Cracking the case

January 3, 2023 3:58 AM

I need a new suitcase. Help me narrow down my options?

Firstly:

• I have a budget of around £170, which can be pushed to £200 if the truly perfect case comes along.
• I am in the UK.
• I'll be in London on Monday, so I was thinking of doing my suitcase shopping in person. Is the Samsonite store on Tottenham Court Road good? What about London Luggage by King's Cross? Ideally I'd only want to visit one store.
• (I'm not opposed to buying online if it saves me money, but I'd still like to see and handle suitcases in person first.)

As for my suitcase needs, I've done some research online but there's a lot of different options and just about every suitcase has the one or two negative reviews saying "it broke on the first trip", so I'm hoping to get some first-hand information.

What I'm after:

• Large checked suitcase, 75-77cm size
• 4 wheels
• Hardshell, not fabric
• Super sturdy, nothing that cracks if you look at it wrong (my previous suitcase lasted me 20 years and if it weren't that it's a 2-wheel affair I'd keep using it)
• No heavier than ~5kg, lighter preferred
• Not fussed about interior compartments, it can be just one big space (I have packing cubes), but I'd like at least one pocket I can stick loose items in
• Built-in lock preferred
• Available in colours other than black and dark blue (I would hugely prefer bright blue, but I'll take anything that sticks out sufficiently on a luggage belt and isn't pink)

Even just brand pointers would be great, as I'm not sure what all is good other than Samsonite (my previous suitcase that lasted me 20 years is that brand); specific recommendations would be even better.

posted by sailoreagle to Shopping (7 answers total)

I need a big hardshell four-wheel suitcase soon too, and I'm seriously considering the large version of the Aerolite case (apologies for Amazon link, not sure if luggage stores sell this brand too).

I have their cabin-size case and it's been reliable over a number of trips since 2019.
posted by terretu at 4:32 AM on January 3, 2023

It's worth looking at the brand Travelpro.
posted by brainwane at 4:53 AM on January 3, 2023

Best answer: I think the best place for in-person shopping would be John Lewis on Oxford Street where you'll be able to see the Samsonite cases amongst others. Note that the website doesn't match the in-store inventory: some items available in-store aren't listed.
posted by boudicca at 6:09 AM on January 3, 2023

Yeah, I got my current large case from John Lewis. You'll be able to compare a lot of different brands there, and they're having a sale right now.

Search results for large suitcases
posted by Pallas Athena at 6:49 AM on January 3, 2023

As for color, you can buy stretch suitcase covers in a myriad of colors, patterns, even custom photos.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 6:54 AM on January 3, 2023

I bought a Tripp "Holiday 6" suitcase in an emergency and I've been really pleased with how well it has held up over many trips between the US and mainland Europe. It's very lightweight and is available in several bright colors. I don't remember the name of the store where I bought it, but it was a department store in Edinburgh, so I imagine the brand is available at major UK retailers.
posted by neushoorn at 8:14 AM on January 3, 2023

I too was a longtime Samsonite fan, and it's true that they are bulletproof against even the most punishing luggage handling. However, they are very heavy compared to modern luggage. I like your idea of going in person, it's important to get hands on with luggage. I was very happy with the large suitcase we got at Polish discount store Primark (in Berlin, but they have London locations). The polycarbonate exterior is a bit flexible compared to a true hardside, but it's so much lighter, even with 4 wheels, a generous telescoping handle, and the ability to expand if needed. We got one like this, which is in stock at Oxford Street West. We used the entire contents to successfully transfer a whole bunch of fragile Christmas decorations on an international flight and the only thing that broke was a snowglobe against its own box. My big hint for buying luggage is to always check the zippers. Zippers are the easiest thing to cheap out on because they always work fine at first. You want a heavy duty zipper, preferably YKK. But our cheap Primark case has held up well on several trips since, despite the very low price. Worth taking a flier, in my opinion.
posted by wnissen at 12:01 PM on January 3, 2023