Help me find the perfect suitcases.
June 23, 2010 12:14 PM Subscribe
Looking for the best, sturdiest, most maneuverable ultra lightweight suitcase that can survive a summer of hard travel.
We need the sturdiest, lightest weight suitcases that can withstand overseas travel, a lot of wheeling and bashing. They'll have to withstand planes, trains and automobiles. Our current suitcases are heavy before anything has been packed, and the wheels haven't held up. The wheels are a particular problem, because the person in question can't pick them up and carry them. We're looking for one large and one carry on.
We need the sturdiest, lightest weight suitcases that can withstand overseas travel, a lot of wheeling and bashing. They'll have to withstand planes, trains and automobiles. Our current suitcases are heavy before anything has been packed, and the wheels haven't held up. The wheels are a particular problem, because the person in question can't pick them up and carry them. We're looking for one large and one carry on.
I travel quite a bit both domestically and internationally for work and love my Travel Pro rollerboard. I think it's the 28" one here. I've had it over 4 years now and it's still like new.
We were at a store a while ago shopping for a new one for my wife and the sales associate told us that the 26" bags were ok for domestic overhead lockers and the 28" bags for international. That's nonsense in my experience. If the lockers are big enough for the bag to go in wheels first then 28" fits just as well as a 26" on all flights.
I have big cases but rarely use them and therefore have no experience to offer.
posted by NailsTheCat at 12:28 PM on June 23, 2010
We were at a store a while ago shopping for a new one for my wife and the sales associate told us that the 26" bags were ok for domestic overhead lockers and the 28" bags for international. That's nonsense in my experience. If the lockers are big enough for the bag to go in wheels first then 28" fits just as well as a 26" on all flights.
I have big cases but rarely use them and therefore have no experience to offer.
posted by NailsTheCat at 12:28 PM on June 23, 2010
Consumer Reports a year ago or so ranked the Delsey Helium Fusion carry-on its best buy. They had others that were much more expensive and performed better. So, you might check CR.
posted by bluedaisy at 12:41 PM on June 23, 2010
posted by bluedaisy at 12:41 PM on June 23, 2010
NailsTheCat, are you sure yours is a 28" model? Most airlines (at least US airlines) only allow bags that are 22" at their longest dimension as a carry-on bag. However, I do agree that Travelpro bags are very sturdy and hold up to a lot of abuse.
To the OP, I love my Briggs & Riley rolling bags. They're pretty lightweight to start with and are very durable. I had one that I used for business travel for 4 years and I flew an average of 150,000 miles a year, plus train and car travel, and then passed it on to a friend who now uses it for the same type of travel when I got a different model. It still looks like new and the wheels are in great shape.
posted by bedhead at 12:43 PM on June 23, 2010 [1 favorite]
To the OP, I love my Briggs & Riley rolling bags. They're pretty lightweight to start with and are very durable. I had one that I used for business travel for 4 years and I flew an average of 150,000 miles a year, plus train and car travel, and then passed it on to a friend who now uses it for the same type of travel when I got a different model. It still looks like new and the wheels are in great shape.
posted by bedhead at 12:43 PM on June 23, 2010 [1 favorite]
REI Wheelybeast. I have a pair that have been around the world with me. They're durable and hold incredible amounts of stuff. It's a duffel so it's not padded but I've learned to pack breakable items padded in clothing. The straps on top allow for scaling (you can cinch the straps down if you don't fill the bag). They're definitely not carry-on capable, but they're great.
posted by JV at 12:58 PM on June 23, 2010
posted by JV at 12:58 PM on June 23, 2010
Seconding that Tom Bihn bags are tough as nails. I use the Aeronaut plus a smaller shoulder bag for all of my longer-term travel (I'm a one-bag kind of girl.)
