Monday, December 31, 2007

Luggage?

K: Mark & I received some money for Christmas from my parents, my work, and from a gift we returned. We've decided to apply all of it towards a nice set of luggage for our travels.

Unfortunately, our cheapo Target set has a huge hole in the side from our last flight and since Mark has taken a job that will require some traveling, it is a good time for an upgrade.


From what I understand, for international flights between us we are allowed 4 check-ins and 2 carry-ons. I will probably get a monsterous purse to load up as well. I am leaning away from a *Big Bertha* suitcase since Mark's clothes, specifically SHOES, are much heavier than mine and tend to drive the weight over the limit.

As I was reading reviews, it seems that Samsonite is generally the best-known, and while it's expensive, not mind-blowing.

I found this full set of 5 pieces for $300. Is a garment bag worth it? If we choose not to take it with us to Korea, it may be helpful for business trips. This luggage will come in a dark grey color. I was hoping for something in a deep maroon or bright blue, but I'm not sure how Mark will feel about carting those bright colors around. Since this is community luggage, we'll probably have to go with a more neutral color and I can just tie some bright ribbons to it so we can easily spot it in baggage claim.


Macy's is also having a sale on luggage (aren't they always!). They have quite a few spinner collections, which are sold piece by piece for around $100/piece. As far as I can tell, the spinners are supposed to help with maneuverability, which may be nice as we navigate the streets of Seoul. I also really like this blue color, which may be Mark-approved. I would assume we'd get to large size suitcases and two of the medium sized ones and maybe one travel/carry-on bag.

I'm leaning towards the set of 5 pieces, since it seems like we'd get more bang for our buck, but it would be nice to choose each piece individually and mix and match.

Also, these bags will mostly hold Mark's clothes. We figure there probablyaren't many tall sizes in Asia. I plan to bring a few basics and just buy most of my clothes once we arrive in Korea. (Here's hoping my birth father is feeling generous since he owns a clothing factory and all!)

Any feedback, especially from the Spain girls, about what pieces you think are necessary... if there's another luggage brand we should consider, etc? Oh and Hannah - you travel for work a lot, is there something in particular we should look for to cover Mark in that department?

8 comments:

Julia Goolia said...

Hmm, recently bought some luggage for our HM and splurged on the Swiss Army brand. It was way too pricey, and I'm sure Samsonite is just as good. I'd go for the 5 piece set. Packing for a whole year is a LOT different than packing for 4 months like we did in Spain....and you remember the stories about Kristen/Lindsey's big bertha, right? They had too much junk on the way back and had to pay an extra $200. So all in all, go with the most pieces for your money. So exciting!!!

Anonymous said...

Correction. . .KRISTEN had too much in HER big betha and had to unload her suitcase in the middle of Lambert!

Hannah said...

1. I would stay away from a Big Bertha bag. I took mine to Germany for work and not only did I about get kicked off the train for the chaos I was making with my LARGE bag but it almost didn't fit in our rental car plus I was over weight on the way back and had to pay a fee.
2. No need for the garmet bag. They are awkward to carry and 9 times out of 10 you would still have to iron anything packed in the bag.
3. Make sure whatever you get includes a rolling carry-on bag. That is all Mark will probably ever use when he travels for work. Ask the salesperson which ones fit standard overhead space.
4. It may be worth it to spend the extra money on light-weight bags. Especially for you ;-) But really, the light weight not only help with airline weight restrictions but also make it easier to lift in and out of cars, luggage racks, trains, etc.

In summary, I would suggest a duffle bag and/or a travel backpack (like the hiking ones) and a small rolling bag for carry on luggage (plus your big purse). Then 4 rolling bags that are a step down from the big bertha. For the rolling bags ask if they come with something to attach them together so you can roll 2 with one hand. I would suggest that when you buy these things make sure you and Mark can stack them, attach them or whatever and wheel them around comfortably.

Also, don't forget, it may be easier to ship stuff to Korea (i.e. extra clothes for Mark, pictures, shoes, etc) and only bring enough clothes for a couple of weeks plus personnel items. Then you don't have to worry about dragging all that luggage with you.

Hannah said...

Sorry for that novel!

Unknown said...

Wow Hannah. Great advice. I absolutely agree about shipping some stuff and just trying to pack the essentials. I also kind of like the idea of mixing and matching because then we end up with exactly what we want. Thanks for the novel - very helpful!

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Unknown said...

I don't think you guys should pack anything.If you want my two cents, I think you should purchase all your clothes while you're there. I can totally see you two walking the streets with your traditional Hanbock garments. Mark would definetly have to wear the "Gat". Check out this awesome clothing line that you can fashion off! Oh too sexy...

http://english.tour2korea.com/02Culture/TraditionalCulture/clothing.asp?kosm=m2_3&konum=4