I need to buy new luggage ASAP. We each have a Samsonite hardsided 26x 19.5x10 suitcase. On our last trip we took only one of the suitcases. The hinges started to split somewhere along the line - I am absolutely, positively sure that my husband overstuffed his side - he disagrees. Anyway, I need to get a new suitcase since we were using mine at the time.

I am looking at a softsided Samsonite 26x19x9-11(2 inch interior expandable). It looks less roomy than the hardsided one even though there is not much difference in size. I'm pretty sure it will be okay for a week trip coming up soon but do you think that size is roomy enough for 3+ weeks trip for one person? Athough we will have a washing machine in the apartments we are renting in France and Italy, I don't like to do a lot of laundry while away because it takes forever in European machines.

Also, some suitcases have the 2 inch expandable section on the cover (a Kenneth Cole model - slightly larger in depth than the Samsonite) rather than on the interior or bottom section. Which works better if you need to expand (I mean the suitcase, not me) for a trip?

We have always used hardsided luggage so any other information about selecting a suitcase will be appreciated.

Thanks.

There are literally dozens of brands of suitcases in the size range you are considering. Any typical 26-inch suitcase, hard or soft, would usually be quite adequate for most people on a 3 week trip. How much you pack will obviously have to be the determining factor. You can also find some really good buys on bags that aren't the name brands but are every bit as good. Try stores like Target, K-Mart, or other discount places. Good luck.

I usually travel with a garment bag for the things that are pressed and a large nice looking duffle bag. I can get tons of stuff in the later....and also an extra duffle packed inside of it for the return trip

Three of the most important things you should look at when buying soft sided luggage are the strength of the zippers - you want wide heavy duty ones so they don't break, heavy duty reinforced stitching, especially around the corners, and large wheels, ones similar to the wheels on inline skates are best.

I wouldn't buy anything specifically stylish unless it is on sale because the luggage gets dirty and scraped when not in your own care.

My preference is for the Eagle Creek duffle bags. I have a few different sizes, and it meets the criteria I mentioned above. Eagle Creek is not cheap, but it is extremely durable, and I don't have to worry about replacing it. However, as a note, Eagle Creek makes canvas luggage, so I suggest if you buy it that you place your clothes in plastic to combat any moisture and it also keeps your clothes clean, because you can separate the newly laundered from the already worn clothing.

There have been several threads on luggage if you do a text search. I'm a proponent of "cheap" so if it get banged up I don't worry. I do agree zippers should be strong & work well. I go to TJMaxx, Steinmart or equivalent & buy what looks good decent. Our newest bag does have one of those expandable sections & it works great.

Doesn't Samsonite have sort of guarantee? (ie can you get a replacement?)

My idea is that there are only marginal differences among luggage brands.
The airlines are going to bash them around, so no matter how nice a piece of luggage may be, it is going to get marred and battered. I look for what seems to be the cheapest, but best stitched, rivited, and reinforced luggage I can find.

I had a Samsonite softsided bag like you describe, and the cloth was soon badly abraided and even had a hole worn in the side from being slid about.

I would either get a hardsided bag, or something that meets the study but cheap requirement. To heck with fancy looks, after an international flight or two it will lose its beauty.

Be careful on one issue. Some of those new rolling bags are heavy and huge.
The rolling mechanism and all weigh about 12 pounds and by the time you fill them with normal travel items the total weight is over 50 pounds.
That is fine as long as you can roll it, but I often encounter situations where I have to LIFT the blooming thing.
I find 50 pounds to be something of a chore to hoist about at my age.
My buddy Craig, age 34, who hefts weights and kayaks around can wrestle them with ease; I cannot.

Just try toting a 50 pounder up the stairs at a Paris Metro station. Loads of fun and great strenthening exercise.

PS. Carry a roll of duct tape, Duck Tape brand by Johnson and Johnson if you prefer, or something that binds, holds and sticks tight, and be prepared to keep the insides in and the outsides out. The tape may not enhance the beauty of your luggage, but it sure beats the alternative.

