Luggage Durability

[Kauai Kid]

I bought some Jeep brand luggage, don't know if it is related to the Jeep vehicle. Very unhappy with it and it shows lots of wear, zippers stick, wheels bind up and don't rotate.

Older American Tourister luggage looks new and works well.

Just my two cents: I wouldn't buy the Jeep Brand luggage again.

Sterling

 

[slip]

I use some older American Tourister also. They're over 10 years old, look pretty
Good and everything still works. I didn't pay too much either.

 

[Talent312]

I have an Atlantic set that is 20 years old.
Don't even know if they're still around.

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

If you don't mind the cost, PELICAN cases are extremely tough. They float, they are air-tight, and will not break. They're guaranteed forever. They're probably TOO tough for the average flier.

TS

 

[camachinist]

I've tried a lot of stuff over the years, though never any of the Costco stuff which I've heard is quite good, but I must say, for checked bags anyway, I haven't been able to kill the e-Bags 26" Pullman I bought now a decade ago. It's probably got better than a half million miles on it. Same with my Briggs and Riley roll aboard, and it's been gate checked and regular checked numerous times, in addition to being onboard with me on every trip when it hasn't. Downside is that B&R stuff is expensive, so I tip my personal hat to eBags. I have a couple of old Atlantic clamshell hard sides that the handling systems ripped parts off of and they still serve duty for business gear I haul locally. Practically indestructible bodies but the wheels/handles/clasps not so much.

 

[hvsteve1]

Atlantic is still around a makes some good stuff.

You really have to go by price. Most brands make a variety of luggage from junk to good stuff. If it says Samsonite or American Tourister (which is really Samsonite) that doesn't mean it's good if the regular price is cheap. When you buy most luggage look for 50 percent off sales because that's about the right price based on the markup. Also, if you need only one piece, you could try Marshalls, TJ Maxx or Tuesday Morning as they get the leftovers sent back to the distributor when styles change, which is every two or three years for each style. Another thing to keep in mind....some of the cheapest, low-end luggage has designer names on it. Look out for stuff that has the name of a fancy clothing designer and a low price as those folks don't usually design luggage.

 

[gnipgnop]

I just bought another Travelpro 25" piece with wheels they call "spinners". This is my second piece of Travelpro and I love it. My first piece is about 15 years old and it is only now showing wear. It is the larger bag and it is always checked in by the airline. I know how brutal they treat luggage but this piece has been able to take a beaten. They are pretty expensive but I always wait for the 50% off sales. The new one is much lighter in weight too. I can't wait to use it for my trip next month.

 

[winger]

Love my old, Large Vintage Samsonite Profile II, HardShell Suitcase (I think this is the model). Been with me since 1993 and has been all over the world, and still running strong!

 

[hvsteve1]

I just bought another Travelpro 25" piece with wheels they call "spinners". This is my second piece of Travelpro and I love it. My first piece is about 15 years old and it is only now showing wear. It is the larger bag and it is always checked in by the airline. I know how brutal they treat luggage but this piece has been able to take a beaten. They are pretty expensive but I always wait for the 50% off sales. The new one is much lighter in weight too. I can't wait to use it for my trip next month.

When I was running a luggage operation, we never had a pilot or flight attendant come in and buy anything else.

 

[dioxide45]

I bought some Jeep brand luggage, don't know if it is related to the Jeep vehicle. Very unhappy with it and it shows lots of wear, zippers stick, wheels bind up and don't rotate.

Older American Tourister luggage looks new and works well.

Just my two cents: I wouldn't buy the Jeep Brand luggage again.

Sterling

I think the only relationship it has to Jeep is the name. The maker of the luggage licenses the name from Chrysler corporation and slaps it on rather cheap luggage. We own several pieces, they work okay for the cost but anything that costs very little to purchase simply won't hold up well. You get what you pay for.

Though sometimes buying cheap luggage and replacing every couple years is better than paying big bucks and replacing every three years.

We have been through so many sets of luggage over the years, it isn't funny. We finally bought a set of hard sided Samsonite. Actually bought as individual pieces at several TJMax stores. They are holding up well, but do show signs of wear; scratches, scrapes and stress marks.

 

[linsj]

I'm a fan of Travelpro luggage, especially for checking. You can get great deals on the previous line when new lines come out. Last year I had a broken zipper on a piece that is at least 10 years old; the Travelpro-approved luggage repair place replaced it for free. The models for airline personnel are even sturdier. I found my latest carry-on in that line at the Travelpro online outlet.

 

[GetawaysRus]

I think it's all about the weight of the piece.

I've got some old luggage (Atlantic) that we've used on many trips and still looks quite good. But each piece weighs nearly 16 pounds empty. With the weight restrictions placed by the airlines, that leaves room only for 34 pounds. And since you can't bring liquids onboard anymore other than a tiny 3x3 bag, we've had to move almost all of my wife's liquids into the checked bags. Liquids are heavy, so less room for clothes.

We've made an attempt to switch to lighter luggage. The first try (Delsey, about a 10 pound bag) lasted one trip and fell apart. Fortunately we had purchased them at Kohls, and Kohls took them back. We now have a small luggage collection of various brands. But it's hard to find a lightweight bag that's as solid as those old, heavy pieces.

I know this thread is about durability (which I agree is of prime importance), but another things that's important to me is the color of the bag. So many people have black luggage that I prefer a different color. That helps me spot my bags quickly on the luggage carousel. And I don't like very light colored luggage because it gets dirty very quickly.

 

[beejaybee]

Atlantic!

DH & I each have a 22" Atlantic roll aboard (different models, but both green) that used to be carry-on size but now are a tad too large. We bought them about a year apart at an outlet mall well over a dozen years ago. They weigh about 6 lbs. empty. If I can get by, I'd rather pack in the Atlantic than in the 25" royal blue Delsey purchased about 5 years ago and showing stress.

Got by for 26 days in Asia stuffing the Atlantic to the gills and checking it, and carrying on a 16 year old Jansport backpack and a 3 year old purple Samsonite small roller duffel.

 

[Kauai Kid]

I think it's all about the weight of the piece.

I've got some old luggage (Atlantic) that we've used on many trips and still looks quite good. But each piece weighs nearly 16 pounds empty. With the weight restrictions placed by the airlines, that leaves room only for 34 pounds. And since you can't bring liquids onboard anymore other than a tiny 3x3 bag, we've had to move almost all of my wife's liquids into the checked bags. Liquids are heavy, so less room for clothes.

We've made an attempt to switch to lighter luggage. The first try (Delsey, about a 10 pound bag) lasted one trip and fell apart. Fortunately we had purchased them at Kohls, and Kohls took them back. We now have a small luggage collection of various brands. But it's hard to find a lightweight bag that's as solid as those old, heavy pieces.

I know this thread is about durability (which I agree is of prime importance), but another things that's important to me is the color of the bag. So many people have black luggage that I prefer a different color. That helps me spot my bags quickly on the luggage carousel. And I don't like very light colored luggage because it gets dirty very quickly.

After a woman grabbed my wife's new red Sampsonite off the carousel at Tampa and started running away with it I caught her (I could run fast at one time) she just surrendered it to me and walked away. After that experience, I stencil our pets names on the luggage like they do in the Navy, and never had problems with thieves. Makes the luggage really ugly with 4" stencils.

I pulled a muscle loading the Big Jeep luggage on our latest trip so indeed weight has become an important spec for me also. Weight for the luggage not the wife or me. :hysterical:

Sterling