Question about Covers for suitcases

[compozer]

I am so tired of my suitcases being damaged and getting so dirty that I have been thinking of either purchasing suitcase covers or making them.    Anyone use them?    I use to put those straps around  my bags but every time tsa inspected my bags, the straps were not on them when we picked them up..    
Do the agents put the covers back on or just leave them off?   Hate to spend money on them if the agents do not put them back on.

 

i have also wondered about the bags that get wrapped with plastic wrap.   Does tsa just cut those off?

[Globaliser]

Suitcases and straps are consumables. Their function is to contain and protect their contents, not to be protected items themselves, and they will get damaged in use.

 

I don't know what TSA does about covers and wraps, but one thing that I'm fairly confident about is that the more difficult it is for security (anywhere, not just TSA) to get inside the suitcase if it needs to, the more likely it is that the suitcase will not be flying with you.

[6rugrats]

Personally, I think people should give up the idea that their suitcase will remain pristine and undamaged.  And honestly, I want to laugh when someone asked for a "Fragile" tag the other day and then told their companion, "I don't really have anything breakable, I just know they will handle my bag very carefully and put it on top if I have the tag."  Maybe, or maybe not.

 

I actually had a customer bring in her white bag with a small black mark on it and asked to file a damaged bag claim.  Of course, that's a hard no, and then she wanted me to clean it off and complained that we just didn't care.  Crazy to ask and not wise to buy a white bag.

 

Globaliser is exactly right.  Your bags are just going to get dirty and show normal signs of wear and tear.  If TSA needs to get into the bag, yes, they will remove the plastic wrap.  Your straps can get lost and they are in such a hurry, they often are not going to take the time to put them back on.  If this happens, contact TSA, not your airline.

 

I do see bags with plastic covers, but if you travel much, these don't last long.  They do provide a little protection from the rain.  My opinion is if you are worried about a checked bag's appearance that much, you should get yourself a cheaper bag and save the worry.  Skip the really cheap hard shells and spinners because those are the bags I see with the most damage.  And, most of the damage isn't covered.  

Edited December 30, 2023 by 6rugrats

[FlyerTalker]

Gotta agree with Globaliser on this one wholeheartedly.

 

Suitcases are a container, not a fashion statement or some pristine object.  They will get left out in the rain, they will get dirty, they will get tossed about, and they will break at some point in their lifetime.  You buy a Rimowa aluminum case for the protection it provides, not because it looks pretty.  And I cannot fathom, for the life of me, why someone would pay over $4000 for a Louis Vuitton case other than that they have gotten tired of lighting cigars with their hundred dollar bills.

 

About a year ago, I picked up a very nice aluminum Aleon case.  On its first trip, it came off the luggage carousel with a couple dents and scrapes.  And I said to myself "It did its job, and now has some battle scars".  Do I miss its pristine appearance from when it came out of the box?  Not a bit.

 

If you don't like a dirty suitcase, then my suggestions are to: 1) scrub them down when you feel they have reached the "so dirty" stage, or 2) buy cheaper bags and change them out when dirty, or 3) don't fly and just put your bags in the trunk of your car.

 

Plastic covers have a lifespan slightly longer than milliseconds.

 

And for a reminder of just what your luggage may go through:

 

 

Edited December 30, 2023 by FlyerTalker

[6rugrats]

Even the most expensive of bags get ruined.  This Rimowa bag was just trashed.  It actually belonged to someone famous, who was great about it.  They said they would return to Rimowa for replacement.

 

[compozer]

The main reason I am asking is because we have two matching pieces that have been damaged and I am worried that they may fall apart - not really that bad but I was thinking of making a fabric cover just to protect the case so it does not get any worse.    I do need to purchase new luggage but I don’t have time to research bags before we leave.  And I won’t get hard cases.   Both mine cracked by the fourth trip.  Thanks for all your replies.

[FlyerTalker]

54 minutes ago, compozer said:

The main reason I am asking is because we have two matching pieces that have been damaged and I am worried that they may fall apart - not really that bad but I was thinking of making a fabric cover just to protect the case so it does not get any worse. 

 

Do you REALLY think that a thin layer of plastic is going to prevent further damage to your suitcase?  Just what kind of "damage" have they suffered - I mean, aside from some dirt.

