Searching for a really light , but strong, 22" carry-on, wheeled bag.
 

Just got back from Europe. I lugged aroung an expandable 22" roll-aboard bag, which worked alright, but was too heavy. The bag alone weighed 12.5 pounds. When fully loaded, it weighed only 23 pounds. That's silly! I need that big a bag, as some some of my stuff is light, but bulky, and I like the expandable feature for the stuff my DW buys.

Can anyone suggest a replacement bag that weighs significantly less, but is sturdy enough to stand up to international travel?

Thanks,

:-)

Yes, this is very light weight, but pretty rugged. I have an entire set.

http://www.ebags.com/international_t...?modelid=19538

I faced the same problem when we went to Italy for 2 1/2 wks. I loved my old suitcase, but it's way too heavy. After lots of research and asking myself which features I really use, I settled on the Eagle Creek Point A Load Warrior. Only 6 1/2 lbs and the multiple handles were really nice during train travel. It's expandable.

It's not "fancy", no plastic pockets or gizmos. But I use heavy duty ziplocks for everything anyway. Unlike most duffels, it opens book-like and the lower compartment is sturdy enough to keep clothes in place. I really like the built-in compression straps. On planes, I add a luggage strap running lengthwise.

In short, it suited my needs perfectly...my back liked it even better!
http://tinyurl.com/ykxckr

Shop around for price. I paid about $115 in January.

The "expandable" feature addds some weight. Both my two suitcases (1-22" and 1-24" weigh 7.5lbs empty and are plenty sturdy. No special brand. Both bought on sale for ~$50 at Marshalls or JC Penny.

Try the Delsy brand. They have a very lightweight model and it can often be found for CHEAP at TJMaxx and Marshalls.

Tumi has a very lightweight model, but be prepared to PAY! Great lugagge, but very costly!

Thank you all for your responses. I like the claims for the Delsey "Helium" luggage that CarolA suggests, but their website is pretty vague about the weight, other than it is "-up to 40% lighter". Nowhere do they list the weight, that I can find. I have emailed them.

Bookchick, I like the features of the "International" brand that you have, but when I looked up the 22 incher, it weighs exactly the same as the one I have, i.e., 12.5 pounds.

I'll keep looking.

:-(

The 21" roll-aboard bag at www.ricksteves.com weighs seven pounds. Also check the Expandaire line at www.atlanticluggage.com.

Hey, I've seen the Delsy at TJ Maxx and Marshalls and they were a great size, liked the look, and were very light. I thought they looked very flimsy though and passed. I'm used to a hardcase 22" Samsonite that was $300 and is incredibly sturdy and rolls like a dream. I love it but it's a problem on EU airlines with their crazy weight restrictions.

For those of you who have Delsy's -- you haven't had problems with the shells cracking, etc? I'll run out and get one if enough of you say they hold up fine.

The Delsey's that I've looked at weigh up to 12 pounds, so don't buy one unless you are sure of the weight.

If you don't need this immediately, it's worth looking around. I just bought a 2 lb. Kelty duffle to use as a carryon and found it on sale at Campmor for half the price I saw elsewhere.

Campmor, ebags and Sierra Trading Post have good prices -- and some of the camping gear places have really lightweight rugged stuff.

Fishee,
When shopping for bags I was seriously considering the polycarbonate "shell types" (Delsey and Int'l Travller). I had the same concern as you.

I saw a display at Steinmart right after Christmas. They were indeed very light. But when I looked closer several had golf ball size dents and/or hairline cracks. Bookchick says hers work fine, but the floor models scared me off.

I looked at one model on this page
http://www.delsey.com/pages/collection.php?lng=uk
and the weight was shown in kg (figure roughly 1 kg = 2.2 lbs).

Which model?

Oh sorry. I misinterpreted your post. Yes, the weights are displayed for all models.

I'm sorry, Holley, but I don't see the weight listed for any of the models on tht page, just the dimentions. Where did you see that information?

:-)

Well - just clicked on three of the bags on that page and all listed the weight

ok i see the weights but they are all more like 4.5 to 6.5 kg not 1 kg.

which one only weighs 2 lbs???

i would pay good money for a suitcase that light.

oh sorry, i'm a dunce. i understand holly was giving us the conversion not stating the weight of a suitcase.

Suze,

I misread Holley's post the same way. She was only converting 1 kilogram to 2 pounds for the OP, not saying there were any that light. Holley was only saying you can figure out the weight of Delsey products with this link.

in that case those suitcases are still too heavy.

again 8 lbs max is typical for a 22-24" rolling suitcase and not difficult or expensive to find.

seems it is often the fancier brands that are so heavy that Swiss Army Victronox (?) for one.

For my next trip, I'm junking my 8-lb wheeled suitcase in favor of a 2lb duffel. I pack to stay under the carry-on weight-limit, which is 30-40 pounds. I don't need to wheel that light a load, and the wheels just add weight and subtract from what I can pack.

nessudorma,

I thought EU weight restrictions were much less than 30 lbs -- like half that?

You're probably right. Post the last alleged terror plot, Virgin let me carry something around 15 pounds on board (transatlantic) so long as it was in a single piece of luggage. By quickly giving some stuff to my husband, I was able to get down to the weight, but at that point I decided to junk my wheelie for the next trip.

I would not be able to comfortably carry a 40 lb duffle bag. My wheeled 24" suitcase comes in around 27 lbs packed. That's my personal limit.

If I'm renting a car on the other end, I can put up with toting something fairly heavy through the airport twice. But since the carry on restrictions, I just don't pack very much. I'd rather dress in washable dark clothes for a few weeks than wait by that damn baggage carousel!

