Get the Complete Guide - What are the Different Types of Luggage - Pack Smart

What are the Different Types of Luggage
Get the Complete Guide - What are the Different Types of Luggage - Pack Smart

Are you going abroad for holidays or a professional trip? You require durable, quick-handling suitcases and travel bags for a comfortable journey. Plan your itinerary, and make a travel packing list according to your destination, weather, and travel plans.

The luggage in your travel plan is the most crucial part of your journey, and you must carefully choose the specific travel bags suitable for the trip for the requirements. You must know What is the best luggage size for international travel? What are the different types of luggage available for traveling?

The different luggage types are portable and most flexible hand-carry or carry-on luggage, usually recommended for short domestic or international trips. The other is Personal item luggage, which is portable and adjustable everywhere, but used to carry personal items. The last one is checked luggage available in medium, large, and extra-large sizes, and it's usually best for extended trips or group or family travel.

Types of Travel Bags

Here, we go with all types of luggage and travel bags for domestic and international travel. You can select the required suitcase or baggage for your trip from different types of luggage bags.

Garment Bags for Traveling

Garment Bags for Traveling

Garment bags are small handbags or compact cabin bags made of fabric material with various pockets and extra front compartments to store valuables, tiny items, and personal stuff for quick access while traveling. 

Garment bags are usually handbags without wheels and a long strap to carry them, but few brands have introduced the two-wheel garment bag with a retractable handle to roll off the bag. These travel bags are simple and sleek in style and available in a few colors, usually black. Garment bags are also available in briefcase style for business travelers. It’s ideal for personal item travel bags and can be used instead of cabin bags, duffle bags, and tote bags.

Weekend Bags for Traveling

Weekend Bags for Traveling

Weekend travel bags are easy to carry and give you instant access. It’s perfect for weekend stays, overnight stays, and short trips. It’s available in various styles, colors, and durable materials for a comfortable traveling experience. The weekenders are duffle bags that are not too small and not so large but average size to pack all essentials that are easily accessible and keep them secure while on the go. The weekenders or duffle bags must be made of durable materials, wear and tear-resistant, and solid enough that they can’t torn off during travel. These duffle bags or weekenders don’t have extra features, but they have enough space, various pockets, and front compartments to pack all accessories well.

Hand Carries or Carry-on Travel Bags

Hand Carries or Carry-on Travel Bags

A hand-carry or carry-on luggage types are the most flexible and convenient luggage types for traveling. You can keep it on the flight with you, and it can easily adjust under your seat or overhead compartment in a small space.

Hand carry is usually free, and its weight cost is included in the flight fares, but your luggage will be checked for its size and weight on the flight. While on board, the flight attendants may ask you to fit your bags in overhead compartments. It's handy and small in size, but usually, it's not enough for travelers, in case you can use a personal item bag, a briefcase, or a handbag to carry the other accessories for a short trip. The hand carries are available for four-wheel spinners and 2-wheel carry-on luggage.

You need to check for the weight limits and restrictions from the airline. For example, sharp things like knives, guns, or tools are unacceptable to keep in hand-carry luggage.

Pros and Cons of Hand Carry Luggage

Pros

Cons

The most suitable luggage for short trips.

It can only carry items for one or two people.

Always meet airline standards.

It’s recommended for short trips only.

Free of cost and save money on weights.

It doesn’t have ample space for a large number of items.

It’s portable and quickly adjustable.

 

Checked Luggage for Travelers

Checked Luggage for Travelers

The luggage travels through cargo aircraft and is checked luggage.  Checked baggage items are the heaviest types of suitcases and are not allowed to be held on flights with the passengers. This luggage check-in is marked with a tag on the custom counter for size and weight.

Check-in Luggage for Traveling 

Check-in luggage is the checked travel bags and suitcases that are not allowed to be held on the flights, and this luggage is held in the airline’s custody and loaded at the cargo for travel. Check-in luggage has specific limitations and rules for carrying sizes and weights, and some particular items should not be carried on board. 

Check-in luggage sizes and weights must be acceptable according to airline laws and regulations. The maximum weight for check-in luggage is 32 kilograms, which is usually acceptable for all airlines.

The excess weight for check-in luggage should pay the extra charges for the luggage, but sometimes the airline refuses to carry excess weight and sizes for check-in luggage, and you may leave the luggage or get the ticket for some other airline to send the luggage.

The check-in luggage may not contain guns, firearms, explosive items, and some restricted items. Check in the airline rules and restricted items list for details. 

