Luggage performance

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OldBallCoach
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Luggage performance

Post by OldBallCoach »

Wondering what has been the most durable luggage for you all. I travel a lot and use gear issued by university for most trips which gets beat up badly and replaced often...DW has tried about everything and found that Northface Rolling Thunder seems to be fairly ok for casual use but wants something a little more durable for her more " dressy" type of clothing....she tried Mono and that did not hold up well...looking at Away right now...any thoughts from frequent travelers. Thanks in advance...
bubbly
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by bubbly »

Away luggage bags will get scuffed up but they do hold up pretty well if you don’t care about looks, only function. I like the light grey color (named asphalt) because it blends the scuffs into the flexible outer shell.

They also have a lifetime warranty on them which is pretty extensive as it covers cracks in the shell, zipper damage and damage to the wheels. I have never had to invoke the warranty. Going on about 5 years for the bigger carry-on and the large luggage bag.
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TomatoTomahto
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by TomatoTomahto »

TUMI roller bags were used by family when traveling a lot. They are much too expensive and ostentatious, but they have held up very well. The proverbial brick s_house.
I get the FI part but not the RE part of FIRE.
GmanJeff
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by GmanJeff »

TomatoTomahto wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:41 am TUMI roller bags were used by family when traveling a lot. They are much too expensive and ostentatious, but they have held up very well. The proverbial brick s_house.
I use a TUMI carry-on. It has been durable and functional. Expensive, yes, Ostentatious - hardly. It's all black and indistinguishable from any other black suitcase except at close range where the brand can be seen if someone is specifically looking for it.
UpperNwGuy
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by UpperNwGuy »

Briggs and Riley.
jebmke
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by jebmke »

I have a 22-inch rolling Dakota (Tumi) bag I've use since late 90s' Hundreds of thousands of miles across all continents. Flights, rail etc. Still holding up OK
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Will do good
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Will do good »

eBags, quality bags at a reasonable price.
Luckywon
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Luckywon »

UpperNwGuy wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 12:39 pm Briggs and Riley.
Expensive but if you are really putting a lot of wear and tear on your luggage may be worth it due to their lifetime guarantee.

Another option is Costco which has effectively a lifetime warranty due to its return policy.
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JupiterJones
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by JupiterJones »

We both use Rick Steves carry-on bags that have held up very well and are reasonably priced.

Of course, we don't check them, which probably has more to do with it than anything else. I guess that's one of the lesser-noticed advantages of traveling light--luggage lasts longer when it's not constantly getting beat all to heck by baggage handling! :-)
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MJS
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by MJS »

UpperNwGuy wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 12:39 pm Briggs and Riley.
+1.
I've rolled my B&R Euro-sized thru mud puddles, and the wheels kept spinning sweetly: hosed it off a day later. Dragged it up stone stairs, and no scuff marks. Packed 30 pounds of olive oil, wine and other bottles, then sent it thru checked baggage: handles, zippers and pull are like new ... and not one bottle broke. It's rotten for sitting on, though: too lumpy.

Briggs & Riley and Tumi are good choices for people who occasionally abuse their luggage, but need it to keep functioning perfectly. Having it continue to look good is just a nice extra.
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SQRT
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by SQRT »

UpperNwGuy wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 12:39 pm Briggs and Riley.
+1. Lifetime guarantee means they will replace or fix any defects or damage due to wear. (Mostly zippers).
Last edited by SQRT on Thu Oct 21, 2021 9:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
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TomatoTomahto
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by TomatoTomahto »

GmanJeff wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 12:37 pm
TomatoTomahto wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:41 am TUMI roller bags were used by family when traveling a lot. They are much too expensive and ostentatious, but they have held up very well. The proverbial brick s_house.
I use a TUMI carry-on. It has been durable and functional. Expensive, yes, Ostentatious - hardly. It's all black and indistinguishable from any other black suitcase except at close range where the brand can be seen if someone is specifically looking for it.
Perhaps ostentatious was the wrong word to use. I recognize one when I see it, and I do make assumptions :D I regard it as one of the few expensive versions of an object that can be had for less but that is better constructed, ie, one of the few that might be worth a premium price.
I get the FI part but not the RE part of FIRE.
Workaholic
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Workaholic »

