Why this is my favorite style of luggage

WIN a set of my favourite luggage, valued at $900!

When I first set off overseas as an exchange student for my year in the US as a 17-year old, I had two enormous suitcases and a set of portable wheels to drag them with. Ah those were the days! At least they were soft-shell and not cardboard trunks 😉

A few years later and I set off for my OE to the UK with a Macpac. It was terribly clever because you could tuck the back straps behind a flap and carry it like a suitcase.

But thank the Lord that luggage has come a long way since then. Morphed into easy to carry, glideable, cool to look at, and super secure pieces that make travelling so much easier.

I switched to hard-shell luggage many, many years ago, but one of my bug-bears has always been the way they open like a butterfly with your clothes on both sides and taking up an awful amount of space. Get two people in a hotel room, and you’re playing hot lava trying to get to and from the bathroom.

So after years of hunting for hard shell luggage that opens from the top (when it’s lying down) like a soft shell, I’m delighted to say I’ve found it!

AND WHAT’S MORE I HAVE A SET TO GIVE AWAY!!

The new Montreal luggage range by NZ company Voyager is now in my Travel Store, and it’s not super expensive either.

A few years ago I saved up and bought a spendy top opening suitcase by Lojel, which is a banger of a bag and still going strong, but this range is my new favourite, so let me show you round it.

Montreal comes in three sizes and four colours. They all have four 360˚ spinning wheels for easy gliding through airports and hotels. They also have an extender zip which is super handy!

Other specs include TSA locks, which enables airport security to open them with a master key if they need to inspect, rather than bust open your bag otherwise. Yes that’s what happens!

It has taken me a minute to learn how to pack again in layers, but that’s where packing cubes come in handy. Those, and my packing list to help you not give any clothes a free holiday by taking them away and not wearing them!

If you’re in New Zealand, you can jump into my Travel Store and shop for luggage and acessories – including packing cubes, travel pillows, compression socks and the Montreal Luggage.

Visit the Travel Store >

And if you’re not in New Zealand but you’re keen to get a top opening hard-shell suitcase, I’ve managed to find these on Amazon (affiliate link). It’s like looking for the proverbial needle in haystack to get the full size cases, but check these out, and in great colors too.

Meanwhile, if you want to be in to win a set, fill in this form below. Good luck!