Taking a trip to another country can be fun but also exhausting depending on your luggage bag. Both soft and hard luggage bag come with different merits and demerits.
The right choice can depend on a few factors and preferences such as:
The items that you may be carrying (weight and size) and how you want your belongings to be organized.
With that in mind:
We will look at of both soft and hard luggage bags and break down the individual aspects that makes them beneficial or detrimental to international travel so that you decide what will make your next international vacation a little less stressful.
A First Look at a Hard Shell Luggage Bag
Most hard luggage bags that were used in the past are now coming back much better and lighter for you to consider. Incorporated with new rigid fabrics and polycarbonate materials, you can now get a lightweight hard luggage bag that is both functional and convenient.
As mentioned previously:
These are often made from polycarbonate and ABS materials so that you can use them to travel internationally for years without replacement. It improves their longevity and is better suited to protecting and carrying items that may break easily.
If you want peace of mind your valuables and fragile belongings are safe by the time you touch down at the airport: a hard shell luggage bag is what you need.
The Defining Merits of a Hard Shell Exterior
- Security: Aluminum hard luggage bags offer you maximum security since they are made with metal latches as opposed to soft bags that are often designed with zippers. If you are carrying confidential items that call for maximum security, go for a hard luggage bag to keep off any nosy people.
- Space: It also provides you with ample room to stack all your items easily without having to leave some behind. Designed with a 50/50 split opening, you can divide your items into two and separate them differently so that you are well organized for your trip. The interior straps and divider help keep your items stable so that your hard luggage bag balances in position
- Weight: Unlike in the past, hard luggage bags are now manufactured lightweight (but not as light as soft luggage) so that you can move it easily without straining too much.
The Downsides of a Hard Shell
- Middle divider: In as much as this helps you separate items, it makes you bag occupy too much space when you are opening it. With space limitation on a plane, you don’t want a bag that takes extra room when you are trying to reach out to something inside.
- No expandable sections:Unlike soft luggage bags, this is not fitted with a section to expand thus limiting your usage.
- Wheels: Most hard bags are installed with four wheels. In case you experience terrain ground, this wheels may be hard to move especially if you are the small type.
An Overview of a Soft Luggage Bag
If you are looking for a luggage bag that is flexible and easily manageable, consider getting a soft one.
Unlike hard luggage bags, this type is made from ballistic or nylon fabrics. The materials are not only soft but have a smooth texture to prevent your luggage from scratches caused by friction as it rubs on different surfaces.
The materials offer your luggage bag enough strength to carry lots of personal belongings without the risk of damage.
Why Soft Luggage Bags are a Better Alternative
- Fitted with lots of pockets: In case you need a bag that offers you some extra pockets to divide your clothes from accessories and creams, this is ideal for you. The pockets hold your items in place so that everything does not move in one direction as you move it along. Its exterior compartments provides you with extra room to keep you more organized as you travel.
- Space: Soft luggage bag do not take up so much space when you open them. Their size also makes it easy to accommodate them at one corner of your closet without taking too much room.
- Expandable sections: You can expand your soft luggage bag thanks to the sections added for you to use thus increasing flexibility. This makes it easier for you to travel for so long without having to look for an extra bag to carry many items. Everything fits in one soft luggage bag.
- Easy to fit in cars: Avoid the drama of struggling with a taxi driver trying to fit your luggage bag inside a boot by choosing a soft suitcase. This easily fits without much strain and stays locked all the way.
The Downsides of a Soft Material Exterior
- Insecurity: Using such bags calls for extra caution when you are travelling because someone can easily reach out on something that you have put on your extra pockets. Zippers on your luggage bag may not offer enough security for your belongings.
- Quality: Compared to hard luggage bags, the materials used here may not be the best quality. This means that you are prone to replacing your bag faster as it bound to wear out easily.
- Not suitable for breakable items: Soft luggage bags do not offer sufficient protection to what you may be carrying. In case you have glassy items, they may end up breaking before you reach your destination. It is not designed to absorb the impact of shock efficiently when handled roughly.
- Not waterproof: Another limiting factor is that if you decide to choose a soft luggage bag in an unconducive weather, your clothes may get soaked from the rain.
Which is Better for International Travel?
As stated before, the best luggage for international travel prioritizes what you deem is important for your belongings.
With all these different factors in mind:
You can now decide on what kind of luggage bag is more ideal for your journey. Consider what kind of a packer you are and get a luggage does not become a burden as you move and vacation.