A lovely collection of luggage

[dougp26364]

Since airlines have been able to damage every suitecase we've ever owned, I've taken to buying less expensive cases and just replacing them when they get to banged up to use. Over the years we've purchased cheap sets of cases that include sizes we just don't use. I've typically replaced cases before they're so banged up or damaged that they can't be used, thus I've held the marginal cases in reserve.......just in case they're needed. This has resulted in a room full of luggage.

Well last night I decided that I'm storing to many marginal pieces of luggage or luggage that's in a size we don't often use and a trip to Goodwill was in order. I didn't realize just how many pieces of luggage I had in my basement. I just counted them and I have 17 pieces of luggage, from shoulder bags to full size 25" cases that I can do without.

I think I'm going to need a better plan when it comes to buying luggage.

 

[siesta]

I use Tumi luggage as well as Louis Vuitton duffels, althoughh they are expensive bags they are durable and can take the wear and tear travelling puts on them.

For example, my Louis duffel I bought in Paris in the early 90s is still in fantastic condition and is still kicking. My tumi luggage set from the same time period is also in great condition, I've only had to send one of the bags back to get a zipper fixed.

 

[Passepartout]

Boy, do I know this feeling! We have accumulated luggage for years (decades). Not really cheap bags- more like Samsonite or Delsey. A few 'gym-bag' types left over from earlier incarnations. One member of this household has a phobia about condemning anything with 'memories' to Mt Trashmore- so as long as we have room it gets buried in the archives.

I can visualize after we are gone, the kids will park a 6 yard dumpster in the driveway and send it all to the dump.

We did load up the kids' (they are pushing 40) scout uniforms and memorabilia into good sets of luggage and took it to them on a visit. I felt like a load had been lifted.

Such is life.

Jim

 

[dougp26364]

I use Tumi luggage as well as Louis Vuitton duffels, althoughh they are expensive bags they are durable and can take the wear and tear travelling puts on them.

For example, my Louis duffel I bought in Paris in the early 90s is still in fantastic condition and is still kicking. My tumi luggage set from the same time period is also in great condition, I've only had to send one of the bags back to get a zipper fixed.

If they last that long, $495 to $695 might not be to much to pay for the Tumi luggage (sure I saw some for $1,295 but that's a little more than I want to spend). I estimate we purchase at least 1, if not 2, suitecases per year. At an average cost of $70/bag that would be $1,400 to $2,800 over a 20 year period. That would make buying two cases for $1,000 to $1,400 a reasonable deal not counting the time value of money.

 

[siesta]

If they last that long, $495 to $695 might not be to much to pay for the Tumi luggage

my feelings exactly. One thing you should consider is the cost of inconvenience a broken or poor quality bag can cause. For example, 2 years ago I travelled to the state of Sinaloa in Mexico, due to the increasing violence and fears of insecurity, I took the State Departments advice to minimize attention drawn to one self, which incudes expensive dress or accessories. So I took a cheap carry on bag I found, I think the name was Jio, or some generic brand like that. The minute I stepped in my local airport to catch my international flight, I went to unzip my bag for the folder with my itinerary, and the zipper broke. I had to find a staff member to provide me with duct tape to seal it so I could carry it without the contents pouring out, then I had to untape it for TSA, tape it back up for flight., untape it agaian for customs, then tape it again, all the while hoping it wuldnt fall apart in transit and I could not wheel it for fear of it unravelling, I had to carry it like a loaf a bread. Quite miserable.

 

[amyhwang]

I got rid of a bunch of luggage a while back too! Some was cheap stuff my husband had way back before we got married (so well over 20 years ago) and some were halfway decent (to us back then at least!) pieces that had been just way used up!

I'm still too cheap to go with Tumi, but it is tempting! My local Direct Buy that we have a membership with (not worth it unless you're remodeling, which we did) carries some Tumi at a discount.

On thing that cracks me up is the old suitcases that are heavy even empty and no wheels! I had a really nice set but it honestly was impractical, so I think it went to Goodwill.

 

[LisaH]

If they last that long, $495 to $695 might not be to much to pay for the Tumi luggage (sure I saw some for $1,295 but that's a little more than I want to spend). I estimate we purchase at least 1, if not 2, suitecases per year. At an average cost of $70/bag that would be $1,400 to $2,800 over a 20 year period. That would make buying two cases for $1,000 to $1,400 a reasonable deal not counting the time value of money.

