ALDI Special Buy suitcase: Why I won’t be travelling with it
This bargain baggage has one unappealing feature.
If you visit your local ALDI supermarket this weekend, you might see a lot of squabbling over suitcases.
Saturday 9 November sees the latest in ALDI's regular luggage sales, with a stack of discounted travel gear on offer. That includes a lot of items you can regularly find at cheap prices in other discount department stores, such as packing cubes, luggage scales and neck pillows.
However, it's usually the suitcases that cause the biggest social media frenzy and often lead to queues outside stores. For frequent travellers, the most notable deal is the Skylite soft case carry-on bag, priced at $39.99.
That's a cheap price for a wheeled carry-on bag, especially as it also includes a TSA-compliant lock (handy for trips to the USA). The dimensions (53.5cm by 32cm by 23cm) also fit the hand luggage requirements for Australian airlines.
I'm a shameless luggage fetishist, but I'll be resisting this particular special buy for one simple reason.
As you can see on the picture, the bag weighs in at 2.5kg. That's a lot of weight to use up when most carriers have a 7kg per item limit and strictly enforce it with at-gate weigh-ins.
Taking a wheeled suitcase on board always means giving up some weight. That said, it is possible to get wheeled cases that weigh in at under 2kg. So 2.5kg seems a little over the top.
If you're planning on checking your bag anyway and just want the convenience of wheels, then this bag could well end up on your shortlist. But if you're thinking of taking regular advantage of low-cost carrier sales, do what I do and stick with a simple backpack, where the weight penalty is just a few hundred grams at best.
Angus Kidman's Findings column looks at new developments and research that help you save money, make wise decisions and enjoy your life more. It appears regularly on Finder.
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Pictures: Shutterstock, ALDI
