Finding the best luggage for couples can be hard sometimes. A suitcase for traveling is a bit personal – everyone has their preferences. I don’t know who invented the roller bag, but this functions as a cornerstone in my packing arsenal.
Best Luggage for Couples? Well, What do the Pros Use?
I like TravelPro since they are generally lightweight and feature a variety of pockets and places to stow your stuff. Growing up, my father was an airline pilot and TravelPro was his go-to suitcase.
Mine is black, but I would actually suggest grabbing one of their other colors since it seems that 80% of the bags on the conveyor belt at the airport are black. Yours will be much easier to pick out if you have a different color. Also, spring for the one with spinner wheels rather than the fixed position version.
Use a Daypack Around Town
Once you get where you’re going, you’ll throw your roller back in the room and then be out and about taking in the sights. A daypack is super useful for throwing together all those little things you need during the day – think sunscreen, a water bottle, your phone charger, a light windbreaker when you’re not wearing it, etc.
This Sun Hiker daypack is offered in a dozen different colors, so pick the one you like. There are other more elaborate packs available if you’re a serious hiker and want a hydration bladder built-in, but if that’s not you, this is great for sightseeing around town, going on a boat ride, or out to the local market to take in some local flavor.
Other Helpful Items
Shoe bags are a great way to isolate the sand, dirt, and whatever gunk you just stepped in when you go to pack your stuff back in your suitcase. I’m not a big packing cube kind of guy but I have a couple of these and find them very useful for stowing whatever shoes I’m not wearing while traveling to keep the rest of my stuff in good shape. These are waterproof and IMO work a lot better than the cloth ones you sometimes see.
This next item is really only if you anticipate shopping and having items to bring home with you. It’s a collapsible duffel bag that zippers up into a small package but has tons of capacity.
We used it on our last trip to Peru to bring back some souvenirs and clothing we bought at a market for our family. I threw it (empty and zippered up) in my bag on the way down because it only takes up about 6″x6″ when it’s compacted and then we opened it, filled it up, and checked the bag on the way back home. Basically, it avoided us having to hunt around for luggage while we were there or leaving a bunch of clothes to make room for the stuff we bought. Win-win, I’d say.
Luggage Tags
Airlines have those paper luggage tags at the baggage counter to write your name on. Fine if you don’t have any other options, but I like something more permanent that won’t get ripped off or smudge into a mess if it’s raining or snowing on the ramp as they load my luggage into the belly of the airplane.
I’m not paranoid, but I also don’t put a lot of extra details on my luggage tags. I include my name, my cell phone, and an email address. If you put your business card with a company name on it (especially if you work for a well-known or prominent company), sometimes people get the idea that what’s in your suitcase is more valuable than the reality may actually be.
I also skip putting my home address on my luggage tags. Basically, having it there just seems like a good way to advertise that I’m going to be away from my house for the next week or ten days.
A brightly colored luggage tag can help you quickly find your bag at the baggage carousel after your flight. These silicone tags are available in a variety of colors to coordinate with your luggage and overall vibe.
Luggage Locks
Anything in my checked bags is generally replaceable and in the scheme of things, not very valuable. I do use TSA-approved locks to keep the zippers shut and casual fingers out of my stuff, but you’re kidding yourself if you think it will keep a motivated person with a small bolt cutter from getting in your bag in ten seconds or less.
These are also good to use on your daypack if you’re heading out in a new city. I like these because you can change the combination to something you can actually remember. I still have a combination lock in my gym bag at home that I have no idea how to open because I’ve long since forgotten the combination.
At the end of the day, the best luggage for couples is the kind you actually use and like. Even if it looks great on a website, if you don’t use it, it’s not of much value, right?
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