Hi! My name is Jean and I’m an ex- serial luggage dater. It took me years to reform but it was worth the wait.
You see, these are all I’ve ever wanted in a suitcase:
Light but sturdy, can take any beating, can keep up with my pace of travel, something I can take to an upscale hotel and also be cool on the rough road, provides me security, easy on the eyes (okay, I want sleek and sexy), opens up easily, will be ready in 5 minutes’ notice, and most of all– able to take my
emotionalessential baggage.
Some people said it’s such a tall order. That my list is too high maintenance. Someone even said, “You just gotta accept it. Most of them are just one-trip-stands. You have to move on. Ditch, and find another.”
And then I travelled with one that was introduced by a mutual friend. So I gave it a go. We had abit of fun together. We started with a short fling in Singapore, danced under the pouring Dublin rain, we froze together in Reykjavik. It was promising! I thought I found the one.
And then it happened. One evening at the airport in Paris. We were strolling hand in hand, and then it let go. Just like that. No pre-emptive warning, no nothing. One of it’s balls wheels went bust. Typical.
Zombie managed to fix the problem with his Swiss Army knife. But I was not. happy, Jan!
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Fast forward to a month ago, we were getting ready for our Maldives trip.
We received 2 medium sized Victorinox luggages, and 1 carry-on backpack. I had a good feeling about this. First of all, Zombie’s knife (yes the very knife that temporarily fixed the wheel), was Victorinox, and my own dear Zemum ,who is the biggest bag-snob, owns a Victorinox luggage set. I also received a very cool, “I told you so” when I relayed to her what happened in Paris.
But what really drew me to Victorinox was their slogan,
“Companion for Life”
On Zombie’s Swiss Knife , and on my mom’s luggage set, it has proven true. They’ve been exceptional companions.
So I was eager to see how our own experience with Victorinox Luggage would fare on this 2-week trip to the Maldives.
First of all, because of the nature of our trip, let me tell you that this was not a cruise for the bags. At all.
In a span of 2 weeks, our Victorinox bags underwent:
2 long-haul flights
2 medium-haul flights
4 Speedboat transfers
4 domestic Maldivian flights
6 Seaplane flights
And here’s how our journey went:
CABS
2 suitcases and 1 backpack all in the back of the cab, with a lot of space still left! Very convenient in hauling in and out, especially along busy areas.
AIRPORTS
They are a breeze to carry and walk with. Once you go with 4 wheels on a hard case, you won’t go back to anything less, or softer.
Check-in was a breeze. In the past, when the agent goes, “Can you please place your check-in bag in the belt”, it’s usually a battle of getting the bag to fit in the belt (And I swear over the years they have become thinner and thinner!)
As you can see, this one is slim enough to breeze right through.
IN THE CABIN
We only checked-in the 2, and the backpack stayed with us as carry-on:
There’s still space above the bag 🙂 And I do have to tell you that this bag is very thickly padded with sturdy compartments. We used it to store our cameras, video cameras , tripods and all other techy stuff.
This backpack also enjoyed a romp with us in Kuala Lumpur Airport on our 6-hour transit.
ARRIVAL
ON SEAPLANES
It’s very important to know that Seaplanes are quite strict in the size and weight of checked in bags. It should weigh no more than 20 kilos and must fit in their allowed dimensions. The Spectra fit both the size and weight perfectly.
This little one was able to get to cool places like this water hangar whereas his “parents” were checked in.
And just a reminder of the reality that no matter how shiny and nice your bags are, they are all dealt with in the same manner:
The check-in compartment of the seaplane is at the rear of the aircraft so we could see how they are stacked and handled. And we were so proud that these guys held up very well. You do not want to take a luggage just because of its pretty face.
The waters were kind of choppy, and there were slots between the wooden planks of the pontoon. Waves were rolling while we waited for our boat transfer to the resort. So, above are 2 red and black pairs of bags. Can you guess which pair stayed dry and which got soaked? This was a time I was so happy we had a hard-case luggage 🙂
SPEEDBOATS
Most of the time, the larger bags were stored in a separate part of the speedboat. So the smaller one really enjoyed more ‘outdoor’ time with us.
ASSISTANCE
When travelling, especially in places like the Maldives, there will be staff assisting you with luggage most of the time. So we were so happy that it wasn’t just us whose lives were made easier by the Victorinox bags. The staff above even remarked that we’re such light packers he felt like he was carrying empty suitcases (ha! Me! a light packer!) but we knew deep inside it was the Victorinox difference, and the 4 wheel ease.
