10 Dumb Luggage Features That Drive Travelers CRAZY
Summary
TLDRThis video highlights 10 essential carry-on luggage features to avoid, focusing on common issues like faulty wheels, poor telescoping handles, and unbalanced designs that make travel frustrating. It also discusses beneficial features, including smooth Hinomoto wheels, reliable YKK zippers, and sturdy side handles. The speaker stresses the importance of choosing well-constructed bags with good warranties, suggesting the ideal price range is $150 to $300. He warns against bags that are too heavy or easily show wear and tear, and offers tips for selecting the best hard- or soft-sided luggage.
Takeaways
- 😀 Wheels are crucial: Opt for 360° spinning luggage with eight wheels to avoid issues like unstable or noisy movement.
- 🔧 Bad telescoping handles are frustrating: Look for sturdy, stable handles with multiple height stops and ergonomic designs.
- 🧳 Organization is key: Choose luggage with dividers, compression straps, and pockets for better organization, but avoid excessive compartments that waste space.
- 📎 Quick access is essential: A front pocket is handy for easy access, especially for frequent travelers using one bag.
- 👋 A side handle is useful: It's helpful when retrieving your bag from overhead bins or climbing stairs, so prioritize luggage with this feature.
- 🚪 Zippers matter: Opt for reliable YKK zippers or latches for clamshell bags to avoid snagging or water leakage.
- ⚖️ Balance is vital: A well-balanced bag stands upright and doesn't tip easily when packed, which prevents hassle during transit.
- 🛠️ Durability over looks: Hard-sided bags, especially aluminum, may look nice but show wear quickly, while soft-sided bags hide wear better.
- 📏 Size matters: Make sure to check external dimensions, including wheels and handles, to meet carry-on requirements and avoid oversized luggage.
- 💰 Warranty is important: Invest in luggage with a good warranty covering functional damage to avoid frequent replacements, and be wary of return policies that only apply if unused.
Q & A
What is one of the most frustrating luggage features for travelers?
-A set of wheels that don't work properly is one of the most frustrating features. It can make the luggage feel worthless, much like getting a grocery cart with a bad wheel.
What is recommended for 360° spinning luggage in terms of wheel design?
-It is recommended to choose cases with eight wheels, where each mechanism has two wheels. This provides better stability and ensures smoother movement compared to four-wheel designs.
What kind of luggage handles should travelers avoid?
-Travelers should avoid telescoping handles that are flimsy, rickety, or lack side-to-side stability. A stable, sturdy handle with multiple height adjustments is ideal.
Why is the number of height stops important in a telescoping handle?
-Having multiple height stops is important to accommodate travelers of different heights. Cheaper luggage often has only one or two stops, which can be inconvenient for people who are shorter or taller.
What should you look for in terms of luggage organization?
-Luggage should have useful organizational features, such as dividers, compression straps, and small pockets. However, too many compartments can waste space, so avoid bags with unnecessary built-in features.
What feature can help prevent frustration when accessing items during travel?
-A front or quick-access pocket can prevent frustration when trying to retrieve small items like headphones, especially in hard-shell or carry-on bags.
Why is a side handle a useful luggage feature?
-A side handle is helpful when lifting the bag from overhead bins or while climbing stairs. It should be sturdy and easy to grip.
What type of zippers should travelers look for in luggage?
-Travelers should look for YKK zippers, known for their reliability. Avoid recessed zippers, as they can be less secure and more prone to snagging.
What is the benefit of choosing polycarbonate or polypropylene for hard-sided luggage?
-Polycarbonate and polypropylene materials are durable and more resistant to wear and tear than ABS plastic, which is prone to cracking.
What price range offers good value for carry-on luggage?
-The ideal price range for carry-on luggage is typically between $150 and $300. Spending more than this often means you're paying for the brand name, while in this range, you can still get a good warranty and durable features.
Outlines
🧳 Avoiding Travel Luggage Headaches: Key Features to Watch Out For
In this introductory section, the speaker talks about the overwhelming options in the luggage market and the potential of wasting money on poor-quality luggage. The speaker, an experienced traveler, aims to help viewers by highlighting 10 critical luggage features that can ruin your travel experience. Starting with the importance of good wheels, the speaker advises opting for luggage with eight wheels instead of four to prevent issues like those encountered with faulty grocery cart wheels. Quiet, smooth-rolling wheels are essential, with brands like Level 8, Monos, and Hinamoto noted for high-quality wheels. Additional features such as a wheel lock for inclines are recommended.
