OT: Luggage recommendations

[aTotal360]

Samsonite officially sucks. I need something that can handle the punishment from the airlines, not cheap suitcases from Kohl's.

What are some good brands to look at? TravelPro? LuggageWorks?

What say ye?

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

I have a TravelPro and its pretty good. Tough but very light and has held up well to airline punishment so far.

 

[dawgman42]

If you want to spend some coin, I've seen high praise for Rimowa, Tumi, and Briggs & Riley, especially for the frequent--and possibly international--traveler. I'm just not the kind of person to shell out $400-$800 for luggage (maybe as low as $300 for the basic, domestic B&R 22" carry-on) . It can break and I'll replace it often before spending that, which is the cycle I'm in at the moment.

I still like the mid-tier (and above) Samsonite and American Tourister. I just know that with the spinner wheels, I've had a large lack of fun with them shearing off during travel--happened last week--then getting replacement parts that I get to replace/engineer myself (I'm getting at little too good with drilling out rivets and replacing with nuts-and-bolts assemblies).

I would suggest that whatever you get, you physically look at first. And these days, check the wheels and the handles carefully, along with zipper construction.

 

[johnson86-1]

I'll never understand the desire to pay a lot of money for luggage that is going to be turned over to airlines to abuse. I don't fly that much, maybe 3 or 4 times a year, so I guess maybe I'd feel differently if I flew 3 or 4 times a month, but I've had the same, cheap luggage for the past ten years and it's been fine.

 

[aTotal360]

I've had 2 broken zippers and a broken wheel in the past couple months. I was real lucky nothing spilled out. Quality luggage is worth it as long as it holds together. I don't care if it cost $10 or $300. I just don't want to pull it off the conveyor belt with a busted zipper and a missing wheel.

 

[Swede39]

I travel often for work. Being a younger professional and at this stage in life, I just can't bring myself to spending $300+ on a suitcase. I'm a firm believer with everything being carry on whenever I travel. Sometimes it's not feasible or possible depending on the trip though so I get that. My solution? I've bought numerous large Swiss suitcases at Dirt Cheap for like $20 bucks. For carry on baggage, I typically will check TJ Maxx. They usually have something good for $80 and below there for carry on. Usually lasts me for about 3-4 years then it's time to get a new one. Which is cool with me. On the flip side, my wife has had the same carry on bag for at least 5 maybe even 7-8 years now. I can't remember the brand but you can definitely tell it's not some cheap Samsonite suitcase.

 

[Digging dog]

Piggly Wiggly sacks ***

 

[johnson86-1]

I've had 2 broken zippers and a broken wheel in the past couple months. I was real lucky nothing spilled out. Quality luggage is worth it as long as it holds together. I don't care if it cost $10 or $300. I just don't want to pull it off the conveyor belt with a busted zipper and a missing wheel.

That's crazy. Do you put a lock on your checked luggage? Just asking because while they are supposed to just use their universal key to unlock locked luggage if they want to check it, I've heard that some workers will just pop the zipper with a pen rather than mess with the lock, then run the zipper back over it, still locked, to close it back up, which obviously is probably not great for keeping it zipped up.

My wife's luggage did come from TJ Max, so maybe it's a midtier brand rather than a cheapo, but we've never had any trouble like that, and she is quite fond of packing it to the point that you have to sit on it to zip it up, so the zippers definitely get tested. I have a carryon from Walmart, but I do not tend to pack it full, so it probably doesn't get much of a workout.

 

[Ishmael]

I bought the Red Oxx Air Boss earlier this year and love it. Carry on size, but no wheels which gives you more usable space and less weight. It's really well made (in the US) and comes with a lifetime warranty. It is pricey, but under $300.

 

[AROB44]

Go to Tuesday Morning....pretty good selection at fairly reasonable prices.

 

[dawgman42]

Yep, I second the TJ Maxx/Ross/Marshall's approach. Sam's and Costco have some decent deals as well, all sub $150 for decent items. My cheap stuff lasts me about 5-6 years as well.

 

[ronpolk]

I bought a set of Chaps luggage from Kohls about 5 years ago and love it. I bought it cause it was on sell and looked nice. I didn't really have high expectations but it's been great. I fly about 15-20 times a year.

 

[KurtRambis4]

I've got a

Condor 3 Day Pack, that I usually use on all my trips.

I can fit all of my clothes for a week-long trip, and toiletries, etc, plus an extra pair of shoes, in this.

Plus, the bag can fit in the overhead, so no checking.

 

[Dawgbite]

There is about to be

A fire sale on red backpacks in Oxford. You will be able to buy them by the dozen cheap enough that you can use them once or twice and throw it away. Being red they will be easy to spot on the luggage carousel and it's unlikely to be confused with other people's luggage unless you are flying with high school seniors that excell at sports.

 

[Center Z]

I try not to travel with anything except a carry on. That said...

I got this badass leather duffel for my birthday, and it is tough as nails: https://kendalhyde.com/collections/popular/products/classic-weekender-duffel?variant=10169547523

I would have never bought this with my own money because of the price. Thanks grandma.


View attachment 4446

 

[CochiseCowbell]

"Samsonite! I was way off!"

 

[missouridawg]

Igloo brand coolers with duck tape

 

[dorndawg]

This thread made me recall what luggage looked like when I was a kid (I'm mid 30s). Man, everything was just kinda ugly from late 70s until late 80s.

View attachment 4453

If somebody was a real jet-setter, they had the hanging garment bag. It's funny, it took us 20 damn years after we put a man on the moon, to think about putting wheels on luggage and ice chests.

 

[smellmyfinger]

Samsonite officially sucks. I need something that can handle the punishment from the airlines, not cheap suitcases from Kohl's.

What are some good brands to look at? TravelPro? LuggageWorks?

What say ye?

I have Luggageworks and before this I had Purdy Neat which was bought out by Luggageworks.

Purdy was better, the bag before this one I had for 17yrs and circled the globe dozens of times, the new Luggageworks bag is showing wear after 2 yrs and the material isn't as good as the old stuff.

Better than travelpro but also a lot heavier to lug around. If you don't need the Luggageworks for your job then I'd go with Travelpro, they are lighter and have a good warranty. They are also cheaper than the Luggageworks bags.

my 2cents

 

[aTotal360]

Thanks, man. This was info I was looking for.