Sterilite Wheeled Footlocker for Travel
Sterilite Wheeled Footlocker for Travel
After years of traveling internationally between the United States and Mozambique, I've tried a lot of different luggage.
For well over a decade, the Sterilite Wheeled Footlocker has been one of my favorite ways to travel. On my most recent trip back to Mozambique, I brought four of them!
They work for the way I travel. I can pack them efficiently, reinforce them for the journey, roll them through the airport, and then put them to work as storage when I arrive.
Pack it. Fly with it. Use it when you arrive.
Why Choose the Sterilite Wheeled Footlocker for Travel?
Price Note: I love these footlockers and have used them for years. However, I would not purchase one at the current inflated price. Use the link to check whether the price has returned to a reasonable amount.
1. The Size Works for the Way I Pack
Years ago, I traveled with large traditional suitcases, including Samsonite luggage.
My frustration was that I could reach my airline's checked-baggage weight limit while there was still plenty of empty space inside the suitcase. Everything had room to shift around because the suitcase could physically hold much more than I was allowed to check.
For the way I pack, the Sterilite footlocker works much better.
✓ Rectangular shape makes packing simple
✓ Solid lid keeps everything contained
✓ Easy to organize without lots of unused space
✓ Works well for the amount I normally pack
Travel Tip: Always check the baggage allowance for your specific airline, route, and ticket before packing. Weight and size restrictions can vary.
2. Sturdy for Travel — But Reinforce It
I want to be clear about this: these footlockers are plastic. They're sturdy, but they're not indestructible.
The hinges and hardware aren't the strongest parts, and airline luggage isn't exactly handled gently!
Before I travel, I:
✓ Reinforce the seams with heavy-duty duct tape
✓ Tape horizontally and vertically
✓ Add heavy-duty luggage straps
✓ Attach a durable luggage tag
I've used this method for years, and it has worked very well for me.
I don't normally lock my footlockers while flying. Once I'm in Mozambique, I can use padlocks when I want additional security for storage.
3. Wheels and Grip Points Make Them Easier to Move
When you're traveling internationally with several pieces of checked baggage, mobility matters.
The built-in wheels make the footlocker easier to pull, and the different grip points and front handle help when you're lifting, loading, or maneuvering it.
And believe me, when you're traveling with four trunks, you appreciate every place you can grab one!
4. Your Luggage Becomes Storage
This is probably one of my favorite things about using footlockers.
Once I arrive, they don't sit empty waiting for my next trip.
They become storage.
I use mine for:
✓ Seasonal clothing
✓ Dry food
✓ Office files and documents
✓ Ministry supplies
✓ Household items
✓ Extra clothing and linens
✓ Anything else that needs organized storage
They're also stackable, which makes them especially useful when storage space is limited.
A Great Option for Mission Teams
Footlockers aren't just for missionaries moving overseas. I think they're a great option for short-term mission teams too.
And here's something important:
Use some of that space for yourself.
Bring your favorite things. Bring snacks or familiar foods you're going to miss. Bring the things you need to be comfortable and healthy while you're away.
I promise you—you may miss some of those familiar things more than you think!
This can be especially important if you have food intolerances, allergies, dietary restrictions, medications, or other personal needs.
Then, if you have room and weight available, use it to bring things that will bless the missionaries, ministry, or people you're coming to serve.
You have lots of options.
✓ Travel with a backpack and check a footlocker
✓ Bring a small carry-on plus your footlocker
✓ Pack a lightweight duffel inside for your return trip
✓ Take the footlocker home with you
✓ Leave the footlocker behind if you don't need it anymore
I've had someone visit me in Mozambique who ended up leaving almost everything behind—including his backpack. Before going home, he simply bought a small inexpensive bag locally for the few things he needed to take back.
You certainly don't have to do that!
But many people come on mission trips with a heart to give, and sometimes they discover they want to leave more behind than they originally planned.
If you leave the footlocker too, you're giving something useful twice: everything you brought inside it and a storage container the ministry can continue using after you're gone.
Come prepared to take care of yourself, but also come prepared to give.
Mission travel can be hard and uncomfortable at times, but it can also be incredible and life-changing.
Before You Pack Food or Donations
This is important.
Always check the current rules for your airline and for both the country you're entering and the country you're returning to.
