Tia

Thinking of purchasing new luggage as ours has seen one too many trips. I am just wondering which to buy. There are so many types out there. Wheels are a must. Our last luggage lasted nearly 15 years of heavy travel and was just cheap (American Tourister) we bought at a local KMart when they were going out of business. They were not the cheapest of the cheap, but not high quality luggage by any means. I have started to look at what's out there now, but I have no idea what brand to choose. I want something very durable as we travel a lot, but not too expensive. I'd like to purchase two large pieces. Does anyone have any suggestions? Pros, cons? Any info anyone is willing to share would be great. Thanks!

Tia

mclaurie

Tia I'm not a brand shopper when it comes to luggage. The more expensive it is, the more aggravated I get when it gets damaged by rough baggage handlers. I usually go to a discount store like TJMaxx & just look for a size that works. I check that the wheels roll well, the zippers work & the handle that you use to push/pull functions.

The last piece I bought, I made a point not to get black since everyone else's is black. Bought red & have now found lots of others had the same thought

I think good luggage is also a prime target for theft. Buy cheap & consider it somewhat disposable.

rjw_lgb_ca

Truth be told, mid-level luggage choices are basically all of similar quality. The soft-side upright types are everywhere, everyone makes them, they differ in details. If you're not willing to spend the bucks for Tumi (high-end stuff), go for what is on sale. I just bought a 26-inch upright suitcase made by Atlantic for $89 at Kohl's, for example. It had the features I wanted for the price I was willing to pay. They had American Tourister and Samsonite as well-- but this had a few doodads I liked, so....

GoTravel

agree with mclaurie. I buy the best constructed luggage I can find at places like TJ Maxx and Tuesday Morning. Heavy zippers, ballistic nylon, good wheels, etc.

ParrotMom

I have never met a piece of luggage I don't want to buy..lol You have answered your own question....you bought American Tourister 15 years ago..it lasted 15 years...and I know that American Tourister is consumer friendly and repairs their luggage asap. We have two 30 inch pieces we bought at their outlet and they are still going strong. McLaurie is correct... the more expensive luggage is more than likely to be broken into. We just bought two small wheeled carry ons from e-Bag..http://www.ebags.com/index.cfm?sub_s...ponid=57983602... they have some great deals and the service is excellent.. the most important thing is that the wheels on the piece be sturdy and it not be a heavy bag when empty.. If thee are outlets near you go to an AT or Samsonite (same company) or shop the discounts.. I also use colored straps around our luggage to hold it together because I overstuff mine and it's easier to spot..

Tia

That's funny because they have the same luggage on sale, same size, at Younkers for $30 each piece this weekend. That's what made me begin to think about purchasing!!!! You're both right. After the first use of our last luggage, one piece was flattend, like a pancake!! The airlines fixed it as well as paid full price for it, but it was never quite the same. Each time we go somewhere, there is a new ding, dent, or tear it seems. Maybe going with cheaper luggage is better with the expectation that it WILL be damaged!!! Thanks for your thoughts.

Tia

E

I think I've said this before here, but I'm a big fan of Samsonite. I have had very, very good luck with it: it's sturdy, comes in all sorts of clever shapes, materials and sizes, and falls roughly in the middle of the price range. Mine has taken a real beating over 10 years of travel, and is just now starting to look a little sad around the edges. None of it has ever torn, or split open, or had a malunctioning zipper, etc.
I would never buy anything that seems truly expensive to me (obviously, this is relative), because I would then suffer over every scratch it got.
Btw, keep in mind airline weight restrictions currently being enforced: 50lbs per bag, 2 bags per person domestically, 75lbs per bag and 2 pp overseas. So don't buy anything really huge--we have one "cadaver" bag, and can't really use it anymore, at least not for flying.
Happy shopping!

m367

Although I am happy with my Atlantic luggage, it weighs 14 pounds empty. In the future, I'm not purchasing the heavy duty, sturdy frame - especially with the weight restrictions and being a single traveler. I may just have to bring a scale along when I go shopping next time!

Swartz

I bought Skyway luggage (large suitcace, garment bag, and duffle bag) about 3 yrs. ago when I was livingin Columbus, Ohio. All 3 pieces were on sale at Lazarus for about $250. I have also seen it sold in others department stores such as Macy's. The luggage is still in great shape. I would definitely buy it again.

patg

If you travel a lot, I would suggest looking at a group of luggage based on a 22" expandable, wheeled case, with a carry on that slides over the retractable handle. We can get by for weeks on this system; adding a single, large case for the two of you would give you lots of flexibility.
irvs.com is a discounter that also has retail stores; nothing beats seeing and handling the luggage in person. You can get top-quality bags (Hartman, Tumi, Eagle Creek) very reasonably now, due to the overall travel slump.

suzanne

When you buy wheeled luggage, check the following (believe me, I've learned from experience):

*Is the handle long enough when fully extended, or will the bag be hitting your heels as you pull it along?

*Are the wheels made of a decent material, like rollerblade wheels? Or are they made of cheap, hard plastic that will crack?

*Make sure the wheels are spaced F-A-R apart. Otherwise, when the bag is full and you pull it over a bump, the bag can twist and fall over - and can hurt your wrist.