📏 Telescoping Handle: A Crucial Feature to Test
This section emphasizes the importance of a sturdy telescoping handle in carry-on luggage. The speaker advises against flimsy, shaky handles that detract from the overall functionality of the bag. Instead, a well-constructed, stable handle with multiple height stops is preferable, especially for travelers of different heights. The speaker also discusses ergonomics, highlighting that wide handles can be problematic when used with a trolley sleeve. The Monos telescoping handle design, with angled tubing for stability and a comfortable grip, is praised for its functionality and comfort.
📦 Organization and Compartmentalization in Luggage
This paragraph discusses the importance of compartmentalization in luggage, particularly for hard-sided clamshell designs. Features like compression straps, dividers, and small pockets help organize contents, with brands like Monos, Away, and Gly being good examples. However, the speaker warns against bags that offer too many compartments or built-in pouches, which can waste space. The speaker mentions specific designs, like built-in shoe or toiletry pouches, that may not be practical for every traveler, and suggests focusing on more versatile organizational features.
🎒 Quick-Access Pockets: Essential for Smooth Travel
The speaker explains the benefits of having a front or quick-access pocket in luggage, especially for one-bag travelers who need quick access to items like headphones. Hard-sided bags often lack this feature, making soft-sided bags more suitable in this regard. However, some hard-shell models, like the Monos Carry-On Pro and Level 8 Road Runner, do come with front pockets. For travelers using both a carry-on and a personal item, a quick-access pocket is less critical, but still a valuable feature.
🖐️ The Convenience of Side Handles
Side handles are highlighted as a practical feature that many travelers overlook. They are useful for retrieving luggage from overhead bins or carrying bags up stairs. The speaker recommends sturdy, easy-to-grip side handles, and mentions the SoulGuard Carry-On, which includes a slow-close feature for added convenience. This section also hints at how manufacturers reduce weight by eliminating side handles, which may compromise ease of use.
🔒 Zippers and Latches: Security and Functionality
This section advises travelers to prioritize luggage with reliable zippers, especially YKK zippers, known for their durability. Clamshell bags should have flush seams for better water resistance, while bags with latches instead of zippers provide added theft protection. The speaker highlights that some brands, such as SoulGuard and Monos, use latches to enhance security. Travelers are also warned to avoid bags with poor weight distribution, which can cause the luggage to topple over when packed.
🛠️ Durability: Balancing Aesthetics and Function
The speaker addresses the common problem of luggage showing signs of wear and tear after just a few trips, despite being aesthetically pleasing. They highlight that aluminum bags, while durable, tend to show scratches easily. Soft-sided luggage tends to hide damage better, while polycarbonate or polypropylene hard-sided bags are more durable than ABS plastic, which is prone to cracking. The speaker suggests focusing on durability over appearance when choosing luggage.
📏 Luggage Size and Weight: Avoiding Oversized Bags
In this section, the speaker warns travelers to pay attention to luggage dimensions, including wheels and handles, to ensure the bag meets carry-on size restrictions. In regions like Europe, Asia, and Australia, weight restrictions are also stricter, so it's important to choose a lightweight suitcase. Many companies may only advertise internal dimensions, which can be misleading. The speaker also advises investing in luggage with a warranty, as good quality bags typically fall within the $150-$300 price range, providing a balance between cost and durability.
📦 Choosing Luggage Wisely: Final Thoughts
The speaker wraps up by encouraging viewers to be mindful of warranties when purchasing luggage. Many companies offer 100-day return policies, but these often don't apply if the bag has been used. The speaker stresses the importance of reading the fine print and investing in luggage that provides coverage for functional damages. Finally, links to the speaker's recommended bags and videos for both hard-sided and soft-sided luggage reviews are provided, and viewers are invited to subscribe for more in-depth content.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Carry-on luggage
💡360° spinning wheels
💡Telescoping handle
💡Quick-access pocket
💡Compression straps
💡Soft-sided vs hard-sided luggage
💡Zippers vs latches
💡Weight distribution
💡Warranty
💡Organizational features
Highlights
360° spinning luggage with eight wheels offers superior stability and smooth movement compared to four wheels.
Opt for quiet and smooth wheels like those found in Level 8 cases, Monos, or any luggage with Hinamoto wheels.
A good telescoping handle should have multiple height adjustments (3-4 stops) and avoid side-to-side shake.
Ergonomics matter: look for comfortable grips and avoid wide handles if you plan to use a personal item bag with a trolley sleeve.