There's a wonderful web site called One Bag that tells how to travel with only a carryon on the theory that if you have your luggage with you, it will be okay.

http://www.oratory.com/onebag/home.html

We use a carryon each and a backpack and it's been fine for as long as six weeks. I think we'd be okay for a year. You can only wear so much. Yes, we do laundry and you're right, it takes forever. We read or write and people watch in the laundromat. We've met some very nice people that way!!

Good luck with your luggage.

Since we purchased an Atlantic 22" expandable case each our travelling has been a breeze. If necessary the 22" can be carried on although we rarely do. The 2" expansion helps with bringing back souvenirs. Anything larger is just too much to be schlepping around. Do you REALLY wear everything you pack in that big bag? And the wearability of this is excellent--has rubberized "bumpers" on the edges, good rolling wheels, ballistic nylon cloth. Purchased for about $50 at Tuesday Morning.

I agree with the above posters who advise looking for sturdiness in stitching, zippers, and wheels.

One year I travelled with two teenagers who had new luggage purchased at about $150 apiece. By the time we reached Thailand their luggage had to be replaced. We went to a local market and got replacements for about $10 apiece and the cheaper luggage lasted the rest of the trip!

So go for the build of the luggage, not the brand name or the price!

We have had really good success with Victorinox (the Swiss Army brand). We purchased three pieces - 22", 26" and a backpack from the REI Outlet website. I think the list price for all three pieces was @ $750 and I think we paid something like $250. These are high quality bags with many interesting features.
JoeG

There are some great, reasonably priced sturdy duffles, wheeled duffles etc. avaiable throug land's End

www.landsend.com

Thanks to everyone who offered some tips and suggestions.

I decided to test them a bit myself (my husband watched it all with great interest!) for roominess and ease of moving so I went out and purchased the Samsonite (3000 Ultra series/550 - I'll call it ssS) and Kenneth Cole (Go Ballistic - Free Wheely model) softsided 26 inch suitcases to compare them to eachother and to the hardsided Samsonite we already own (hsS). I found them both in Marshalls at great prices and the KC was substantially marked down so it was priced right. I also bought the wheeled carry-ons (KC one also reduced) for both lines since they were also available.

Now for the test report. I lifted all three suitcases while empty and the ssS was the lightest of the three. The heaviest was the hsS. The sides of the KC one seemed to be just slightly sturdier than the ssS.

Then I took piles of clothing and filled up the ssS to full interior capacity without using the expandable section or exterior pockets. I used the same clothing and packed each of the other two suitcases and noted roominess of the interior space. The ssS held just about the same amount of clothing as the hsS but held slightly more than KC. The ssS was so much easier to handle and much lighter than the hsS. It handled just about the same as the KC but, again, was lighter. I could lift the ssS rather easily and the KC with a little more effort - I'm not young and I sometimes have trouble lifting grocery bags for some reason - but forget the hsS - - couldn't lift that one for more than a few seconds.

Both ss models were so much easier to maneuver back and forth, turning around, and in a small space like an elevator (I used a small bathroom to test this) than the hs one. They were both well balanced which helped with ease of movement. The hsS was cumbersome to wheel and maneuver around - I could hardly wheel it out of the bathroom. I did not try lifting them and climbing stairs nor holding them over my head or anything like that for fear of killling myself before our trip. Either my husband can carry them up stairs or I'll happily pay someone to do it for me.

So, the hsS was the least favorite of the three. I myself preferred the ssS because it seemed roomier than the KC. After watching all this testing, my husband decided to keep the KC suitcase and get rid of the hs one.

He had it easy, don't you think? I bought them, tested them, packed and unpacked and repacked them, twirled and whirled them around the house, stuck myself in a small space and tried to get out, and hoisted them around while he watched with great amusement. Now he has a new suitcase also! He will earn it though if any of our hotels or apartments in France or Italy do not have elevators.

The real test, of course, will be how long they last duing our travels 3 or 4 times a year together. My husband will put them to the test just about every week!

Again, thanks for the help. I hope someone finds this info useful.