Jennifer,
I like my Eagle Creek bags that have traveled with me everywhere over the last ten years. Lightweight, which to me is most important, they are functional and stand up to abuse. They can be $$$, but I found mine at good old TJ Maxx for what I considered a steal. I don't think that I would spend a lot of money on luggage that I check, should anything happen to my EC bags.
I've told my husband that when the time comes to buy new bags, they will be some wacky color that makes them pop out when I am searching for my luggage at the end of a flight!
Happy Travels

I recently bought my first Eagle Creek bag. Love it. It's a carry-on, probably smaller than most, it fits in the overheads on at least some of the small commuter jets.

I travel on lots of weight restricted flights in Central America, and it's nice to have such a light bag to start with.

It also has a life time guarantee.

The very fact that the airlines DON'T treat expensive luggage any differently is why I have always tried to buy high quality durable luggage.

We mainly use Eagle Creek and Briggs + Riley products and in our many trips we have never had a failure, never had a puncture or a tear, etc. with either of these.

I agree that lightweight has advantages as does shopping for things at places like Target.

Unfortunately B+R is rarely, if ever, discounted but I like the peace of mind it brings.

Try...http://www.ebags.com/ Except for hard sided luggage there hasn't been a piece I don't covet.. Our American Tourist pieces have gone all over the world and finally I've decided enough was enough.. We just bought Samsonite with the twirly wheels.. As a "q-tip" it is important for me to have a carry on that I can manage down the aisle.. As for expensive luggage.. it just reeks.. "steal something"..... You will do just as well buying luggage in the outlet stores (where I shopped and saved lots of $$) or Marshals or TJ Maxx

I use Briggs & Riley. It's durable, but is heavy compared to some other brands (at least my approx 8 yrs old pieces are heavier- can't say what the pieces they make today are like).

WE bought Rick Steves 21 inch roll ons for our trip to Europe this summer. So, we haven't used them yet, but I purchased them for the fact they are lightweight and carryon.

I recently asked the same question of a travel expert I know, who has traveled the world with her family several times. Each member of the family has a different brand of 22' rolling bag. My friend said the best of the group is the Victornox bag. We bought two of them for a recent trip to Europe for my children and they held up well. Spouse and I use Hartmann, which I love. But I didn't want to pay Hartmann prices for childrens' luggage. I think I got the kids' bags on sale for $250 each. I believe the Victornox bags have a lifetime guarantee.

Good luck!

WOW.......Thank you all!!! I appreciate it and now I am off to TJ Maxx first and other stores - I can't wait to try each piece :-)

I buy luggage at tjmaxx. my 15 year old $39.99 roller has been all over the world.

Hartman,used for 13 years very durable and easy to clean,would purchase again.

It's not really the brand, although some may be better than others, it comes down to design.

Orcas makes a good point saying that "The latches broke several times as they were not recessed."

Look for a piece that the wheels and the latches are recessed. The handles don't pop up but can lay flat against the bag.

I made the mistake of not looking at the zipper pulls of my bag. They do not make a concentric circle and some of the pulls have pulled off. The zippers are solid though but it's a hassle to open 2 of them. drat!

I love my travel pro platinum bags. My SO had Tumi's but he was a real road warrior..anywhere from 2- 8 "legs" of travel/week. It took over 10 years before he had any problem. He once borrowed a soft bag (? sampsonite) from one of the kids and destroyed it within a year. I think Tumi is well worth the price BUT ONLY if you fly that much and most of us dont.

My husband and i have Victorinox and it is the best luggage we've ever had because it is light, well balanced, holds up, is easy to push/pull/turn corners and has good space organization. We originally bought it because of it's being sturdy but VERY light. It's now been on about 8 trips across the USA and 5 trips to Italy and is still just as good as when it was new except for having a few little dirt spots...mine is red and shows the dirt, my husbands is black and you'd never know it had dirt spots!

I'm partial to Eagle Creek after the experience I posted here:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35107465

~Liz

I bought 2 red Delsey hard-side from Magellan a few years ago. The handles pull up high enough I can rest my arms on them and glide along instead of pulling. They have 4 wheels which will roll any direction. I've had many, many people stop me in the airport and ask where/how I got them. I don't remember what I paid, but they've been worth every penny. I have some bad neck disks so it's important to me that they go so easily--albeit not on carpet or cobblestones.

1. Louis Vuitton
2. Goyard

This luggage will last a lifetime.

Unless you buy it on Canal Street, sweetie darling.

Fake but true,
Thingorjus

Look at overstock.com for great prices on Travel pro. Got a 25" Crew 6 for under $100 a few weeks ago.

Carry on: Eagle Creek Hovercraft 20 or 22. Eagle Creek Tarmac Flight Bags/large or small for totes.

I have two Samsonite 29" Oysters in bright yellow (we affectionately call them the Big Bananas). Not only have they been to Europe 5 times, Hawaii 3 times and across the country; they are a cinch to spot in the sea of black bags with rainbow luggage straps coming off the carousel. I've sat on them waiting for trains and use them as storage when we aren't traveling.

Mine were in a sale from www.ebags.com, so I got both of them for around $100 about ten years ago. Best money I've ever spent. If something happened to them, I'd replace them with the same thing today.

I have two hideously ugly Samsonite Oyster 30 hardside pieces I've had for years. They've been to the UK 5 times, Hawaii twice, and all over the country. I paid $150 for the pair in about 1997 and they've held up like champs. I also got mine from www.ebags.com.

Best part? Several years ago, standing at Heathrow's behemoth luggage claim carousel, I heard the people in front of me who all had black bags picking up one wrong bag after another. When my 'bananas' came through, I heard people saying "Whoo - those are hideous!" etc. Of course, I walked right up, claimed the bananas and gave a cheery "Ta-ra!" on my way out and left them all to figure out which black bag was theirs. :)