INSIDE THE ROOMS
The bags didn’t occupy a lot of space in the rooms and were very compact. If you are staying in a room with limited space this well definitely help!
And here’s how we packed our bags. 2 weeks worth of clothes and accessories. For Zombie, its a no-brainer how he kept his bag neat. As for me (if you’ve been following the trip on Instagram and Facebook you know that I brought enough swimwear to last a YEAR in the Maldives), the secret is in the packing squares. Such life changing discoveries. And I’ve never packed this compact and neat. The spacing and compartments in the Spectra 2.0 bags is definitely a match when travelling with packing squares.
RESORTS
These guys have been so impressive throughout the trip, they deserved some R & R in the Maldives too!
What do the 3 things above have in common? They are all life savers!
I travelled with ease and peace of mind throughout this trip, not worrying if the bags will meet me in the conveyor belt with zips open, or a wheel busted. The TSA approved locks are also another life-changing feature. No more separate padlocks to keep (which in my case always gets misplaced).
ARRIVAL IN SYDNEY
And here they are, 2 weeks later, after enduring :
2 long-haul flights
2 medium-haul flights
4 Speedboat transfers
4 domestic Maldivian flights
6 Seaplane flights
I’m happy to report that no zip has busted, no handles broken, no dislocated wheels. Nothing at all.
The only noticeable difference are minor scratches to the exterior, which is pretty expected given how the bags are handled at every airport.
I think most people underestimate how much wear and tear bags undergo with every flight. It’s like a car, once you take it out for a spin, it’s already a ‘used car’. More so with bags. So you really need to choose one that will last you several trips for years.
What I wish there was : A lacquer or some kind of teflon-like coating that I could paint over the surface so that no matter how or where I travel, there will be zero scratches. Is there such a thing?
CONCLUSION
I once read a line that goes, “Don’t let your luggage define your travels. Each life unravels differently.”
And while I know this is meant figuratively and isn’t pertaining to an actual bag, I do agree with it in the literal sense.
Some people are so caught up on hypes and trends of what the “in” brands are in luggage that they don’t really consider what makes a great travel suitcase.
Victorinox is a brand that’s been around since 1884. They know their Swiss Knives well, and after travelling with their luggage, I can say they have applied the same durability and reliability on their travel gear.
True, the luggage did not define our travels, but what they did was help us enjoy our trip better. We needed to unpack and pack several times in this trip and not once did it cause us stress. The ease in handling the bags also greatly helped in having peace of mind throughout the trip.
If these guys performed beautifully in paradise, I can’t wait to see how they would go on my future travels.
My companions have fared very well, and this is just the beginning of our journeys.
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Have you found your travel luggage match? I’d love to hear your experience.
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Travel gear has been supplied by Victorinox Australia. There is no obligation to write a favourable review. All thoughts and opinions on the product are solely mine.
Love it! I’m very picky with bags too and this one looks like a winner!
Thanks Jean for the detailed write up. I think you did a pretty good job of convincing us to go with the Victorinox Luggage seeing how I’ve been a Swiss Army Knife person for 50 years. We’ve been traveling with carry-on only since 2010 which was 9 trips ago. Unfortunately the carry-ons aren’t going to work for our 2015 two week Tahiti trip and we need something a little bigger that will withstand just about anything thrown at it.
Hi Don, my pleasure 🙂 Yes its funny how most of us know Victorinox just as a Swiss Army knife brand, and I myself am glad i have tried out their travel gear. Granted it’s just been one trip but I’ve never travelled with a bag that wasn’t damaged in anyway after my travels (with the kind of travelling we do) until this one , where the extent of the ‘damage’ were just scratches. Yes, a check in bag is really in order for your 2-week Tahiti trip. You will be going on Speedboat transfers too so if you get a bag make sure it’s not something easily soaked.
Thanks for the heads up on the speed boats and wet bags. I would not have thought of that and I haven’t seen anything written on Trip Advisor about it either. I guess it’s not a big deal to people. How did the carry-on hold up? That is something else we’ll need down the road. We’ve had our standard 22 inch carry-ons for a lot of years and to be on the safe side we packed a luggage belt in each one. I guess that’s a sign to get new carry-ons. I’m glad you took and posted the picture of the carry-on in the overhead been. It was nice to see how it laid in there.
