Does anyone who travels use one of those spinner suitcases?
Asked by
janbb (
63218)
November 6th, 2023
You know, the kind that walks along next to you like a dog on four wheels instead of behind you on two. I’m wondering if they are heavier and harder to maneuver in some spaces. Contemplating buying a new suitcase for a trip I am taking this winter.
In General, so I’d like to hear from people who are well-informed.
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15 Answers
We went on a cruise with one. The baggage handlers picked it up and dropped it, which broke a wheel.
I see them more than I do two wheel suitcases that you pull behind. But one thing to remember is you have to be on a level surface. I have seen countless people chasing their luggage down a small incline.
I personally prefer a“traditional” roll aboard.
And, it is one big improvement over traveling 40 years ago. My dad bought me luggage for Christmas one year because I had traveled to Asia with a cheap beat up bag. I had a carry on that you carried by the handle, and a large suitcase that held multiple suits that had dinky little wheel and you pulled it with a leash. It would tip over at the slightest disruption.
@zenvelo I do have a two wheeled roll aboard carry on size that works quite well but it is heavy.
We traveled to Alaska this summer with both of us using one (my daughter and me). It rolls very easily. It’s very convenient to just roll it next to you and if you want to roll it behind you, that’s an option too. Like @zenvelo said, it can roll downhill but that was not an issue anywhere except in my driveway, which is slightly slanted.
I have one that works both ways. I find I use it way more on four wheels in airports.
If it’s on a slant, that’s only a problem if you have to let go of it and it’s standing by itself (like for me, putting it in the car and having to let go of it to open the car doo). Otherwise, if you have your hand on the handle or if the suitcase is in the middle of a bunch of other suitcases, they keep it in place.
I have one. The one I have is much lighter than other suitcases, it is the “hard shell” and it rolls very easily. It can be used on all four wheels or tilted behind you. All four wheels and upright next to me is much easier on my back.
What I don’t like about mine is it splits in half when it opens, and you put clothes on both sides. I prefer all of my clothes on one side and the top flips up. Just my preference for when I get to the hotel.
I have a set. It’s nice when you use it as carry on – they are easy to roll down the narrow aisle of a plane. My previous suitcase was the 2-wheel kind, which rolled when tilted along the wider edge. I could not roll it down the aisle. The disadvantage of the spinner is that the volume is smaller than that of the 2-wheel. The outer dimensions are the same but the spinner wheels need space to spin so that ends up being exterior air space instead of interior space. I have to smash my stuff tighter to make up for the reduced volume.
I have a set like the one @JLeslie describes. They are much easier it handle and sturdy. Like she say, the split feature is more difficult to pack.
The ones with four wheels become one with two wheels (contacting the ground) once you tilt it and pull it behind uou.
What makes it so easy is you don’t necessarily have to have it behind you, you can have it next to you or in front of you, and it just glides way better than the tilty kind.
@jca2 Yes, I’ve seen that already. But I’m very concerned about weight and capacity for size as well. I usually check my suitcase even thought it’s carry on size because I’m too short to lift it to the bins and also i don’t like the fights for space.
If you only check in, they are not too strict about dimensions. The spinner will be good for the above reasons. I do carry on when they charge for check in. They are really strict about exterior dimensions for that, so I have to decide between my 2 wheel vs spinner.
My spinner set came with three sizes; carry on, medium, and large enough for two people. We found a very good sale, three for the price of one, because of the “odd” color, bright orange.. We love them – easy to handle in the terminal, and easy to spot in the baggage pick up. On road trips they are very sturdy and don’t make a racket when entering the motel room.
Wednesday evening as I approached the Departures door at Oakland Terminal 2, a man was unloading the luggage from the back of his van. He put the large suitcase with spinners on the sidewalk then pulled out another large bag and, while wrangling bag 2, watched bag 1 rolling down the sidewalk into a lane of traffic.
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