# Best Carry-On



## stevelb (May 8, 2010)

Need to buy a new carry-on for domestic airline travel.  Any opinions on a good carry-on with wheels.  Ligher is better and of course less expensive is good also...but I do want something that will last even if checked occasionaly.  Thanks.


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## Timeshare Von (May 8, 2010)

stevelb said:


> ...but I do want something that will last even if checked occasionaly.  Thanks.



Good luck as I have found no matter the quality of the case, the airlines find a way of damaging them over time.

Just last week with a brand new large case, Delta damaged it with paint!  Looked like a gallon of offwhite latex exploded leaving a very large (and still wet) puddle on the side.  Fortunately nothing inside was soiled, but the case, as far as I'm concerned is ruined.

I'm still fighting with DL as they seem to feel that the case is still functional in that it will still hold and transport clothing, etc.


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## abbekit (May 8, 2010)

stevelb said:


> Need to buy a new carry-on for domestic airline travel.  Any opinions on a good carry-on with wheels.  Ligher is better and of course less expensive is good also...but I do want something that will last even if checked occasionaly.  Thanks.



Check out the forums on flyertalk.com. Click on the TRavel Products page.  Lots of info there regarding luggage.


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## nightnurse613 (May 8, 2010)

I would suggest you check out ebags.com   They have plenty of carry on bags and I find their prices are pretty good on any given day.  I have a DelMar Classic by Ricardo of Beverly Hills which I use primarily for work but it does double as a carry on.


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## Passepartout (May 8, 2010)

I really like the practicality of Rick Steves' luggage. He lives out of it for 3 months a year w/out checking it. If wheels are a necessity: http://www.goinginstyle.com/Rick-Steves-21-Luggage-Rollaboard-P3744.aspx
If you want a little more room with less weight. Backpack straps but no wheels:
http://www.luggageonline.com/product.cfm?product_ID=9040

www.ebags.com also carries the full line of his bags- often on sale.

I have no interest in his stuff, but it works well and lasts. 

Jim Ricks


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## glypnirsgirl (May 9, 2010)

My husband is a road warrior. He has had a Delsey carry on with wheels that has been his favorite carry on for more than 7 years. It is a great bag and he occasionally checks it. Has really held up. It is a clamshell type of bag (not the newer Helium) so it's really protective. It is a bit smaller than most carryons so it fits in every carry on configuration he has ever been on. 

elaine


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## T_R_Oglodyte (May 9, 2010)

On the old Bob Newhart Show, there was a story arc in which the brothers Larry, Darryl, and Darryl opened a restaurant, with a daily "Critter of the Day" special, that being the best of whatever they happened to find lying on the should of the interstate that morning.

Perhaps they might be a good source of information about what to look for when selecting carrion. :ignore:


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## dougp26364 (May 9, 2010)

Timeshare Von said:


> Good luck as I have found no matter the quality of the case, the airlines find a way of damaging them over time.
> 
> Just last week with a brand new large case, Delta damaged it with paint!  Looked like a gallon of offwhite latex exploded leaving a very large (and still wet) puddle on the side.  Fortunately nothing inside was soiled, but the case, as far as I'm concerned is ruined.
> 
> I'm still fighting with DL as they seem to feel that the case is still functional in that it will still hold and transport clothing, etc.



Ruined? Heck, it makes it that much easier to find at baggage claim. Less chance someone else will grab it thinking it's theirs.  

Unless it's got a hole in it, one of the wheels has been knocked off/broken or the zippers ruined, my bags keep on flying no matter what they look like. Given a few more flights and the newest of new bags won't look much better. 

Anymore I buy the cheapest luggage in can find that has good zipplers on them. The airlines will ruin them fast enough no matter how good the quality.