 

And as for the "matching pieces" -- do you need to have your luggage "match"?  On our last cruise, myself and Mrs FT had four checked bags -- and none were matching, nor even from the same manufacturer.  As we need a bag, we buy one.  So what if they are different colors or styles.

 

1 hour ago, compozer said:

And I won’t get hard cases.   Both mine cracked by the fourth trip.

 

Bet you had an ABS bag.  Go with polycarbonate as a first choice, then possibly polypropylene.  ABS has an attractive price point, but you get what you pay for.

 

 

[Hlitner]

Agree with others that suitcases are simply consumables.  Never understood folks spending a fortune on a suitcase as they can still get damaged, and expensive luggage is a magnet for thieves.  We buy decent (but not overly expensive) lightweight bags and are happy if they survive more then a few years.  

 

Hank

[compozer]

Flyer Talker,  our hard sided bags were some of the first ones that came out.  If I were to purchase again, I would do some research.  

 

i would be making the covers - not plastic.  I have some heavy fabric with some stretch. The damaged bag (not real cheap ones) has several places where the fabric has been scraped away, and both upper sides have the seam and cording ripped open along with each upper corner dented in.  And one side of the side handle ripped off.

I know we don’t need matching bags but i usually buy two or three bags at a time and get matching ones.  I get new ones every three years or so.

i would like them to last one last trip and will get some new for our March trip.

Edited December 30, 2023 by compozer

[GeezerCouple]

5 hours ago, 6rugrats said:

Even the most expensive of bags get ruined.  This Rimowa bag was just trashed.  It actually belonged to someone famous, who was great about it.  They said they would return to Rimowa for replacement.

 

 

Yikes!

Any idea what ate this bag?

(Do you know if all or most of the contents stay in/with the bag?  That's what would matter the most to us.)

 

As far as the "appearance" of any luggage... Huh!??

As others have stated, they are "containers".

 

We don't want the "cheap and replace often" type, but there is a reason other than anything about "appearance".  IF that strategy would "work", that would be just fine.

However, the "cheap and replace when they break" - which is likely to be "relatively soon" - has a major problem.  That "breakage" could happen DURING a trip. 😱

I'm not considering getting dirty or scratched here.  The wheels or handle could break or fall off entirely, or such.

ANYTHING that makes the bag "unusuable" is a very major problem; that is what we want to AVOID.  Thus, "cheap but short term" is too risky.  We want to minimize the chance of being in the middle of some small town or some bustling train station when... boom... the bag becomes a burden rather than a help.

The longer the "time to failure", the better, in our minds, and that's one of the most important factors.

Unfortunately, "expensive" doesn't guarantee "good" in this respect, but it's likely to be a lot better than the "cheap" versions.

We tend to do a lot of research, but that's no guarantee, either, but it's the best we can do.

 

So we try the best we can, and hope to be "at home", or nearby, for any actual "failure".

[Keeping fingers crossed, etc...!]

 

And as a side note/reminder:  Never put *anything* that you MUST have with you (e.g., meds, passports...) in any checked bag.  Keep all of that in a carry-on bag.

We have one bag that includes meds, and it is exceedingly rare that one of us does not have "hands on" that bag!  (And we have extra supplies elsewhere with us, just in case...)

 

Our other goal is to avoid having the bag "walk away".

So we put very obvious (and usually unattractive) tape or such on the sides, plus something like ribbons on the sides of the handle.

And now we wrap the handle in something that FEELS different, to reduce the chance that someone just "grabs the wrong bag" in error, perhaps without even looking carefully (e.g., if in a rush or distracted).

There are neon-type colored velcro-handle-covers for this dual purpose:  both very visible and instantly noted by touch.

The ugly and noticeable features are both so someone else will notice and also to make it easier for us to keep an eye on it...

 

One thing I sometimes worry about with that hand-carried bag with our meds...

I sometimes worry that I might appear like a Nervous Nellie protecting some $$$$ crown jewels, when there is actually very little of value to anyone else!

