Luggage

Everything else
1

My family got back from a trip (by airplane) to Arizona, and it seems we need some new luggage.

Choosing luggage intelligently seems somewhat challenging.

The Setup:
We got a set of a nice brand of luggage (Atlantic) around the time of our marriage in 1995. I think there were 3 main suitcases (plus some accessories), but over the years, IIRC, 2 wore out/broke. We’ve added various replacements, of various quality. On the recent trip, we checked 3 suitcases, and 2 of them are badly damaged - wheels on one, and the plastic liners which give shape to the suitcase on another. The 3rd piece of luggage that we took is very large, and in these days where airlines weigh baggage and penalize fairly strictly, it’s too big.

I’d like to get a full set of replacement luggage - newer stuff tends to be lighter, and getting a set means it’ll match (looks better) and should hopefully nest nicely (easier to store).

The Problem:
Lots of stores sell luggage. But it seems a bit difficult to evaluate what will really be durable.

I made a big swing today through Target, Sears, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Wal-Mart, and back to Target.

Wal-Mart had little selection and I wasn’t impressed with what they carried. All the other stores had decent selections, though many seemed problematic.

Notable issues:
Upright vs. Duffle - I prefer upright.

2 wheels vs. 4 - Since even the 4 wheel stuff will generally be on 2 wheels as you drag it around, 4 wheels seem superfluous. Also, the wheels on 4 wheel models seem to protrude more, and thus be vulnerable to breakage. 2 wheels it is.

“Hard” vs. Soft - I saw at least one set of luggage that was a sort of new-style hard shell. It wasn’t heavy-duty plastic and metal like hard luggage from years ago, but rather, a kind of very stiff plasticized fabric or something like that. Fairly lightweight. Still, I like soft better.

Fabric quality - Fairly easy to evaluate/compare by touch.

Zipper quality - Zippers seem to be a problem on luggage over time. A few of the new bits of luggage seemed to have inferior zippers, but most seemed fine. Still, there might be a hidden quality component here that will only reveal itself over time.

Frame/shell quality - This seems like it will be a big one - at least one of our current pieces that we’ll be disposing of failed here. Most soft side luggage uses what seem to be plastic pieces to support the frame at the corners. These seem pretty vulnerable to me. Plastic doesn’t age real well, and having the pieces only at the corners makes it easier for luggage to get crushed. My favorite luggage used what appeared to be a fairly strong/thick plastic piece that went all the way around the perimeter.

Wheels - I didn’t look too closely at wheels. That proved to be a problem when I got home and read user reviews on Target.com saying that the luggage I was leaning towards (with the full perimeter apparently strong plastic) had bad wheels - multiple users complaining of wheel problems. I could check the luggage again and try to evaluate wheel sturdiness, but I’m not sure the difference between good and bad wheels would be readily apparent. I also wonder if the high number of complaints about the wheels is a reflection of reality (most users have wheel problems early on), or if those with problems are disproportionately inclined to post reviews.

There are some other factors, but the above is probably too much detail.

Evaluating durability:
Anyways, the problem appears to be evaluating durability, and not all facets of durability seem like they’ll be readily apparent. Consumer Reports has fairly limited luggage reviews and I couldn’t find too much else on-line. Target.com has user reviews of some of the stuff they carry, but they don’t carry everything I’m interested in. My wife at first said that anything that is inexpensive will be cheaply made - pay up. But that seems questionable to me - that the only metric of quality is price. Besides, some of the pricier stuff I saw at Macy’s seemed in-line, quality-wise, with the high end of what the discounters carried (but the Macy’s stuff cost a lot more). Later, my wife said that her friends say that pricey stuff wears out just like cheap stuff. If it’s all gonna break in 3-5 years, it doesn’t seem worthwhile to pay 2-4x more.

Anyways, I’m probably over-analyzing this, but if I’m buying a non-trivial thing where durability is probably the key metric, it frustrates me that I have no really good way to compare on that basis.

-------------------

Has anyone else bought luggage (cheap or pricey) recently? Thoughts on the buying process and/or experiences with your luggage (especially durability)?

2

One word: Travelpro.

It’s what all the flight attendants and pilots use – and with good reason. My brother worked in the airline industry for 10 years, and that’s what he got. My wife also has had one for a couple of decades now, and it’s still in fine shape.

3

I still have luggage by Samsonite and Skyway that date back to the 70s. They’re in good shape, and I still use them on some trips, but it’s a hassle to use suitcases that don’t have a decent set of wheels. More recently (i.e. in the last 10-15 years), my regular bags have been a couple of Antlers-- expanding, nylon, roller cases. These have seen heavy use, but exhibit almost no signs of wear.

4

Yeah, I’m tempted to buy some new luggage soon, too. I usually go for El Cheapo Wal-Mart brand, but after two or three trips the seams start to fall apart around the zippers. I don’t know at what point (price-wise) the quality goes up… I don’t feel like spending 400 bucks on a suitcase… but do I have to if I want something good?

5

I’ll second Rimbo on Travelpro. They even a variety of models, at different price points, and all are very durable and usable. You can often find good sales, too.

