One
of my favourite departments at Isetan is the luggage department and I used to
spend time happily browsing bags. I have spent less time there of late though
with the proliferation of spinner bags (four-wheeled trolley bags). I may be in
the minority here but I haven’t taken to the spinner bags. I’ve talked to the
sales assistants and while they did try to promote the spinner bags, they also
shared that the wheels of a spinner bag are not as durable as that of a
two-wheel suitcase. Anyway, let’s look at this further, shall we.
A
spinner bag allows you to navigate around airports and busy places (train
stations) easily. It is easy to manoeuver and swivels smoothly down airplane
aisles. It also has added mobility and makes the trip strain-free as the bag
glides along with you. So it’s really good for your arms and back (I still have
tennis elbow syndrome from hauling my suitcase in Dubai and Oman!). However,
the wheels are exposed and take up space so if you’re planning to carry one on
board, do bear this in mind (also, the wheels are more susceptible to being
damaged from the bag being thrown all around if you check it in). They are also
a nightmare to use on the cobbled streets in Europe (I practically wince every
time I have to lug my two-wheel bag on those cobbled streets; I think I will
develop a premature heart attack if I have to manoeuver a spinner bag there). I
do have a very small spinner bag that I sometimes use for very short 3D 2N
trips and it doesn’t stay still on the bus/train at all! If you’re on a
tram/train/bus/airport shuttle or going up and down a hill, the bag will slide
off if you’re not careful. Still, they are supposed to be ergonomically better
for your body.
Spinners
Meanwhile,
besides being good on the cobbled streets of Europe, the wheels of the two-wheeled
bags are more durable. The wheels are bigger compared to their spinner
counterparts and do not stick out, and are hence more durable as they are not
as vulnerable to displacement. However, the two-wheeled bags would need to be
dragged/hauled and if the bag is heavy (as it was when I packed about six
bottles of mineral water in it in my last trip!), it was a burden. That said,
this was the first time I had this tennis elbow syndrome. So while the
two-wheeled bags are not as ‘modern’ or new as the spinner (having entered the
market since the dark ages), I’ll stick to them for now, thank you very much.
But hey, never say never. Maybe I’ll totally switch to spinner bags later on. Whatever
it is, invest in what you like. Listen to both sides of argument and read up on
it. At the end of the day, it’s your decision to invest in whichever bag you
like. After all, it’s you who will be forking out the money and it’s you who’ll
be travelling and pulling your bag (don’t we all wish we all have our own
personal porters!).
Two-wheeled suitcase
Next
question: to check in or not? If I travel light enough, I probably won’t check
in. This wouldn’t be a problem if I travel locally as I can easily hand wash my
clothes and not have to pack too many clothes. I also won’t have to declare my
toiletries. However, if I travel abroad, I’ll likely check in my bag as my trip
duration is likely to be longer, I’ll likely not be able to hand wash my
clothes daily, and I don’t have to declare my toiletries. Unless of course I
fly any of the budget airlines in Europe where I refuse to pay to check in my
bag and if so, I’ll carry travel-size toiletries.
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