 

GC

 

[compozer]

Geezercouple,   Totally agree.  I also worry about stuff falling out if a piece is really damaged - like the picture.   That kind of is one of the reasons I thought about the cover.       I pack everything in cubes.  I do put our contact information paper inside the netted section.     Would I be overthinking it to put one in each of my cubes?    Still remember in Barbados when a young lady’s bag was opened by the custom’s guy.   Everything fell out on the floor.  Some embarrassing items.  What a mess!                                                  After our bags were left on the tarmac for 45 minutes in a terrible rainstorm and everything was wet inside, I decided to put everything inside a large garbage bag.   Did that twice but it was a pain. 
Guess it is time I start buying lotto tickets so I can charter my own plane.

[megr1125]

You're wasting your time making or buying covers.  If the bag gets damaged, file a claim with your travel insurance.  Buy a new bag.  

I managed a luggage store for 5 years and when people said "my bag got dirty or scratched" my reply was, what happened to the stuff inside.   Their answer, "nothing".  Then I said see, your bag did its job.

 

I could buy expensive luggage.  I actually buy mid priced stuff because I know I'll need to fix it eventually.  My current bag came back missing a wheel.  The airline was going to get it repaired but the repair shop, who dealt with the luggage vendor, wound up getting the piece replaced since the luggage vendor was out of the parts and there was no suggested timeframe for them to come in.  (It was a new line of luggage, no reason to NOT be able to get parts.)  So, I wound up with a brand new bag thanks to the authorized repair shop's persistence.

Covers won't do anything and if TSA needs to open your bag, you'll never see it again.  (I had 5 TSA locks  cut off.  Yes they were approved.  A TSA trainer I met somewhere told me that sometimes the person with the key is at lunch, or they can't be bothered and will cut the thing off anyway.  That's when I started using cable ties to hold the zippers together.  Honestly, if someone wants the crap in my luggage, take it. Nothing irreplaceable is ever inside).

 

 

I changed to hardside after my bag was left on the ramp in a monsoon and the contents got wet.  Crap happens.  I went to baggage services and asked if there was anything that could be done.  The agent said we can cover your dry cleaning bill.  I said can I just get $10 bucks for the laundromat.  Five minutes later, I had a check for 10 bucks (and a travel voucher since I defended the baggage service agent to another customer, but I digress).

 

TL;DR, if your bag is showing wear or damage, replace it. Use packing cubes if you want (personally I hate them) and get insurance. 

[compozer]

Merg1125,   I have been thinking of getting new hard sided ones.  Since you were a luggage store manager, can you recommend a good medium priced brand to purchase?    We also use zip ties.  And I always carry duct tape on each trip.   I have used it several times on our luggage for the return trip - not purchasing replacement luggage in some foreign country.

[Philob]

I remember seeing this suitcase come in a bin out in TPE. It was splayed out for all to see, another bin followed with items that looked familiar.  When the bins came around to me, I realized it was my stuff.

 

When we got to the hotel later, the shop had a Samsonite Oyster in the window. That lasted me almost 20 years until the newly created TSA decided to open it.  

[MacMadame]

On 12/31/2023 at 9:00 AM, megr1125 said:

Covers won't do anything and if TSA needs to open your bag, you'll never see it again.  (I had 5 TSA locks  cut off.  Yes they were approved.  A TSA trainer I met somewhere told me that sometimes the person with the key is at lunch, or they can't be bothered and will cut the thing off anyway.  That's when I started using cable ties to hold the zippers together.  Honestly, if someone wants the crap in my luggage, take it. Nothing irreplaceable is ever inside).

This concerns me because our luggage has zipper pulls that snap into a TSA-approved lock. Would they just cut off the zipper pulls? Because that would suck.

 

As for not having the key, why don't all the TSA agents inspecting luggage have a key? It seems dumb not to. (Rhetorical question; not expecting anyone here to know)

[6rugrats]

I personally hate those zipper pulls that connect to the lock.  I have never seen any cut, but have seen broken ones, and we don’t cover that damage.  Most airlines don’t cover any zippers or zipper pulls.

[Free2bMeForever]

3 hours ago, 6rugrats said:

I personally hate those zipper pulls that connect to the lock.  I have never seen any cut, but have seen broken ones, and we don’t cover that damage.  Most airlines don’t cover any zippers or zipper pulls.

I believe most “good” luggage brands cover broken/missing zipper pulls in their warranty.  I typically buy low-end Samsonite or American Tourister and have never had trouble getting zipper pulls replaced.  Of course, I never consider buying luggage with the pulls that connect to the lock either 😉