Hard-side Suitcases for Travel

Hard-side Suitcases for Travel

The hard-side types of luggage bags are mostly suitable for international traveling because their complex layers are usually water resistant, solid, secure from damage, and everlasting material for long-term warranty. These suitcases have enough compartments and pockets on each side to carry items with secure and robust straps, and they will be packed like a shell to keep your accessories safe during travel. These suitcases are usually made of the lightest and most durable material for hard-side suitcases.

Their material is more secure and durable and can deal with more tough handling and damage resistance than any other material for the best luggage brands. This material is not only waterproof, but it’s helpful to prevent scratches and dents during rough handling. A low-quality composite material can get cracked and scratched easily compared to premium quality entire material luggage.

Pros and Cons of Hard-side Luggage

Pros

Cons

It’s the most suitable luggage for international travelers.

It is expensive compared to other suitcases.

It’s durable, safe from damage, and lifelong luggage.

It can be heavy as compared to other baggage.

It’s usually water and scratch resistant.

It may not fix under the seat or in the overhead space on the flight.

It comes with stylish designs and color variations.

 

Soft-Surface Baggage for Travel

Soft-Surface Baggage for Travel

Soft-surface baggage is the most flexible and lightweight luggage made of fabric material. These suitcases and travel bags are easy to adjust in small spaces, but all soft-side suitcases are not water-resistant or scratch-resistant. It depends on the fabric's quality for its durability and reliability, so you must check the quality standards for fabric material of soft-side suitcases.

Soft-side suitcases have outer compartments and pockets to separate documents, laptops, and papers. These cases have internal pockets inside the top lid to store more items safely. These soft-side suitcases are made of polyester fabric or nylon material. The polyester material is lightweight and secure, but nylon is efficiently irresistible and durable for luggage. Soft-side travel bags are the best lightweight luggage for seniors.

Pros and Cons of Soft-side Luggage

Pros

Cons

It's the most suitable luggage for domestic travel.

It can't be water and stain-resistant, depending on the fabric's quality.

It has outer compartments, pockets on the cover lid, and inner compartments or pockets for extra accessories.

It's recommended for domestic travel.

Lightweight fabric material luggage.

 It may not protect your accessories from damage or scratches during the checking.

Portable and quickly adjustable.

 

Spinner Luggage for Travel

Spinner Luggage for Travel

Spinner luggage with rolling spin wheels is flexible and easy to drag everywhere, even in a cab or taxi from the airport. Usually, travelers use spinner luggage with two front wheels or four spin wheels to move quickly anywhere without carrying the trolley. Hard-side and soft-side suitcases and travel bags can have spin wheels. However, durability depends on the quality of the wheels and the luggage. If we compare rollaboard vs spinner luggage, travelers prefer spinners for smooth and fast moveability.

The spin wheels are rotational at 360 degrees and flexible to move & turn the luggage in all directions quickly. Travelers can access quick mobility and push, pull, or roll over the spinners everywhere. These spin wheels' durability depends on the luggage quality, and these wheels can break off the bag in case of low-quality suitcases.

Travelers must take care to move the spinners because they can get stuck or break off on the rough surface. These spinners have telescopic handles that can pull out as long as possible.

Pros and Cons of Spinner Luggage

Pros

Cons

It's the most flexible luggage for quick mobility without trolleys.

The spin wheels can break off the bags if it's a low-quality material.

They can move around 360 degrees rotationally in all directions.

Spin wheels can occupy more space and extend the size of the luggage.

 

Spin wheels extend the weight of the luggage.

Duffel Bags for Travel

Duffel Bags for Travel

Duffle Travel bags are helpful for the outdoors, adventures, domestic and short trips. These travel bags can hang on easily and have several compartments and pockets for extra accessories. They have solid grip handles and strong straps to carry, but some large duffle bags can have spin wheels. Some duffle bags can have back straps to carry on the back like a backpack.

The duffle bags are more flexible and quickly adjust under the seat; they can be used as personal item handbags on travel. People use duffle bags to carry their sportswear and equipment, but the variations of modern and contemporary styles and designs make them portable luggage for travel. These travel bags have solid handles, strong zippers, and firm gripped straps to carry during travel. These bags are easy to carry and have long-lasting durability, and come in various sizes, shapes, and fabric materials according to price and quality.

Duffle bags are made of polyester, vinyl, canvas, or blended fabric material. Canvas is the most reliable and durable fabric material for duffle bags. Canvas material duffle bags have a solid grip and strong protective layers, almost impossible to tear out easily.

Pros and Cons of Duffle Bags

Pros

Cons

It's the most flexible and portable luggage for quick mobility and easy handling.

Duffle bags in big sizes are bulky and difficult to hold on or carry on.

The most inexpensive travel bag.

It's only recommended for domestic short trips, outdoors, or adventures.

Durable and everlasting luggage.

