A hard hat, a hi-vis jacket and a stepladder: my very scientific suitcase stress test
A suitcase dies not with a crash, but with a soft, tremulous thud. I learned this first-hand as I dropped luggage repeatedly from a stepladder on my driveway, all in the name of our best suitcases group test.
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The Filter team and its writers think carefully about how to test each type of product before we embark on a review. Suitcases are often marketed (but seldom rated) on their toughness, so we decided to add drop-testing to our approach, along with conventional criteria, such as internal organisation and finish. Anyone can tell you why they think a suitcase is nice, but we wanted to see how well each option might endure.
And so, one fair May morning, I put on my best baggage handler cosplay (hi-vis vest; gloves; boots; possibly ill-chosen hard hat) and wheeled eight fabulous suitcases on to my driveway. They looked unsuspecting in a line against the garden wall.
Photographer Christian Hopewell and I discussed the plan over coffee. I would pack each suitcase with baggage (my laundry!), before carrying it up a stepladder and dropping it three times – on to its top, front and side. We'd assess the damage to each suitcase after the third drop.
I took an impish delight in the testing. Moving each case to the appointed angle required some elaborate flicks of the wrist, especially as my arm grew tired from hauling the luggage and holding it aloft. The suitcases thudded to the ground, sometimes sustaining scuffs, scratches and even cracks, but usually holding up impressively. A few passersby peered quizzically at the yellow-vested man and his deteriorating collection of luggage (in fact, one of those passersby ended up rehoming a suitcase that was too damaged for resale – the rest were donated to the charity Cat Action Trust 1977). My driveway had become a suitcase-testing runway.
Even though it gave ultra-hardy luggage like the Away and Horizn Studios a chance to excel, drop-testing suitcases might seem like overkill. If you travel by train, sea or road, it's unlikely that your case will ever fall from such a great height (and that's one of several motivations to choose these eco-friendlier modes of transport when you can).
However, the reality is that bad things do happen to good suitcases – notably when they're used as hold luggage during air travel. While researching for this article, I was shocked to learn how hard baggage handlers are required to work. One airport worker interviewed by the Guardian said that the average baggage handler has to load about 150 bags within 40 minutes, several times a shift. It would only be human to handle some of those heavy suitcases roughly, or even drop them.
I should point out that some of my favourite suitcases, pre-drop testing (such as the It Legion and Antler Icon), sustained more damage than others when dropped. If you travel infrequently or avoid air travel, you might not need a super-tough case. You could pick one with a softer finish and a lower price instead – just don't drop it from a ladder.
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Many new parents struggle to stick to any kind of routine, let alone keep up their outdoorsy pre-baby lifestyles. However, some bits of kit can genuinely help get your kids outdoors. Paddy Maddison (who has a two-year-old) spoke to parents to get their recommendations, which range from a £12 puddle suit to get them playing in the rain to a decent backpack for hiking and an electric cargo bike simply for dragging a reluctant toddler uphill.
Monica HorridgeDeputy editor, the Filter
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Since we first published our roundup of the best coffee machines, our resident expert, Sasha Muller, hasn't stopped testing new machines to make sure we're giving the best recommendations. His latest edit includes a manual espresso machine for just £89.99 (no, that's not a typo).
Calling all teachers: as the end of the school year approaches, what's the best gift you've ever received from a pupil or parent, one that went beyond wine or chocolates? And parents of school kids, what's the best present you've ever bought a much-loved teacher, one that might have brought a tear to their eye? Let us know by replying to this newsletter or emailing us at thefilter@theguardian.com.
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