Travelling

Cabin luggage: the numbers that matter

The most common purchasing mistake is buying a cabin case without checking the airline limits.

Dimensions and weights vary considerably between carriers, and low-cost airlines are clearly stricter. A case that passed as hand luggage on one flight may be charged on the next.

Two practical points that save money: measure including wheels and handles — that is what airlines count; and beware expandable cases, because expanded they exceed the limit.

And one on material: a hard shell protects fragile items better; soft has external pockets and takes a little more when squeezed. For cabin use, soft often helps.

The wheels are the part that breaks

On any case, the first thing to fail is the wheels — and a case with a broken wheel is practically useless.

Four wheels with 360-degree rotation roll easily in an airport and on smooth floors — but they are more vulnerable and do not roll on pavements or gravel.

Two wheels with the case tilted are more durable and cope with uneven surfaces. On Greek pavements, that matters.

Practical tip: do not drag a case backwards up stairs — it is the number one way to break a wheel.

Laptop backpacks and security

XD Design with 42 products is the dominant brand here, specialising in anti-theft backpacks.

What that means in practice: concealed zips that are invisible and unreachable while worn, cut-resistant fabric, and a card protection pocket against wireless reading. On a metro, at a concert or in a tourist centre, it is a real difference.

For a laptop backpack, two things: padding in the compartment — and particularly at the base, because that is what hits the ground when you set it down; and a rain cover or water-resistant fabric, because one downpour with a laptop inside costs many times the backpack.

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