Packing 101: how to pick the best luggage for travel

This is an older blog post that I’m updating for 2024! I’ve been traveling heavily for the past decade, flying at least a few times a month. So I’ve gained some insight & updated my travel routine. That means my strategy for picking the best luggage for travel has also improved! So I’m going to share my tips!

The Best Luggage for Travel

This post isn’t about the most expensive luggage or the most ”aesthetic” luggage. I’ll show you guys options for every budget – from luxury to budget & different styles. But the goal here is to break down the different types of luggage, what features are actually helpful, different types of luggage sets & tips from someone (me) who actually travels regularly!

You might be surprised to find out I’m not actually a fan of a lot of the popular luggage you see influencers talking about online. I think a lot of recommendations come down to affiliate links, brand deals & what photographs well. Not necessarily what’s worth spending money on or actually improves the travel experience.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF LUGGAGE

HERE IS MY ”LUGGAGE MUST HAVE” CHECKLIST

HARD VS. SOFT SIDED LUGGAGE – PERSONALLY, I ONLY RECOMMEND HARD SIDED LUGGAGE. OBVIOUSLY IT COMES DOWN TO PERSONAL PREFERENCE, BUT I FIND THAT HARD SHELL LUGGAGE IS MORE DURABLE, EASIER TO PACK & ORGANIZE, PLUS THEY ARE USUALLY WATERPROOF.
POCKETS – I’M LAUGHING AS I WRITE THIS BECAUSE IT REMINDS ME OF HOW EXCITED I GET WHEN A DRESS HAS POCKETS. BUT IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, POCKETS ARE SUCH A GAME CHANGER WHEN IT COMES TO ORGANIZATION. I ALWAYS LOOK AT THE INTERIOR POCKETS TO COMPARE THE DIFFERENCES.
SIZE & CAPACITY – GENERALLY, THERE ARE 3 DIFFERENT LUGGAGE SIZES. CARRY ON, MEDIUM CHECKED & LARGE CHECKED. EACH SIZE HAS DIFFERENT USES. I THE SIZE I USE DEPENDS ON THE LENGTH OF MY TRIP & WHAT I NEED TO PACK. HOWEVER IF I HAD TO ONLY PICK ONE, I WOULD DEFAULT TO THE MEDIUM SIZE. I ACTUALLY DO NOT OWN A SMALL CARRY ON HARD BAG ANYMORE.

IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE SUITCASES, THERE ARE A FEW OTHER DIFFERENT TYPES OF LUGGAGE TO CHOOSE FROM:

DUFFEL BAGS
BACKPACKS
GARMENT BAGS
TRAVEL TOTES
LAPTOP BAGS

MY TRAVEL BAGS & LUGGAGE

My husband & I generally have the same travel set up. I stopped using a purse or tote when I travel a while ago because it’s less efficient & I lost my wallet on a flight when my bag tipped over mid flight.

Over the years, we’ve gotten really good at packing. He travels for a living, touring in a band around the world. Since he regularly travels for long periods of time, but also does quick fly trips – we’ve figured out different approaches to different types of trips.

The type of luggage you use & the way you pack should change depending on your trip. What & how you pack if you’re going to Vegas for 2 nights vs. going on a winter snow trip for 2 weeks will be different!

MY OLD LUGGAGE

THIS IS THE PREVIOUS LUGGAGE SET I HAD, THAT I SHARED WITH YOU GUYS IN THE LAST VERSION OF THE POST. I ACTUALLY REALLY LOVED IT & GOT A LOT OF USE OUT THE SET.

I ORIGINALLY PICKED IT OUT BECAUSE IT CAME IN A NESTING SET OF 3 BAGS. I ALSO WANTED SOMETHING THAT LOOKED DIFFERENT THAN EVERYONE ELSE’S LUGGAGE – MAKING IT EASIER TO SPOT AT THE LUGGAGE CLAIM CAROUSEL. BUT ALSO LESS LIKELY TO BE CONFUSED FOR SOMEONE ELSE’S.

MY “NEW” BEST LUGGAGE TIPS

DURING A TRIP A FEW YEARS AGO, ONE OF THE LARGE BAG WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY THE AIRLINE. AND A FEW MONTHS LATER, MY MEDIUM SIZED ONE WAS RUINED BY AN AIRLINE AGAIN.

SO I DECIDED TO LOOK INTO SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE DURABLE, WITH A WARRANTY. I NOW USE MONOS LUGGUGE. MY PRIMARY SUITCASE IS NOW THE MONOS HYBRID TRUNK.

THE TALLER FRAME OF THE SUITCASE MAKES IT EASIER TO PACK, ESPECIALLY FOR LONG TRIPS. IT HAS A SHALLOW SIDE & A DEEP SIDE. THE DEEP SIDE IS GREAT FOR BULKY ITEMS, BOOTS, JACKETS, ETC.

I LOVE THAT IT’S ZIPPERLESS – SO THERE’S NO RISK OF THEM BREAKING. IT HAS AN ALUMINUM FRAME WITH CORNER GUARDS & IS MADE OUT OF AN UNBREAKABLE POLYCARBONATE MATERIAL. BASICALLY: IT’S A TANK, BUT SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT & EASY TO MANEUVER.

FOR SHORTER TRIPS, I HAVE THE HYBRID CHECK-IN MEDIUM. I PERSONALLY LOVE THE HYBRID DESIGN & MATERIAL. MY DAD & FRIENDS OWN THE STANDARD LUGGAGE AND LOVE THEM TOO! IT JUST DEPENDS ON YOUR PREFERENCE.

