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Original poster

are trunkies any good?

21 replies

helloitsme · 04/04/2013 15:40

hello. I'm pregnant and travelling alone with my three year old on a long haul flight. i want to buy a travelling bag for her to have as her own, to keep her stuff in and help her feel responsible etc. so i was wondering about a trunkie, as a fun thing for the airport but i had the following reservations: will she already be a bit big to ride on it? will she get bored of it? is the space inside really useful or is it a funny shape and not quite big enough? will she like it for more than a few months? my alternative is to buy a skiphop zoo luggage probably monkey (more like a small regular pull-along suitcase with a cute animal on). sorry for the long post, would love to hear from anyone with first hand experience of these things :-)

OP posts:

SunnyRandall · 04/04/2013 20:41

My dd is four and loves riding round on hers so don't think your dd will be too big.

The Trunki itself is quite sturdy and locks shut, and although not huge I did manage to squash most of dd's stuff into it for a week away last year. By that I mean clothes, not toys or shoes.

So I would go for it! But don't rely on getting everything your dd needs inside it! Sorry I am not familiar with the other brand you mentioned.

CaurnieBred · 04/04/2013 22:18

DD has had one for the last 4 years. She uses is mostly for sitting on whilst we are in queues - she is now 8 and is a bit big to ride on it. They do take quite a lot, but make sure you buy the inner bag to go inside otherwise everything will fall out when you open it.

They are a good size - but you don't have to put them up in the overhead bins as it will fit underneath the chair in front of DD.

I would def recommend one: DD had a normal pull along case before we got this and the Trunki has been much more useful.

noramum · 05/04/2013 07:17

Two points against it during a flight

I think it doesn't fit under the seats. This means you need to go up and dig it out if the overhead lockers all the time.

Second, it opens like a normal suitcase, again, difficult when sitting in a tight airplane seat.

Friends have them but use them as suitcases so their children can pack clothes and toys they need for the stay not for the flight.

DD has a pull along we use at least 2-3 times a year for flying and also on weekend stays. It still goes strong after 3.5 years and we got it second hand.

I wouldn't pay the extra for a Trunki.

forevergreek · 05/04/2013 07:39

I would avoid at all costs.

They just fit under seat but you have to move to get it out so if 3 year old wants a snack/ water/ toy the whole row has to keep moving

When she doesn't want to sit on or pull its v awkward and heavy to carry

I would completely avoid any suitcase for a 3 year old tbh and buy a decent smallish rucksack ( mini rucksack). They can take only what they can carry. Both travel light and ray as possible

We have a small Nike one for 3 year old, fits change of clothes ( merino tracksuits as folds v small and light)/ mini wet wipes and tissues and folding toothbrush in a small washbag at bottom. A water bottle that gets filled once through security. Then a few small thin books/ mini sticker book/ crayons/ snacks or whatever he chooses.

FiveGoMadInDorset · 05/04/2013 07:44

They were really popular on the flight we did in February, we just did a squishy bag that fit under the seats as was easier to access.

forevergreek · 05/04/2013 08:52

I think the popularity is short lived! I suppose it depends on how easy a journey you want.

We fly monthly and it seems those who fly often hate them as have a better system, those who travel once a year don't mind, but only use 3 times before too old ( once a year for 2/3 years) then use as an expensive storage box at home :)

ChippyMinton · 05/04/2013 15:55

Lidl had trunki lookalikes last week if you want a cheap fix.

Agree with others though - whilst cute in the airport, I think they look awkward on the plan.

miche8 · 05/04/2013 17:03

I've never used one but have observed them at the airports and have to say I wouldn't get one, have seen children fall off them, they are awkward to carry when the child doesn't want to pull it, they don't fit under the seats very well and when your child wants something out of it every 5 minutes they seem bulky to open when sat down. We've always used rucksacks for our children much easier, can just slide your hand in and grab when they want.

icapturethecastle · 05/04/2013 17:10

I have two and love them my dcs love riding on them or pulling along themselves, you really only get up once to get the things out for a short flight and a couple of times for a long flight. I have used them for flights to Europe and Australia and they have been great each time.

