Whether it's a weekend trip, business travel, or a family vacation: choosing the right luggage is extremely important for a relaxed, convenient, and comfortable journey. Unfortunately, the wide variety of different suitcases can easily lead to confusion. That's why we've put together some important tips to help you choose the right luggage.
Frame
Inquire about the frame material before purchasing a suitcase. Besides stability, the material directly affects the weight of the unpacked luggage. Often, the frame materials are noted on the luggage tag. For example, internal frames made of fiberglass achieve a particularly low weight. However, suitcase frames can also be made of aluminum, wood, durable molded plastic, or a combination of the materials just mentioned.
Construction
As soon as a suitcase has zippers, you should make sure that the seams are heat-sealed. This means both the zipper and the pocket seams are reinforced with tape to prevent fraying. On the outside of the bag, the connection points are covered with leather or provided with nylon piping and bindings. This strengthens the seams and reduces wear. Also, make sure that the seams are sewn with a lockstitch. With this method, the stitch is reinforced or enclosed and independent. If a stitch should break, it will not pull the next one, preventing the entire seam from unraveling.
Fabric / Material
When choosing your luggage, pay attention to high-quality fabric or material. If aesthetics are important to you, leather suitcases are recommended, for example. These look wonderful and can also be durable. However, leather suitcases have a high intrinsic weight. But even with leather, there are differences in quality. Full-grain leather or top-grain leather, which is the uppermost layer of the rawhide, is stronger and more durable than split leather, which is split off below the upper layer. For this reason, luggage made of split leather is cheaper but less wear-resistant. In general, heavier materials offer better protection for the contents, especially against sharp objects that can cause tears or ripping of the luggage. For this reason, luggage made of ballistic nylon or Cordura nylon is currently very popular. Ballistic nylon is a bit more expensive than Cordura but justifies the price premium with its robustness. However, luggage made of Cordura is also quite durable. Compared to tweed and brocade bags, which appear more stable due to the thicker weave, Cordura bags are less often slashed. Additionally, the thinner material is characterized by a lower intrinsic weight. For environmentally conscious travelers, other materials are recommended. Fortel EcoSpun, for example, is a durable material made from recycled plastic bottles and hemp-woven material.
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