Luggage Recommendations, Please

JeanLouiseFinch · ‎10-03-2011

I'm in the market for new luggage. I think I want the hardside/polycarbonate with inline wheels, and I also want the TSA lock. I'm open to other suggestions, if hardside isn't the way to go. Even so, there are options at many price points. It's been years I've been on an extended trip where I need a big suitcase to pack for 10 days and have mutliple daily options, but there are limits with the airline I'm flying with. The largest case I need would be a 28". I'm open to a two or three piece set.

SisterGoldenHair · ‎12-09-2016

@JeanLouiseFinch wrote:
I'm in the market for new luggage. I think I want the hardside/polycarbonate with inline wheels, and I also want the TSA lock. I'm open to other suggestions, if hardside isn't the way to go. Even so, there are options at many price points. It's been years I've been on an extended trip where I need a big suitcase to pack for 10 days and have mutliple daily options, but there are limits with the airline I'm flying with. The largest case I need would be a 28". I'm open to a two or three piece set.

@JeanLouiseFinchI would go with the hardside. We have family that travel overseas and the hardside is the way to go. I'm not sure of the brand, sorry.

I will suggest for you, we carry backpacks to take on the plane. Easy to carry and I have tried everything. Even with a rolling suitcase, it is a hassle to wheel it across an airport. We did that once and that was enough.

With a backpack, you have the outside pocket for your tickets. And large enough to , carry what you need. I always carry an extra set of clothes. I will find a picture of the one I like.

I put a crossbody handbag inside and use that like a wallet. I have tried the carrying a handbag and it was a pain.

SisterGoldenHair · ‎12-09-2016

Textured Nylon Deep Forest

@JeanLouiseFinchIt is called the "Healthy Backbag. I have it in red and black for my husband.

FrostyBabe1 · ‎05-09-2016

How often are you going to use this luggage, and more importantly, how often is it going to get checked on an airplane? If it's something you want to keep and use for years, I would recommend you invest in really good bags. I am a recovering road warrior and Samsonite is the lowest quality I would consider.

Personally, I don't care for hardside bags. I also don't care for the spinner bags (4 wheels) as the majority of those wheels protude quite a ways out from the bottom of the bag and are very easy to snap off. I use CrewPro bags from TravelPro that have two, recessed wheels. Other brands that are good are Briggs & Riley, Atlantic (made by TravelPro) and Delsey. Hautelook has some Briggs & Riley, Delsey & Samsonite bags on sale right now. If you do purchase from TravelPro, make sure it's the CrewPro line. Some of their less expensive bags regularly turn up in discount stores and they're not going to last very long.

Although I always say that you don't buy luggage for it's looks, I'd highly recommend a color other than black. Nearly everyone has black bags, and they all look alike spinning around at luggage claim.

As for the TSA lock, you don't want it integrated into the bag. If it breaks, you're sunk. They're readily available for purchase seperately.

~The more someone needs to brag about how wonderful, special, successful, wealthy or important they are, the greater the likelihood that it isn't true. ~

Drythe · ‎07-09-2011

As a frequent flyer / long tripper, I highly recommend hard sided bags. I prefer the TSA lock integrated into the suitcase because I have had the others broken off too often.

Invaluable for me is a soft sided bag that has a pass through that slips over the handle pull of my carry on. I have one that holds my air pad, my kindle, phone, my medications, passport & rfid wallet, wipes, etc. Excellent because you only have one thing to pull around. Put the carry on in the rack and soft side under seat. I use this as my purse until I reach my destination.

In my checked bag I put a small cross body purse that will hold my phone, glasses and rfid wallet to carry as my purse when I reach my destination.

With regards to cost, my theory is enough so it holds up, but not so much that it will hurt when it gets banged up - 'cause IT WILL!

All my travel gear comes from ebags dot com.

Happy trails

"Animals are not my whole world, but they have made my world whole" ~ Roger Caras

stuyvesant · ‎05-15-2010

I like soft luggage because I stuff souvenirs in the luggage and my bag is always heavier coming back then leaving. But that's my preference - I've never used a hard case and I don't know anyone who does.

What is surprising is how much cheaper luggage is when you order online from a luggage site. Research what you want, and then check it on ebags or a similar site.

Yahooey · ‎07-09-2010

I have a soft case with an expandable section. It had nice built in extras and the brand is Travelon.

JeanLouiseFinch · ‎10-03-2011

@FrostyBabe1 wrote:
How often are you going to use this luggage, and more importantly, how often is it going to get checked on an airplane? If it's something you want to keep and use for years, I would recommend you invest in really good bags. I am a recovering road warrior and Samsonite is the lowest quality I would consider.

Personally, I don't care for hardside bags. I also don't care for the spinner bags (4 wheels) as the majority of those wheels protude quite a ways out from the bottom of the bag and are very easy to snap off. I use CrewPro bags from TravelPro that have two, recessed wheels. Other brands that are good are Briggs & Riley, Atlantic (made by TravelPro) and Delsey. Hautelook has some Briggs & Riley, Delsey & Samsonite bags on sale right now. If you do purchase from TravelPro, make sure it's the CrewPro line. Some of their less expensive bags regularly turn up in discount stores and they're not going to last very long.

Although I always say that you don't buy luggage for it's looks, I'd highly recommend a color other than black. Nearly everyone has black bags, and they all look alike spinning around at luggage claim.

As for the TSA lock, you don't want it integrated into the bag. If it breaks, you're sunk. They're readily available for purchase seperately.

@FrostyBabe1 Thanks for your recommendations. Your impression of Samsonite is disappointing. It used to have such a good reputation once upon a time. It's hard to say how often I'd be using it or how often it would be checked baggage via an airline. DH and I travel, usually short trips, several times a year so we will have opportunities to use the luggage going forward. I'm not keen on an entire set of bags, but have purchased a good size Lug bag that I will use as my carry-on and for shorter trips. I agree with you on the whole wheel thing. Many of the suitcases I've seen have the spinner wheels and some look either too big or stick out too far and I see that as potential for getting broken off. I'd prefer the inline style, but if I can't get them, then I'd want the more compact/smaller spinner, if I have to. I also agree on getting a color, if I can. If I end up where black is the only option, I can get a colored strap to personalize it. I'll have to read up more on integrated vs. non-integrated TSA locks.

henderson · ‎03-18-2010

I have Delsey hard luggage and Hey's polycarbonate. For a small carry-on I have Briggs & Riley (guaranteed completely for life).

JeanLouiseFinch · ‎10-03-2011

@Drythe wrote:
As a frequent flyer / long tripper, I highly recommend hard sided bags. I prefer the TSA lock integrated into the suitcase because I have had the others broken off too often.

Invaluable for me is a soft sided bag that has a pass through that slips over the handle pull of my carry on. I have one that holds my air pad, my kindle, phone, my medications, passport & rfid wallet, wipes, etc. Excellent because you only have one thing to pull around. Put the carry on in the rack and soft side under seat. I use this as my purse until I reach my destination.

In my checked bag I put a small cross body purse that will hold my phone, glasses and rfid wallet to carry as my purse when I reach my destination.

With regards to cost, my theory is enough so it holds up, but not so much that it will hurt when it gets banged up - 'cause IT WILL!

All my travel gear comes from ebags dot com.

Happy trails

Thanks @Drythe. I've been poking around eBags a little, to see what's there. As mentioned above, I did purchase a Lug bag that I intend on using as my carry-on. It does have a slip through strap that will go over the handle pull on the bigger piece of luggage.