OldBallCoach wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:07 am Wondering what has been the most durable luggage for you all. I travel a lot and use gear issued by university for most trips which gets beat up badly and replaced often...DW has tried about everything and found that Northface Rolling Thunder seems to be fairly ok for casual use but wants something a little more durable for her more " dressy" type of clothing....she tried Mono and that did not hold up well...looking at Away right now...any thoughts from frequent travelers. Thanks in advance...
Have used Tumi luggage for many years with no complaints. Well built and constructed with frequent travelers in mind. Currently have a Tumi Alpha 3 Continental which goes with me everywhere I travel and can fit a solid weeks worth of clothing inside of it with room for my toiletries. Some say the quality isn't what it used to be when it was an independent company and that could very well be but I can't say I've ever noticed in defects in the materials or construction of the luggage.

Can be had on sale for a decent price ($500-$600 range for their Alpha 3 lineup). Never pay sticker as they will often run sales and promotions.

My wife got sucked into the Away bag hype when it was all over social media and bought one...not a bad bag by any means but after 2 years of use it looks much more beat up than my OLD Tumi did after 10 years. Not particularly impressed but the price point is obviously 1/3 of what Tumi is charging as well.

In my opinion, if you are planning on traveling frequently you should only buy from 3 brands- Tumi, Briggs & Riley, or Rimowa. All are proven to be solid workhorses albeit you are going to pay for it.
padams
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by padams »

I travel every week. I rarely check a bag, but when I do, it is stuffed and heavy. I am on a plane nearly every week, and live out of my suitcase. I like my Briggs and Riley "two-wheeler" carry on bags, which I have had for the past eight years or so. I use a smaller (21") in the warmer months, and a larger (24") in the cooler months. They are pricey, and a bit heavy even when empty, but they are sturdy and you can get a fifty dollar break by buying during their yearly sale. These bags are advertised as having a lifetime warranty. I have exercised the warranty three times, each time for a zipper pull. No issues. I have never replaced the wheels, which was required every two years or so on previous bags. When I need new wheels, Briggs and Riley will send me the wheels and tools to make the swap myself. Highly recommend this brand of high quality, no-nonsense luggage.
Geronkas
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Geronkas »

Filson Luggage has worked well for me.
donaldc
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by donaldc »

UpperNwGuy wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 12:39 pm Briggs and Riley.
Only use B&R luggage. Everyone in my family uses B&R. Gave several as gifts. My wife bought a Rimowa because all her friends have Rimowa. Rimowa dents easily, has no exterior pockets and half clamshell is hard to pack. She now uses B&R spinner.
Workaholic
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Workaholic »

Geronkas wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 3:12 pm Filson Luggage has worked well for me.
I had no idea Filson made luggage.
Workaholic
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Workaholic »

donaldc wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 3:22 pm
UpperNwGuy wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 12:39 pm Briggs and Riley.
Only use B&R luggage. Everyone in my family uses B&R. Gave several as gifts. My wife bought a Rimowa because all her friends have Rimowa. Rimowa dents easily, has no exterior pockets and half clamshell is hard to pack. She now uses B&R spinner.
You used to be able to get discounts on Rimowa luggage through a certain online vendor but now that they were acquired by LVMH, discounts are basically non-existent. They do make some nice luggage but I just hate how quickly it gets scuffed and scratched which is why I stick with Tumi's ballistic nylon.
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by mikejuss »

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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Workaholic »

mikejuss wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 4:51 pm Thoughts: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/revi ... n-luggage/.
Sort of a flawed study when they only have 1 "premium" luggage brand (Briggs and Riley) and no real competition.
THY4373
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by THY4373 »

Love my Tom Bihn Aeronaut. Made in America. It has been with me to 40 countries and still looks new.
Capsu78
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Capsu78 »

Alternate strategy: Wife, who had international business travel for 4 years, buy whatever we like at TJ Max and treat it as a “consumable” and simply replace when it starts looking like it’s failing.
Side story- we went to Sweden and stayed with a former exchange student now with 3 kids. They had spent a year in the US and her kids missed American cereal. We packed up one of our older, less used suitcases and filled it with US goodies to gift the kids. We told them to donate the suitcase to Goodwill or whatever they had in Sweden. Flash forward 3 years, and they again have a US assignment for a year (academic). I went to visit them in DC and they put me down in the finished basement. I look over and see the bag that had served me well through my travel years! It was like running into an old trusted friend!
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by mary1492 »

