We are replacing some of our 20+ and 30+ yr old luggage.
We want to get some quality stuff but don't feel we need the very very top of the line. What do you use?
We're kinda leaning towards 1 piece of the Samsonite with the spinning wheels. It's 4 wheeled and they all spin so you can turn it any way you want. The other pieces don't have to be that.
I have Samsonite that I bought several years ago and it is still going strong. The 4 wheel style is nice.
A few thoughts.
I bought a Lady Samsonite set (beautiful silver-gray color) and now that it has flown several times, it looks awful! Buy something dark. The conveyer belt leaves black marks, and sometimes oil stains on your luggage. Lighter colors aren't a good idea.
I used to have a "tapestry" style set. The fabric gets snagged easily, so I would also avoid anything with a loose weave - even if it is pretty.
With the 50 lb. weight limits for virtually all airlines now, don't get a bag so big that you can't fill it and keep it under the limit.
If you need more than one piece (carry-on and checked piece), sets are usually less expensive than purchasing the bags individually. I have found some good sales at ebags and a few other places online. Shop around - prices vary widely from store to store.
Oh, one last thought - American Tourister is owned by Samsonite now, so they are usually similar in style with a slightly lower price tag (fewer frills in their bags).
Our last luggage purchase was last summer. We got a set at Target for less than $150 and it has One large, one medium, and one smaller piece as well as a few carry on pieces. It's heavy canvas in black and is quite sturdy. It also has the 4 wheels on the larger pieces--I agree those are great! All in all I think there were 11 or 12 pieces, some of which I didn't particularly want or need, but at the price I couldn't pass it up.
My recommendation is to get something in a bright, unique color. Don't get black. Also, I see a lot red on the baggage claim these days, so I wouldn't get that either (I have red now and I regret it). Go for pink or purple or bright blue. The less your bags looks like everyone else's, the less likely someone else is to take it by mistake (I've definitely had this happen more than once with black luggage). Also bright colors are easier for the baggage people to find if it gets delayed or mis-routed. I used to have a bright blue suitcase and 1) no one but me ever picked it up off the carousel and 2) when the airline lost it (happened more times than I can count), and I would describe it to the baggage service, they almost always knew exactly which suitcase was mine just by the description. Even if you don't plan on checking luggage, sometimes you have to (e.g., you're the last one on the plane and the overhead bin is full), so think about how you will recongnize the bags on the carousel.
Make sure the wheels are too small and it has a wide-wheel base, so that it won't tip over. Pull it around the store to see how stable it is. Attach a second suitcase to it and pull it around. Make sure you take it around a few corners.
If you can, avoid handles where you have push a release to pull the handle out or push it in. Those devices break and then you end up with a handle stuck out or in.
If you can, get one where the strap used to attached other suitcases to it is long enough that the attached suitcase sits on the floor when it is standing upright. Otherwise the thing will tip over anytime you let it go.
If it has a outer front pocket, make sure that pocket expands outward. Otherwise, anything you put in that pocket just takes space inside the suitcase, making the out pocket not that useful.
I also like the suitcases that have a zipper that allows it to expand an inch or two. It seems like I always have more stuff on the way home, so I pack for my departure with that zipper closed and I know I have a little extra room if I need it coming home (and I definitely need it sometimes).
Cheap is probably okay if you don't travel very much. Right now I have a cheap set that came from Kohl's. I got it two years and ago I've probably taken somewhere around 14 trips in that period. It's starting to look pretty beat up and has taken some damage (the release for the handle on one suitcase no longer works and the clip on the luggage strap disappeared off another), but it's still functional. If I only traveled a couple of times a year, the set would still be in great shape.
If you plan on carrying your suitcase on, get one that fits into the overhead bin with the wheels pointing to the outside of the plane (rather than one that has to fit in longways). You'll need less room for it and will be less likely to have to gate-check on crowded flights.
I have to say, I've been traveling for work for well over ten years and, during some periods, was taking two or three trips a month, and I've always just had two-wheeled suitcases and never felt like four wheels where necessary. So long as the wheel base is wide enough and the wheels themselves aren't wimpy, I've found two-wheeled suitcases to be very maneuverable.
Delsey lugage is the best I've used. I believe my collection is the Helium 250GX (google "Delsey luggage" and view the various lines). It is superior in strength, as the fabric is Teflon-coated Nylon, well-built, and exceptionally light -- my travel companions can never get over it.
I got my set on sale at Macy's (maybe $300 for the largest bag and $200 for the smaller, although I have no recollection) two years ago, and they have continued to carry the same line so I've been able to supplement my original pieces. These bags take a beating and never, ever look like they've even been used. I truly believe it is the only luggage I will ever own.
Frequent Fliers and luggage. What do you have?
Don't get the big one,when it is full it exceeds the weight limit.
