What kind of luggage to buy?

[NickD 202]

Never thought this would be a debate about buying new luggage, with 60% and an additional 20% off coupon, yesterday seemed to be the day to get new luggage. We didn't buy anything.

Wife sure liked the Samsonite new Cordoba line. But even with all those discounts, was still over 400 bucks for three pieces, a 22, 25, and a 29". Told her luxury luggage was like driving a luxury car. My idea of a luxury car is a 1982 rusted out Ford pickup with a new engine and drivetrain, and even lots of mud on the tires so you can't tell they are brand new. When you park this thing, other cars will stay far away from fear of contamination, and also give you lots of clearance when driving because people think you don't have liability insurance. Also a cop won't stop you, look so dammed poor, won't be able to pay for a traffic ticket.

But with a new luxury car, everything dang parked car will ram their doors into your baby and is a prime target for shopping carts. The same with luggage, can just see a baggage handler dropping your shiny brand new Cordoba ten feet down off the plane, just for laughs. She also liked those spinners as they call them, four plastic caster wheels on the bottom, said, been there, done that, the very first things to break off.

While in Venezuela, she found more goodies to bring home, found a real nice carton to pack them into, then saw a beat up old carton that was ready for the trash a long time ago, and put that nice box inside of that. The airlines took good care of that box.

While I agreed to buy the Cordobas, she took off to look at shoes, but I read the wrong sales sign and the price was 130 bucks more than I expected, someone moved the sales sign to the wrong location. Told the clerk, better check with my wife first, she said, let's keep on looking. I did pick up a bag for myself, a 28" for twenty bucks, seems study enough, and if they wreck it, who cares, but doesn't have a fancy nametag on it.

Ha, poor girl, spends hours in the shoe store trying to find what she likes at the right price, couldn't find anything. I walk in and find a pair of Dr. Scholls walking shoes approved by the March of Dimes no less with a regular price of 60 bucks marked down to 15 bucks that fit me perfectly in about one minute. So I purchased those, at that price, can wear them for picking up my dog #######. She didn't buy anything.

[HAL 9000 96]

HAL 9000 tries flying carry-on mostly; so he takes a 50-60L backpack on board.

[Ms. Squirrel 11]

Hmm re the suitcase - I did invest around $300 in a large Delsey suitcase (soft) with 4 wheels and I have had it for over 5 years now. It had been on about 30+ with me and it's still in top condition.

Everytime I pick it up from the baggage carousel (after spotting it easily since mine is grey and everyone elses seems to be black), I think it was worth spending the money on it. It's functional, the wheels run smoothly even when the suitcase weighs 70lbs. and it looks fine.

I had cheap suitcases before and usually one wheel falls off or the handle breaks or the zippers pop. It's really worth buying a suitcase a little more expensive, since they last.

Back to the store - now!

[NickD 202]

HAL 9000 tries flying carry-on mostly; so he takes a 50-60L backpack on board.

Ha, I can get by like that, but have to ask the wife, are we just visiting or moving?

[britty 1]

buy cheap = buy twice !!

You can't go wrong with Tumi luggage. Lasts forever. When my brother was visiting here in September, he had a spending spree and had to buy an additional piece of luggage to return home with all his items. He picked up a large Delsey hard case in Macys for $129 - total bargain. My vote is definitely Tumi though.

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

army duffle bags.

[pushbrk 12,882]

My short comment is to skip buying anything bigger than a 25" bag unless you like paying excess baggage xharges or will be carrying a lot of popcorn.

[NickD 202]

army duffel bags.

LOL, recalled those days when everything you owned was packed in that duffel bag, then when you got there, had a heck of a large cleaning bill you had to pay to get all of those uniforms cleaned and pressed for proper inspection, every button had to be buttoned. They let me keep my bag, but gave it away when I got my discharge, never wanted to see that bag again.

We are still shopping, did see some luggage designed for overhead storage, thin and small enough so you can carry it with you. That makes a huge difference in coming back when all the luggage is sent to a central point in any of the airports. A major traffic jam, last time we had to wait over an hour, and that last bag took forever. By that time, the lines were super long, and have to haul all that stuff a half a mile away for reinspection. If just hauling carry on, we could have bypassed that step and walked right on through. With some 300 odd people on a plane, they want to design planes that carry a thousand! What are they thinking?

Another pain in the butt is traveling from sub zero to tropical climates or vice versa, have to bring extra stuff along or either freeze or sweat to death. Still do not know when coming back, why our luggage has to be inspected twice, but it does, and the more you have, the greater a pain in the butt it is.

If I can only convince my wife, we should travel naked, just carrying our passports and a credit card.

[sara..... 371]

we have done a lot of traveling over seas since i was little, we tried the hard luggage and in the end we purchase the luggage that is soft like the stuff tents used to be made of, zipper closing with wheels at one end of the luggage...u would be surprised at what u can fit into one of those kind of the same as a duffel bag but with a zipper.

we tried to use the ones that have a zipper on the top instead of down the front they didn't last but a few trips what we use now we have been using for the last seven years, have never had anything stolen, nothing destroyed, anything that is delicate we hand carry on board and put it storage above us.........

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

If I can only convince my wife, we should travel naked, just carrying our passports and a credit card.

might make the security check faster - no shoes to take off

[DairyFarmer 1]

I fly usually twice a week and I am with Hal I like to take carry on. (I'm a woman and can pack efficiently)

I ended up buying some excellent luggage. Its not the most expensive on the planet, but is very hardy and I think quite stylish. Tripp Chocolate Circle Collection But before that with maybe one major suitcase trip a year I have to admit to hand me downs and Charity Shop bargains

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Shipping container--that's the only way it will have adequate capacity.

[EstebanTrabajos 7]

Cheapest, they way the baggage handlers treat them I wouldn't worry too much on buying something expensive that will get beaten

[Niels Bohr 72]

Hmm...Get a severely discounted luggage. I got the set from Sears for 10 dollars when it was worth 100 dollars originally. Excellent quality.

[Laura+Tom 2]

I have a cheap, bright pink one, that way I don't care if it gets thrown around and I can see it easily at baggage reclaim. I hate pink though.