Anyone use luggage carts?

Old Jun 14th, 2008, 08:20 AM
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Anyone use luggage carts?

One of the wheels on my suitcase fell off while wheeling it through the streets of Florence.

Had it repaired when I got back home but noticed around San Lorenzo that besides suitcases, they sold these foldable luggage carts with bigger wheels than the ones on the suitcases.

They were going for about 10-20 Euro. Haven't checked luggage stores yet but eBags.com have them starting around $30.

So has anyone tried them, to save wear and tear on their luggage?

Can they be checked in? Would they hold up to the conveyor belts at all? Or would it make more sense to stick them inside suitcases that you'd check in?

Or can you carry them on? Some seem like they might be too long for overhead bins, even when folded up.
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Old Jun 14th, 2008, 10:02 AM
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We used to use luggage carts and in fact still have one. Yes, they can be checked along with your luggage, but we took ours on board--that was in the days before rolling bags.
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Old Jun 14th, 2008, 11:12 AM
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IMHO you have to be very careful with these. Unless you get a very sturdy one they tend to last for only a couple of uses if you put any weight on them (as I learned). And I think you would have to check it - since if you took it on board it would count as your personal item.
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Old Jun 14th, 2008, 11:45 AM
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Maybe you can keep it strapped to your carryon?

Only thing is, they're big enough for full-size suitcases, so that may be too big for carrying on.


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Old Jun 14th, 2008, 01:06 PM
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The ones I had before so many bags had wheels were pretty terrible, no matter what I spent on them. Maybe they've improved, though. I don't think I'd bother.
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Old Jun 14th, 2008, 06:03 PM
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I used to use them with soft-sided luggage but they were a pain, especially on stairs or cobbles - the bumping up and down would cause the luggage to slip from the cords.

If you do use the carts and check your bag don't keep it strapped together since the bungies could get caught on something and the cart could become detached from your luggage. I carried mine on the plane and put it in the overhead (don't know the current rules). Before the airlines let me carry it on I did check my cart. It will be put into one of those gray plastic bins. The carts are not as easy to turn or corner as wheeled luggage.

If you decide to buy a luggage cart then get a good one with large wheels. I used a Travel Caddy brand which worked the best. The less expensive carts with small wheels do not stand up by themselves or support the attached luggage; they tend to be front heavy and fall over. I would suggest a good roller bag instead.
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Old Jun 14th, 2008, 06:07 PM
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Went to Target and they had one for $30. I think it supported 150 pounds according to the tag attached to it.

Was pretty heavy and the upright part of it folded over in half. It had some elastic strap but it wasn't clear how it was suppose to be attached or used.

Then went to a luggage store and found this Travelon model for $25:

http://www.kohls.com/upgrade/webstor...5524860452417#

It was lighter and claimed only 80 pound capacity, had slightly smaller wheels. The upright part is extensible so it can be locked at different heights.

The cords which come with it is thick like bungee cords and have hooks so it appears much easier to put around bags.

The salesman explained that you'd probably have to put it in another bag or check it in, maybe put it in a duffel bag so it's not exposed.

He said that airlines won't let you put it in overhead bins because of the exposed wheels. The best solution would be to put it in another bag.

In its folded-up state, it's more compact than the one at Target and lighter, so it would be easier to put inside a bag. Maybe inside a carryon even.

If it saves wear and tear on my luggage, I figured it might be worth a try. Probably wheel-away luggage probably isn't meant to be wheeled through long distances, especially on uneven streets made of stone, which you encounter in many European cities.

Then again, I see people wheel their suitcases through the streets all the time so I figured my Tumi suitcase might be up to the task but the wheels are small and there's really no give or shock absorption of any kind.
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Old Jun 14th, 2008, 07:56 PM
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If they worked I think you'd see more people using them
;-) Suze
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Old Jun 14th, 2008, 08:05 PM
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Not true Suze - I think more people don't use them partly because when "wheelies" became more popular, people just replaced their luggage rather than buy a cart.

We have a cart we have used since 2001. We bought it at the luggage shop at heathrow and it is very heavy duty. We did replace the bungee cords with a stronger one that works much better - we strap on our two soft sided bags and can wheel around anywhere!

We have never had it count a s a personal item and we flew all over Europe with it. We fly domestically quite a lot and never have a problem carrying it on - it has ot go under the seat.

It has saved wear and tear on our bags but most especially on our backs - we never check luggage, and with the cart, we can take two decent sized bags that fit easily overhead without the problems wheelies have.
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Old Jun 15th, 2008, 12:10 AM
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scrb - that's the type of cart you would want as it looks sturdy and will stand on its own. Just make sure the lever that locks the top part is sturdy and locks into place well.

As far as adjusting the height of the extension, you would always want to extend it all the way, unless you are short. You don't want to constantly bend over to grab the handle or to hold on to the cart when you're not walking with it.

For $25 give it a try. You might like it.
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