My first TUMI was bought almost 10 years ago. Recently I noticed that it's pretty beat up - the lower back black binders (or whatever the name is) were loose and falling off. I took it to the local TUMI store and, after paying a $25 fee, got it sent back to TUMI for repair. I expected to receive a notice from TUMI informing me the fee it charges to have it repaired since the free repair warranty was only for 5 years or so, and I was fully prepared and willing to pay up to $100 for such repair. Imagine my surprise when a TUMI package arrived at my door a few weeks later. The 10 year-old luggage inside the package looked almost new as they completely replaced the back, the wheels, and the top handle! I did not have to pay anything either. I bought two more from TUMI soon afterwards...one for DH, and the other DS who just joined workforce and moved away...

 

[pgnewarkboy]

We just got extra lite spinners from Samsonite. A real pleasure. Easy to maneuver and take in and out of a car. Because they are so light you can go large and cut down on airline checked luggage fees by putting more items into one piece.

 

[dougp26364]

We just got extra lite spinners from Samsonite. A real pleasure. Easy to maneuver and take in and out of a car. Because they are so light you can go large and cut down on airline checked luggage fees by putting more items into one piece.

We've had several Samsonite cases. The airlines chewed them up and spit them out. Since there wasn't defects in workmanship the Samsonite warrenty was worthless. Samsonite has been off our list due to lack of durability for several years now. In fact, it was their lack of durability that got us to buying cheap bags. If I was going to have to replace luggage after 5 or 6 trips then I decided I was going to replace it at $50 to $70 vs $150 and up.

I do still have one piece of Samsonite luggage. Samsonite had an issue with one of the compounds they used and the case stunk to high heaven. They refused to take the case back and the only way we ever got the smell out of the case was to leave it sitting open for a couple of years (yep, that's right. I said YEARS). Needless to say, Samsonite didn't impress me with how little they cared when I complained about the situation. I didn't press the matter with them. I just voted with my wallet and stopped buying their products.

We have a luggage store here in town. It's were I take our bags when the airlines get the zippers. Maybe I'll stop by and see what they recommend, what sort of warrenty the different cases have and how well they back up their products. They've been in town forever and have a great reputation. It'd be easier to buy from them and have them do any warrenty repair work vs ordering online and ship for repairs when necessary.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

We've had several Samsonite cases. The airlines chewed them up and spit them out. Since there wasn't defects in workmanship the Samsonite warrenty was worthless. Samsonite has been off our list due to lack of durability for several years now.

I abandoned Samsonite and American Tourister about 15 years ago because they didn't hold up. They were OK when they were getting used a couple of times per year, and even them some of the travel was by car. But as soon as they started getting checked on planes five or six times a year they soon fell apart.

The next purchase was Atlantic, and they gave us decent service for about eight years. Last time we got luggage was Briggs and Stratton. They are holding up well and are worth the extra money spent.

 

[LisaH]

Last time we got luggage was Briggs and Stratton. They are holding up well and are worth the extra money spent.

Did you mean Briggs & Riley? I have heard the name and good things about it but I have not bought one yet. Wonder what their warranty & repair policy is.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Did you mean Briggs & Riley? I have heard the name and good things about it but I have not bought one yet. Wonder what their warranty & repair policy is.

Yeah - Briggs and Riley.

Supposed to be lifetime repair. I haven't had occasion to check it out yet.

******

If I were buying luggage again, I think I would get luggage without wheels, then get a collapsible wheeled luggage cart. The wheels add a substantial amount of additional weight and reduce the effective volume of the bag.

 

[pgnewarkboy]

We've had several Samsonite cases. The airlines chewed them up and spit them out. Since there wasn't defects in workmanship the Samsonite warrenty was worthless. Samsonite has been off our list due to lack of durability for several years now. In fact, it was their lack of durability that got us to buying cheap bags. If I was going to have to replace luggage after 5 or 6 trips then I decided I was going to replace it at $50 to $70 vs $150 and up.

I do still have one piece of Samsonite luggage. Samsonite had an issue with one of the compounds they used and the case stunk to high heaven. They refused to take the case back and the only way we ever got the smell out of the case was to leave it sitting open for a couple of years (yep, that's right. I said YEARS). Needless to say, Samsonite didn't impress me with how little they cared when I complained about the situation. I didn't press the matter with them. I just voted with my wallet and stopped buying their products.

We have a luggage store here in town. It's were I take our bags when the airlines get the zippers. Maybe I'll stop by and see what they recommend, what sort of warrenty the different cases have and how well they back up their products. They've been in town forever and have a great reputation. It'd be easier to buy from them and have them do any warrenty repair work vs ordering online and ship for repairs when necessary.

Time will tell how well they last. I will say, however, the two pieces I got were pretty inexpensive. I won't be happy if they fall apart apart (I want two years out of them) but I won't shed tears either. I jumped on these because of the low price and I needed something quick. There may be better brands that off very light luggage. It is a very important issue for me. These pieces have changed my requirements for luggage.

