Review - Katsuma, the Moshi Monsters Trunki

As regular readers will know, we travel quite a lot with our little ones, and when Harry was three we bought him a Trunki. Both children love it, and so I was delighted when I was asked if I would like to review one of the new Moshi Monsters Trunki suitcases, as it meant that Mia would be able to have one of her own.

I chose the Katsuma Trunki, which is bright orange and based on a monster which is a cross between a cat and a satsuma. I was very pleased when I first opened the Katsuma Trunki to find that the opening catches are different on this newer model and are much easier to open than on our old Trunki. You just need to squeeze in the button to release the catch.

We have found our Trunki fantastic when used as hand luggage. In most cases a Trunki fits within the size guidelines for plane hand luggage, although it is recommend to check with the airline before flying. The appeal of the Trunki lies not so much in its usefulness as a suitcase, but in the way that it can be used by a child. It can be used as a seat while you are standing around waiting, it can be propelled across the floor by the child, and you can use the sturdy strap to pull a small child along. The long strap also makes it comfortable for an adult to carry for longer distances.

Airports are vast places, generally with smooth floors, which makes them ideal for Trunkis. Harry's Trunki has been particularly invaluable on our trips to the US, where you can easily spend over an hour waiting in a queue at immigration with jet lagged, exhausted children that have been cooped up in a plane for an entire day. It's so nice to have somewhere that they can sit and rest as you pull them along a few centimetres at a time.

I must admit that when actually flying I don't really use the Trunki for things that need to be accessed during the flight, as a reasonable amount of space is needed to open it fully and aeroplanes are cramped. Instead we use it to pack things for the children that we will need when we arrive, such as pyjamas, cups and spare clothing. Harry has always loved helping to pack it, and will happily fill it with some of his favourite toys. Because it has hard sides it's also very useful for keeping our own things in that we don't want to get squashed, like small electronic devices.

When we are travelling by car we let Harry pack his Trunki himself, so that he can keep all his things separate from ours. It gives him a sense of independence, and he loves being given a list of things to pack, like four t-shirts or two pairs of trousers. There are a couple of hidden compartments in the Trunki too which really appeal to little ones and a handy elasticated pocket which is perfect for a few cars or small toys. One side of the Trunki has elasticated straps which hold everything in place.

Having had a Trunki for a few years now, I can attest that they are very durable. Our older Trunki has been pulled about across airports and roads and it's in excellent shape. I would definitely recommend one if you travel with small children, and I know that Mia will be very excited on our next holiday when she has a Trunki of her very own!

We received a Katsuma Trunki to review, and I have also based this review on our use of our original Trunki that we bought a couple of years ago for Harry. Amazon links are affiliate.