Would that I had money for good luggage like Rimowa! Most of the time when I travel alone, I simply opt for one bag or small rucksack that I can sling over my shoulders or stow in the overheads on the airplane. I absolutely hate checking-in luggage as it means hanging around for at least an extra 30 minutes as you wait to get your luggage. On the last trip, I checked in my luggage twice, and carried it on twice. Each time, I regretted checking in the bag: they weren’t that heavy.

At nearly US$500 per aluminum case, I don’t know if I’d bother with that. We did buy a smart Samsonite case once, that was worth its weight in gold, until the brother-in-law borrowed it, lost the hangers that came with it, and didn’t return the keys. We had to prize it open. I remember thinking the case was quite expensive at the time. We only used it about three times. I can’t remember how much it was… but it was certainly more than US$200.