Rules change, and something you've traveled with before may not necessarily be allowed the next time.
Check requirements for things such as:
✓ Food and snacks
✓ Dried foods and fruit
✓ Agricultural products
✓ Medications
✓ Donated goods
✓ Items that may need to be declared
I've learned this one from experience!
If you're bringing donated goods, also check the customs requirements for your destination.
Recently in Mozambique, I was asked for documentation showing that some belongings I was carrying had been donated to me. Because of experiences like that, I think having a simple donation letter from the person, church, or organization that donated the items can be helpful.
Customs requirements vary greatly from country to country, so check before you travel and keep any documentation you may need with you.
Footlocker or Traditional Suitcase?
Traditional luggage certainly has its place. A good rolling suitcase can be wonderful for vacations and shorter trips.
But for the kind of travel I do, I prefer the footlocker.
Sterilite Wheeled Footlocker
✓ Rectangular packing space
✓ Solid lid
✓ Built-in wheels
✓ Multiple grip points
✓ Stackable
✓ Can be reinforced for travel
✓ Can be locked for storage after arrival
✓ Becomes useful long-term storage
Traditional Suitcase
✓ Convenient for vacations and shorter trips
✓ Retractable handles can make airport travel easier
✓ Clothing compartments can be convenient
✓ Many lightweight options are available
For me, the biggest difference isn't about which one looks better at the airport.
It's about usefulness before, during, and after the trip.
My Must-Have Footlocker Accessories
The footlocker is only part of my travel system. After years of international travel, I've learned that a few inexpensive accessories make a big difference.
1. Heavy-Duty Luggage Straps
These are a must for me.
I use adjustable luggage straps to reinforce the footlocker and help keep the lid secure during long-haul travel.
🔗 Shop My Recommended Luggage Straps
2. Heavy-Duty Duct Tape
It's certainly not glamorous travel gear, but it works!
I reinforce the seams with duct tape before adding my luggage straps.
3. Durable Luggage Tags
Good identification matters, especially when you're traveling with several footlockers.
I prefer durable tags that make my luggage easy to identify while keeping my personal information covered.
🔗 Shop My Recommended Luggage Tags
4. Zip Ties
Zip ties are inexpensive, lightweight, and useful to keep with your travel supplies.
They can provide an additional temporary closure or tamper indicator and can be cut if security personnel need access.
5. Luggage Scale
Don't wait until you reach the airport to discover you're overweight!
I weigh my luggage before leaving for the airport so I have time to move things around if necessary.
🔗 Shop My Recommended Luggage Scale
6. Small Packing Cubes
I use packing cubes—but I prefer small ones.
I've found that large packing cubes take up more space than I want to give them. Small ones are great for keeping all those little things together without controlling the way I pack the entire trunk.
I especially like them for:
✓ Medications
✓ Cords and chargers
✓ Small electronics
✓ Toiletries
✓ Other little items that disappear into your luggage or backpack
7. Sterilite Wheeled Footlocker
And, of course, the footlocker itself.
I've relied on these for international travel for well over a decade, and they're still what I choose when transporting belongings and supplies between the United States and Mozambique.
🔗 Shop the Sterilite Wheeled Footlocker
Who Do I Recommend This Setup For?
I especially recommend considering this setup if you're:
✓ A missionary traveling internationally
✓ Going on a short-term mission trip
✓ Moving or living overseas
✓ Traveling with supplies for a ministry or organization
✓ A college student who wants luggage that becomes dorm storage
✓ Someone who wants a travel container that remains useful afterward
It's not the only way to travel.
It's simply the system I've found works for me after years of hauling belongings, supplies, and ministry resources halfway around the world.
Final Thoughts
After years of international missionary travel, I've learned that good travel gear doesn't have to be fancy.
It needs to work.
The Sterilite Wheeled Footlocker has worked for me for years because it does more than get my belongings from one country to another.
It keeps working after I arrive.
Pack it. Fly with it. Use it when you arrive.
Let's Chat! 👇
💬 Have you ever traveled with a footlocker instead of a traditional suitcase?
💬 What's your best packing tip for long-haul or international travel?
💬 Are you preparing for a mission trip or moving overseas? If you have questions about how I pack my footlockers, leave them below. I'd love to help.
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