It doesn't have TSA locks. You require manual locks to protect your luggage.

It comes in many shapes and size variations.

 

Wheeled Backpacks for Travel

Wheeled Backpacks for Travel

Wheeled backpacks are used explicitly for outdoor, adventurous, and road trips for travelers. This unique luggage can hang on your shoulders and move through wheels per your requirements. It has strong straps to grip your accessories, solid zippers, multiple compartments, and pockets to keep your several tiny items safe, particularly pockets for electronic gadgets and accessories, solid handles with a firm grip, and durable spin wheels at 360-degree rotational movements in every direction.  If you have any stuck zipper issues while traveling, you can see how to get a zipper back on track.

Wheeled backpacks suit small packers who must quickly travel with specific items and move on with small luggage. These backpacks are flexible and highly convenient for outdoor travelers. Most teens and kids choose these backpacks for their luggage to carry them quickly and move fast. These backpacks are usually made of nylon and polyester material and are highly water-resistant, durable, and portable to move on.

Pros and Cons of Wheeled Backpacks

Pros

Cons

It's easy to move with wheels anywhere in all directions.

Wheeled backpacks are large in size, bulky, and heavier than others.

It can be used as a regular backpack when required.

It's only used for domestic short trips, outdoors, or adventures and small packers.

It's durable, safe, and everlasting luggage.

These backpacks are not as comfy as regular backpacks.

It's the best option when you need to walk, more with wheels instead of carrying the luggage on your back or shoulders.

 

Consider Weight, Materials, and Durability When Choosing Luggage 

It’s wise to consider luggage weight and material durability before purchase. Some expandable luggage may exceed the weight limits after being jammed-packed, and travelers need to pay extra charges for overweight luggage at the check-in counter. Cheap and low-quality material can cause serious troubles on the trip, like wobbling wheels and handles, instant break-offs, and stuck zippers on the track. You don’t need to purchase a highly expensive travel bag, but at least fine quality to ensure comfortable and safe travel.

Which luggage style is perfect for you? 

There are various luggage styles like hard-shell and soft-shell luggage, suitcases, handbags, tote bags, cabin bags or under-seaters, duffle bags or weekenders, garment bags, backpacks, small and compact travel bags, small carry-ons, medium and large checked travel bags.

  • It depends on the traveler’s requirements, trip duration, destination, number of people traveling, and the items in the packing list.
  • The heavy packers need at least medium checked luggage even when traveling for a two or three-week trip.
  • Travelers heading for the hiking or camping site or on a weekend trip should have a duffle bag.
  • A business traveler on a two-day business trip needs a compact cabin bag or a carry-on.
  • A family wedding or a long vacation trip with various family members requires a large checked luggage or extra large travel bag.

Jan Sport Driver Eight Backpack for Travelers

Jan Sport Driver Eight Backpack for Travelers

Jan Sport Driver Eight Backpack is ideal for adventure travelers. It’s a high-quality material, a durable and reliable product with a solid zipper, outside and inside alternative pockets, solid handles, and strong straps. It can carry on shoulders easily with a firm grip when required. It’s an outstanding wheeled backpack for long walking journeys.

Check Latest Price

Conclusion  

Travel bags and suitcases vary in type, size, materials, design, features, and price. It's all your preferences, what is the most reliable and suitable carrier for you. If you're on a domestic short trip, the carry-on is the best option, and if you're on a long journey or traveling with a group or family, you must need checked baggage for ample space and extra accessories. Big packers usually choose checked luggage. But you must know the largest luggage size for check-in, the actual limits, and the airline's restrictions to prevent customs issues at the checking counter.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the travel bags that can be used for carry-on luggage?

This luggage can be handy suitcases and travel bags, whether hard-side or soft-side, outdoor or travel backpacks, boarding travel bags, and small duffle bags.

What can be used for personal item luggage?

The personal item luggage is used for holding tiny accessories to pick up quickly anywhere, including a portable travel handbag, small tote, small boarding, small backpack, handy laptop bag, and small briefcase.

What are the bags used for checked luggage?

Checked luggage includes soft-side suitcases, hard-side suitcases, giant-size duffle bags, big travel backpacks, and large rolling backpacks.

Which travel bag is best for traveling?

The soft shell luggage is the best for traveling. Hard shell cases are also available in sturdy flexible and durable material but for convenient traveling soft side luggage is more suitable and flexible for everyone.

How many liters capacity are available in a carry-on bag?

Usually carry ons can hold 30 to 50 liters capacity.

What is the best type of suitcase to buy?

Get a soft side suitcase if you are looking for vast storage with expandability and flexibility. If you are looking for irresistible durable and long life security then go for the hard shell suitcase.
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