I rarely leave Sydney, but when I finally did this luggage solved my biggest problem

You’d think that someone who loves travel (or rather, the idea of it) as much as I do would have actually left their home state more than once.

But alas, I have not. Apart from a weekend away up and down the New South Wales coastline, and one trip to Melbourne, Victoria last year, I haven’t done a great deal of travelling.

As a result, I saw no need to own a suitcase and instead had the privilege of borrowing one from a friend when I needed it. But with another Melbourne getaway on the horizon, it was high time I finally got a suitcase of my own.

Not only that, but to help my fellow travellers – inexperienced and seasoned alike – I thought I’d use the opportunity to road-test luggage from a trusted brand.

Specifically, American Tourister’s Light Max suitcase, which comes in three sizes; small, medium and large, and six colours; green, khaki, off-white, black, lavender, and burgundy.

American Tourister Light Max review

Seeing as I’m a serial over-packer (a girl needs outfit options), I opted for the large (82cm) burgundy colour, which, in hindsight, was perfect for spotting on the carousels at baggage claim.

Weighing only 4kg – quite impressive considering its size – the American Tourister Light Max lives up to its name as a lightweight yet spacious option.

Getting around was also easy thanks to the double wheels, which meant I rarely had to use the handle extender and instead moved with the luggage at a hip distance.

When it came to the dreaded task of packing, the internal organiser made separating my clothes from my beauty tools easy with a zippered divider on one side and tie-down straps on the other. Plus, pockets down the middle for little things like chargers and jewellery holders.

The one thing I couldn’t figure out, however, was the lock set. Being a newbie to the travelling game meant I’d never really dabbled in such a thing so I struggled to get it working without any help.

Is the American Tourister Light Max suitcase durable?

As for the polypropylene exterior, I thought it held its own quite well against rough handling during baggage claim and Ubers with a few minor scratches.

None of the items inside were affected during the process either, a massive relief considering it held all my fragile makeup products like powders and bottles that could have easily shattered.

It’s also worth mentioning that it was quite heavy to lift – no surprise here given the amount I squeezed into it – but still weighed under Virgin Australia’s minimum check-in baggage limit of 23kg.

Overall, I can honestly say the American Tourister Light Max was a breeze to travel with. It was able to fit all my things without going over the limit and I saw no need for a carry-on.

And, with prices starting from $144 depending on the size and colour you choose, American Tourister backs it with a 10-year warranty.

Where to shop the American Tourister Light Max in Australia