*Will the bag fall over when it's standing upright and very full? This may not be something you can easily see when you're looking at the bag in the store. However, some better luggage companies have added a little "forward tilt" to their bags to account for this problem.

I've discovered some or all of these defects in some cheapo $20 luggage I've bought, both at TJ Maxx and on the street in NY. However...TJ Maxx carries some better brands, too. TravelPro is my brand of choice, because it's what all the pilots and flight attendants use. I bought a TravelPro 18" rolling bag for $60 at TJ Maxx, and a 23" at Macy's on sale (can't remember the cost). They have been good to me so far on 10-15 trips.

E

Suzanne, really, really good points! I always wondered why my big Samsonite tilts forward on its wheels when empty--mystery solved, it's a feature!
My oldest wheeled bag has its wheels on the narrow side, rather than the wide side, which causes it to fall over on bumps; it's a design flaw which Smasonite has since corrected.
I also never knew AT and Smasonite are the same copany--this thread is a real education!

Tia

WOW, as always great info on this site! Love it!!! I guess I will consider the cheaper set that's on sale for $29. I'll go take a look at it at least. I remember that we were heart broken when our brand new bage was smashed on it's first trip! We only paid like $25 for each piece at that time, but we also had no money! Now that we've both got decent jobs (for now at least!!), we travel a lot and want some new luggage that doesn't tip over!!! I will definitely take all the great advice into consideration. I was just at TJMaxx over the weekend and only glanced at the luggage!! I could kick myself now! Oh, well, the next trip is not till August, so I have some time. I never really considered the weight of the bags empty! I'm so glad someone mentioned that. I was just going to get one of those newer oversized bags. Now, I've really got some shopping to do!!! Keep the great suggestions coming!! Thanks again.

Tia

Lexma90

I really love my Eagle Creek expandable 22" bag, and I recently converted my husband (he bought the 22" semi-rigid one). It might be more than you're planning to spend, but we bought both of our pieces on sale (one at REI, believe it or not) and plan on keeping them for years and years. They also have larger pieces.

It's much sturdier than our Samsonite, and we haven't had a single zipper problem (I can't tell you how many of the Samsonite zipper we had to have fixed) or any gouges or rips. It's also much lighter; as a short woman, I really notice the difference. The Eagle Creek bag also rolls more evenly & doesn't tip. Also, I really like the "expandable" option. It gives me a lot more room returning with souvenirs.

TxTravelPro

I travel a lot so cheap luggage is not an option. I learned that my first couple of years on the road.
I have a big AT bag for extended trips. I always check this bag, obviously.
For shorter trips I use Kipling.
I have 10 different pieces, including a 22" roll-on, 25" rolling duffle, 25" hand held duffle, make-up bag, briefcase, passport/document case, etc... They are durable, well designed and good looking...
I just love the color choices, too. I bought the rolling duffle a couple of weeks ago on eBay. Got it for 35.00 and it retails for 240.00 It was stained but with a little elbow grease it came right off. It's a beautiful sky blue color. My daughter just loves it.
Good luck shopping... if you are in NYC, swing by Empire Luggage on Broadway. Awesome selection!

rb_travelerxATyahoo

You can often find some good luggage (as well as a lot of junk) at thrift shops run by Salvation Army, Goodwill, etc. I bought a 21" Samsonite today for $1.99 at a Goodwill shop.

We don't care about how luggage looks - its purpose it to hold & protect the contents -- in fact, we've painted ugly markings on ours to both identify and to dissuade would-be theives.

My own favorite bag is an almost 20 year old American Tourister "duffle" type bag -- it has held up so well.

ParrotMom

American Tourister/Samsonite when we sent them back a large piece back (at their outlet store)could not repair the piece and sent us another one...gratis..that is good customer service.. I've seen Tumi, Hartman..and I buy the bag for it's features like expandability (I always overpack).and the idea of buying two or three matching pieces doesn't work for me anymore..why do you have to have matching.. buy the bag for the use and features, i.e. extra expanding pockets for me.. I have a garment bag (bought at an outlet) that is for gowns..much handier for longer dresses and putting in a suit or tux....I am not a light packer...which is an understatement..and my cheapo luggage has lasted and lasted. Our first luggage was bought at Caldors..heavy vinyl with hard sides...and the only reason we stopped using it was because it was wheelless and it's as good as new...considering it traveled coast to coast and to Europe..I love those bags..but the word is wheels.. and if the pull up handle seems too low.. there are little handles that can be attached making it easier to pull. We even have back packs that are on wheels. Even our "necessities" bag is on wheels and we've been putting that through as luggage too.

GoTravel

You have gotten some excellent advice!

If you have a tendency to overpack, do not buy the largest sized pullman. The airlines now charge for luggage weighing over 50 pounds and you would be surprised how easy it is to be over the 50lb limit.

gail

My next piece of luggage will be orange, purple, fuschia, etc. Anything but black or navy - as I watch all those bags going around the luggage belt, it will be so much easier to locate mine, and less likely some other person will mistake it for theirs.

Tia

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE GREAT INFO!!! I can see I've got my shopping cut out for me!!!

Tia