to another or from airport to rental cars.

Quality luggage repays its investment for those who travel often. For the real cost of luggage isn't the purchase price. It is the purchase price divided by the number of days the luggage is used. Top quality luggage has other advantages too. Really good luggage is easy to spot on the merry-go-round. I have noticed that travelers with expensive luggage, get better treatment. This may not be fair, but it is fact! To select the proper luggage you need first select your luggage class or type. Hard, soft and frameless luggage each has advantages and disadvantages. Hard luggage always seems to be an inch or so larger than tight storage areas. Molded aluminum, like Halliburton, seems the most durable choice. Fiberglas over metal frame models hold up well. Hard luggage should feature full-length piano-type hinges, sturdy locks -- combination options suit those who lose keys -- and heavy duty molded handles. Designs with wheels take the weight off your hands, but wheels tend to jam after a period, so a good quality luggage is best here. A lot depends on how much you carry.

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