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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to want to buy new suitcases?

23 replies

SpiritualKnot · 14/02/2008 08:01

(Already put this in the travel bit but haven't had any answers yet and I'm feeling desperate!).We're going to France for 11 days in August. Bordeaux, so should be warm.(Husband, me, 16 year old son and 9 year old daughter). Spending 3 days in Bordeaux city in an hotel then out to the coast for 8 days self catering accommodation. Haven't been away together on holiday before. I've booked for 2 suitcases to go in the hold..thinking husband and sons stuff in one, daughter and mine in another.

Husband is being ridiculous we have 2 weekend cases...think they're 18" cases or smaller and he says this is enough and we can each have a bit of hand luggage. I want to buy 2 x 26" suitcases with wheels, which I think are much more appropriate. They also have 28" in the same style but these look so big.

What do others take? We're flying and then getting coaches to our destinations..all done online so we'll be walking to coach stations etc. Husband not keen to drive when we get there either, so we will be carrying the cases.

Am I being unreasonable to want to splash out on two x £17.99 suitcases. Husband has "ordered" me not to!

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Hello, this thread is a little old and some of the recommendations might be out of date. Whether you’re looking for cheap and cheerful family luggage or you’d like to invest in a quality cabin bag, take a look at our round-up of the best suitcases (according to Mumsnetters) for more up-to-date advice. MNHQ.

OP posts:

KatyMac · 14/02/2008 08:03

Well I'd buy them simply because I was 'ordered' not too

Rosa · 14/02/2008 08:06

Well I couldn't pack for 4 in August in 2 18" cases and 17.99 a case seems pretty cheap !

chopster · 14/02/2008 08:06

buy them. He is being silly, no way will you get everything in there, and what about room for bringing anything back? We always end up bringing back wine, chocolate, cheese, etc. from europe. Handluggage restrictions are tiny these days, so that won't be any help.

chopster · 14/02/2008 08:07

I'm ordering^ you to buy them

Original poster

SpiritualKnot · 14/02/2008 08:08

Looks like I'll buy them I think. Should I buy a 28" and a 26" or 2x26".

If I buy the 28" I could hide the 26" inside it and tel him I've just bought one.

OP posts:

chopster · 14/02/2008 08:10

I think it's handy to have one bigger and one smaller, then if you go on hol where youa re likely to bring a lot back, you put one inside the other for the outward trip so you have an empty suitcase to fill for the return.

Original poster

SpiritualKnot · 14/02/2008 08:13

Silly question now. There's a choice of khaki and red. Any advice on which to get?

I'm going to buy them today!

OP posts:

chopster · 14/02/2008 08:16

red - be a lot easier to spot on the luggage belt. The majority tend to be neutral colours.

chopster · 14/02/2008 08:16

how sad am I?!

Original poster

SpiritualKnot · 14/02/2008 08:17

Not sad! Very useful advice. Thank you.
SK

OP posts:

Original poster

SpiritualKnot · 14/02/2008 08:24

Going to get dressed now and pop to the shops. Will probably get the red but am thinking the khaki will be easier to hide and may appeal to my husband's macho image

Will go to the shop and look them over!

OP posts:

ConnorTraceptive · 14/02/2008 12:09

I suggest you buy them then hide them. When it's time to pack get everything out and tell "right now you fit all we need in the weekend cases if you think it can be done" enjoy watching him struggle and faff and then when you've had your fun produce the new cases.

WendyWeber · 14/02/2008 12:14

Who are you flying with and what is your weight limit? Actual suitcases with wheels tend to weigh c 5-6kg empty.

We have some lightweight things with wheels - hang on and I'll find a link.

Anna8888 · 14/02/2008 12:19

We have a suitcase each when we go on holiday because we believe very strongly that the children should carry their own luggage (trolley suitcase). It is generally much easier for each person to have 100% control and responsibility for his/her belongings, both packing, on the journey and at destination, and much easier to manage that responsibility with one piece of appropriately-sized luggage per person rather than bits and bobs of shared suitcases and hand luggage.

WendyWeber · 14/02/2008 12:23

Argos don't have ours any more but they are similar to this. This one weighs just under 3kg.

There is a bigger one too here - DD1 took one of these to America when went for 2 months and had a 30kg luggage allowance.

Actually I've just looked at the weights of some of the 26" suitcases on Argos and the ABS ones aren't a lot heavier than the holdalls - it's our old cheap ones that weigh a lot

Needless to say YANBU but he is. 5 of us are going to the Alps in April and we are taking 2 of those holdalls between us just for 3 nights! But do be v careful not to go over your allowance, because they charge a vast amount extra per kilo - cheaper to pay to take an extra bag.

Original poster

SpiritualKnot · 14/02/2008 16:32

I'm back.

Bought the red ones, got a 28" one and a 24" one. Must have dreamt the 26" one.

Don't know what they weigh, the baggage allowance is 20kg, which seems ok. We fly with BMI baby. Love those Argos bags by the way Wendy.

Want to share cases as they cost £12 return per suitcase, which I think is quite high? I've flown with my daughter before and she has a small trolley bag that is hand baggage size so she'll be taking that with most of her stuff in, but I'll be carrying her beach towels and such.

I plan to hide the cases under the spare bed and will then insist we've had them for years!

Anyway thanks for the advice!

OP posts:

chopster · 14/02/2008 16:45

anna888, that isn't a very good plan when a suitcase goes missing and one member of the family has no clothes at all!
We've mixed ours ever since dd's case went missing and we had to go out and buy her enough clothes for a fortnight long holiday!

sandyballs · 14/02/2008 16:53

So Anna, your 3 year old DD sorts out her clothes, packs them and is in sole charge of her suitcase en route .

Anna8888 · 14/02/2008 17:04

She obviously needs some help packing (mostly getting it out of the cupboard, she can put stuff in her case) - but yes, she pulls her own suitcase, just like her brothers .

I don't buy the losing stuff en route argument at all for mixing suitcases - we take exactly what we need for the holiday, no more and no less, so if any suitcase went missing its whole contents would need to be replaced. Why would you take extra stuff on holiday?

BexieID · 14/02/2008 17:51

I would buy them, lol. My suitcase cost me £80, lol. It does have 4 wheels though. And is purple, my fav colour. DF has a set of red ones he got for £20. Just don't buy from a market. I've had 2 from a market and the plastic inside them broke .

chopster · 15/02/2008 08:08

wow, I wish I could predict exactly what I was going to need for two weeks in a foreign country!

WelliesAndPyjamas · 15/02/2008 08:34

I can see it is too late for the OP but it is always worth checking out charity shops for suitcases. When I was emigrating I needed a MASSIVE suitcase only for the trip and was unlikely to ever use it again. I found a very nice one in used (but not wrecked) condition for only £1 in a charity shop. The lady in the shop told me that a lot of people bring their clear-outs in to the shops in suitcases, and more often than not they are of good quality and still very usable.
Feels like a nice bit of recycling to me.

WelliesAndPyjamas · 15/02/2008 08:36

Oh, and they don't always keep them IN the shop but store them out the back because of the space they take up. So it's best to ask them if they have any in the storeroom.

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