Luggage Dilemma - Is more expensive better?

[greatam]

I swear by my Hartmann rolling garment bags. I fly over 100,000 miles per year for business and my 3 yo bag looks almost as good as the one I bought last fall.

 

I usually purchase these VERY expensive bags on Ebay. One was used and one was new. I paid $200.00 for the used one (3 yo) and $500.00 for the new one.

 

My favorite carryon is a cheap one-bought it online from HSN 5 years ago as part of a set. It is slightly larger than the average carryon (won't fit in a 757 overhead), but has held up VERY well. The other suitcases in the set have essentially fallen apart.

 

So I guess it really doesn't matter.

[firefly333]

I buy individual pieces and look closely at the zippers (the inexpensive sets often skimp here) also look at the weave of the fabric, a thick durable weave will be stronger, ballistic nylon is best but often costly.

 

imo the size of the wheels make a huge difference. small wheels the suitcase is much harder to pull and the bottom can easily drag. i love my piece with bigger wheels.

[suncoastgirl]

Just had to share this story from today. I have some moderate price luggage. This luggage has been all over the US and Russia. And believe me you have not seen anything to you see how your luggage is handled in Russia (old, rickety wooden trailers piled with luggage). Anyway, today I arrive home from vacation and proceed to baggage claim. My luggage is totally destroyed. The sides are caved in and the entire front is ripped opened. We approached the airline about it. They gave me a new suitcase right in the airport (better quality) and a voucher for a discounted flight. Man was I surprised.

[DonMar]

And believe me you have not seen anything to you see how your luggage is handled in Russia (old, rickety wooden trailers piled with luggage).

 

Ditto on the Russia experience! Wow - if our luggage could survive the airport in Moscow, it could survive anything.

 

Normally, we travel everywhere (including cruises) carry on only, but on this flight we did not. We love the High Sierra carry on bags. http://www.highsierrasport.com/ItemDetail?itemNum=AT205

 

It has big wheels, telescoping handle, removable day back pack, meets official carry on size requirements, and the best thing - the whole thing turns into a backpack!

 

Hope this helps!

[cruznut1111]

Do you mean the quilted, print cotton pieces by Vera Bradley? I have some small things like eyeglass case by her and maybe even a pocketbook hanging around in my closet somewhere.

 

We picked up a Vera backpack in the Lost Luggage Town (somewhere in Alabama) for $3. As others have pointed out - they all get lost.:D

[Amlee]

We picked up a Vera backpack in the Lost Luggage Town (somewhere in Alabama) for $3. As others have pointed out - they all get lost.:D

 

That would have been in Scotsboro, Alabama. Great Place to shop!

[Grannycb]

We have had school bus yellow hard sided Samsonite luggage for about 10 years. It works great! I've even brought home a stain glass window using it. There isn't any mistaking our luggage at the airport either. :D

[Summers]

We have had school bus yellow hard sided Samsonite luggage for about 10 years. It works great! I've even brought home a stain glass window using it. There isn't any mistaking our luggage at the airport either. :D

 

I always see those.... are they very heavy? They look like they will last forever!

[Grannycb]

I think they are average weight. I'm always below the weight limits.

[mikedw]

I would personally go with the cheaper luggage. Here in Hagerstown, there's a Prime Outlet and they have a Samsonite Store there. Even in the outlet, some of the larger suitcases cost over $400.00 which is absolutely crazy. You can buy something simular on sale at a dept store a lot cheaper.

[lorij64]

I buy my luggage at Ross. I have found Ralph Lauren as well as Atlantic luggage there for $30. or less.

What is the address for Ross? Can you let me know? Appreciate it!

Lori

[cusyl]

They do have a web site http://www.rossstores.com/gd_gd.jsp

but I don't know if they sell luggage online. You can search for a store in your area on that site.

[Rob & Beckys mom]

What is the address for Ross? Can you let me know? Appreciate it!

Lori

 

No Ross stores in Michigan:(

[ehfl]

There is little difference in the materials used...nylon is nylon...plastic is plastic....leather is leather. It's not logical to think that more expensive luggage will somehow not get scratched or torn when dragged, kicked, thrown, and all the other stuff that happens to luggage.

 

I have not found any difference in how long expensive luggage lasts, vs cheaper luggage. I buy it only to haul and protect. I plan on replacing every few years anyway, so I don't buy anything expensive.

 

There may be good reasons to buy more expensive designer labels....impressing others may have value to some people. But in terms of durability, there is not much difference, unless you go with obviously, cheaply made, ultra-low end stuff.

 

Also, thieves often target more expensive luggage, thinking it will have more expensive items in it. Just another thing to consider.

[dna1990]

Tough to balance quality and endurance - with weight. We gave up on numerous replacements and bought high-end big pieces. They hold alot and have held up very well. They are basic looking, so not a larger attraction to theft.

 

But they are heavy. They weigh probably 10 pounds each, empty. And when the airlines when to 50# limits, these pieces are not very handy anymore...

[CoralReef]

My $30 K-Mart big (62 linear inches) wheeled bags have survived >50 flights (counting connections) with just a little fraying on the edges. They are a hideous olive color which is easy to pick out on the carousel. I don't see the point in buying expensive luggage when the airline is just going to toss it around anyway.

[ORV]

I'll be the contrarian here and say that my Travelpro Platinum is worth every penny I paid for it. I travel with it 3 or 4 times a year and have had it about 4 or 5 years. It looks as good as it did new. On the other hand my wife's Samsonite that went on the same trips during the same period was very worn and frayed.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

We lived in various countries for thirty-some years due to my husband's work. So we traveled lots, far and often. We decided after all that travel, it didn't seem to matter much what we paid for the luggage, it would get banged up badly, zippers and hinges broken, handles broken, wheels knocked off, tears, goughes, stains, etc.

 

We decided the best of all choices was to go with medium priced soft-side luggage. We traveled with children during those years, even when they were infants and toddlers. We found that soft side luggage was more "forgiving" for cramming into taxi trunks and for squeezing that extra item or two into the bag.

 

Another thing, we gave up on matched sets, because there were always one or two pieces that didn't make it somehow. We had one big amazing Delsey bag that literally went around the world and is thoroughly beaten up but some how has survived...maybe fifteen years! We finally ended up giving it to my son's fiance who needed a big bag for a trip. So I guess it is on its second genration, so to speak.

[macka]

I swear by Samsonite hard shell stuff. You can get it in sales pretty reasonably.

 

ON UK t.v. a few years ago, they did a test with Samsonite hard shell, a very cheap k-mart/target type brand and Louis Vuitton at I seem to remember £500 per case.

 

They dragged them behing a car, dropped them from a crane among other things. The Samsonite survived intact, the cheap one did quite well but split (soft luggage) but the Vuiton was totally useless and fell apart.

 

My samsonite has done around 20 intercontinental/european trips and apart from the obvious and expected scuffs, they are in perfect nick.:)