.....
Last edited by mary1492 on Thu Sep 29, 2022 8:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
Captain_Video
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Captain_Video »

Capsu78 wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 6:11 pm Alternate strategy: Wife, who had international business travel for 4 years, buy whatever we like at TJ Max and treat it as a “consumable” and simply replace when it starts looking like it’s failing.
Side story- we went to Sweden and stayed with a former exchange student now with 3 kids. They had spent a year in the US and her kids missed American cereal. We packed up one of our older, less used suitcases and filled it with US goodies to gift the kids. We told them to donate the suitcase to Goodwill or whatever they had in Sweden. Flash forward 3 years, and they again have a US assignment for a year (academic). I went to visit them in DC and they put me down in the finished basement. I look over and see the bag that had served me well through my travel years! It was like running into an old trusted friend!
+1
We do the same. If we get a couple trips out of a suitcase we are happy. In my experience expensive luggage doesn't last any longer than the discounted luggage at TJ Maxx.
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David Jay
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by David Jay »

UpperNwGuy wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 12:39 pm Briggs and Riley.
+2 (or is it 3?)

Tumi quality at about 1/3 the price. I can't wear them out (multi-million-miler).
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Workaholic »

David Jay wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 7:50 pm
UpperNwGuy wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 12:39 pm Briggs and Riley.
+2 (or is it 3?)

Tumi quality at about 1/3 the price. I can't wear them out (multi-million-miler).
How exactly do you figure it's a 1/3 of the price of Tumi. It looks like their international carry-on spinner retails for $625 while the comparable Tumi international carry on is $795. Seems you can normally get $50 off a B&R while Tumi often has a 20% off semi-annual sale so you're talking $575 versus $635...not even close to 1/3 of the price. Basically it's apples for apples- pick which suitcase you like best and go with it.

For what it's worth the road warriors at my company tend to either have a Travelpro or a Tumi. And each person swears by either brand. I think B&R makes darn good luggage but simply doesn't seem to be as popular for whatever reason.
Workaholic
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Workaholic »

Captain_Video wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 7:30 pm
Capsu78 wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 6:11 pm Alternate strategy: Wife, who had international business travel for 4 years, buy whatever we like at TJ Max and treat it as a “consumable” and simply replace when it starts looking like it’s failing.
Side story- we went to Sweden and stayed with a former exchange student now with 3 kids. They had spent a year in the US and her kids missed American cereal. We packed up one of our older, less used suitcases and filled it with US goodies to gift the kids. We told them to donate the suitcase to Goodwill or whatever they had in Sweden. Flash forward 3 years, and they again have a US assignment for a year (academic). I went to visit them in DC and they put me down in the finished basement. I look over and see the bag that had served me well through my travel years! It was like running into an old trusted friend!
+1
We do the same. If we get a couple trips out of a suitcase we are happy. In my experience expensive luggage doesn't last any longer than the discounted luggage at TJ Maxx.
You must not travel enough if you think all bags are created equal. Not saying that buying luggage as disposable goods is a bad idea but cheap luggage DEFINITELY falls apart much quicker usually the zippers are the first thing to break then the wheels start having issues and then material starts fraying at the edges and it's downhill from there.
Afty
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Afty »

What do you hardcore travelers think of Travelpro? We have a couple of carry ons from them that have held up well, but we don’t travel as much as many of you. They’re much cheaper than Tumi or Briggs and Riley.
mw1739
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by mw1739 »

Briggs and Riley. My bag is 13 years old and typically sees 75-100 travel nights each year. Still looks brand new. My better half has a Travelpro set which is pretty nice for the money.
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by pizzy »

Will do good wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 12:49 pm eBags, quality bags at a reasonable price.
+1
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Sandi_k
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Sandi_k »

Briggs & Riley.

I bought one for DH, and then he bought one for me. Every time I pack for a trip, I am reminded how much I love it. The features I like:

- Real wheels with real bearings.
- An extension handle that's actually tall enough to avoid crouching down to pull it.
- Sturdy zippers.
- Expansion option - I normally go for the slimline profile. Occasionally, I need to "pop" it open so there is a wider profile - it's a lovely feature for those trips where I go shopping. ;)
- Zip out suit hanging bag.
- Compression straps for main compartment.
- Small zipper pocket between the frame on the backside - perfect for a collapsible umbrella.
- Mesh screen on the front side, where I can tuck newspapers or a sweater as I roll through the airport.
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by AlohaJoe »

JupiterJones wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:16 pm We both use Rick Steves carry-on bags that have held up very well and are reasonably priced.
I bought a Rick Steves bag 20 years ago from his website. It's been to the Inca trail, a month long motorcycle trip around the highlands of Vietnam, three weeks in Iceland, Uluru, Angkor Wat, the Great Ocean Road, Kakadu National Park, and lots more.