Avoid bags with poor organization; dividers, compression straps, and small pockets like those in Monos and Away are key.
Avoid excess pockets that consume space unnecessarily, such as built-in shoe or toiletry pouches that may not be removable.
Quick-access front pockets are a must, especially for frequent travelers who need easy access to items like headphones.
A side handle is crucial for easily lifting the bag from overhead bins or stairs, with some brands offering innovative slow-close handles.
Look for reliable zippers, such as YKK zippers, and avoid recessed zippers which are prone to snagging or damage.
Poorly balanced luggage can topple easily, making it a hassle to manage. Choose well-balanced bags that stand upright even when fully packed.
Aluminum bags may seem durable but are prone to looking worn and scratched after just a few trips. Polycarbonate and polypropylene are better alternatives for hard-sided luggage.
Soft-sided bags hide wear and tear better and tend to look newer longer than hard-sided luggage.
Check external dimensions, including wheels and handles, to ensure your luggage meets airline carry-on requirements, especially in Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Investing in luggage within the $150-$300 range usually provides the best balance of quality and warranty coverage, avoiding the need for frequent replacements.
Warranties are important; focus on those covering functional damage to wheels, zippers, and handles, as some 'return policies' only apply if the bag hasn't been used.
Transcripts
if you find yourself in the market for a
piece of carry-on luggage you've
probably noticed there's an insane
amount of options out there you may have
also noticed that luggage isn't cheap
and the last thing you want to do is
waste your hard-earned money on a piece
of crap as a guy who's traveled a lot
and now tested and reviewed a lot of
carry-on luggage today I want to share
with you 10 luggage features that will
drive you absolutely crazy while
traveling I'll show you things that you
want to avoid wasting your money on and
also some positive features that in my
opinion you will not regret investing in
let's get into it one thing that can
make your luggage feel completely
worthless is a set of wheels that don't
work don't you just love getting that
cart at the grocery store with the one
wheel that has something wrong with it
no nobody does and you don't want
luggage that's going to have wheels like
that either if you're going with 360°
spinning luggage I highly recommend
cases that have eight wheels it looks
like they have four but it's four sets
of Wheels with each mechanism having two
wheels if there's just four wheels and
one goes out it's going to be like
having that cart at the grocery store
you should opt for wheels that are quiet
and smooth some of the smoothest wheels
that I've ever felt are on level eight
cases monos and any bag that features
hinamoto Wheels I recently reviewed the
air carryon and although that bag
totally has some issues in my opinion
its Wheels were some of the smoothest
I've ever felt it also had a wheel lock
where you can engage a brake mechanism
so if you're on a moving train or even
on an incline your bag is not going
anywhere this is one feature that I
really hope we begin to see on more bags
another luggage feature that will drive
you absolutely nuts is a bad telescoping
handle this is one of the first things
that I always test on a piece of
carry-on luggage there's a lot of ways
this can go wrong some issues are
comfort and ergonomics oriented others
are related to the bag's functionality
in general what you don't want is a
flimsy rickety handle with a lot of side
to side Shake you want a stable sturdy
telescoping handle that feels very
connected to the bag you also want your
telescoping handle to have enough stops
for height adjustments cheaper luggage
often only has one or two stops which is
inconvenient if you're shorter than 6'2
and taller than 4 fo8 for anyone using
the metric system that means really tall
or really short ideally find handles
with three or four stops you don't want
the grip on the telescoping handle to be
in uncomfortable shape if you're pushing
or pulling this bag over a great
distance on cobblestones Etc you want it
to be comfortable also I'd avoid handles
that are too wide especially if you plan
on traveling with a personal item
backpack that has a trolley sleeve if
the handle is too wide like wider than 6
in not all personal item bags are going
to fit in my opinion monos really shines
in the telescoping handle Department the
design is unique the tubing of the poles
is set at opposing 45° angles which
makes them sturdy and it minimizes side
to side shape
the grip is comfy and personally I like
that the button is on the underside
which makes it more ergonomic avoid bags
that give you zero options for
organization or
compartmentalization for hard-sided
clamshell bags look for dividers for
both sides that give you a way to keep
the contents of each side secure
compression straps and small pockets are
common in Brands like monos gly and Away
hidden pockets are a nice touch as well
for instance in the airbag that I
mentioned second ago it had a hidden
Pocket for an Apple Air tag but there
can be too much of a good thing way too
much I would avoid bags that eat up too
much precious space with extra pockets
and compartments that you don't plan on
using example built-in shoe pouches
example built-in toiletry pouches some
of these things could be removable but
you want to know that they are before
