What is the best brand of luggage?
 

My old Samsonite luggage is on its last legs after many trips and I am in the market for a new set. I'm not really too concerned about price, but I want good, reliable and sturdy soft-sided luggage. Can anyone recommend a particular brand? Hopefully you will have used these bags on many flights and after gotten banged around, they are still in good condition.

I like my Travel Pro luggage. I've only had it for two years (replaced old Briggs & Riley luggage of mine), but it's been going strong. I'm a traveling sales rep for a small publisher, which means I load up my luggage with books (heaviest things on earth to pack, besides rocks). When I'm traveling to my appointments, I carry it on with me, and when I'm traveling home I check that sucker! I regularly pack 50-65 pounds of books into the smallest roll-on with no trouble. No internal or external damage so far with all of that heavy stuff that I pack. I also like the design of the extendable handle--more ergonomic compared to other roll-on bags I've used in the past. It also came with a a zip-out hanging bag contraption that I use when traveling for pleasure to keep clothes looking more presentable.

hope this helps!

The absolute best bag is Briggs and Riley. Expensive as hell, but is almost bullet proof. 100% guaranteed for life. Anything breaks they fix it and include the round trip postage. Each of the three sizes have pockets inside of pockets.

I am very happy with my Delsey. Soft luggage with hard corners and the est wheels and outside pockets. My luggage tags keep getting p\ripped off, but the luggage has survived trips to Australia, the Orient, Hawaii, Egypt and all of Europe. Well worth the $200 I spent on it years and years ago. Check out the Delsey website.

We've been using Eagle Creek softsided bags for the past 3yrs and have been very pleased.

I received a 27" Travel Pro as a gift about 10-years ago, but have used it only twice. Empty it weighs 7-lbs. and with weight limits being checked carefully these days (50-lbs on Domestic,70-lbs on Intl) - I haven't used this in 8-years.
I went into a local shop that sells inexpensive luggage - no big names! Got a 28" rollaboard for $50 and haven't had a problem, weights less than 4-lbs, sturdy, great wheels, handle. Though it has a few outside pockets which I don't like (never know who can put something inside these) I've solted (sp) the zippers so they can't be open - there's plenty of room inside for all I need for a 2 to 3 wk vacation.
Should anything serious happen to the bag that the carrier cannot fix/replace, then for another $50 I can replace it myself.

We chose Briggs and Riley for my husband, who travels frequently on business, because they were, at that time, the only company that guaranteed their luggage against airline damage. Our luggage rarely gets damaged in the trunk of our car, so that seemed important to us.

Tumi is a great brand and I have a Hartmann-- the black new ones. I think the old cloth ones are not as durable.

from consumer reports--Three excellent travel companions


We tested three large, soft-sided, wheeled suitcases introduced too late for our December 1998 report. All were at least on a par with the best of those we'd previously run through our tumbler and panel tests. The Tumi Wheel-A-Way 2245 and the Hartmann Intensity Expandable Mobile Traveller 318, $625 each, cost considerably more than the other tested models. But their large capacity and useful features (multiple pockets, a garment carrier, an adjustable pull handle) might appeal to a frequent traveler. The Samsonite 700-Series Silhouette 6, $420, is somewhat less durable than the other two, but it was much easier to pull than any other model we tested. All three open like a book, which is more convenient than a "U-shaped" opening. More details are below. Prices listed are suggested retail; you can often find heavily discounted bags.

Other top-rated suitcases from December to consider: The Andiamo Valoroso VJ25, $520, is as durable as the new Hartmann but short on features. The Impuls Targa 3692-26, $230, and the Pathfinder by Paragon 8002-B, $190, have lots of features and are well-constructed. Among these, the lightweight Pathfinder is less durable but somewhat easier to use

We have four pieces of travelpro. I love it. Shop e-bay, and you can save a lot of money on luggage. We were in South America for a month, and it is none worse for wear.

I purchased a Tumi wardrobe case 7 years ago for my honeymoon. I've traveled extensively with it since then and it's held up well over the years. I believe it carries a lifetime warranty but I've had no problems with it so haven't checked. I also own several Samsonite and Delsey pieces and with the exception of one hardcase something has always broken or failed after a few years. The Tumi so far has been a great investment.

I have a huge set of Pathfinder luggage that I bought 4 years ago and it has performed very well.

My husband has a traveling job and we vacation frequently, so we're usually unpacking just to repack and head back to the airport. This set has been very heavily used and I'm so glad we got it.

It has a few scuffs and the name label has been partially ripped off one, but other than that they are doing fine.

We've been using Lands End luggage for the last fifteen years or so and it's holding up great. It's reasonably priced and great quality.

When I used to travel A LOT for work and by a lot I mean about 70% I tried everything. I finally just started ordering a new set from the travel store of the cheapest luggage I could find each year. Now that I mainly travel for pleasure I've become a Tumi fan. I also have had good luck with Pathfinder which might be owned by Tumi??? Its hard to keep track, most of them are the same manufacturer with a different logo. I also will NEVER buy black luggage again! Do you how much black luggage comes off the baggage return, very easily confused with the masses! :)

Jon Eric, couldn't agree with you more about BLACK luggage!

I'm going to provide the dissenting opinion here. I swear by Ricardo of Beverly Hills (what a tacky brand, huh?). I try to buy them at the discount stores like Marshall's. RBH make one particular style that is designed with a "floating divider" -- 2 compartments, one for hanging clothes if you want. I don't know why, but I can get more stuff into these bags than should be possible according to the laws of physics. Mine have held up quite well over many years and much travel.

I am reluctant to invest in Tumi or another expensive brand because I know that as soon as I do there will be some revolutionary development in luggage that I will crave. (Can you tell I'm a luggage nut?)

Seems to me that one of the best-made bags out there right now is the new Victorinox bags... They have a lifetime warranty. They are fairly pricey, so I haven't tried them yet, but they are also very light and ergonomic...

i just saw a consumers show that tested luggage and ballistic nylon is the most durable. They also suggested wheels that are inside the bottom as opposed to outside and a locking handle, and buying a bag in the 5-6 lb range.

I swear by my Samsonites. Lots of business and international travel over the last 4 years and it looks brand new. If I were doing it again, I would also look for pleated pockets like mine have. I would also buy a roller version in both a 22" and a toiletries bag size, the smaller being great for short business trips and more polite to carry on than the 22".

We've been using 22" rollers bought from Costco for the last several years. Cost was $100.00. So far they have held up very well to airlines and coble stones both.