How much can a leather travel bag hold when packing for a trip? It’s a good question, as you may be thinking about buying a leather bag for your weekend getaways or short trips, but are not sure whether to or not.
A leather travel bag, by its’ nature and size, is more for your weekend getaway, city breaks in luxury hotels, or business trip types of travel.
Which is what I use mine for as not only is a leather travel bag convenient, easy to pack, and practical, but your leather travel bag will elevate your travel style.
As, your travel is NOT defined by your wealth or status
But by your standards
A timeless classic leather travel bag, no matter what the destination, the occasion, or the event, means that unlike if you carry cheap plastic or nylon bags, you fit right in.
But, let’s make one thing clear, leather travel bags, even the ‘Box’ holdall styles, by their nature, are not rigid like conventional suitcases and pull along luggage.
Therefore, you need to be a little more thoughtful when packing a leather weekender bag for travelling, and working out how much your leather travel bag can hold and fit for your trip.
The first thing you need to do is to think about the purpose, the destination, and the time your break/vacation/trip is for. From this you are going to be able to work out the clothes and items you need.
A leather travel holdall and duffle style bag is probably best for your trips of up to 4 days / 3 nights.
The typical, decent city break.
Anything more than this timeframe and realistically a leather travel bag is not feasible to take (though not impossible if you are so minded). A longer trip means you are going to need more stuff, and therefore larger luggage – which will need to be checked in.
First, take a look at the style of bag you have, and importantly what pockets or compartments it has.
This will form the basis of your packing strategy.
Now, if I am heading for a weekend break, of 3 – 4 days duration I will take a Fortunato, or similar size leather travel bag. My Fortunato leather bag is 52cm x 26cm x 26cm, and my other bags in the range are typically 18.5inch x 9inch x 9.4inch
No matter the style of leather travel bag you have or purchase they will all have one main compartment that you pack pretty much all of your clothes and items into. Pockets and compartments in your leather travel bag are helpful, but not necessary as I will explain for you later.
My basics travel checklist and what you can pack comfortably in your leather travel bag will be:
A pair of Shoes
Wash kit and toiletries in a leather Dopp bag
Underwear and socks for 4 days travel
3 x pairs Chino or casual style trousers – Ironed and ‘Rolled’ ready for packing
3 x Polo shirts – ironed and folded
3 x ‘proper’ shirts Ironed and Folded in the tailor’s style (keeps shirts crease and wrinkle free)
1 x Lightweight (or heavier depending on destination climate) pullover or Jumper
3 x plain T- Shirts and casual shorts for lounging in my hotel room – Ironed and Rolled
Balios Luxury folding umbrella (not just for your own use, but as a gentleman, to assist a lady when caught in a downpour)
The above is, with mix and matching, sufficient to get you through a weekend type trip, and also, remember that aside from what you are packing you will also be wearing the clothes you are travelling in.
Further, as a thought and based on my experience, you might want to wear a casual tailored style jacket when travelling as not only will you find the pockets useful, but a jacket can be worn when out for the day, in a more formal type of setting, or to a restaurant, plus as a gentleman wearing a jacket, people and airline staff take you more seriously and are willing to help more if you have a problem. (Just be polite)
Also, remember that aside from what you are packing you will also be wearing the clothes you are travelling in.
Find Your Perfect Leather Travel Duffle Weekender Holdall Bag Here
Now to the fun part.
Packing Your Leather Travel Bag.
Because space is a premium you need to follow a few basics when packing your bag.
Use the space in your shoes for small items such as your socks. Stuffing your socks into your shoes not only utilises your space but also allows your shoes to keep their shape. Then place your shoes in a shoe travel bag to protect them (and your clothes) and place them at the bottom of your bag.
Beside your shoes, at the bottom and in and around the shoes you will place your underwear and possibly your T – Shirts and casual shorts. You are looking to create a level to the height of your shoes that gives you a flattish surface upon which to place your next items such as your folded Polo’s and your rolled trousers around them.
Next your ironed and folded shirts go in, placed on top of one another, leaving a space to the side for your toiletry Dopp bag.
Finally, on top of this you will place your folded (or if the material allows it rolled) pullover or jumper.
Tech and Documents
You will notice that in my basic packing list I have not included any tech, laptop, journals, notebooks, documents, etc in my packing. The reason is that if I am travelling by air then I tend to book with premium airlines that give me a cabin bag plus another smaller bag allowance. The smaller bag will be of a messenger or leather folio case style that can hold my documents and tech ready to hand.
However, if you are travelling with a more budget airline that only allows you one bag then use the space in the top of your bag, beside your Dopp or washbag for a tech pouch, as, like your toiletries and liquids, it will need to be easily accessible as airport security may want to check the contents.
If you have an internal or external pocket or compartment then you may also be able to fit a small tech pouch in one of them utilising the space.
My Leather Travel Bag has No Internal Compartments or Pockets – How do I pack?
You may not have internal pockets, storage compartments, or separate sections in your leather travel bag. In which case it’s not a problem. Your solution lies with packing cubes.
Packing Cubes give you the chance to compartmentalize your clothing into packable ‘units’ that can fit in, around, and make the most of all the space you have available in your bag.
I use packing cubes of different sizes. Small ones for small items such as underwear, moving up to larger items placed in larger cubes such as rolled chino’s, tops and folded shirts.
One thing for me to pass on to you is that I am not in favour of vacuum compression cubes that come with a pump. Especially if I am travelling for business.
Don’t get me wrong they are great for reducing the volume in what you pack, giving you the ability to pack more, but, on two fronts I don’t use them because;
1/ They crush and crease your clothes, and
2/ If you get pulled by customs or TSA etc and they want to look at your stuff, you have a problem akin to an emergency inflatable lifeboat being deployed. Your packed clothes and items expand and go everywhere.
You then have the challenge of trying to re-pack and compress your things to re-fit your bag, all while panicking that you are now holding people up as well as rushing to meet your flight.
Check out The Travel Packing Cubes Collection
In Conclusion
A timeless classic leather travel bag, no matter what your travel destination may be, allows you to travel with style, panache and a step up from the ordinary traveller. Hopefully you have an idea now that as well as the class feel a leather travel bag gives you, they are also convenient and the inspired choice for you. By applying a little thought and pre-planning to your travel packing you will surprise yourself at just how much a leather travel bag can hold.
Find Your Perfect Leather Travel Duffle Weekender Holdall Bag Here
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