Hi Don, the bags wont necessarily get wet on a speedboat but there’s a lot of factors that could get it wet (more like splashed on) – where it is placed, rain, etc. and other uncontrollable scenarios, take for example the above situation , after getting off the seaplane, we didn’t expect that when they placed our bags on the pontoon that waves would reach it. In Bora-Bora, as you mentioned you will be staying at the Sofitel Private Island, that’s definitely by speedboat. And we know the guys there will definitely be taking good care of your things. Not too sure about Le Tahaa and Kia Ora in Rangiroa as I haven’t been there but looking at it from the map looks like they are reached by speedboats too (especially Kia Ora). The backpack was really good too. Perfect for storing equipment (camera and other valuables) not to mention that it had a handle, and wheels.
I want it. I love my suitcase, but I want to get some hard-side suitcases and some packing cubes. I’m curious to what brand you had before (I might have missed it in the right up, my kids are keeping me busy today).
Hi Ann, it was samsonite (the old luggage). the packing cubes are really revolutionary for me. doesnt matter what suitcase you have but those packing cubes are a must. im always scared i run out of packing cubes 🙂
The Victorinox luggage looks great! Especially combined with the incredible photos of the bungalows!! WOW, this blog continues to get better, and it was already fantastic. Amazing adventures and amazing coverage. Congratulations Jean and Zombie! 🙂
Hi Alex! The luggage are the perfect ‘date’ – photogenic and sturdy. not just a pretty face 🙂 Thanks so much for the support, it really means a lot to us. It’s great to see Wanderlust Marriage flourish as well. Yours is one of the few blogs I read word for word and really enjoy it. I always look back at TBEX dublin when we were sharing our speed date experience haha! biggest thing i’ve learned – cast your net wider, there are bigger fish in the sea. same theory that is applied to ‘real’ dating. Cheers to both our blogs and hope we cross paths again!
I always find that my luggage (Samsonite) always looks the same as everyone else’s. I really need to find a luggage that stands out but in a good way. I’ve seen some very unique but ghastly designs!
I don’t mind if my luggage looks the same as everyone else’s as long as they are durable and can take a lot of beating.And oh yes, tell me about those ghastly designs! The designs alone make it theft proof! 🙂
Hi Jean, thanks for your tale of putting these luggage pieces through their paces! I’ve been considering the Victorinox Spectra luggage for some time now and debating between the black and red. I think black is classic and best for hiding scratches but red is fun and distinctive. Since you have both, what do you think? 🙂
Also, LOL about being an ex-serial luggage dater. I’d like to finally settle down as well!
Hi Tiffany Rose, Oooh the dilemma of choosing between red and black! I know what you mean. Yes red is really good with identification as it does stand out. However I think black is more versatile. – you can definitely take that for both leisure and business 🙂
I’m a fan of Victorinox pocket knives, but one has to try the bags too, I guess 🙂
Nice review! Good to see that the Spectra luggage held up so well for you. I’ve heard that for very long use, these bags can have some problems holding up well, where the wheels are concerned. Be sure to periodically tighten the inner screws that hold the wheel assembly to the shell.
I have some older Victorinox luggage, from the NXT 2.0 Mobilizer line. For me, this is the best luggage Victorinox ever made. The later NXT Mobilizer models (4.0, 5.0) had some cutbacks and have weaker hardware. I recently lost one of the feet to my Mobilizer 22″ luggage, contacted Victorinox, and they graciously supplied me with replacement feet free of charge! Of course, I had to install them, but they even gave me the screws. This luggage will likely last me another 10~15 years.
Thanks for the input Gary, that’s wonderful to know that the Victorinox NXT 2.0 Mobilizer works really well for you. My mother also has an older Victorinox luggage (unsure of the model) but a softcase and it’s very sturdy. I’ve just taken the Spectra luggages on a trip to the Middle East and the Seychelles and again they have performed really well. Wheels are still smooth but thank you for the tip about tightening the inner screws!
I own a Spectra luggage but I’m very unhappy with it. I noticed a small crack after my trip to Japan and couldn’t figure out if it was at the airport, train, or the hotel. I fixed it with duct tape. Recently, in a trip to Reno, I noticed another small crack at the opposite side of the first crack.
I’m sending this over to Victorinox and hopefully they can repair this thing.