I ALSO LOVE THAT THEY OFFER A 100 DAY TRIAL n OF THEIR luggage. IF YOU DON’T LOVE IT, YOU CAN SEND IT BACK. After 100 days, if any part of your luggage ever breaks, they will fix or replace it. That’s right, THEIR LUGGAGE has a LIFETIME WARRANTY!

SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE: AN AIRLINE RIPPED THE WHEEL OFF OF ONE OF MY BAGS (WHICH HONESTLY ISN’T A REFLECTION OF THE BAG, BUT OF THE AIRLINE) & MONOS SENT ME A BRAND NEW BAG. THEY DIDN’T EVEN ASK ME TO RETURN THE OLD ONE.

BEST LUGGAGE FOR CARRY ON

I RARELY USE MY CARRY ON BAG AS A CARRY ON. PERSONALLY, I FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE CHECKING MY BAGS – ESPECIALLY WHEN I MULTIPLE FLIGHTS & LAYOVERS. I FEEL LIKE IT’S A LOT EASIER TO RUN THROUGH THE AIRPORT TO MAKE A CONNECTION WITH A BACKPACK OR PURSE VS. A SUITCASE.

I’VE ALSO FOUND THAT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THERE ISN’T ROOM FOR CARRY ON BAGS ON FLIGHTS. THEY REGULARLY MAKE YOU CHECK YOUR BAG AT THE LAST MINUTE BEFORE BOARDING. WHICH STRESSES ME OUT!

I NORMALLY TRAVEL WITH A BACKPACK AND/OR TOTE BAG. IT JUST KIND OF DEPENDS ON OUR TRIP.

I LIKE HAVING THE OPTION TO USE EITHER OF THE BAGS OR BOTH & LIKE THAT THEY FIT IN THE OVERHEAD COMPARTMENT OR UNDER THE SEAT.

IF I’M BRINING MY CAMERA, LAPTOP, WORK STUFF, ETC, I’LL NORMALLY BRING A BACKPACK. I NEVER CHECK MY TECH. I ALWAYS KEEP MY CAMERA AND COMPUTER WITH ME – I DON’T WANT TO RISK ANYTHING BREAKING OR GETTING LOST. PLUS, I LIKE TO WORK ON THE GO!

THIS IS MY TRAVEL TOTE FROM CALPAK.

THIS IS MY TRAVEL BACKPACK FROM CALPAK.

WE ALSO HAVE THIS TRAVEL BAG FROM DOUG FROM WILDONE – LITERALLY THE MOST AMAZING TRAVEL BAG FOR DOGS. I TELL MY FRIENDS IT’S LIKE THE FERRARI OF PET CARRIERS. THIS LINK GETS YOU 15% OFF!

THE BEST DOG TRAVEL CARRIER BAG FOR FLYING - WILDONE

BEST LUGGAGE PACKING ORGANIZATION

I COULD (AND PROBABLY WILL) DO A WHOLE POST ON MY TRAVEL & PACKING ORGANIZATION. HOW I PACK. WHAT I PACK. GADGETS, ETC.

BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF STAYING ORGANIZED WHEN I TRAVEL IS USING PACKING CUBES. THEY’RE LITERALLY A GAME CHANGER.

I HAVE TWO SETS OF PACKING CUBES FOR STAYING ORGANIZED. THE FIRST IS A 5 PIECE PACKING CUBE SET THAT MATCHES MY MARBLE LUGGAGE FROM CALPAK. IT COMES IN A TON OF COLORS AND PATTERNS – I JUST LIKE THE MATCHING ELEMENT!

I ALSO HAVE THIS SET OF 6 COMPRESSION PACKING CUBES. I LIKE USING THESE WHEN I’M PACKING BULKIER ITEMS – LIKE WINTER CLOTHES, SWEATERS OR SWEATS, ETC. THEY’RE SO HELPFUL WHEN YOU’RE TRYING TO PACK A LOT IN A SMALL SPACE!

LASTLY, I HAVE THIS HANGING PACKING CUBE THAT I USE IN MY SMALLER LUGGAGE, ESPECIALLY WHEN I’M TRAVELING ON TOUR.

WITH ALL 3 VARIATIONS, I LIKE THAT ALL OF MY CLOTHES STAY ORGANIZED & TAKE UP LESS SPACE IN THE LUGGAGE. I NORMALLY PULL OUT THE CUBES AND THROW THEM INTO A DRAWER OR SHELVES IN MY HOTEL ROOM. I KEEP EVERYTHING IN THE BAGS & PULL THINGS OUT AS NEEDED. A LOT OF TIMES, I’LL KEEP THE LARGEST CUBE EMPTY WHEN I’M PACKING & USE IT FOR DIRTY LAUNDRY DURING MY TRIP.

WITH THE HANGING CUBE, I LIKE THAT IT KEEPS EVERYTHING ORGANIZED LIKE A MINIATURE CLOSET. I GENERALLY USE THIS TO STAY ORGANIZED FOR A SHORT TRIP OR WHEN I VISIT TONY ON THE ROAD. I LIKE THAT I CAN PULL EVERYTHING OUT AND HANG IT IN A CLOSET – OR EVEN IN A BATHROOM ON THE SHOWER CURTAIN ROD WHEN I’M GETTING READY. THIS IS ALSO SUPER HELPFUL IF YOU’RE CAMPING OR HOPPING FROM HOTEL TO HOTEL!