It still works perfectly fine and I only bought new luggage because I was bored of having the same one for 20 years.
Workaholic
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Workaholic »

Afty wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:33 pm What do you hardcore travelers think of Travelpro? We have a couple of carry ons from them that have held up well, but we don’t travel as much as many of you. They’re much cheaper than Tumi or Briggs and Riley.
I think Travelpro is the best of any non-premium luggage on the market. I know many frequent fliers that don’t want to pony up for Tumi so they carry Travelpro. Many domestic cabin crews use Travelpro albeit a more industrial type not available to us mere frequent fliers.

The top 3 choices I’d recommend to anyone that travels with any frequency would be Tumi, B&R, Travelpro. And actually years ago, some airlines rewarded elites with a choice of luggage from those 3 brands, not sure if any still do.
badger42
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by badger42 »

Osprey Farpoint 40 backpack. No wheels, meets domestic and international carry-on sizes, fits in CRJ/ERJ overhead bins, super comfortable (waist and chest straps, load lifters, etc). Then unload / compress down and you have an office bag / day pack wherever you're going. If something doesn't fit, you probably didn't need it anyway.
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vanbogle59
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by vanbogle59 »

OldBallCoach wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:07 am Wondering what has been the most durable luggage for you all. I travel a lot and use gear issued by university for most trips which gets beat up badly and replaced often...DW has tried about everything and found that Northface Rolling Thunder seems to be fairly ok for casual use but wants something a little more durable for her more " dressy" type of clothing....she tried Mono and that did not hold up well...looking at Away right now...any thoughts from frequent travelers. Thanks in advance...
Osprey.
I love the duffels. I use packing cubes to organize them, so I can use it for formal or casual or both.
Well built. Lifetime guarantee that we have invoked and received great service.

Of course, they are most known for their backpacks if you lean that way.
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vanbogle59
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by vanbogle59 »

badger42 wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 9:06 am Osprey Farpoint 40 backpack. No wheels, meets domestic and international carry-on sizes, fits in CRJ/ERJ overhead bins, super comfortable (waist and chest straps, load lifters, etc). Then unload / compress down and you have an office bag / day pack wherever you're going. If something doesn't fit, you probably didn't need it anyway.
LOL. I didn't see yours when I wrote mine!
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ResearchMed
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by ResearchMed »

Workaholic wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 8:59 am
Afty wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:33 pm What do you hardcore travelers think of Travelpro? We have a couple of carry ons from them that have held up well, but we don’t travel as much as many of you. They’re much cheaper than Tumi or Briggs and Riley.
I think Travelpro is the best of any non-premium luggage on the market. I know many frequent fliers that don’t want to pony up for Tumi so they carry Travelpro. Many domestic cabin crews use Travelpro albeit a more industrial type not available to us mere frequent fliers.

The top 3 choices I’d recommend to anyone that travels with any frequency would be Tumi, B&R, Travelpro. And actually years ago, some airlines rewarded elites with a choice of luggage from those 3 brands, not sure if any still do.
Is there really a "different level of Travelpro" for the... travel pros?
What is the difference?

RM
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hand
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by hand »

THY4373 wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 5:26 pm Love my Tom Bihn Aeronaut. Made in America. It has been with me to 40 countries and still looks new.
+1 Our family has been slowly converting to Tom Bihn Aeronauts which are great if you don't need wheels.
I haven't traveled enough with mine to *prove* that it lasts, but I recognize bombproof when I see it, and mine is bombproof.

There's a whole ecosystem around colors and accessories that put me off a bit - I'm not looking for a fashion accessory, but at the end of the day these are well thought out quality bags.
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Workaholic »

ResearchMed wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 9:24 am
Workaholic wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 8:59 am
Afty wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:33 pm What do you hardcore travelers think of Travelpro? We have a couple of carry ons from them that have held up well, but we don’t travel as much as many of you. They’re much cheaper than Tumi or Briggs and Riley.
I think Travelpro is the best of any non-premium luggage on the market. I know many frequent fliers that don’t want to pony up for Tumi so they carry Travelpro. Many domestic cabin crews use Travelpro albeit a more industrial type not available to us mere frequent fliers.