Ive recently purchased a Delsey to take on our 5 week trip to Europe this Christmas. A friend of mine, who had just returned from 7 weeks in Europe, used Delsey luggage and she said they were just fantastic, which is why I bought mine. I'm sure it will hold up fine, looks well made and wasn't cheap.

amanda,

Do you (and your friend) have the plastic shell delsey or is it a fabric exterior?

Just a warning.

I have used the "plastic shell" type of suitcases in the past. They do not appear to hold up well under airline conditons if you are checking (or are forced to check luggage)

My last one the DL agent in Nashville finally just paid for after sending it for repair three times.

Hi fishee
It's a fabric suitcase on wheels, with pull out handle, and is expandable to 10% I believe. I got it on sale. My friend, who had just returned from Europe, said they sold the same ones in Paris for double the price. Her and her hubby took one each with them for their travels and had no problems.

Just to close out the question of how much the Delsey 21" roll-aboard I was interested in weighed, I emailed them, as follows:

"Sirs:

I have searched your web site diligently to find the actual weight of your
luggage. I cannot find it; other than the unsupported and vague statement
that it "is up to 40% lighter". Specifically, I would like to know the
weight of your Model 21274, 21 inch rolling suitcase."

They responded:

"The weight is 15 pounds.

Sandy
Customer Service
Delsey Luggage, North America"

Now I see why they are so coy in their advertizing copy, their bag weighs more than the too heavy bag I now own. So far, the Rick Steves 21" seems to fit my needs best, at less than 7 pounds.

:-)

wow, that is heavy. I have a nice 25" bag I bought at Target a few years ago, and I haven't used it that much so it's still in good condition. However, the bag itself does really add on to the weight but I don't think even it is 15 pounds. I thought it was about 8 or 10 tops.

I bought my niece a 25" Delsey Helium for a present, and it was the bright blue fabric version. I thought it looked as sturdy as any of that style, and I really do think it was lighter weight than a typical bag of that size. I didn't weigh it but lifted it and checked it out in the store, and I thought it was pretty light weight. I would have guess that was def. less than 10 pounds weight, and it was the 25 inch one.

Here is one site that sells it that lists the weights, and says it is slightly under nine pounds

http://www.luggage.com/Delsey-21274XX-QW1008.html

If you go to amazon.com, they list the "shipping weight" as 11 pounds. Either of those two seems more realistic to me than 15 pounds. I saw that Delsey specs sheet and it is amazing they don't list the actual weight on that, since that's one of the prime features. I really suspect that customer service agent made a mistake and quoted the weight of a different model or something, though. on luggage.com, they say the 29" model is only 13.2 pounds. That is for the fabric luggage.

I just looked at the first Delsey website that I think lists European models. I don't see anything they are calling Helium model on there, but I guess then 55 cm model is the closest to the 21" size, and that page says it is 3.7 kg or 8.2 pounds. So I really think it must be between 8 and 9 pounds and that customer svc rep is wrong.

Christina,

Now that is a real puzzlement!

We are apparently talking about the same bag. The web site you referenced did indeed list the weight at just over 8.6 pounds. I don't know why the Delsey representative gave me the 15 pound weight. If the lesser weight is indeed the correct one, I'll go look at one in a local shop.

What bugged me about my current bag was that it weighed 12.5 pounds empty, and 23 fully loaded for a three week trip. The 10.5 pounds of my gear included a lot of reading and reference material, too.

I just hated the fact that my bag weighed more than the contents.

:-)

I really don't think it weights 15 pounds, as I felt the 25" one. I think it is worth going to look at, and take a scale with you, if you can.

You are probably right. I have written to Delsey again, saying I think their data is not correct. I'll let you know what their response.

:-)

I can't think of any hardshell luggage that is light enough to use as a carryon in Europe

Find yourself a rolling duffel bag made from something like Cordura

nessundorma, you can come with me. My DH and I (no longer in our 20s to say the least!) spent 3 weeks in Italy in October with two carry-on, frameless, very lightweight (but well-made) backpacks. Not luggage-size, just regular old school size backpacks with lots of pockets. We each carried our own pack, and we also had a lightweight "book bag" for our jackets, reading stuff, newspapers, etc.)

We were especially appreciative of our lack of encumbrance when we'd pass people schlepping those rolling behemoths along the cobbled streets, grunting & sighing. And yes, we are always clean & presentable every day -- in fact, more so than many other tourists we saw!

I have never, ever, in all my years of travelling, carried anything that had a hard shell (except when I go to NYC or Boston for 4 days, in which case I bring a s-load of stuff, for some stupid reason.) But no, we don't buy a lot of stuff to bring home.

&quot;<i>I can't think of any hardshell luggage that is light enough to use as a carryon in Europe </i>&quot;

That was true in days past - but there are new hard shell, high tech composite suitcases that are actually lighter than soft sided bags tof he same size. I have lots of luggage (mostly used for examples in my packing classes) but none of the light hard shell variety. I'm thinking of buying one just to see how they hold up.

So what is the lightest hardshell carryon &amp; how much does it weigh?

&quot;<i>So what is the lightest hardshell carryon &amp; how much does it weigh?</i>&quot;

One brand I've considered is International Traveler, but I'm looking for others. International Traveler's 18 in. rollaboard is about 5.5 lbs

Nukesafe, I'd no idea it was 12 lbs.! I must be in better shape than I thought I was! Janisj is correct, the 18&quot; rollaboard is a lightweight hard-side and does indeed fit nicely into the overhead compartment. I have the full set of 4 bags. I also have a hard-side 18&quot; bag purchased in Rome, manufactured by Benneton, and it functions nicely as a rollaboard also.

BC