you pull the trigger you know what's
never fun having to dig through your
suitcase and the middle of the airport
or even worse in the middle of your
flight just for something simple like a
set of headphones for this reason it's
nice to have a bag with a front pocket
or a quick access pocket now if you're a
onebag traveler your main bag better
have a quick access pocket if you're
more of a two bag traveler AKA a
carry-on and a personal item you can
kind of get away without this feature
because you've got that personal item
bag most softsided bags come with a
front pocket and they have an upper
small pocket for these quick access
items
this is where hard shell bags typically
fall flat unless you are specifically
seeking out models with that feature
couple bags with the front pocket are
the monos carryon Pro or the level eight
Road Runner the next Super annoying
feature is not having a side handle
earlier this year I reviewed several of
the lightest carry-ons on the market and
while many great bags were featured in
that video I realized one of the ways
that these manufacturers shed weight was
by omitting side handles by the way if
you like videos like that subscribe to
this channel because there are many more
coming now personally I really like
having a side handle it's useful when
you're getting your bag from the
overhead bin your climbing stairs Etc
and what you want to look for is a
sturdy side handle that's easy to slide
your hand under there's a lot of good
options out there uh one really cool
option is the soul guard carryon where
the side handle has a slow close feature
let's talk about zippers flimsy
unreliable zippers and zippers that snag
are a huge pain look for bags with YKK
zippers which are known for their
reliability and if you're looking at
clamshell bags try to find ones that
aren't recessed I like ones that have
edgo Edge seaming that creates a much
more flush and watertight seal another
option is using bags with no zippers at
all opting instead for latches which can
be more theft deterrent for example
Soulard uses latches instead some of the
monos models use latches instead avoid
bags that aren't well balanced a poorly
balanced bag top topples easily when
fully packed and I see this issue
commonly with four-wheeled softsided
bags the weight distribution is kind of
like a dude with a beer gut in the same
vein some bags have awkward handle
placements which causes them to lean
heavily when you pick them up this makes
them a hassle to carry and it can be
quite annoying when you're rushing
through the airport a well-balanced bag
is going to stand upright and remain
steady even when it's fully packed hey
that's a nice looking suitcase you got
there
sure would be a shame if you spent $900
on it because you like the way it looks
and then it shows wear and tear after
one trip looking practically like it's
20 years old after a single use yeah
sure would be a shame this happens all
the time unfortunately for example
aluminum bags are very nice the idea of
aluminum bags is great because they're
durable right they are very durable but
if you're specifically buying this bag
because you think it looks pretty pick
something else because after one or two
trips it's going to look very beat up
soft-sided bags tend to hide wear and
tear the best and personally I find that
while in general hard-sided luggage is
more aesthetic it's also more prone to
showing scratches and scuffs if you're
focused on a hard-sided bag go with
polycarbonate or polypropylene but I'd
avoid bags made out of ABS because they
are prone to cracking buying luggage
that's too big and too heavy is another
commonly overlooked issue and you might
be thinking Nick duh but listen many
companies when they Market these bags
are sharing the internal Dimensions or
the dimensions without the wheels and
handles on bags that they name something
like the carry-on when it's definitely
bigger than carry-on size what you want
to look for is the external Dimensions
including wheels and handles to ensure
that your bag meets carryon requirements
in Europe Asia and Australia weight is a
major factor for carry-ons and you don't
want most of the weight taken up by your
empty suitcase something I see commonly
is people wasting their money on cheap
luggage that doesn't have a warranty and
then having to turn around a year or two
later to buy another bag because that
one broke to an extent you pay for what
you get with luggage Good carry on
luggage isn't cheap and in my opinion
The Sweet Spot really seems to be in
that $150 to $300 range most of the time
if you're spending more than that you're
really just paying for the brand name
but in that $150 to $300 range you can
get a great warranty covering functional
damage to the Shell the wheels the
zippers and the handles and just a note
the warranty is way different from that
100 day return policy you might see some
companies marketing that 100 day return
policy often applies only if you haven't
actually used the bag so make sure you
read the fine print so you know exactly
what is covered if you want to know some
of my top recommended bags I've linked
several options below if you're in the
market for a hard-sided bag and you want
a deep Di dive on several different
models check out this video and if
you're looking for something similar for
softsided bags check out this one
finally if you want in-depth luggage
reviews and no BS buyers guides be sure
to subscribe to this channel because
we've got a lot of good stuff coming out
thanks for watching happy travels
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