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## "Roger" (May 9, 2010)

One decision that you will have to make is what size bag to get.  Last summer my wife and I were looking for a new carry on.  We were going to go the all carry on route.  One thing that we discovered is that about 90% of the bags sold in luggage departments described as carry ons did not meet the airline specifications.  (They were too large.  Maybe okay if you did not count the wheels, but you are supposed to.)  We went legal, but most carry ons are not.  For now, that is not a problem, but if the airlines decide to get tough on carry on size (not likely, they want the money and don't want to offend passengers or create delays) or the FAA orders the airlines to get legal (more likely), then the larger carry ons will be a problem.


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## erm (May 9, 2010)

Don't know if you have Marshall's or TJMaxx in Illinois, but that's where I get all my luggage.  They have the best prices for brand name luggage like Samsonite and I have never paid more than $70 for a carryon.   I look for sturdy fabric and good quality zippers.  Most of the time we check our luggage and have no more than minor smudges on the cases (2 Samsonite, 1 Delsey). We are strictly leisure travelers and travel at least 3 times a year.


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## pedro47 (May 9, 2010)

We like Travel Pro and Costco luggage for carry-on.  They have lasted now for eight (8) years.  The key to purchasing carry on luggage is to make sure the luggage is light and will into fix into the airline test rack (correct length and size pack).


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## x3 skier (May 10, 2010)

My favorite is Red Oxx. made in the USA and rugged beyond belief. If you need wheels, it is not for you but I have been to Europe, the Left coast, Midwest, and you name it in the states for up to two weeks with my Air Boss.

http://www.redoxx.com/airline-carry-on-luggage/100/100/dept

Cheers


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## falmouth3 (May 10, 2010)

I also have a TravelPro that I love.  As someone else stated, be sure that your carry on is a legal size.

I bought mine online.  Not sure which website anymore, but they were a luggage site.

Sue


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## Skinsfan1311 (May 10, 2010)

Timeshare Von said:


> Good luck as I have found no matter the quality of the case, the airlines find a way of damaging them over time.
> 
> Just last week with a brand new large case, Delta damaged it with paint!  Looked like a gallon of offwhite latex exploded leaving a very large (and still wet) puddle on the side.  Fortunately nothing inside was soiled, but the case, as far as I'm concerned is ruined.
> 
> I'm still fighting with DL as they seem to feel that the case is still functional in that it will still hold and transport clothing, etc.





dougp26364 said:


> Ruined? Heck, it makes it that much easier to find at baggage claim. Less chance someone else will grab it thinking it's theirs.
> 
> Unless it's got a hole in it, one of the wheels has been knocked off/broken or the zippers ruined, my bags keep on flying no matter what they look like. Given a few more flights and the newest of new bags won't look much better.
> 
> Anymore I buy the cheapest luggage in can find that has good zipplers on them. The airlines will ruin them fast enough no matter how good the quality.



LOL!   I was just thinking the same thing!


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## T_R_Oglodyte (May 10, 2010)

erm said:


> Don't know if you have Marshall's or TJMaxx in Illinois, but that's where I get all my luggage.  They have the best prices for brand name luggage like Samsonite and I have never paid more than $70 for a carryon.   I look for sturdy fabric and good quality zippers.  Most of the time we check our luggage and have no more than minor smudges on the cases (2 Samsonite, 1 Delsey). We are strictly leisure travelers and travel at least 3 times a year.


I dumped Samsonite, American Tourister and similar bottom of the line brands years ago.  Their luggage never lasted more than one year before zippers were destroyed (inferior materials, such as softer and smaller teeth, zipper handles that twisted or bent easily, inferior stitching on the sides of the zipper), corners crushed (weak materials used to reinforce corners), wheels and handles broke off (due to poor construction and materials, not due to mishandling), peeling and tearing of the outer covering (resulting for inferior materials and poor protection of the edges).

About a year we picked up some Tumi luggage set after ten years of yeomans service from an Atlantic Pro luggage that lasted us ten years. That was by far the longest usage we've gotten from luggage.  Actually, we still have the Atlantic Pro luggage; it's now backup/overflow gear.