 

[dougp26364]

Time will tell how well they last. I will say, however, the two pieces I got were pretty inexpensive. I won't be happy if they fall apart apart (I want two years out of them) but I won't shed tears either. I jumped on these because of the low price and I needed something quick. There may be better brands that off very light luggage. It is a very important issue for me. These pieces have changed my requirements for luggage.

What we owned of Samsonite was their hard sided cases. What was happening to most of them was the airlines were punching out the corners of the cases. One case the airlines managed to bend the frame so badly it wouldn't close anymore. And of course there's the stinky case that was used twice.

Typically I look at how many flights they survive rather than years. Some years we fly 3 or 4 times. Other years we'll take maybe 6 or 7 flights. The cases seem to average 6 flights before the airlines manage damage a zipper or a wheel. Zippers are the biggest fail points on the soft sided cases we use. There was one case that ended up with a huge tear in it when we flew to Kaui.

 

[AmandaGrifin]

Damaged suitcases can never be truly avoided, that is why I always opt for cheaper ones yet something that can do the job for me. I have this super lightweight luggage that I just brought for only $39, http://thesmartbusinesstraveler.com/travelers-choice-rio-2-piece-lightweight-carry-on/. and I am really satisfied with it for now.

 

[Phydeaux]

I abandoned Samsonite and American Tourister about 15 years ago because they didn't hold up. They were OK when they were getting used a couple of times per year, and even them some of the travel was by car. But as soon as they started getting checked on planes five or six times a year they soon fell apart.

The next purchase was Atlantic, and they gave us decent service for about eight years. Last time we got luggage was Briggs and Stratton. They are holding up well and are worth the extra money spent.

Agreed. I'd take it one step further and suggest they're both crap. Had both, and they lasted exactly one use. That's garbage.

I bought what pilots use - Purdy Neat luggage. But now with the luggage weight restrictions have moved to Travel Pro. Purdy Neat is nearly indestructible, but heavy. Travel Pro is excellent, and keeps the weight down.

 

[Passepartout]

The most durable (largest number of uses/dollar) I've found is Rick Steves convertibles- available with or without wheels. They fit in the overheads, The airline doesn't get their grubby fingers on them, they are extremely light weight and hold enough to enable one to travel indefinitely (Rick uses his exclusively to be away for 6 weeks every Summer). I had one backpack strap come unraveled and it was fixed gratis including postage both ways.

Buying these definitely contributed to the storage room full of old, heavy, check-in size, worn-but too good to throw away luggage around here.

Jim

 

[dougp26364]

The most durable (largest number of uses/dollar) I've found is Rick Steves convertibles- available with or without wheels. They fit in the overheads, The airline doesn't get their grubby fingers on them, they are extremely light weight and hold enough to enable one to travel indefinitely (Rick uses his exclusively to be away for 6 weeks every Summer). I had one backpack strap come unraveled and it was fixed gratis including postage both ways.

Buying these definitely contributed to the storage room full of old, heavy, check-in size, worn-but too good to throw away luggage around here.

Jim

I suppose if I could get the wife to leave her toiletries at home and half her stuff, including the assortment of shoes, I could get by with carry on luggage.

The other problem we have is we get to fly on Barbie-Dream-Jets out of our regional airport. United has one 737, Airtain has 717's and AA has a few flights on MD-80's. Most of the time, unless it's a very small carry on, they end up in the belly of the aircraft.

We did buy a pair of Brookstone 21" carry-on cases about a year ago. They've been excellent and have stood up well the the airlines mishandling if them. A few cosmetic scratches but that's been all. They fit great in regular size overhead compartments, hold enough can occasionally fit into the overhead compartments of the larger regional jets (Embrair 90's, larger CRJ's) if there's enough space left to put them in sideways.

I will check out the Rick Steve's convertables though. I'm always looking for a better way to pack.

 

[Passepartout]

I suppose if I could get the wife to leave her toiletries at home and half her stuff, including the assortment of shoes, I could get by with carry on luggage.

The other problem we have is we get to fly on Barbie-Dream-Jets out of our regional airport. United has one 737, Airtain has 717's and AA has a few flights on MD-80's. Most of the time, unless it's a very small carry on, they end up in the belly of the aircraft.

I know the problem. After DW saw me bypassing the counter and going straight through security to the gate and bypassing the baggage carousel on the other end a few times, it DID sink in.

Shucks, feel good about your CRJ's & 717s. We only have Embraers with fans on the wings here with just one destination (SLC). Any bags bigger than a Kindle gets gate checked.

