Our winning hard shell case – the American Tourister Airconic Spinner Suitcase – is a fraction lighter, but this Tripp option still only takes up 3. Hartmann originally made high-durability luggage, and as their clientele insisted on good looks, the luggage evolved into the classy, top-quality bags available today.

Their very first satchel was inspired by traditional British, leather schoolbags from years gone by.The zips proved a bit fiddly to use and lock, and they let water in but luckily our clothes remained dry. It should also be sturdy enough to handle bumpy terrain and easy to manoeuvre along bustling streets. Wheels: Most suitcases are four-wheelers — sometimes referred to as spinner suitcases — that can be wheeled alongside you as well as pulled behind. When Away was created, they set out to bring built-to-last products to the market, focusing on the longevity and durability of a product, as well as elegance and style.

Material and size are important, but some of the best luggage brands stand out for their organizational features.Though most Samsonite suitcases don't come with laundry bags, we appreciated the zippered compartments, compression straps, shoe separators, and easy-access pockets. We were pleasantly surprised by how easily it glided, even on rougher terrain, over bumps, and around sharp turns. Finally, we found that the multi-directional wheels allowed for smooth maneuverability over a range of terrains. After taking it on a few trips, our testers reported loving how expandable and easy to move the suitcase is and that it's easy to find on the conveyer belt after checking it onto a plane. Our rigorous durability tests left little more than a few scuff marks, with no visible damage to the wheels or body.

Grab handles and padded straps are ideal for other types of luggage, and a lightweight design will make your travel experience much easier.Jessica Macdonald is TripSavvy’s Africa travel expert and regularly contributes articles related to adventure and family travel. Openhouse Products also supply a large range of off the shelf bags as well as medical equipment and consumables.

The company that created the Swiss Army Knife is also credited with creating some of the best luggage on the market, though their cases do not have as many fold-out options as the knives do. Throw yourself into the wild with the Annamite Large from Britbag; for a dynamic and adventurous look which is built to last. Simple and distinctive, casual but elegant, practical and pleasurable, Tea Green aims to offer a contemporary and individual collection of handbags, purses and more.But we do test based on worst case scenarios, and if it’s quiet luxury you’re after, note that this range was spotted in an episode of Succession. Jessica Macdonald lives in South Africa's Eastern Cape province and has been TripSavvy's Africa Expert since 2016. To figure out what brands stand out from the rest, Travel + Leisure tried over 215 pieces of luggage — plus 180 duffels, weekenders, garment bags, and other travel bags — assessing capacity, maneuverability, durability, and design through a series of tests and simulations. We placed carry-on bags into a simulated overhead bin to check the fit and the placement and strength of grab handles.