Best luggage?
 

Hi,
We travel to Italy this September to Venice, Florence and Tuscany.
I am in need of new luggage anyhow, any tips on the best kind?
Looking for something durable for cobblestone streets.

I live in Italy, and travel around here with either four-wheeled "spinners" or two-wheeled "rollers". I haven't had problems with the wheels, which these days seem to be much sturdier than they used to be. My older suitcases are wearing out on the edges, but the wheels are still going strong.

If you'll be dragging suitcases along any sort of uneven paving, the two-wheeled kind are much more practical than the spinners, which are better on smooth pavement, such as in airports, but tend to get stuck every time one of the wheels hits a bump.

If you'll be traveling on trains, load up one of your old suitcases and try carrying it up and down stairs. If it's too heavy, get something smaller.

<i> Best luggage?
Posted by: theawkwardtype on Apr 16, 16 at 8:59am</i>

Here are some ideas, http://www.enjoy-europe.com/hte/chap07/luggage.htm. What you put in your luggage is just as important. Less is best.

I love IT bags, very light, quite durable.

This is my favorite bag

http://www.ebags.com/product/briggs-...uctid=10321083

Lightweight, sturdy, life time warranty, wide enough and stable so it doesn't tip over.
The wheels are large and the frame of the handle is on the outside so it doesn't take up precious room on the inside.

Along with a small carry case, I can fit everything in this bag for a 4-5 week trip.

Last year, we bought a set of "Life" luggage from the Italian company's Bric's Milano. We've been pleasantly surprised at how well balanced and sturdy the pieces are (we have the 21" carry-on spinners and the 26-inch spinner suitcases). Bric's makes a full range of matching accessory pieces as well.

It's hard to say what the "best" is without knowing your budget and preferences, but this is what we're happy with.
http://www.bricstore.com/brics-collections/life.html

Are you only looking at a general idea?
Are you looking at carry-on size or check-in size?
Does your trip also involve hoisting luggage? You might need much lighter kind than mentioned.
Does you trip involve strict carry-on size airline like Ryanair? You have to be very selective.
Whether you need two-wheeler (larger wheels than spinners for cobblestone) or not depends on where you are hauling to. If you plan to use taxi to your accommodations, you can use a spinner.

Didn't know that about the spinner vs. 2 wheeled, greg. I may be looking for new luggage this year. Good to know. I've always used the 2 wheeled and never had problems. They're getting harder to find these days.

http://www.lipault-usa.com/original-...colate#start=4

My next bag. I am going back to two wheels and yes a 19 inch. My 22 inch spinner is ok but cobblestones and trains make the two wheel a bit easier to manage for me. I ate the bottom on my last IT bag. I now have a heys hard on one side and soft on the other which I like. I like the lipault carry on I have, very durable and stylish.

I've been traveling all through Italy for years with a Muji 4-wheel spinner. When I use it over cobblestones and other uneven surfaces, I just drag it behind me as if it had only 2-wheels. I have a soft-sided carryon but Muji also makes a hard-shell:

http://www.muji.us/store/apparel/bags-1/suitcases.html

We bought a Rick Steves (gasp) two wheeled 19" that we liked so well that we bought another.

Hard-ish side and soft top. Expandable.

I bought the biaggi set on sale. I will try them in Sicily this Summer. They are light and they pack in a little suitcase when not in use.

http://www.biaggi.com/zipsak-31-foldable-spinner/

In our first trip to Europe we carry backpacks to avoid suitcases and made a number on our backs. Second trip I brought spinners and they worked fine on cobblestones you just drag them on the 2 back wheels.

This year we are packing light and bringing these biaggi sets to see how they hold.

1. If you want a carryon, is it legal for the airlines you fly?
2. Can you lift it up into a train all by yourself?
3. Can you lift it into an overhead rack or bin all by yourself?
4. Will it hold what you need?
5. Will you be able to find it on the baggage carousel?

My wife loves her 4-wheeler, but it has to be held on the gentlest of slopes or it will roll away.

I always go for hard sided cases as I don't trust myself not to overpack. I use cabin baggage sized cases all the time now - if I'm going anywhere for more than a week I just get laundry done after 7 days so I can re-wear stuff. In my experience it is almost impossible to lift anything bigger that that into an overhead luggage rack on a train anyway. Plus having smaller cases means I rarely have to check anything in or use the larger, end of the carriage racks on trains, ie I am not out of sight of my case.

Years ago I had a pilot as a neighbour and he told me that Samsonite was the cabin crew preferred brand as they are so robust. I've had them for more than 20 years now - used to stand on them to change lightbulbs and get stuff out of high cupboards they are that strong.

The model I have at the moment is the Samsonite Innova 20 inch spinner (Neopulse is the more up to date version of this I think). If money were no object I'd probably have a Cosmolite though as they are really ultra light. I would never buy luggage by a luxury brand like LV even if I had the money - attention grabbing and screams 'steal me!'

'My wife loves her 4-wheeler, but it has to be held on the gentlest of slopes or it will roll away.'

And on tube trains - you have to sit with them between your legs :-)

Just got my first spinner ...4 wheels...that is what I would get and under certain conditions it seems easy to just roll it like a 2 wheeler..then you have the best of both.

RM67, My four wheeler got away on a couple of trains!!! I like it on airplanes to wheel down tiny aisles.

I needed a light, sturdy-wheeled suitcaseand splurged on a Rimowa Salsa Air. We were so pleased with it's utility that we bought another the following year. That was about 6 years ago, and we continue to smile whenever we use them....which is pretty often.

I would buy the lightest weight 22" bag with heavy duty wheels that roll smoothly.

I'm a big fan of IT brand as already mentioned above. Not sure about their wheels on cobblestones though?

'RM67, My four wheeler got away on a couple of trains!!! I like it on airplanes to wheel down tiny aisles.'

I do too - 4 wheels mean you can push them in any direction without physically having to turn the case round so they quite happily go sideways down the aisle.

On rough surfaces I just switch to pulling it behind me on two wheels in common with the posters above,