What carries your stuff and must NOT fail when you’re on holiday? Yeah, you guessed it – your luggage. With mine slowly wearing down from constant use, join me on my quest to look for the best luggage sets out there right now. Let’s go!
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Why A Luggage Sets?
Maybe you are somebody who is just starting out on their travels, and maybe you feel like you only need one luggage. Sure, that does make sense now, but if you have a little time and a little extra cash, hear me out.
If this is your entry into travel, I can promise you that it will not be your last. There are just too many adventures out there and you will need a luggage for every occasion; a small one for a road trip, the medium-sized one for the carry-on, and the largest for your annual holiday!
This is why I suggest purchasing it all in a set. If you find a bag that works well, can be relied on and suits your personal style, surely you want that carried through for all your luggage needs, right?
Check this out for a luggage checklist!
Soft Or Hard?
There are two types of luggage out there – the ones made of fabric and those with a hard outer shell. Each has its own pros and cons, obviously, so here are a few for you to consider before purchase.
Soft luggage is great if you are like me, prone to impulse shopping. As a soft bag, it is a lot more yielding than the hard shell bags. They also do tend to have more compartments, as the hard shell luggage bags tend to have only one, or two at a stretch, main, large compartment.
On the other hand, the tough outer shell is great if you are a little clumsier or usually transport more fragile things. While you have to compromise on being able to store different things in separate compartments, you will still be able to deal with it if you are as organized as I am!
Personally, I largely prefer the tougher luggage. Sure, I am known to be an impulse buyer, but I am also a little clumsy, so the hard shells have protected my things more often than not. Does that, however, mean that I will pigeonhole my choices? Not at all!
Dive a little more in depth here!
Weight
Next, you will obviously need a luggage that you feel comfortable dragging behind you. Depending on the type of traveler you are, your walking times can vary from a few minutes to days on end. As such, the weight of your luggage may or may not be significant when you’re picking one.
As a general rule of thumb, the hard luggage is heavier than the canvas ones.
Durability
Now, a light bag is obviously not the end goal here; you need to be able to trust that your luggage will hold up to wear and tear. From the zippers, the quality of materials, to the link between the bag and the handle, none of it should be flimsy or lack in workmanship.
There is absolutely nothing worse than being late for a flight, having to rush to your gate, only for your luggage to break down in the middle of the airport.
This should be of help!
Sizing Your Luggage
Okay, so this is where it gets more pragmatic. Most flights have a standard allowance for the size of your carryon bag, so you will need one of the luggage to fit that mold. Onward from that, be sure to check the average heights of bus compartments, as you may find yourself hopping on one soon with your new luggage!
Next, be sure to check if the largest of the set fits in with the maximum size for checked bags. All airlines have a maximum weight for a checked luggage, but some have strict size restrictions, which could have you incurring extra costs if your luggage does not fit the size limit.
Here is a starter’s list for baggage sizes!
Number Of Wheels
In general, you have three types to choose from – the no-wheelers, the rollers (two wheels), and the spinners (four wheels).
The difference between the two and the four wheels may be boiled down to picking between sturdier wheels or ease of navigation. However, you may be looking to negate the wheels altogether, and in that case, you will have to look for a luggage set that indulges you in that.
Aesthetics
This will be your travel companion for, hopefully, the next decade or more. Find one that is pleasing to your eye and you will be proud to tell people about!
Alright, enough talk; let’s go try out some of these luggage sets!
**Below, you find more detail reviews, but you also can click links above to see current prices and read customer's reviews on Amazon.
Reviews
Samsonite “Winfield 2 HS 3 Piece”
Pros
- Quality – Samsonite has always lead the way when it comes to luggage, and the workmanship of this luggage set seems to carry on in this vein.
- Lightweight but sturdy – Its hard polycarbon shell breaks the tradition of hard shells weighing far more than its fabric counterparts.
- Looks sharp – Forget about not being able to spot your luggage on the carousel. Easily one of the best-looking luggage sets out there today.
Cons
- Not enough handles – Only the main, top handle is available, would be a little awkward on staircases.
- Scratch – The lightweight polycarbon seems to have a major downside – it seems quite prone to scratches. It also seems to be quite prone to dents during airline handling due to the thinness of the polycarbon shell.
- Cost – May be a bit of a turn-off, as it is two to three times the price of its counterparts.
American Tourister “Brookfield 3 Piece”
Pros
- Value – As one of the cheaper luggage sets, its make and quality do not seem at all compromised.