He just redesigned the Western Flyer with a sleeve so that it can slide onto the handle of wheeled luggage -- I would think that you could get a good, sturdy wheeled luggage carrier and slide it onto that instead.
posted by desuetude at 1:04 PM on June 23, 2010
He just redesigned the Western Flyer with a sleeve so that it can slide onto the handle of wheeled luggage -- I would think that you could get a good, sturdy wheeled luggage carrier and slide it onto that instead.
posted by desuetude at 1:04 PM on June 23, 2010
fuerte cases makes good hardsided cases with a waterproof seal if you want more protection from the elements than a duffel bag will give you.
posted by rmd1023 at 1:46 PM on June 23, 2010
posted by rmd1023 at 1:46 PM on June 23, 2010
I always go for entirely carry-on packing since my conversion to the One Bag way. Consequently, I'm a big Red Oxx fan.
posted by ymendel at 1:49 PM on June 23, 2010
posted by ymendel at 1:49 PM on June 23, 2010
Seconding the Red Oxx recommendation. Wheels just add bulk and weight. Well-packed, your balanced bag will carry perfectly on one shoulder.
posted by piro at 2:00 PM on June 23, 2010
posted by piro at 2:00 PM on June 23, 2010
Response by poster: No, wheels are a must. This traveler cannot carry any weight other than the absolute necessity of getting it off of airport conveyors.The goal is to reduce weight, have a bag that will go on and off trains, especially, with ease. Hard sided cases tend to be heavy - are the fuerte cases ultra lights?
We currently have the Travel Pros, and they are sturdy, but they are not all that light.
posted by clarkstonian at 3:08 PM on June 23, 2010
We currently have the Travel Pros, and they are sturdy, but they are not all that light.
posted by clarkstonian at 3:08 PM on June 23, 2010
I have a Jag brand duffle with wheels which has held up to quite a lot of international travel. I got it because I needed something more flexible than a hard case, because I am not always on/in transport that can take large cases. It has worked pretty well for me and is not too heavy on its own. So consider the wheeled duffle.
Though if you need wheeled carry-on as well, I would either look at a set that will all clip together so only have to wheel one thing on the ground - or significantly reduce your carry-on.
posted by AnnaRat at 4:24 PM on June 23, 2010
Though if you need wheeled carry-on as well, I would either look at a set that will all clip together so only have to wheel one thing on the ground - or significantly reduce your carry-on.
posted by AnnaRat at 4:24 PM on June 23, 2010
bedhead: NailsTheCat, are you sure yours is a 28" model? Most airlines (at least US airlines) only allow bags that are 22" at their longest dimension as a carry-on bag.
NailsTheCat is a known liar. Sorry--I was talking nonsense. I believe the discussion was 20" vs 22", not 26" vs 28". Just measured my bag and it's 22¼" from end to end of the bag part only. Around 24½" if you include the feet and flat part of the handle.
These Travel Pro bags look light however I don't know how robust they are.
posted by NailsTheCat at 4:31 PM on June 23, 2010
NailsTheCat is a known liar. Sorry--I was talking nonsense. I believe the discussion was 20" vs 22", not 26" vs 28". Just measured my bag and it's 22¼" from end to end of the bag part only. Around 24½" if you include the feet and flat part of the handle.
These Travel Pro bags look light however I don't know how robust they are.
posted by NailsTheCat at 4:31 PM on June 23, 2010
Response by poster: A rolling duffel is a great idea. There are several good suggestions here - we'll go check them out. Keep them coming - & thanks.
posted by clarkstonian at 6:50 PM on June 23, 2010
posted by clarkstonian at 6:50 PM on June 23, 2010
I don't own one, but when we were in a Flight 001 store the other day, we were amazed at how light this Rimowa case is (5.3 lbs for a 22"). Bonus, the case has 4 wheel spinners, which allows the suitcase to be pushed alongside the body as well as dragged.
posted by cranberryskies at 2:22 PM on June 24, 2010
posted by cranberryskies at 2:22 PM on June 24, 2010
Response by poster: In the end, we went with a Victorinox suitcase, which traveled many thousands of miles by rail, and looks like new at the end of the ride. It was heavier than what we initially wanted, but it did the job. Thanks everyone!
posted by clarkstonian at 7:12 AM on December 3, 2010
posted by clarkstonian at 7:12 AM on December 3, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Also, I recently got a couple of tote bags from this site -- haven't tried their carry on bags but the tote bags are beautifully engineered and per reviewers are very tough.
posted by bearwife at 12:27 PM on June 23, 2010