How to Pack, Travel luggage, backpacks, luggage on wheels

Make the right choice in luggage

How to pack. The luggage you choose will make a great difference to your comfort and peace of mind while you’re travelling, especially on hiking vacations in Switzerland.

Air Travel

Remember that most airports cover large areas and that it’s not always possible to find a cart to carry your luggage or someone to help you. If you’re of small build or have back problems, you’ll need to choose bags that are easy to manage on your own.How to pack...

Garment Bags

These are good on short trips if you can place them in the compartments beside the bar, but there are always other people who will have the same idea as you, so then the only place left is in the overhead storage compartment, and this will wrinkle your suits and dresses.

Because of their size, these bags are awkward to carry and over a long distance flight, you can be certain that your clothes will need a good ironing on arrival.

Luggage on Wheels

If you travel with heavy items, you’ll find it much easier if you have some wheeled luggage.

There are many different styles available these days such as carts that can fold up and go inside your suitcase or suitcases that have wheels and a handle built in.

Suitcases with stiff, center-mounted racks are much more manageable than suitcases with mounted wheels, which have a tendency to fall over. Most of the time the handle is too short, so you have to bend down, and this can cause back pain. How to pack...

Admittedly, the good hard-sided suitcase with wheels on it can be expensive, but if it saves your back and reduces some of the stress, it’s money well spent.

Cheap Luggage

It’s not necessary to buy a small suitcase for your carry-on items, you can use some plastic bags (garbage) but make sure you seal them well with a strong tape and that the material can not move inside. The airlines will decline any responsibility for loss or damage to items carried like this, so you need to make a decision about spending a little more on proper bags. It’s up to you.

Duffle Bags

For long journeys, such as on the Trans Siberian or El Cantabrico, my preferred luggage is a very old, black duffle bag. I can fit clothes for about 10 days in this, it’s light weight and it easily fits into the overhead compartment. Besides that, it makes me look like a “poor tourist”.

Backpacks

Some airlines will put these in plastic bags, so usually nothing gets lost. If the airline you’re using doesn’t do this, make sure that everything outside (sleeping bag, tent etc.) is strongly fastened. Airlines will not take responsibility for damaging anything in a backpack. Do not pack the expensive porcelain in the backpack!