- Roomy – Despite its abundance of compartments (unlike hard shells), the medium and large luggage were really roomy. Will not have any issues carrying my things for a long trip.
- The smallest one – I really did like that the smallest luggage is a no-wheeler, allowing for it to be a lot more flexible. Unfortunately...
Cons
- The smallest one – As a 3 piece set, the smallest one is a very unfortunate disappointment. It is much smaller than most airlines allow for carry-ons and could do with more lining and compartments.
- No frills – An entirely basic luggage set that will do the job as well as it knows how.
Personally, as somebody expects a minimalist approach to hard-shelled luggage, I expected a bit more from this, aesthetics-wise.
Merax “Travelhouse 3 Piece with TSA Lock”
Pros
- Locks – There are no escaping these locks. They are TSA-approved, making it wonderfully easy to pass through American security, some of the toughest in the world.
- You get what you pay for – Despite not being the most expensive luggage set in the store, it was a little more expensive than another, also by Merax. This, however, included extra reinforcements that I am more than happy to pay a little more for.
- Inside pocket – While most hard-shelled luggage consists of only one main compartment, I feel like the additional compartment inside each of the three bags will come in handy when packing.
Cons
- Zipper – One of the zippers on the middle sized bag felt a little flimsier than the others. Unsure if this is a running problem, as there was only one of this set in the store.
- Smell – Not entirely sure why this is so, but when you open the luggage for the first time, there is a really strong chemical smell coming from it. Should go away after airing it out, but is something to keep in mind.
Samsonite “Omni PC 3 Piece”
Pros
- Solid – Again, Samsonite does not disappoint. Even the largest luggage of the set held steady after being packed full with 50lbs of weight in it (even with some room to spare).
- Very sturdy – Compared to the Winfield from earlier, this is a little heavier, and yet the material it is made with feels much, much sturdier. Not hard by any means, but sturdier.
- Aesthetic – Samsonite clearly values the aesthetic side of luggage and it shows. Its design is simple, yet the colors are radiant and eye-catching. One to look out for.
Cons
- Still pricey – Just as the Samsonite “Winfield” luggage set, these are much pricier than your average luggage set. Yes, you are paying for reassurance and quality, but may be a step too far for some.
- Huge – The largest luggage is a little larger than actually advertised. Most airlines do not have an issue with the size of checked bags, but some are a little more strict, and if the airline you fly the most is one of them, you may want to keep this in mind.
Traveler’s Choice “Amsterdam 4 Piece”
Pros
- 4 pieces – There is no escaping this – the extra, smaller, no-wheeler luggage was the one that caught my eye. This set is no more expensive than the others and includes a fourth piece.
- Roller – As a fan of durability at the expense of some function, I am very happy that these are roller wheels. Sure, I will not be able to get around tight corners as easily, but these wheels will likely handle airline abuse much better.
- One bag for each purpose – The smallest as a personal bag, the small roller as a carry-on, the medium as a short-haul checked-in bag, and the largest as a family holiday checked bag. Will get many uses out of these.
Cons
- Flimsy small bag – The smallest no-wheeler is almost incapable of standing when it is empty. May not be a huge problem, but may be something to think about when considering sturdiness.
- Questionable durability – Other than the rolling wheels, the construction of this set does come under a little scrutiny. Does not seem as well made as the others on this list, maybe having four bags for the price of three comes at a price.
- Locks – Some of the locks here seem a little suspect. Not that big a deal for me, as I have my own locks, but may be a deal breaker.
**Below, you find more detail reviews, but you also can click links above to see current prices and read customer's reviews on Amazon.
Conclusion
Personally, the conclusion I drew, in the end, was the most surprising, out of all the other reviews I had done so far.
Having value in mind, both American Tourister’s “Brookfield 3 Piece” and Traveler’s Choice’s “Amsterdam 4 Piece” came really close to coming out on top. Unfortunately, as a clumsy man, I could not bring myself to pick a fabric-made luggage set over a hard shell.
Both Samsonite “Omni PC” and “Winfield 2” are fantastic luggage sets. I have owned Samsonite in the past and they have held up to some of the worst airline abuse. Unfortunately, while I turn away value, I do not feel like I need a luggage at the top of the range right now, and I am not currently willing to pay their prices.
Therefore, the Merax’s “Travelhouse 3 Piece” is my number one choice. It is light, seems durable, has the right sizing, and even has the added bonus of TSA-approved built-in locks. It checks all my boxes when it comes to luggage, and is my top pick for luggage sets!
I hope you enjoyed this piece. Happy travels!
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