The top 3 choices I’d recommend to anyone that travels with any frequency would be Tumi, B&R, Travelpro. And actually years ago, some airlines rewarded elites with a choice of luggage from those 3 brands, not sure if any still do.
Is there really a "different level of Travelpro" for the... travel pros?
What is the difference?

RM
There is a “Crew” version of regular Travelpro luggage which is much heavier and has a very stiff skeleton frame. I think only available to airline crews.
Zdex
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Zdex »

Tumi suitcases, document rollers, and nylon/leather satchels last a long, long time, even when you beat the heck out of them. Pretty amazing the wheels, zippers, buttons, handles and straps still work on everything, even after more than a decade of being smashed around. Definitely worth the premium; cheaper in the long run versus buying junk that fails every three years.
Luckywon
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Luckywon »

I wouldn't purchase luggage from the likes of Tumi or Briggs and Riley only because it would make me anxious that it is more likely to be stolen or flag me as a target.
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by tibbitts »

My problem, only over the past dozen years for some reason (vs. before when I did much more air travel) has been zipper pulls. If they break off that's one thing but when the zipper attachment for the pull breaks that's fatal for the entire bag. I don't know why this wasn't a problem for me for so many years - the zippers and pulls look about the same. Suddenly my bags seldom survived one trip (with baggage check) with the pulls intact. So I resorted to gaffer tape over all the pulls, but that's really annoying and nothing I'd ever done before. Obviously I haven't been anywhere since March 2020 but if air travel ever becomes practical again I'll be dreading the zipper pull problems.
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hand
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by hand »

Workaholic wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 9:35 am There is a “Crew” version of regular Travelpro luggage which is much heavier and has a very stiff skeleton frame. I think only available to airline crews.
Crew Expert is supposedly same materials and build quality.

https://travelpro.com/collections/crew% ... t%E2%84%A2
mcraepat9
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by mcraepat9 »

David Jay wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 7:50 pm
UpperNwGuy wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 12:39 pm Briggs and Riley.
+2 (or is it 3?)
+4 (pre-covid regularly spent 10-12 weeks a year on the road).
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Capsu78
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Capsu78 »

Workaholic wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:26 pm
Captain_Video wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 7:30 pm
Capsu78 wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 6:11 pm Alternate strategy: Wife, who had international business travel for 4 years, buy whatever we like at TJ Max and treat it as a “consumable” and simply replace when it starts looking like it’s failing.
Side story- we went to Sweden and stayed with a former exchange student now with 3 kids. They had spent a year in the US and her kids missed American cereal. We packed up one of our older, less used suitcases and filled it with US goodies to gift the kids. We told them to donate the suitcase to Goodwill or whatever they had in Sweden. Flash forward 3 years, and they again have a US assignment for a year (academic). I went to visit them in DC and they put me down in the finished basement. I look over and see the bag that had served me well through my travel years! It was like running into an old trusted friend!
+1
We do the same. If we get a couple trips out of a suitcase we are happy. In my experience expensive luggage doesn't last any longer than the discounted luggage at TJ Maxx.
You must not travel enough if you think all bags are created equal. Not saying that buying luggage as disposable goods is a bad idea but cheap luggage DEFINITELY falls apart much quicker usually the zippers are the first thing to break then the wheels start having issues and then material starts fraying at the edges and it's downhill from there.
I'm not thinking all bags are created equal and usually am willing to pay more for better builds in many items. I nearly always check my bag in to the tender mercies of the baggage handlers and conveyors, as I hate schlepping baggage through airports. I'm just less fussy about the suitcases which I expect to get banged around.

On another note, when I traveled a good amount on business with a team, one of our fellow travelers was always bragging on his high end Louis Vittan bag "...that he wouldn't travel without". We land in Newark, all fellow business associates standing at baggage claim waiting for our bags and he suddenly goes flying out the door of baggage claim, chasing a guy who was in the process of making off with his expensive bag! He caught up with the "yuff" and got his bag back but we roasted him pretty good...and cured him from bragging on his expensive luggage, at least to the rest of us TJ Maxx guys!

