5 Must Have Luggage Features For Family Travel

One thing you desperately need for your travels is a sturdy set of suitcases. Two years ago we shared some luggage buying tips with you and as much as I LOVED that suitcase, it got badly damaged during our many travels over the last year. As always, I headed to O.co to see which new sets were available and found myself looking for new features now that the kids are older and we’re travelling with a different set of items.

Disclosure : We received the suitcases for review purposes, but as always, opinions are TOTALLY ours.

Top 5 features I look for in a luggage

• Light Weight : With all the airlines reducing baggage allowance limits, you definitely want the lightest luggage possible so that you don’t end up paying for excess weight
• Poly Carbonate Hard case : This adds some weight but because we bring back craft brews and breakables from our travels, this is an important feature for us. If you don’t travel with breakables often, I suggest opting for a soft case to save on unnecessary empty baggage weight
• Compartments : I’m starting to find that I REALLY need many pockets to house the hair clips, tiny ShopKinz and random items Baby Boy and Little Monkey insist on bringing with us. Also helps to keep all the medicines and creams in one compartment as well
• Sturdy Wheels : We’re running around with at least two suitcases, a back pack each and two kids so we need all the help we can get when it comes to moving around. Having a sturdy set of wheels which can bump around busy streets and be easily carried upstairs is VERY important. If they rotate 360 degrees, that’s the BEST
• Unqiue design : It’s so easy to spot our old bags because it was such a cool design and we received numerous compliments from airport security personnel and random strangers so I know this is an important feature because no one is going to run away with our bags by mistake. Can’t say the same if we had boring black or grey suitcases!

With the above criteria in mind I narrowed down my options to this Heys set and this Visionair set. Of course I got the Visionair set because it was so FUNKY! Little Monkey and I love the pink and the hubs said he didn’t mind it (I asked him before I bought a pink set!!). One thing’s for sure, we all love the iconic city spots that are peppered into the design.

I had not heard about Visionair before but soon came to learn that the luggage company has collaborated with popular New York based artist Jane Elissa and they offer a range of designs including a City themed one. Constructed out of lightweight and strong poly carbonate and airplane grade aluminum, this set is built to travel light and last. I absolutely love the zippered mesh pockets and dividers that help me stay organized. I honestly didn’t realize how much I NEEDED them until I received this set. The zippered top part meant that all our dirty clothes were tossed there during our travels, making it much easier to know where the clean undies were!  Unlike most other sets, this set came with two additional cosmetic bags that are great for housing the milk bottles. They strap on to the suitcase so it’s easy to carry  and hand off at security where they insist on swabbing our milk bottles lately! Another brilliant thing about this set is that the entire bag has a inside lining (bright yellow stripped one too) and need I mention the additional handles – from the tops and the sides, making it easy to fling into the trunks of cars and such! Condo dwellers like us will be pleased to know that EVERYTHING fits into the largest suitcase, making storage easy.

O.co ships to over 180 countries and has always delivered our goods in a timely fashion. If you’re looking for a new set of wheels… (the luggage variety) check out their awesome collection, especially if you’re after fun unique designs.

What are your must have features in a suitcase?