If you travel frequently, it absolutely pays to spend more and get better quality luggage.  Quality luggage withstands the mishandling by airlines far better than does cheaper luggage.  Also the Tumi luggage I got comes with free lifetime repairs of damage caused by airlines.


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## Rose Pink (May 11, 2010)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> .... Also the Tumi luggage I got comes with free lifetime repairs of damage caused by airlines.


 
Just try to get Tumi to make good on that warranty.   DH travels often.  He bought Tumi.  It failed quickly and he had to struggle to get them to honor the warranty.  He vowed never to buy that brand again.

I buy cheap suitcases (I think I got one for about $20 bucks) and they have lasted well.  When it fails, I will not feel bad about it.


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## silverfox82 (May 11, 2010)

I have a "just legal" size carryon and a smaller one which is now the luggage of choice when going warm. Neither one cost more than 50 bucks, the bigger one is more than 10 years old, the smaller 5 years. Since the baggage handler gorillas never get their paws on them they are still in great shape. Wife just replaced her co with a cheapo from macy's after her oldie somehow got a small rip in it. I put a strip of blue tape on all the handles so they are easily indentifiable in the overhead and when they are gate checked on the puddlejumpers. The wheels get quite a workout because we fly out of JFK and often use long term parking so between the parking lot to the airtrain and then from train to terminal we probably put a mile on them each trip and so far no wheels have fallen off. Walmart, costco, etc usually have sales on luggage and cheap has worked for me, rather spend the money on a good dinner.


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## california-bighorn (May 12, 2010)

*Backpack works for me*

I just use a backpack for my carry on.  So much more convenient than trying to roll a bag down the aisle of a plane etc.  I use one with some padding to protect photo gear and lots of little compartments that close.  Don't need to spend more than $25.  The backpacks will mold to the luggage compartment and never a problem stoying away.  When I get to my location, I often use it for outings where I need to bring things with me and my wife uses it for shopping.  I'm a bag freek and I'm always looking for one with more and better compartments.


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## stevelb (May 13, 2010)

Thanks for the interesting responses.  I was able to pick up a nice Delsey Helium at Marshalls for $65 including taxes.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (May 13, 2010)

california-bighorn said:


> I just use a backpack for my carry on.  So much more convenient than trying to roll a bag down the aisle of a plane etc.  I use one with some padding to protect photo gear and lots of little compartments that close.  Don't need to spend more than $25.  The backpacks will mold to the luggage compartment and never a problem stoying away.  When I get to my location, I often use it for outings where I need to bring things with me and my wife uses it for shopping.  I'm a bag freek and I'm always looking for one with more and better compartments.


Yeah - backpacks are great, too.  Thanks for the reminder.  I have three different ones that I use, depending on my needs for the trip.


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## rickandcindy23 (May 13, 2010)

Funny you should mention a backpack, as we just got our very first backpack two months ago, before we went to San Francisco.  We are old and never had a backpack for school books or anything like that, but the kids had them.  We just never had an occasion to get one, and now it will be a regular travel companion for us.  

I couldn't believe how much stuff we could put in the thing, and we used it around town (that was our intention in buying it in the first place).  It was great to have umbrellas, jackets, snacks, sodas, tour books and maps with us as we traveled via public transportation the entire week.  I even carried the pack some of the time and barely new it was there.  Rick felt funny about that and took it away from me after a little while, but he shouldn't have.  It was so nice.  I love it.  From now on it's a backpack in Disneyworld, too.


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## JoeWilly (May 13, 2010)

We've been happy with Costco's Kirkland Signature carryon.  Meets the size requirements.  It was about $100 -$120.00 and has a limited lifetime warranty.  Costco's return policy is excellent.  I rarely see this on sale or with a coupon.  We're casual travelers and don't travel often enough.


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## erm (May 14, 2010)

Stevelb, good luck with the Delsey. My daughter has had hers for more than 5 years and it's in great shape.  Glad you were able to find a good bag at a good price at Marshall's.


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