Do your kids have their own luggage set? I am finding the more we travel, it would be nice for each kid to have their own set. We are doing the cruise for Christmas, and I think we've settled on giving each kid a set and filling one of the bags with the things they'll need for the cruise...plus pictures of the ports in their bags.
I was looking on overstock.com, and found some sets for around $100, but they are US Travelers and I'm not familiar with the brand. For $100, I don't expect these to last them for forever, bu a few years would be GREAT.
Does antyone know if that's a good brand? Or can you suggest another one? I
The kids are 9, 7, and 5. They are already great with their bags they bring on local trips...but with this trip including an airplane ride and then on a ship. I know we're gong to need more than what we are used to. We normally have a washer and dryer and can cut back on what we bring since we can wash.
Thanks!!
Go to LL Bean. They have kids luggage and more.
They have great quality products and warranties.
You could do it that way. Or, what we have done is just buy additional pieces that match OUR set. We all use what we need. And it ALL matches. They actually know (just from having packed themselves enough times by now) which "piece" is "theirs". LOL
Once they are older, do you plan to send them off to college or as young adults into the world with their own luggage? My parents didn't. I don't plan to either. They will be old enough to use what is available or shop for and pay for whatever quality they want and can afford. So, no, they don't get their own "set". They can use pieces of OUR set, which has expanded since having kids. :)
Each of my 4 kids has their own suitcase/rolling duffle bad or backpack suitcase. We've done alot of travelling and some of these bags survived baggage handling at the airports better than others. Here's the rundown:
Rick Steves brand back packs have all held up beautifully, which is suprising since they are just fabric. But they've been on numerous flights and look brand new, well and a little dirty.
Samsonite carry on, 21 inch. This is a good size for kids. It's a rolling suitcase and easy to handle. But the zipper pull broke off on the first airplane trip. It was too expensive to fix so I think my son uses a paper clip for a zipper pull. The bag itself is still in one piece but is not as sturdy as other brands.
I have a set of Travel Pro luggage. The baggage handlers in Detroit were literally walking on the bags. Mine is still intact, no rips. My zipper pull also broke off on one trip but the bag was under warranty and was fixed for no charge.
Bass brand rolling 22" suitcase. This was around 80 dollars a few years ago and has turned out to be my favorite. I don't check it, only carry it on. It holds alot for its size and has wheels that roll all around so it's easy to drag through airports. It looks like new and it's the one I use for most air and car travel.
You have more than one kid and I don't know their ages, and their ages I think have a lot to do with the answer. I wouldn't get a kid a "set" of luggage but one piece, and only if the kid were of an age to keep up with it, not whine about carrying/rolling/hefting it around, and able to pack it (mostly!) himself or herself. We travel overseas every year, and my daughter only just got her own suitcase for that two years ago (she's 11) because it was easier -- and meant one less piece of luggage! -- for her to share a suitcase with me. (But then, we can wash clothes at our destination, so we can all take a little less than if there were no chance to wash.) She's great with it, loves the responsibility and having her very own suitcase, and though I supervise and have veto power, she mostly packs for herself. Think about keeping up with multiple pieces of luggage and whether it's possible for kids to share luggage with each other or with you purely to reduce the number of bags.
My daughter's suitcase was about $70 at Target, I think, and it's not going to last forever but will indeed last a few years. No need for a set - they can use their current school backpacks (or surely they have other bags or packs) for carry-on or items they want nearby like books, snacks, etc. I don't know the US Travelers brand.
One piece of packing advice -- put one complete but compact outfit for each kid in a bag that is not his or her own. That way if a suitcase gets lost, the child has at least that one change of clothes until you either recover the suitcase or go shopping to replace its contents! I do that with my and my husband's clothes too. Just in case.
Are you heavy packers? If not, at your kids' age the cheapie wheelie suitcases from Target should be fine. My kids used those for years, and we flew and drove all over the place, Hawaii, Disneyland, San Diego, Arizona, New York. They were easy enough to pull themselves, and small enough to carry on if we wanted to. They also had a small backpack with snacks and stuff for the plane.
But our family packs VERY light. If you tend to bring a lot of shoes and toys and a bunch of extra clothes those little suitcases might not hold up so well!
We just got my son a small size adult carry on - I believe it is Samsonite. He has had it since he was 4. I didn't really want to get one of those kid ones (the character ones) - they all look cheaply made and scream tacky to me. I am not familiar with US Travelers. You might want to take a look at your local luggage store (with real sales people) if only to get an idea of what brands you like. Then you can decide where to buy them.
I have had good luck with Samsonite/American Tourister. I've used them for both domestic and international travel and they are still in good shape.
If you are looking at wheeled suitcases, I would stay away from the large spinner suitcases that you check on the plane. Air travel is rough and the wheels that are exposed like that are more apt to get damaged. Regular rolling suitcase wheels are more protected.
All 5 of my kids have luggage from LL Bean.
Originally my MIL bought my 2 SS's (stepsons) each the Medium size duffle bags...that was (seriously!) 14 YEARS ago and then when I had my kids I immediately went online & bought & ordered them each their own. *My one and only girl has 2 actually, a small & a medium size one....b/c girls have more stuff ;)
My kids have traveled A TON! My in-laws plan LOTS of trips and these bags are SO sturdy and the medium size is just PERFECT! All of the bags are still in great condition...which is very impressive considering how much use we have gotten out of them!!! They are VERY reasonably priced too! I highly, highly, highly recommend them to anyone and everyone!
~They come in several colors and are monogramed. The way they zip and buckle and have the handle plus the shoulder strap (that is removable) is perfect. They are GREAT for sleepovers b/c you can strap a blanket or pillow through the buckle handles and then carry it w/the shoulder strap. And nothing is easier then finding these bags on the luggage turn-styles at the airport because of the great colors. They pack/stack well in the car and when you are not using them they can all go inside each other or just fold them up and put them on top of each kid's closet.
They come in all different sizes too... but I have found the 'Medium' to be the perfect size for us and our traveling needs. My youngest kids are 8, 6 & 4 and I can easily pack a whole weeks worth of clothes in them plus shoes and toiletries and have some room to spare. We have Red, Teal, Guide Gold, Royal Blue, Pink and Purple...and have seriously been considering getting myself and my husband each one and since there are plenty of other colors for us to choose from, should we decide to add more at a later date, we will have all always have our very own color!
Love them. I see someone else posted a link to the website, you should check them out.