As for "not traveling enough", I'm usually not intimidated when playing "lets compare passport stamps"... although I doubt I will ever again beat out the my passport that is set to expire... Care to play? ;-)
Workaholic
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Re: Luggage performance

Post by Workaholic »

Capsu78 wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 2:46 pm
Workaholic wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:26 pm
Captain_Video wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 7:30 pm
Capsu78 wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 6:11 pm Alternate strategy: Wife, who had international business travel for 4 years, buy whatever we like at TJ Max and treat it as a “consumable” and simply replace when it starts looking like it’s failing.
Side story- we went to Sweden and stayed with a former exchange student now with 3 kids. They had spent a year in the US and her kids missed American cereal. We packed up one of our older, less used suitcases and filled it with US goodies to gift the kids. We told them to donate the suitcase to Goodwill or whatever they had in Sweden. Flash forward 3 years, and they again have a US assignment for a year (academic). I went to visit them in DC and they put me down in the finished basement. I look over and see the bag that had served me well through my travel years! It was like running into an old trusted friend!
+1
We do the same. If we get a couple trips out of a suitcase we are happy. In my experience expensive luggage doesn't last any longer than the discounted luggage at TJ Maxx.
You must not travel enough if you think all bags are created equal. Not saying that buying luggage as disposable goods is a bad idea but cheap luggage DEFINITELY falls apart much quicker usually the zippers are the first thing to break then the wheels start having issues and then material starts fraying at the edges and it's downhill from there.
I'm not thinking all bags are created equal and usually am willing to pay more for better builds in many items. I nearly always check my bag in to the tender mercies of the baggage handlers and conveyors, as I hate schlepping baggage through airports. I'm just less fussy about the suitcases which I expect to get banged around.

On another note, when I traveled a good amount on business with a team, one of our fellow travelers was always bragging on his high end Louis Vittan bag "...that he wouldn't travel without". We land in Newark, all fellow business associates standing at baggage claim waiting for our bags and he suddenly goes flying out the door of baggage claim, chasing a guy who was in the process of making off with his expensive bag! He caught up with the "yuff" and got his bag back but we roasted him pretty good...and cured him from bragging on his expensive luggage, at least to the rest of us TJ Maxx guys!

As for "not traveling enough", I'm usually not intimidated when playing "lets compare passport stamps"... although I doubt I will ever again beat out the my passport that is set to expire... Care to play? ;-)
I guess I'm the opposite...I tend to ONLY want to use a carry-on plus my backpack when I travel for business. I hate waiting at baggage carousels, I'd rather just get off the plane and get to my hotel.

The Louis Vuitton luggage is form over function...I never understood why anyone would actually use it! Basically it just screams "I have more money than brains". Tumi and B&R stuff is pretty under-the-radar and only people "in the know" would even know what they're looking at. Rimowa is a bit flashier and probably something that thieves may target as it's easy to spot from a mile away.

I travel 90% domestically for work so I'm sure you'll have me beat out as far as passport stamps go.
Caligal
Posts: 118
Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2014 4:28 pm

Re: Luggage performance

Post by Caligal »

Another B&R fan. If you're concerned about theft - just get black and blend in with everyone else.
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ram
Posts: 2281
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2008 9:47 pm
Location: Midwest

Re: Luggage performance

Post by ram »

I think in terms of cost per mile travelled Tumi and Briggs and Riley are not much costlier than cheaper brands. I frequently travel to parts of the world where bag handlers handle bags more "robustly".
Not having to pick a broken bag off of an airport carousel is worth something.
Ram
soxfan10
Posts: 333
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2015 9:38 pm

Re: Luggage performance

Post by soxfan10 »

We received Victorinox luggage from family members as a wedding gift. Not cheap, but noticeably cheaper than Tumi/B&R tier.

I wouldn't call myself a road warrior, but traveled (pre-COVID) 5-6 times a year on business plus a couple times a year personally. Five years later and they are still in perfect condition. That said, if I were to choose, I'd go B&R.

For what its worth - has Tumi had any noticeable quality degradation since Samsonite's acquisition (circa 2016)?
dukeblue219
Posts: 4074
Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2016 11:40 am

Re: Luggage performance

Post by dukeblue219 »

I've really liked my Eagle Creek luggage for travel 6-10 times a year. I believe they're going out of business however.

Cheap luggage sucks. When I'm on the other coast the last thing I need is a zipper that breaks on the shuttle to the airport.
Last edited by dukeblue219 on Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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