Having your own suitcase on wheels is the dream of every little adventurer. But will it eventually become a burden for the parents? Can cute children's suitcases be high-quality? Read our review to find out how the Travelite Heroes of the City children's suitcase performed in practice.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + cheerful children's colors | - internal layout |
| + famous fairy tale motif | - telescopic handle is not adjustable |
| + high-quality zipper | |
| + reasonable size | |
| + easy maintenance | |
| + stable construction |
Love at first sight
Practically every month we travel with our children to visit my parents in Slovakia. Packing everything the children need always (not surprisingly) falls on me. For a long time, my husband and I wondered how to involve the children in this unpopular activity and make them think about what they will actually need. We therefore decided to buy our older five-year-old son a cheerful children's suitcase that would catch his eye at first glance. (Given the success of the whole operation, we will soon be buying a suitcase for our younger daughter as well.)
After exploring the offer, the clear favorite became the Travelite Heroes of the City 4w S children's suitcase. The choice was also influenced by the fact that our little ones know and love the Heroes of the City fairy tale – so the children were practically not interested in anything else, they didn't care about any parameters or product quality. On the other hand, we liked that the popular German Travelite brand is an expert in the field of travel suitcases, that the suitcase is made of durable ABS plastic with a polycarbonate surface layer, and that it was at a favorable price.
A children's suitcase for travel and play
From a suitcase for children, I naturally expected, besides practicality, that it would interest the children who would use it. The suitcase fulfilled this perfectly and is very popular with us – not only as a travel companion, but it is also widely used for playing. All our stuffed animals and dolls have already tried its interior. It is eye-catching, cheerful, and just the right size. My children are thrilled with it.
I also really appreciate the zipper workmanship, which does not get stuck, so even a four-year-old child can open the suitcase smoothly and without problems. The zipper pull is finished with an effective rubber wheel with a flame motif – the same one that decorates Hanička – which makes it easier for small children's hands to grip.
The suitcase weighs 2.4 kg and my two little darlings had no problem handling it. In terms of volume and dimensions, it is slightly smaller than classic size S suitcases. The volume declared by the manufacturer is 28 l – a size that is perfectly sufficient for a summer weekend spent at grandma and grandpa's. I really appreciate the easy maintenance – thanks to the solid material, just wipe the surface with a damp cloth and the suitcase is like new.
The internal layout is a challenge for children's hands
As a parent, I would have welcomed a differently designed internal layout. In one half of the suitcase, there are Y-shaped compression straps that are fastened with a click buckle – however, my younger daughter cannot press and unfasten it by herself. The other half of the suitcase has a zippered partition. This layout is standard for most "adult" suitcases.
From my own experience, I know that children enjoy packing more than unpacking anyway, so parental help (or another adult) when unfastening the buckle is more than expected. I don't see it as a major problem.
Inside the suitcase, there is a cloud-shaped name tag on the zippered compartment, where you can sign the suitcase and ensure its recovery in case of loss. The suitcase does not have an integrated lock, which I do not consider important for a children's suitcase at all. With improper handling, it could be more of a disadvantage. The last thing I would want to deal with upon arrival at the destination is a jammed lock.
Honestly, I was most afraid of the wheels, which don't look very sturdy at first glance. However, the concerns were completely unnecessary. The wheels are not too noisy when moving and thanks to the swivel mechanism, they easily adapt to sudden changes in direction by the little traveler. They are made of soft plastic, rotate 360°, and reliably ensure the stability of the suitcase.
The telescopic handle offers room for improvement
I consider the limited height adjustment of the telescopic handle to be a relatively big disadvantage. Like most other suitcases, it only has two positions – extended halfway or all the way up. With the handle fully extended, a smaller child scrapes one of the bottom edges of the suitcase on the ground; on uneven terrain, this also happens with the handle extended only halfway. I couldn't successfully explain to my son that he has to pull the suitcase on all four wheels.
During use, the suitcase has already received a few scratches, but of course, this did not detract from its functionality at all. Moreover, the handle grip itself fits perfectly into a child's hand, is comfortable, and does not slip. The suitcase handle, which is made of durable plastic, feels the same to us.
"Mom, I'll pack myself!"
As I already mentioned, the children were interested in the suitcase at first sight and it became their reliable partner when traveling. The best reward for buying it was the look at my satisfied son, who proudly and enthusiastically pulled his own packed suitcase.
I can therefore recommend the Travelite children's suitcase with a clear conscience to all families who go on trips together from time to time. It is a unique opportunity to teach children responsibility in a playful way and, in addition, to make traveling more pleasant for them.
Those in the know also know that brave Hanička, Pavlík, and the Bird of Disaster will never let children (and in this case, not even parents) down!
