When you start looking at the differences between
"standard" suitcases and upright wheeled luggage, the
subtleties need examination. Neither is perfect for all situations
involving international air travel. But when you add "third
world destination to your evaluation",
upright wheeled bags tend to stand out.
If you have ever tried to tow a standard suitcase, you may have noticed a few issues.
- Those with tethers don't steer too well
- Narrow wheeled types with tethers fall over often
- Those with flip-up handles tend to hit your heels when you walk
- If you're tall, the handles and tethers are often too short so you need to stoop
But is it expandable? A real benfit is a well-designed bag that has an expandable gusset sewn in. That gusset can add 20-30% more capacity to your bag without taxing the zippers. That's an excellent feature for outbound lightweight travel when you will be returning with holiday purchases.
Can you carry it? Look for heavy duty "D" rings mounted with heavily double stitched attachment straps. That bag should also have a heavy duty carrying strap with shoulder padding.
Carrying a wheeled softside won't be as comfortable as carrying a backpack, but negotiating rough sidewalks, no pavement, knee-high curbs, sewer grates, and stairs sure beats trying to deal with wheels alone.
About those wheels. Make sure they are recessed, durable, and large. Tiny wheels look nice but anything other than a completely smooth surface will have you wondering why you bought that bag.
An added bonus is buying firm fubber wheels that are not completely hard. Even rolling across grout lines in tile with hard plastic wheels can be noisy.
