Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Carry On At Your Convenience

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.