Hi Cjar,

I just bought a black aluminum 55cm (carry-on) from Travelite, a German brand. I adore it. I did a France trip in April with this bag, and did trains, planes, & cars, and it worked great. There was lots of lugging up & down ancient stairs and cobblestones, and it looks almost new now. I like smaller cases, though I can't carry-on because I've got too many liquids...!

Before I left, I panicked that I wouldn't be able to fit everything into the 55cm, and it was time to replace my 24-inch (60 cm) case, so I splurged and got a Horizon. I had a hard time finding any 24-inch hard-side cases, but Horizon was 1 of about 2 or 3 I found. I didn't get to use it on that trip... but it is light and looks sharp.

Good luck with your search!
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Hi Fodorites, I am really enjoying this particular post

I would also like to encourage any travelers to donate their unwanted luggage to agencies for use by foster children. As most of you may know sometimes they are forced to leave their homes on short notice using plastic trash bags. An actual suitcase would be a wonderful donation. likewise for any duffel or garment bags.

For the last couple of years I have been completely obsessed with suitcases and also carry on garment bag & type duffles or carryons.

I go to to T J Maxx , Marshalls and sometimes Nordstrom rack. But if a store sells luggage I always check it out. Evem Staples Office supply Store sells luggage now. 😆

Our current hard sided clam type is HURLEY luggage & is above average in durability. It came from Nordstrom's Rack during their rare unadvertised luggage sale
Now for the upcoming year we will be traveling for several weeks and i just purchased a new Gabbiano suitcase that i love so far.. I have not used it It appears just as sturdy as the Hurley, In turn will NOT be as light as some of the softsides or flimsier hard shells .
Travel Pro makes a very light clam type hard sided suitcase in what appears to be "aluminum look " finish. The Travel Pro is much lighter than mine but it seems like it could get dented very easily. it has my coveted dual interior zippers though.

If you're looking for the soft small carry on, Travel Pros the elite models that i have seen pilots use, Nordstrom Rack does carry those in store & online.

My Conclusions
If you are looking for the bargain Price do go to T J Maxx, Marshalls and Nordstrom's rack. TJ and marshalls even carries Tumi.
Nordstrom rack seems to carry a lot more Travel Pro.

Online shopping at the same stores can be completely different than" in store". This is a case with Marshalls and T J Maxx. There are brands online that I have never seen in store for luggage. like Gabbiano. This is also the case for travel shoes. I have found some excellent travel shoes at both those stores online that i have never seen in sore. I'm talking Vionic and Merril.
If you happen to have wide feet online at T J Max and Marshalls is the way to go for wide travel shoes.

I concluded that i wanted DUAL interior zip compartments so that you don't have to rely on that strap on the one side. These are rare but they are out there. Opening up suitcases in the store is a hassle but it pays off if you're looking for something like this.
I found that Samsonite carries dual inside zips on occasion but it is not the standard. Then try to find it in a color that appeals to you (or at least a color that you don't dislike.)

Both T J maxx and Marshalls carry many more suitcases online some of which i have never seen i t stores. Such is the case with Gabbiano luggage ( the one i just purchased) I found Gabbiano to fit my preferences of the two zippered sides.
I paid $69 for a for a inch hard side.The trade off for me was that i had to purchas black which i wanted to avoid. Nevertheless i am happy with that purchase.

Now if ONLY the inexpensive hard sided luggage could come in an 80/20 Configuration instead of the
50/50 clam style. I know the high end brands do make I but i don't want to pay $$$$ or for a suitcase. the clam style can be awkward to open as all of you probably know.

amsdon thank you for the suggestion of donating suitcases, duffel bags, etc to foster children. I am going to look into that as I seem to have a collection of bags that go unused and I would hate to just throw them away if they can get another life from someone else.

I used to buy my luggage at places like TJ Max and Marshall's but have been so disappointed in their choices the last couple of years. I also won't by a black suitcase so always looking for something different and check back here for the suggestions so keep them coming.

Another option for donating wheeled suitcases: Homeless shelters. Even damaged ones are sometimes called "rolled gold."

Those are great ideas for donating old luggage! And janisj, you continue to amaze!

I am another fan of TJMaxx or Marshalls. I have had nice luggage and it didn't last, so give me a $79 Samsonite or Swiss Gear any day. It is a job to keep frequenting the stores because they don't always have what you want, but it is worth the effort. I am looking for a bag now to replace the one I have that has the revolving wheels so I can walk with it beside me instead of having to pull it in back of me. That was hard on my arms on my last trip.I like lightweight and multiple interior compartments. I like the soft side for the outside zipper compartments and having colors like blue gray to stand out from the black in baggage claim. I think the cubes take up too much space but I like a zippered flat nylon bag for my lingerie, so when I carry on, if they have to inspect my bag, it is out of sight.

I am sorry but I am in the yuck factor camp. Washing my lingerie in the same sink that I wash my face in, no thanks. I do wash some of my clothes in the shower with me, throw on some soap, and the shower action does a lot of the cleaning. Then you can finish the scrubbing and to me, the rinsing is more thorough in there.

Thanks to everyone. I did look at many of the suggestions here and I understand that it’s a bit of a crap shoot so, I’ll cross my fingers and hope for the best outcome once I choose something. I have been looking at Away bags, Travelpro, and there is a brand that pilots use, Luggage Works. The LW brand seems quite sturdy, but it looks like maybe the wheels don’t roll in all four directions. Anyway I do appreciate all of the feedback.
I also love the idea of donating old bags. What a terrific suggestion. If something we’re no longer using can be of use to someone else that’s really the best, isn’t it?

I just went through all of this myself. I had four versions of the Travel Pro cases at various times!!! Hard side, soft side, carry on and check in sizes. I was all set to try the Crew Carry on, and make it work. I carry a lot of photo gear so I'd have checked it. I liked that it was small for toting around public transport, etc. Well, the Travel Pro Max Light medium check in, while looking quite large in comparison, was my final pick. It weighs almost 3 pounds less than the Crew carry on. I am not a huge shopper, but I very well may want to bring back some things. I won't need to pack this thing full with my stuff, and while bulkier, it will be a lot lighter to lug up the metro steps in Paris. I just hope it lasts! Good luck with your search!

Let us know how the Travel Pro max lite holds up over time.