Confession: I’m a habitual overpacker. I LOVE to go on trips, but I LOATHE to pack for them.
I start out with a basic idea of what I want to pack. I try on the outfits, do laundry, add a few more items, add more items from the laundry, tightly roll my clothes in the suitcase, and then ….stuff in more clothes in side pockets…. and then pray that I can make all the zippers close. I know that I don’t need all of the clothes, but I’m strangely comforted knowing that I have them just in case.
This can be a problem when I’m flying and DON’T want to pay a lot of extra fees for baggage.
This has caused a lot of stress when my luggage has been .5 away from the weight limit and it’s also an issue if I want to bring anything back home.
So when our family began the packing process for our cruise to the Dominican Republic, we had a challenge…maybe I should say that I had a challenge, because my family members have no problem packing light. It might help that guys have more basic wardrobe options.
We were only going to pay for 1 checked bag for our trip. That’s it. No extras. Our total luggage for the trip was 4 carry ons, 4 backpacks, and one suitcase that we checked. Our vacation was a 7 day cruise with an overnight in Miami before and after, which meant that we wanted to be able to access clothing easily.
I was invited to put a piece of luggage from High Sierra to the test. I opted for the HIGH SIERRA AT8 32″ WHEELED DUFFEL UPRIGHT. I normally wouldn’t consider a duffel, but I found it to be a nice alternative.
So what are the features?
Multiple compartment design
• Duffel style large front compartment
• 2″ expansion gusset
• Large drop-bottom compartment
• Front panel waterproof zipper/ fleece lined pocket
• Two side-loading water resistant gear compartments
• recessed, telescoping handle with soft gel-bottom handle
• Convenient grab handles on top, side, and bottom
• Hidden backpack straps
• Weight: 11.0 lbs.
What did I like about it?
I liked that the duffel style made it easier to get through narrow aisle ways with ease. In our room, I found that it was so much easier to find and see my items in the luggage without totally unpacking my whole suitcase. The hidden backpack straps appealed to my “just in case” mentality of situations where we might not have an elevator.
The only negative was that some of the edges of the outside of the duffel were cosmetically ruffed up from our trip, but that is expected when you are on multiple flights and your luggage experiences multiple handlers.
The Dimensions
Body Dimensions: 32.0″ x 17.0″ x 15.0″
- 840 Denier Nylon – Nylon is a high strength, durable material with excellent wear properties. The term ” denier” (D) refers to the size of the yarn used: the larger the denier the bigger the yarn.
- Retractable handle – Provides easy maneuverability when extended out from the suitcase, and stores neatly inside when not in use. Locks in place in both the fully extended and stored positions for secure traveling.
Overall, this suitcase worked out great for our trip. The compartments made it easy to access our items and the luggage didn’t feel too large, which made it was easy to navigate. This piece is a great option if you have multiple stops and don’t want to repack your suitcase every time that you use it.
You can find out more about High Sierra adventure lifestyle gear and apparel from their website.
High Sierra AT8 Wheeled Upr...Shop on Amazon
Disclosure: I received a High Sierra suitcase for review purposes. All opinions are my own. This post contains an affiliate link.