 

[spencersmama]

My husband has a Briggs and Riley. I think it's 5 o5 6 years old now. He travels quite a bit for work. He had to get something repaired last year. He had to mail the case to the manufacturer, but the repair and postage back were paid for and included. The best thing about it, IMO, is the design. Rather than one deep well, the two sides open. It has space to hang nicer clothing as well as many different pockets. He never checks bags, but can bring enough clothes for a week, plus exercise clothing and shoes.

Thanks for the type on the Rick Steeves' luggage. I actually just saw the website two days ago and wondered about the quality.

Has anyone bought luggage from a company that has an unconditional guarantee like Lands End of LL Bean? I know they are good about standing behind their products.

 

[spencersmama]

I suppose if I could get the wife to leave her toiletries at home and half her stuff, including the assortment of shoes, I could get by with carry on luggage.

IMO, the key to taking all your clothes in a carry on is to color coordinate all your clothes for the week. I wear sneakers on the plane, which I use for touring and exercise. Then I bring a pair of nice shoes for dressing up (brown or black) to match the color scheme I packed, plus a pair of flip flops or water shoes for the beach or pool. I pack my toiletries in a tote bag (To fit under the seat in front of me) that I use as my second carry on. I also pack my purse, jewelry, travel paperwork, and any items I may want on the plane in that tote bag. I don't really pack much jewelry, or I bring inexpensive costume jewelry, because I don't want to worry about it being lost or stolen. Really, if we are staying in a time share, it makes packing light even easier because you can do laundry.

 

[m61376]

Werks travelers by Victorinox- great pieces, lifetime warranty and a truly ergonomic handle design. The hardest thing I find is wheeling more than one bag (whether full sized or carry-on) and since my Mom travels with us invariably I find myself pulling a second bag. Instead of that rectangular handle, which forces you to rotate your arm out and back to pull the luggage, it has a single handle and the grip rotates, so that you can drag it with your hand in an anatomically neutral position. Makes a HUGE difference in comfort. And they hold up- lat Dec., when checking in at the Jet Blue counter, the agent commented how nice our new set of luggage was. When I told her our "new" luggage was about 5 years old, her jaw dropped and she said she was going to buy a set for herself. She was shocked.

It's a little scuffed and a little dirty here and there, but after a lot of flights I think it has held up impressively well (and clearly the Jet Blue agent did as well). Bought a set for my daughter and son-in-law when they got engaged. They've changed the line slightly over the years, coming out with a slightly newer model every year or two- and when they introduce a new line, the old ones go on great sales.

 

[wauhob3]

If you need a good home for gently used luggage think of child welfare agencies. Often those children go into care suddenly and may have to go to a temporary home before a more permanent placement. If needed there is funding to purchase clothes but rarely funding for suitcases. Another good choice may be homeless and domestic violence shelters. Just a thought. Goodwill is a good organization too and take many items there but as a former child welfare workers I have had to move children with their stuff in garbage bags too often.

 

[Passepartout]

Werks travelers by Victorinox- great pieces, lifetime warranty and a truly ergonomic handle design. Instead of that rectangular handle, which forces you to rotate your arm out and back to pull the luggage, it has a single handle and the grip rotates, so that you can drag it with your hand in an anatomically neutral position. Makes a HUGE difference in comfort.

This was the set we gave the eldest when he started traveling worldwide as head of a team at Microsoft. They look very cool and are fairly airline-proof. However, (a) that monopole is huge inside the bag and (2) the monopole stuck in the extended position and required kicking the middle of the bags backside to retract, (III) you had to have really slender fingers to go between the handles on top or side of the bag, and finally, (d) with the monopole, it is impossible to stack a non-wheeled bag on top without it rotating while trying to rush through an airport to make a connection. PITA. Goodbye bag.

To me, nice bag, well made, but with unintended consequences in it's design.

Jim

 

["Roger"]

We just got extra lite spinners from Samsonite. A real pleasure. Easy to maneuver and take in and out of a car. Because they are so light you can go large and cut down on airline checked luggage fees by putting more items into one piece.

On a recent trip, the luggage handlers destroyed a brand new bag (ripped the zipper pull off). We went to the baggage claim area to complain. They were willing to replace the zipper pull on our bag. (We declined thinking that a replacement would be just that much more vulnerable.)

In any case (and this is the point of this post), a woman came in after us and said that she just watched them destroy the wheels on her bag as it was being unloaded off the plane. The clerk (Mr. Personality) pointed to a sign on the wall saying that the airlines are not responsible for any damage to the wheels on a piece of luggage. What that told me is that spinners are being destroyed left and right. Go for a suitcase with semi-recessed wheels even if they are not as easy to wheel through the airport. (Yes, I know that semi-recessed wheels can also be destroyed, but it takes more talent on the part of the luggage handler to do that.)