If you have seen my travel essentials section on the homepage then you would know which travel bags I use and have been using since I started travelling more frequently. I decided to do a special post to tell you more about two practical and reliable travel bags in depth that are also cabin size!
First let me tell you that all my Europe travels have been with hand luggage only and it's all been with this specific bag from Kipling.
Why I love the Kipling Duffle bag for my travels?
- First of all I love the size! It's a cabin size and I have used it for all budget airlines such as Easy Jet and Ryan Air and it is the correct size for all of them. That was one of my concerns when buying a bag and thankfully this one works for all the cheap flights that I love!
- I love the different colours, which makes this bag easy to spot. I have the purple one with little dots. Never get a black, grey or brown bag because there are a million ones and everyone always gets confused. Years ago I had a basic black suitcase from Primark and someone else took it home!! I was in panic for hours until the other person realised they took the wrong back home and returned it to the airport. So get a bright, unusual colour and personalise it especially if you will leave it in the hold.
- The fabric is durable and waterproof. A lot of Europe is rainy and I love how this little bag handles the bad weather when I am walking around from one place to the other. Although, I wouldn't let it soak!
- It's light, so the weight of the bag does not add too much especially for trips that have weight restriction of 7kg.
- It fits EIGHT outfits. The most I packed for this bag was on my trip to Italy and I was spending two weeks with eight outfits, pjs, underwear and two types of shoes. One of them was a pair of heels and everything fitted perfectly. I would advice that you plan your outfits before a trip to make packing a much easier task!
Things that I don't love about the Kipling Duffle bag?
- The thing I don't love about this bag is that it only has two wheels. I sometimes feel that the four wheel bags are easier to push in airports. If I change the bag, that is the thing I would look out for.
- It's a soft bag, so I wouldn't put any electronics or things that easily break in there because if its not going to protect them like a hard case bag.
Extra travel bag for shopping emergencies: Kipling Travel Tote
Some places in the world have amazing crafts such as Morocco and before going I knew that I would come back with an extra bag full of goodies. I hate buying bags abroad because they always break and it's so frustrating finding one last minute as well. So, I usually pack my Kipling travel tote with me.
Why I love my Kipling Travel Tote?
- I think the reason behind trusting Kipling is that I used it when I was in school and the bags would always last for YEARS!
- I also love that the fabric of this one is waterproof.
- The bag can be resized smaller with the side zipper, which is helpful! You have to be careful with this one though some airlines considered it as a women's handbag (WIN!) and other would consider it as a second bag (fail!) so account for that!
- I fold it super tightly and put it in my bag above wherever I go. I end up using it on day trips as well. My only regret is that I got this one in black rather than a bright colour because I originally got it for the gym!
- It has one small pocket inside, so your phone and keys don't get lost! and an additional pocket in the front and a zipped one. Though I only use the front ones for napkins, snacks or an external charger.
- It is good for travels and for time at home. It can be a good gym bag!
Things that I don't love about the Kipling Travel Tote?
It has only one shoulder strap, so it will kill you for long hours. It's ok for a trip to the airport or for a trip to the gym, but if you fully pack it and it's heavy, your shoulder will kill if you keep it on you for a whole day!
Ps. NOT sponsored by Kipling.
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