Guide to the Different Types of Luggage
If you like traveling to different places around the world, it is important for you to know the different types of luggage in terms of size, material, and style so that you will be able to carry with you the most suitable luggage during your trips.
Because there are dozens of various sizes and styles available for luggage bags, it would often be confusing for people to choose the perfect luggage for them. To make it easier for them to pick one, we have published a guide to different luggage bags, and these items are grouped according to their size and style.
Types of Luggage by Size
Kenneth Cole Reaction Out Of Bounds 28
Samsonite Omni PC Hardside Expandable Luggage with Spinner Wheels, Black
Travelpro Maxlite 5 Lightweight Checked Large 29" Expandable Softside Luggage Black, 29-Inch
American Tourister 4 Kix Expandable Softside Luggage with Spinner Wheels, Teal
Travel Select Amsterdam Expandable Rolling Upright Luggage, Burgundy, Checked-Medium 25-Inch
Samsonite Freeform Hardside Expandable with Double Spinner Wheels, Navy
Wrangler 20" Smart Spinner Carry-On Luggage With Usb Charging Port, 20 Inch Carry-On, Olive Green
kensie 20" "Alma" Carry-On TSA-Lock Spinner Luggage
Ben Sherman Nottingham 20-Inch Carry-On Lightweight Durable Hardshell 4-Wheel Spinner Cabin Size Luggage, Navy
Large
True to its name, the large luggage bag has a spacious interior that allows you to pack many clothes and other items inside it. Large-sized luggage bags are recommended for people who will be traveling in other locations or countries for weeks, as they need plenty of clothes to keep up with the wardrobe rotation weekly. The average height for large-sized luggage bags is 30 inches, which is the measurement specified by most airlines to be the limit for luggage.
Some of the best large-sized luggage bags include the Kenneth Cole Reaction “Out of Bounds,” the Samsonite Omni PC, and the Travelpro Maxlite 5.
Medium
The medium luggage bag is usually only 4 inches smaller than the large, making it still have enough space to put at least seven sets of clothes, but you won’t have to worry about exceeding the height limit when you purchase this size. Medium-size luggage bags are more suitable for trips that would only take one week.
A few excellent medium-sized luggage bags are the American Tourister 4 Kix, the Travel Select Amsterdam, and the Samsonite Freeform.
Cabin Size
Most popularly known as carry-on bags, these cabin size luggage bags are 10 to 11 inches smaller than a large luggage, and because of their small size, they are allowed by most airlines to be carried by its owner, but they must be placed inside the hand luggage compartment at the top of the airplane’s seats. The average size for carry-on luggage bags is 19 to 20 inches, and most of them possess spinner wheels like their bigger counterparts.
If you are looking for great cabin size luggage bags, you can get the Wrangler 20” Smart Spinner, the kensie 20” Alma Carry-On Luggage Bag, or the Ben Sherman Nottingham.
Types of Luggage by Style
Samsonite Winfield 2 Hardside Expandable Luggage with Spinner Wheels, Deep Blue
COOLIFE Luggage Expandable(only 28") Suitcase PC+ABS Spinner Built-in TSA Lock 20in 24in 28in
Rockland Melbourne Hardside Expandable Spinner Wheel Luggage, Blue
IT Luggage 22" World's Lightest 8 Wheel Spinner, Blue Ashes With Vapor Blue Trim
American Tourister Belle Voyage Softside Luggage with Spinner Wheels, Blue Denim
Tommy Bahama Carry On Luggage - 20 Inch Lightweight Expandable Rolling Spinner Luggage with Wheels Travel Suitcase
Olympia 8 Pocket Rolling Duffel Bag
Samsonite Unisex-Adult Ripstop Wheeled Rolling Duffel Bag, Blue
Travelers Club Xpedition 30 Inch Rolling Multi-Pocket Upright Duffel
Hard-sided Luggage
The most common luggage style today, the hard-sided wheeled luggage bag has wheels at the bottom so that it can move without being carried, and a stroller is also seen at the top of the bag to make it easier for the owner to pull it. Wheeled luggage suitcases sometimes have built-in pockets at the front where you can place essential items that you may need to get quickly during flights.
Luggage companies have developed various materials that can be applied to the exterior of the bags to make them more durable. Here are four of the most common hard-sided luggage materials:
- Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene – often called by its acronym ABS, this material is the cheapest one out of all used for hard-sided luggage bags. Because it is inexpensive, ABS is the most used material for the mentioned luggage style. However, it is not as strong and as light as the other hard luggage materials.
- PVC – this is the second most lightweight material, and it is also one of the most flexible. But because it is flexible, it does not possess any shock-resistant qualities.
- Polycarbonate – another lightweight material, polycarbonate is not as flexible as PVC, but it is stronger and more durable. Polycarbonate has been used in other items or furniture, such as windows and eyeglasses, as it is deemed to be difficult to break or damage.
- Polypropylene – the lightest hard-sided luggage material, polypropylene is perfect for those who frequently travel, as it is durable enough to withstand hundreds of trips and flights, and it is also so lightweight that owners will not have a hard time carrying bags with this material.
The best hard-sided luggage bags include the Samsonite Winfield 2, the COOLIFE Expandable Luggage, and the Rockland Melbourne.
Soft Luggage
The soft luggage bag has the same features found on the hard-sided version, which are the wheels at the bottom and the built-in stroller. However, soft luggage bags are made with textile or fabric instead of hard materials like ABS and polycarbonate, making them much lighter and softer.
The major advantage that soft luggage bags have to the hard-sided ones is that the exterior expands, meaning that your clothes or other items won’t get cramped inside the interior, thus leading to damages. But the main drawback of soft luggage bags is that they won’t be able to protect your items inside the bag against outside elements because the exterior is too soft.
Three of the best soft wheeled luggage bags are the it Luggage World’s Lighter 8-Wheel Spinner, the American Tourister Belle Voyage, and the Tommy Bahama Carry-On Luggage.
Duffel Luggage
The duffel luggage bag is a subtype to the soft luggage that also features moving wheels and a retractable stroller. But the main difference between the soft luggage and the duffel luggage is that the latter style has a more rounded shape compared to the other style that is more rectangular. Moreover, duffle luggage bags are significantly taller, thus allowing them to have more space inside than the soft luggage.
Duffle luggage bags tend to be made with stronger and durable fabrics, as they are designed to be suitable for camping, hiking, or backpacking. Most duffle luggage bags also have shoulder straps so that you can still bring the bag with you if the travel location has a rocky terrain that prevents you from utilizing the luggage’s wheels.
Some of the excellent duffel luggage bags that you can purchase online are the Olympia 8-Pocket Rolling Duffel Bag, the Samsonite Ripstop Wheeled Duffel, and the Traveler’s Club Xpedition.
Now that you know all of the different sizes and styles available for luggage bags, choosing the right bag for you won’t be a challenge anymore. Before making a purchase, read or watch customer reviews and feedback first and see if the luggage bag you are eyeing for is made with high-quality materials that provide durability and protection for the items that you would put inside it.