Best Luggage for Family - Osprey Shuttle Review
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What is the best luggage for families?
Updated: August 3, 2021
Best Luggage for Family Travel
We are frequently asked what luggage we use for family trips. We are huge fans of Osprey products (especially the Osprey Poco Child Carrier Series!) and truly love the Osprey Shuttle for family travel.
We personally own two Osprey Shuttle 130L/36″ bags in Metal Grey. Most of our trips we can fit everything we need for two adults and one child in one bag! In this article, we discuss the features of the Osprey Shuttle, why we love it and why we believe it is the best luggage for family travel.
Osprey Shuttle Review
There are two versions of the Osprey Shuttle. The smaller Osprey Shuttle 100 Liter/30 Inch and larger Osprey Shuttle 130 Liter/36 Inch. For the purpose of this article, we will mostly discuss the 130L version. This is the bag we have and have used on countless trips as a family. The only differences between the two sizes are the size/capacity and number of compression straps that cross the front of the bag.
Osprey Shuttle 100L/30"
Dimensions: 30H x 16W x 14D inches; 8.16 Pounds
Osprey Shuttle 130L/36"
Dimensions: 38H X 16W X 15D inches; 9.13 Pounds
What makes it the best luggage for family travel?
Sturdy/Durable
Osprey refers to the material this luggage is made of as ‘bombproof ballistic nylon fabric’ and I have to say, that sounds about right! Our bags have been on countless flights and have had no issues with tearing or fraying. The straps and buckles for the compression feature are high quality and really cinch the bag in to keep your items from moving around inside.
Size
This is a large bag! We literally flew with an inflatable kayak in one of our bags recently and it worked great! We typically prefer to travel with one checked bag for the three of us and a backpack carry on for each. We find that this amount of luggage is easy to manage, doesn’t fill the back of a small rental car to the brim and prevents us from over packing. As our son gets older, we will likely have to adjust this but, as a family with one small child this works great for us! If you are looking for the best large luggage for family travel, this is it!
Big wheels/High Clearance
This may not be something you are considering specifically when shopping for luggage for family travel but, the more rugged your suitcase, the better it will handle all travel scenarios. The large wheels on the Osprey Shuttle are perfectly suited for cobbled streets in Europe to sandy walkways between villas in Thailand!
Companion Piece Strap
This may seem like a simple buckled strap tucked into the top of this bag but, when traveling with small children, extra bags and a car seat this is like having an extra hand. The Companion Piece Strap holds a booster seat perfectly! The bar on the back of the seat clips in perfectly and really saves you the hassle of holding it in your hand. This strap is also helpful for when your child decides they no longer want to carry their own backpack. Such a simple but helpful feature!
Osprey All Mighty Guarantee
Now, this is a company that stands behind their products! Per Osprey: ‘Osprey will repair any damage or defect for any reason free of charge – whether it was purchased in 1974 or yesterday. If we are unable to perform a functional repair on your pack, we will happily replace it.’
In addition to all of that, the Osprey Shuttle is loaded with even more features shown in the images below!
Osprey Shuttle Features
Photo Credit: Osprey
How To Pack It
Since this is a large suitcase, it is possible to overpack in regards to weight for flying, specifically with packing for a family. Most airlines have a 50 pound baggage limit but, some have a 40 pound limit. A luggage scale (like this one or even your bathroom scale at home) can save you from taking various items out of your luggage and stuffing them in your backpack or paying the overweight fee at the airport.
As mentioned above, this bag is huge and keeping it organized can be a challenge. We typically organize by having our son’s clothing starting in the lower compartment and the two adult’s things in the top. Each adult has a side zippered compartment for smaller items (undies/socks/etc.). Over the course of the trip, we transition the dirty clothes to the bottom compartment and move our son’s clothes to the top. Towards the end of the trip, we usually have all of the dirty clothes on top and anything still clean-ish, goes in the bottom. This is one of the reasons we like this bag so much! If you prefer even more organization, packing cubes (like these) can help with keeping clothing items organized especially for a baby since all of their things are so small! The ability to effectively pack this bag makes it our top pick for best luggage for family travel.
For packing winter gear, we use compression sacks (like these) for all of our coats, extra layers, gloves, hats etc. We take these on pretty much all of our trips from backpacking in the mountains to a multi-destination international trip. We find them especially helpful for multi-destination trips because you may spend half of your trip at the beach and the other somewhere cold. This keeps winter gear separate while compressing it down to a manageable size to pack.
We pack rain coats for every single trip. They are great for rain but, we use them more often as an extra wind protective layer. The Osprey Shuttle has a great place for rain coats in the back panel zippered compartment. Easy to grab and you always know where they are when you need them!
Not only do we pack all of our clothes and coats in the Osprey Shuttle but, we pack our toiletry bag in the top zipper compartment as well. We use the L.L. Bean Personal Organizer Toiletry Bag in Medium for all of our toiletries/medications except sunscreen and bug spray. We are pretty minimal when it comes to toiletries but, always pack any medications that we can not easily get where we are going. We also only pack travel sizes for everything. The top zipper compartment fits this toiletry bag perfectly!
The Osprey Shuttle 100 Liter includes 2 compression straps and the 130 Liter includes 3 compression straps. These are great for compressing the entire bag to keep its contents secure and prevent them from moving around and getting unorganized. The compression straps also help keep the weight of the bag closer to the person pulling it which makes it easier to pull. When using the Osprey Shuttle either full to the brim or lite and tightly compressed, always make sure to tuck the straps in as best you can to prevent them from getting stuck on conveyor belts through the airport.
The flexibility this bag provides for packing really pushes the Osprey Shuttle to the very top of the family luggage pack!
Osprey Packs Shuttle Series Product Tour
From our experience and Osprey Shuttle review, there are a multitude of reasons why we prefer the Osprey Shuttle over other suitcases on the market for family travel! First, we prefer the duffle style because it is flexible and can be squished into a trunk easier than square, hard bodied luggage. Of all the wheeled duffles out there, we prefer the Osprey Shuttle for its efficient compression, high quality materials, big wheels, upper and lower compartments and the Osprey Guarantee. I used to cringe when our luggage came down the baggage shoot fearing that it would for sure break this time. I don’t worry about that anymore! The Osprey Shuttle is the perfect luggage for family travel because it offers multiple compartments and 130 liters of storage space. Another benefit is that the Osprey Shuttle has a unique look making it easier to locate while at baggage claim.
If you are very petite, the Osprey Shuttle 100L/30″ may suite you better than the 130L as this is a very tall bag. Since the smaller version has all the same features as the large, this will be a great bag for travel with your family!
Whether you are traveling to a neighboring state or continent, the Osprey Shuttle is the best luggage for family travel that provides flexibility, quality and peace of mind that you have a bag that will last the test of time!
About The Kid Packer
Here at The Kid Packer, we want to help you live your best life. A great baby backpack child carrier can help you do just that. After having used a child carrier backpack for over 1,500 miles of adventuring and exploring, we have a passion for them and know what makes a great pack that both you and your child will love. We hope our comprehensive research allows you to confidently find the right backpack for your needs!