Doubtitsomehow · 05/04/2013 21:48

Our kids love them.
For the parents - pain in the arse. Lost count of the times I have had to apologise as our two crash into people in crowded airport / station.

plipplops · 09/04/2013 14:10

We have them, DDs only use them for sleepovers and UK (driving) holidays, I wouldn't take them on a plane. They're a total pain to open and everything falls out, also if they're really full they gape and don't close properly. I wouldn't trust DDs (4 and 5) to pull or carry them themselves through an airport so I'd end up carrying them too. They have small rucksacks that they put their stuff in when they fly (and they seem happy to carry them). They were a present - not sure I'd have shelled out myself, although they do love to pack them with toys and crap if they're going to spend the night with grandparents etc)

poshme · 09/04/2013 14:14

We have them- kids love them and I've always found them useful BUT buy the inner bag- fill that with stuff for the plane, and put clothes in the other side. That way, on the plane you get the bag out , and leave the trunki in the overhead bins for the rest of the flight. DS (7) now too big to scoot on it but he pulls it no problem and they're useful to sit on in long queues.

Airwalk79 · 15/04/2013 13:35

We have one, and fly regularly, but I don't put anything in that we need for the journey. As others have said, open it and stuff will spu out.
Dd6 still loves it and is happy to pull it herself. Also somewhere to sit whilst in ques etc.

CharlieBoo · 15/04/2013 23:42

No good for a plane as they way they open is like a suitcase so getting things out in the flight is a nightmare!! Also kids get bored of pulling them around or bash them into people so ours are going on eBay anytime soon!

OldBeanbagz · 15/04/2013 23:46

In my experience, whatever hand baggage my young children took i ended up carrying in addition to my own so that would be a NO to a Trunki.

Small backpack would be a better option or just a mini i-Pad now that my DCs are older!

CautionaryWhale · 15/04/2013 23:47

I got the gruffalo one and found it overpriced for the size and quality - if I didn't have another on the way would be fed up with the life span of it as my toddler far too big/tall/clumsy to sit on it without hurting herself - it was just too small.

hillyhilly · 16/04/2013 16:27

We had one, dreadful, totally awful. Like leading a small unruly dog, he kept falling off it, bashing into people or wrapping himself round their legs and you can't open the bloody thing once you're sat on the plane (my ds wanted something out every 2 minutes!)
So for us no, no, no
However I do have friends who've liked them so I guess it depends on the family
We fly a lot with the kids and the best thing by far for us is a rucksack on wheels, they can pack it up, drag it round themselves so you don't have to look after it, and get everything out of the top inflight.

BiddyPop · 25/04/2013 09:32

We got the trunki booster backpack 2 years ago when going to the US and driving. We'd been looking for a travel booster seat (and happened to see it on the Apprentice the night we were already scratching our heads and googling).

Not great for sitting on in airport (although can plop it down when needed, just can't pull along).

But it held all DD's toys and books for the holiday and flight (apart from the surprises I had in my bag), it was a perfect booster for the car trips (still handy as emergency for visitors here) and fine for her to carry on her back. (She did look very cute when changing to the overnight flight on return, as we changed her into PJs in the stopover - wandering around JFK in pjs and crocs, with "Ducky" pillow tucked under her arm and her booster on her back - like she did this every day of the week! ). We could have got a lot more into it.

But it was able to easily go under the seat and be opened during the flight to get out a toy or book. Which was ideal for us.

We'll probably use it again this summer, going to the US again. If not, I will give her my small carryon bag which is a wheeled rucksack that she often uses for weekends visiting grandparents and she's now big enough to carry herself.

Dollylucy · 25/04/2013 09:41

Think it depends on the child
I couldn't do without mine, but mainly because I can keep track of ds, he doesnt walk to heel very well! So kept him in the right place

Agree with all those saying it's a pain to open on the plane, but we decide what to take out when we get on and he has to stick to it

And it's great for the customs/security queues

gybegirl · 25/04/2013 09:58

We've had great use out of ours. My two girls have used them on numerous flights for the last 3 or 4 years. They're great for them sitting on and wheeling themselves around on in the airport. If it gets busy you can pull them along (with or without their rider) quite easily. My leggy 7 year old still uses hers happily.

Lonecatwithkitten · 25/04/2013 12:56

In my hands trunki has been brilliant. DD got him for her 5th birthday and at 9.5 trunki still travels with her. Trunki has saved my sanity on more occasions than I can remember, but the highlights would be queuing in the Gare Du Nord Christmas 2010 when there were all the Eurostar problems for 6 hours (no other seats), queuing in Istanbul airport trying get a flight anywhere in the Ash cloud having come in from Oman for 8 hours, again queuing in the Gare du Nord waiting to board our Eurostar home during the ash cloud.
Trunki has travelled by plane, train and automobile and still looks as good as the day he was bought.

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