Get yourself an ideal suitcase and hit the road
An appropriate luggage set is key whenever you’re planning a journey. You can of course shove your stuff in a big sports bag or a casual knapsack, but a luggage set will ensure that your belongings are well organized and safe while you travel. And last but not the least – your luggage is a part of your style.
If you go shopping for luggage, you will probably find an immense selection to suit different packing needs, budgets and personalities. However, there are some important aspects you need to consider when looking for the perfect set, such as the bag’s material, the type of hardware and the inner construction, that should organize your stuff in the most accurate and convenient way.
Louis Vuitton is of course the most famous producer of leather luggage, and it’s the perfect choice if you want to go flashy and look posh. Of course you’ll have to spend a serious amount of money to get a set of the suitcases, but even if you can only afford a decent copy (which is not a problem at local markets), keep in mind that the famous LV logos attract too much attention, and may easily attract thieves. So unless you can afford the security to match your expensive bags, it’s best to travel a bit more subtle.
The luggage departments at Metrohrad and Gorodok shopping centers offer mostly Ukrainian- or Turkish-made luggage, which attract more customers by producing cheap simplified series of suitcases. Their quality is comparable with ordinary market-bought Chinese products. However, all of their brands, like Derby, Polar, Daniel-Ray, Brunotti and Travel Blue, come with a warranty.
These shops carry two kinds of luggage sets: large and small. Large luggage sets mainly include suitcases and Pullmans. The most durable types of suitcases are hard-sided, made from plastic, metal and other molded materials. Soft-sided suitcases are made from plastic and other molded materials. Small luggage sets include business cases for laptops or important papers, totes and casual bags, various duffle bags, and backpacks.
Bag House carries a wide selection of traditional luggage sets plus backpacks, handbags, laptop bags, briefcases, and various purses, bags for teenagers and suitcases. But they focus on wholesale trade, so they only carry a few models with retail prices. Besides, their location on Elektrykiv Street in the House of Culture of the Leninskaya Kuznitsa plant is not very convenient. It’s not easy to get there without a car.
What makes the best luggage can be subjective, but if you are looking for affordable and fashionable luggage that is built to last, go to the Robinzon luggage and accessories chain. I found them to be the most professional, courteous and helpful luggage store in the city. They also stand by their products. Always with a smile and no questions asked. They carry high quality merchandise and have a huge variety of travel bags, suitcases, and general baggage items by Samsonite, American Tourister, Lacoste, Timberland, Francesco Biasia, Valentino, RoccoBarocco and others. With wheels, shoulder straps for ease in carrying luggage and bags through the airport, functional zippered pockets, hideaway retractable handles, and lightweight materials, the chain has everything you need to travel comfortably.
Are you a road warrior who lives out of your luggage and wants the very best in construction backed by the best warranty in the luggage business? Choose Samsonite. If you want premium luggage that not only makes you feel good about traveling but also reminds you that you never settle for second best, Lacoste and Timberland luggage may be the ticket. Want a brand that caters to all these needs? Check out American Tourister. Their line has lots of well-designed bags and luggage with pockets, interior dividers, and numerous styles that come in plenty of colors – bright blue, cardinal red, brown – to differentiate it from all the ubiquitous black wheelies tumbling down the carrousel.
Robinzon (Ukrayina shopping center, 3 Peremohy Square, second floor, 496-1655; Olimpiyskiy shopping center, 72A Chervonoarmiyska, first floor, 206-8338; Komod shopping center, 4 Lunacharskoho, first floor, 593-2903; 24 Lesi Ukrayinky, 585-7008)
