Product: Tripp Watermelon Holiday 6 Cabin 4 Wheel Suitcase

Price: £45.00

Bargain price: Amazon (was £59.50)

Size: Cabin

Colour: Watermelon

Set of 3: £169.50

Quality: strong and lightweight

Weight: 2.7 kg

Guarantee: Returnable, add one-year full product protection £1.49

My rating: 8 out of 10

 

IT’S A great feeling when you are at the airport and have dispatched your big suitcases and all you have is that small one that you can take onboard. My Tripp Watermelon Holiday 6 Cabin 4 wheel suitcase is the one that I use to board my British Airways flight. The great thing about it is this cabin suitcase size also meets with a whole host of other airlines such as Aer Lingus, Ryanair, EasyJet, Tui, to name a few.

Perfect for the short weekend or business trip

It packs a lot and could quite easily be more than part of a group of suitcases you are taking. The Watermelon can also be used on its own as it is perfect for a short weekend or business trip. I like a good strong hard shell suitcase and this one has the added bonus of being lightweight. It’s made from a tough material called polypropylene, and has the added benefit of being  recyclable. It’s much tougher than my old leather suitcase, which even with a lock could have easily been ripped open. This Watermelon has been with me so long that it’s almost considered a family friend. My favourite colour is bright red, but I have seen it in other colours on my travels in turquoise, honey and ink blue.

This one has four wheels and is a fast little mover

The Tripp comes with four wheels which makes the quick dash to the departure gate that much faster, if you are running late. I roll it on two wheels but anyone in their eighties could quite easily push it while upright on all four. However, remember that once you are out of the airport and are negotiating cobbled or uneven roads, you may have to lift this suitcase, so easy on the packing. Also, if you were to go on hikes or day trips once you reached your destination, a rucksack might be a better option.

Watermelon comes with a quality TSA lock

However, having said that, another quality is that the Watermelon comes with a TSA lock, which means that it keeps people out, while at the same time allows authorities to open it if they think I am carrying something that I shouldn’t be. The TSA lock is used in 30 countries and in more than 650 airports worldwide.

If this trip was not a weekender or business trip, I wouldn’t be taking this cabin suitcase on its own. Fortunately for me, this brand comes in a set of three – large, medium and cabin – for a reasonable price of £169.50. Its something I might consider when my medium and large suitcases have their day.

Hard shell suitcase that screams durability

There is no perfect suitcase and this one has its drawbacks. One of them is that unlike some makes like the Antler, it is not expandable. But having said that, I wouldn’t be taking this one on a two-week holiday to Australia. An oversize suitcase would mean me paying extra airline fees. I love the bright red colour of my Tripp Watermelon, which means that I can spot it on the carousel the moment I land. Tripp is also a reputable brand name which gets me noticed. If I wanted a cheap suitcase, Wilko do a hard shell suitcase that is nearly twice the size of my Tripp, and £5 cheaper. The saying ‘you get what you pay for’ is something worth considering in this case, quite literally.

Easy to handle and this beauty has really good locks

In truth, I love taking my Tripp onto the plane. If it falls out of the plane’s overhead cupboard, I know that anything fragile inside will not break. In my opinion, the positives outweigh the negatives. Amazon customers have given it five star ratings for it being lightweight and for its sturdiness. The popularity of this suitcase is such that it wouldn’t surprise me if it was out of stock. If that was the case, I’d pay the extra and opt for a Roma Hard-Shell.  There may be more cheaper cabin suitcases on the market, but the Tripp is easy to handle, manoeuvres well, has a good lock that keeps it safe and secure, and can take a knock without getting too many bruises.