Is Expensive Travel Gear Worth It? A Practical Guide for Families

Travel gear can get expensive quickly.

Spend any time researching luggage, merino clothing, travel strollers, backpacks, or packing systems and you’ll quickly find products that cost two, three, or even ten times more than budget alternatives.

The marketing is often convincing. Premium materials. Better durability. Lifetime warranties. Sustainable manufacturing. Superior comfort.

But does spending more actually improve your travel experience?

After researching a wide range of travel products and comparing feedback from frequent travellers, the answer is surprisingly simple:

Sometimes yes. Sometimes absolutely not.

The key is understanding where premium gear delivers genuine value and where you’re simply paying for features you may never use.

The Biggest Mistake Travellers Make

Many travellers assume that more expensive automatically means better value.

In reality, travel gear tends to follow a curve.

At the very cheap end, quality can be poor and products may fail quickly.

In the middle range, quality often improves dramatically.

At the premium end, improvements continue but become smaller relative to the price increase.

In other words:

A $150 suitcase is often dramatically better than a $50 suitcase.

A $500 suitcase may only be moderately better than a $150 suitcase.

Understanding this principle can save families hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

When Budget Gear Makes Sense

Budget gear is often the right choice when:

– You travel occasionally.
– The item receives light use.
– Technology and materials have improved significantly in recent years.
– Replacing the item would not create major inconvenience.

For many families, budget travel gear can provide excellent value.

The goal is not to buy the cheapest option available. The goal is to buy products that offer the best balance between price, reliability, and performance.

Let’s look at a few common categories.

Luggage: Budget vs Premium

Luggage is one of the easiest categories to overspend on.

Budget Options

Examples include:

– American Tourister
– Amazon Basics
– SwissGear

These brands typically offer:

– Lower purchase prices
– Basic organisation
– Functional spinner wheels
– Suitable durability for occasional travel

Many travellers report getting years of service from budget luggage, particularly when travelling only once or twice per year.

Premium Options

Examples include:

– Samsonite
– Travelpro
– Briggs & Riley
– Rimowa

Premium luggage generally offers:

– Higher-quality materials
– Better wheel systems
– Improved handles and zippers
– Longer warranties
– Greater long-term durability

Our Take

If your family travels once or twice per year, a quality budget or mid-range suitcase is often the smarter purchase.

If you’re travelling internationally several times per year, premium luggage may eventually save money by lasting significantly longer. Frequent travellers often report wheel failures, cracked shells, and handle issues as the main reasons they replace cheaper luggage.

For most families, the sweet spot is usually the mid-range market rather than the cheapest or most expensive option.

Merino Clothing: One Area Where Premium Often Pays Off

Merino clothing is a category where many travellers become repeat customers once they try it.

Benefits commonly include:

– Better temperature regulation
– Reduced odour build-up
– Fewer clothing changes
– Improved comfort on long journeys

Budget Merino

Examples include:

– Decathlon merino products
– Costco merino products (where available)

These can offer excellent value and introduce travellers to the benefits of merino without a large investment. Many travellers report receiving most of the benefits of premium merino at a fraction of the cost.

Premium Merino

Examples include:

– Icebreaker
– Smartwool
– Mons Royale
– Merino 365

Premium brands often provide:

– Softer fabrics
– Better fit
– Improved durability
– More refined designs

Our Take

Unlike many travel products, premium merino often provides benefits you notice every day.

For long-haul travel, multi-day trips, and minimalist packing, spending extra on quality merino can be worthwhile.

This is one category where paying more often results in a genuinely better experience.

Travel Strollers: Buy for Your Environment

Travel strollers highlight an important lesson.

There is rarely a “best” product.

There is only the best product for your situation.

Budget Travel Strollers

Budget models are often:

– Lightweight
– Compact
– Affordable

However, they can struggle on:

– Cobblestones
– Gravel
– Rough footpaths

Premium Travel Strollers

Premium models may offer:

– Better suspension
– Larger wheels
– Higher build quality
– Easier folding systems

Our Take

Families travelling through Europe may benefit more from spending extra on a stroller than families visiting destinations with smooth modern infrastructure.

A stroller that works perfectly in an airport may perform terribly on historic city streets.

The best purchase is often the one that matches your destination.

Travel Accessories: Usually Buy Mid-Range

Travel accessories include:

– Packing cubes
– Travel organisers
– Travel pillows
– Passport holders
– Electronics organisers

This is a category where premium pricing often produces diminishing returns.

A $20 packing cube set may perform nearly as well as a $70 set.

A $30 travel pillow may deliver similar comfort to one costing significantly more.

Our Take

Buy reliable products with good reviews.

Avoid both the cheapest and most expensive options.

The middle ground is often where the best value exists.

Sustainability and Durability

One argument in favour of premium gear is sustainability.

A product that lasts ten years may create less waste than replacing a cheaper version every two years.

However, sustainability is not simply about buying the most expensive item.

The most sustainable purchase is often:

– A product you genuinely need
– A product that suits your use case
– A product that will actually be used regularly

Buying a premium item that spends most of its life in storage is rarely a sustainable decision.

The 80/20 Rule of Travel Gear

One useful principle is the 80/20 rule.

Many mid-range products deliver around 80% of the performance of premium alternatives for a fraction of the price.

For many families, this is the sweet spot.

Spend where you’ll notice the difference.

Save where you won’t.

Where We’d Spend More

If travelling regularly as a family, we’d be most willing to invest in:

– Merino clothing
– Comfortable luggage with quality wheels
– A travel stroller suited to the destination
– Comfortable footwear

These products directly affect comfort and convenience every day.

Where We’d Save Money

We’d be more cautious about overspending on:

– Packing cubes
– Travel organisers
– Passport wallets
– Trendy travel gadgets
– Luxury luggage features we may never use

In many cases, mid-range products perform almost as well.

Final Thoughts

Expensive travel gear is not automatically better.

Sometimes premium products genuinely justify their higher prices through durability, comfort, and convenience.

Other times, the difference is surprisingly small.

The smartest approach is not to buy the cheapest gear or the most expensive gear.

It’s to understand how you travel, identify the products that will make the biggest difference to your experience, and invest accordingly.

For most families, the best value is usually found somewhere in the middle.