6

Well, i can’t help you with the bigger luggages, but if you want to consider an adjunct luggage to serve as a carry-on in addition to your normal wheeled luggages, i’d say the Tom Bihn Aeronaut. I bought one for a 4 week trip to Vietnam and it was the most awesome luggage i’ve ever used/owned. Its really pricey, but its totally worth it since part of that price is due to the quality and build methods. Its made of ballistic nylon so its super light ( around 2.5 lbs empty ) and has super good zippers that don’t leak water. They are hand-made in my home town of Seattle and all the workers work in nice conditions and seemed happy ( i know because if you buy them in person, the store is inside the factory ). You can find out more at onebag.com or 1bag1world.com.

7

By the way – that TravelPro I mentioned has survived a good half dozen trips to China and back in addition to all the domestic travel it’s gone through over the past 15 or so years.

8

I know you prefer 2 wheels, but I’ve been using Samsonite 4 wheel Spinners for a while now - have both a check-in larger one as well as a carry-on one, and have been very happy with them both. The huge benefit for me is that I can easily turn the suitcase in the airplane aisle to fit and just as easily push it down the aisle. Also, walking with the suitcases alongside you feels much better for me than pulling it along behind you. One time I even piled everything on top of the large suitcase and pushed it along in front of me.

9

This. Nicely designed and durable.

10

When my bag fell apart during a business trip several years ago, I was forced to visit an REI across the street from the hotel. Turns out the (REI brand) bag I got there, a very nice upright, is the toughest and most user-friendly bag I’ve handled and is still in great shape after dozens of flights around the country. It just barely fits into overhead bins on most domestic planes and can hold enough for a week or more depending on how indecisive I am about the books I’ll be reading. REI may be expensive, but two thumbs up on product quality and durability here. (Search Link).

Edit: This is probably REI’s current version of the bag I have. Has just two wheels and I think it’s the weighted bottom that makes handling such a breeze.

11

This. We got a set of spinners for our trip to Japan and were very happy with them. It was much easier to push the suitcase around on 4 wheels than drag it with 2. Think of force vectors and when you’re pulling it there’s weight you are holding up. With a spinner you’re just applying force to move it around as opposed to holding it up. In addition with the Samsonite bags we got matching carry on bags that slip over the handle so we don’t have to carry them until we checked our bags.

From the time we landed in Japan until we left we were responsible for transporting our luggage and it really made a difference when walking around train stations and going to/from our accommodations. It was easy enough that I had no trouble moving both sets of suitcases while letting my wife carry a backpack and take pictures.

12

Also REI has an amazing return policy. If for any reason your bag gets damaged (dog pees on it, X-Ray machine chews it up) return it to REI for a replacement.

13

This message has been approved by ME.

14

YES, forgot about their stellar customer service.

Looks cool but needs more running legs. And teeth.

15

I have a luggage fetish, so I approve this thread.

That was probably more than you wanted to know.

16

Luggage Salesman: Have you thought much about luggage, Mr. Banks?
Joe Banks: No.
Luggage Salesman: It’s the central preoccupation of my life.

Joe Banks: And then I’ll be staying on a tiny island and I don’t know if I’ll be living in a hut, or what.
Luggage Salesman: Very exciting… as a luggage problem!

Luggage Salesman: This is our premier steamer trunk, it’s all handmade, only the finest materials. It’s even watertight, tight as a drum. If I had the need, and the wherewithal, Mr. Banks, this would be my trunk of choice.
Joe Banks: I’ll take four of them.
Luggage Salesman: May you live to be a thousand years old, sir.

17

My wife got me a set from Lands’ End as a wedding gift (I didn’t get the hint). It’s all still in great shape, and back in those days there was even an understood “return it at any time for any reason, ever”. We haven’t bought from them in some years, so I don’t know if they still have that extreme return policy.

But they’re heavy canvas, only show a little wear on the leather corner pieces. The zippers are very heavy duty - I don’t remember seeing sturdier looking ones anywhere else, ever. They’re in great shape. We don’t travel a high amount, but I’ve been flying for work every few months for over 4 years, and always use one of those bags. They’re almost 20 years old now, and almost as good as new.

18

As someone who makes 40+ business trips per year, my recommendation is simple: Travelpro. The fact that most flight attendants and pilots use it, too, is a heck of a recommendation.

If you want similar quality and a (very) pricey brand name, the Tumi stuff is nice. Just stay away from leather luggage. Ballistic nylon is lighter and more durable.

19

According to their website, yes, it’s still in place. I thought it would have changed after they were bought up by Sears, but they tell a tale of someone purchasing a car from them in 1984 for $19K and getting a full refund for it in 2005… That’s a hell of a return policy!

I can’t speak to brand, but I love casters/spinners. They’re wonderful, and make it a hundred times easier to move luggage around than wheels alone.

20

Alright, instead of a PS3 Slim, I’ll get a Samsonite Spinner–looks like people appreciate the 4 wheels. How’s this in Canadian pesos?

Onlinebags.com has a BOGO 50% offer. $160 for the 24" one + half of $140 for the second one makes it $230 for a 24" and a 20" carryon.

http://www.onlinebags.com/en/Product/Samsonite-Quad-Wheel-Luggage-Upright-Spinner-24--Luggage-SAMSONITE-4635.aspx?productSetId=85
http://www.onlinebags.com/en/Product/Samsonite-Carry-on-approved-Upright-Spinner-20--Luggage-SAMSONITE-4636.aspx