Life by Jen

My husband and I recently purchased new luggage. It’s been a long time coming. We have travelled fairly extensively, but never invested in “adult” luggage. We have a number of hand-me-down suitcases and a couple of one-off pieces we have needed for specific trips. It just never seemed like something we needed to acquire.

Before our most recent trip to Europe in May, I decided that I’d really like to get some nice luggage. So, I started with my research. I knew that I wanted hard-side luggage and something with all-way rolling wheels. I was also looking for something with a carry-on that could hold my laptop in the front pocket, because I always travel with it and most airports still require you to take it out in security. I also had to be very careful of measurements, because we travel WestJet frequently and they have a smaller-than-normal carry-on allowances. Plus, our Europe trip included a Ryan Air flight, which also has smaller luggage allowances. And, last but not least, not black. I have a bright green Samsonite suitcase that has been with me for about 13 years and I love that it is easy to spot on the luggage carrousel.

After pouring over every “Best Luggage Brands” list on the internet, I narrowed my search down. Ok, here are some options that I considered.

Monos

I really, really wanted these ones. A little pricey, but their marketing is just spot on. They did a really good job of convincing me that it’s the luggage to get. It looks so cool. Really. A lot of great reviews and the pictures made it look very appealing. I let my Instagram brain tell me that this was the best choice. For months, I waited patiently for a good sale, but in the end I decided that this one might be more hype than quality. Their measurements were a little on the large size too.

Beis

Same. So cool. There was no luggage with the front pocket I wanted. Known for their Weekender bag, I was enticed by the aesthetics of this brand. Also great marketing, but not stellar reviews.

It was hard to resist when their products are so cool.

Amazon (and other brands)

Tik Tok and Instagram influencers have a number of ads and affiliate-promoting videos for various inexpensive suitcases and luggage sets on Amazon. However, after scouring reviews, sizes, and features, I ended up going with my gut and decided to invest in some luggage that will last more than a few trips. I’ve done the cheap option for other things off Amazon and had great success, but I know how hard luggage is thrown and I was pretty sure I didn’t want to end up with busted luggage on the other side of the world.

It was difficult to look past the cool cupholders, charger banks, and great looks, but I figured they wouldn’t hold up past the first couple of flights. Carry-ons especially had great features, but when they ask you to check your carry-on at the gate because the flight is full, I didn’t want to worry about the outcome of my bag at the other end.

Rimowa, Briggs & Riley, Away, and other fancy brands

Other brands I considered in passing. There are the big names – Rimowa, Briggs & Riley, and Away. These ones all looked great, but they were more classic in the features they offered (no front pocket on a hard-sided bag), but excellent reviews. If I had to travel for business more frequently, these would have been in the running, but I wanted a combination of practical features with something nice-looking. These were also typically in very muted colour, which nixed them off the hop. I would love to try some of these out.

Also, given my love for travel, I would WAY rather put my money into an extra plane ticket or excursion, so I’ll skip the super pricey luggage.

Maybe they are great. Just not for me this time!

Samsonite

This brand is classic for a reason. I checked out Samsonite online and in our local department store, as Samsonite is when I would think of for an older crowd (is that me now?!). I also happened to find the brand at Costco as well, which was stellar because it meant a hefty discount off retail. I had only found it in the basic colours, plus a few novelty, over-the-top options, like yellow and iridescent. I was looking for something that stood out, but a little more mellow.

In the end, I found a perfect set of Samsonite in dark green with a front pocket, locks, and in just under standard sizing! I even drove straight from the store to the airport to plunk my new carry-on into the sizing stand at WestJet. It was a winner.

Now that my luggage set has been christened with a trip to Europe, I can confidently say that it’s a winner. Ryan Air did give the carry-on a little dent, but if it can survive that airline, it can survive anything.

It’s basically begging me to book another trip and take it somewhere to fulfill its luggage destiny, or at least that’s what I’m telling myself.