Trunki

spartacusthe1st

Hi everyone I am debating whether or not to get two trunki's for my two little ones.
One is 2 1/2 the other is 5, now I know the five year old would be too big for it but I don't want her to feel left out,inthinknshe would enjoy pulling it round being grown up etc.
The thing is I'm travelling alone with both of them to Spain and now all I can imagine is the older one dragging it round bumping in to people and it tipping over and me struggling with the youngest pulling her around while also trying to carry my own bag!
I wanted to hear from people who have/have had a trunki and it's it's worth it or not!!and if not what carry on bag did u get in the end?
Thanks all

NBirdy

My two (4 and 5yrs) have had them for a couple of years now and both still love them. We bought the organiser insert bit for them which I would definitely recommend as it saves having to keep getting stuff in and out of it the case during the flight. Both my kids still love to ride/be towed through the airport on them, the older one just has to tuck her legs up a bit. I would say though that I always travel with my husband, so we only have to tow one each. I have a giant CabinMax backpack as my hand luggage (fits a TON of stuff in there!), and I tow a child with one hand whilst pulling my wheeled suitcase with the other hand. I find that easier than holding the childs hand and trying to supervise them towing their own Trunki!

picnmix

Have experience with these devils, I thought they were cute for my 2 DD's!

Take a couple of things into consideration -

Are you taking them as hand luggage?
What time are your flights?
Do you have to get on one of those horrible buses from the plane to the airport?

The reason I saw this is from experience - if you are on a night/late flight your kiddies will be exhausted and not want to carry the silly things. If you are carrying them as hand luggage and have to secure them, your children etc on a packed bus hurling across a runway to the terminal then good luck.

My kids love them, but as you can tell from experience I loathe them.

pinkclouds

I have a 3 and a 4.5 year old. They both have Trunkis. We haven't used them for their actual purpose i.e. as suitcases. However, they like using them to store stuff in and to use as a ride-on toy. My younger child preferred his Trunki to his scooter for a little while! Their 4 year old cousin has a Trunki too and has used it for travelling with his parents.

I would say Trunkis are reasonably entertaining and you can pack more than you'd think inside them. Kids can't move too fast on them (when sitting on them) so there isn't as much chasing as you'd fear. The novelty would probably last longer, the younger the child is. You would end up carrying/towing the Trunki(s) yourself at some point - unless the airport is very small.

However, this is all limited personal experience and second-hand tales. Personally... If travelling on your own with 2 young kids, I'd pack as light as possible and skip the novelty caseware. If it's a vacation, one medium wheeled bag and a small hand luggage bag to sit on top of the case so you can pull it with one hand while holding the younger child's hand. If you're moving abroad, one small wheeled bag that will hopefully count as hand luggage and the rest by freight - or maybe one or two cases in the hold for immediate requirements if you'll be stuck in hotels for a while before settling into the new home.

thegirlintheattic

I'd say no if you are traveling on your own. Give them small rucksacks each for toys for the plane - at least rucksacks are relatively easy to get them to wear if tired and don't involve you trying to manage to carry them or stop the kids banging trunkis into everyone at the airport. It also makes it easier to keep everything together - attach rucksack to kid, keep hold of kids.

Get a large suitcase for all the families clothes then you can pull that, have your own rucksack and hold a child's hand.

silverrose

Another no for a Trunki im afraid! Working in a hotel, I've only ever seen the Mums and Dads with them. Plus cases and handbags and the usual travelling bits and bobs! The kids seem to have lost interest, leaving poor parents struggling like a pack horse! I'd say they were fine for weekends away, but not for long travel. Cute idea though!

peachyprice

Another NO vote from me I'm afraid. The thought of you struggling with two children and two trunkies on your own fills me with dread.

They have some cute back pack style alternatives on John Lewis though, the Picture Cases are particularly cute in real life.

http://www.johnlewis.com/Sport+and+Leisure/Luggage/Luggage/Children%27s+Luggage/706/ProductCategory.aspx?SearchTerm=childrens+luggage

skintchick

THanks for asking this OP! We are taking DD (nearly 3) abroad this year and I was wondering about getting one of these. Interesting to read the responses. But as my DD will not wear backpack something I can drag is preferable to yet another bag I have to carry!

LondonDiva

Why not just get a small wheely suitcase that you could attach to yours if needed?

spartacusthe1st

Thanks everyone I think I will give it a pass!picnmix is right about the stupid shuttle buses it's hard enough trying to stand up on them let alone hold an to two little ones and all their baggage!
Thanks for the link peacheyprice.

floss2

After having had my ankles bashed about a dozen times in a long security queue last Monday, and the child's father being so fed up of apologising that he was carrying it, I would say "NO".....what did seem succesful were small children with cases "just like mummy's" but smaller, as they were manageable and more grown-up looking than a trunki (cute as they are!)