# Questions on new carry on luggage.



## justonemore (Jul 2, 2009)

About every 2 years I seem to find myself replacing luggage and I am in the current position of trying to find a decent carry-on "suitcase". My main two problems in the past have been wheels wearing out and the long handles used for pulling, breaking. I have always gotten luggage with a "cloth" body and have never tried any of the new plastics/polymers ( I've never had a problem with the cloth body itself wearing out and have been a bit weary of anything resembling plastic).

So..

What are your expériences with the polymer suitcases?

Do the polymer cases keep items from getting crushed? As a carry on I'm not likely to have anything stacked on top of the suitcase but I suppose greater protection of contents would be a big plus.

Are polymers supposed to be longer lasting? If the wheels are only going to last 2 years, does it matter if the body lasts 20?

The cloth model I looked at was actually a bit lighter so Weight isn't really the advantage for polymer in this case.

Any experices with double roller luggage wheels over the usual single Wheel? Advantage? Disadvantage?

Both models are from Samsonite, they are both priced "clearance items" within $40 of each other, I wouldn't mind having to use either one for a couple years.

Cloth in Black and Red. Lightweight at 2.1 kilos. Outside Pocket is handy for carry on luggage (books, documentation, etc). Rather plain looking but luggage is an area where function is prefered over form(although it's nice when the 2 can come together):

https://imageshack.com/i/idEH8M2vj

Polymer in Silver. No outside Pocket. A bit Heavier at 2.9Kilos. A bit sleeker looking. The double wheels are an unknown risk:

https://imageshack.com/i/p1JrXal9j

Side by side...Note the wheels. The red has the normal single Wheel while the silver has the double roller...

https://imageshack.com/i/f0vP4CxBj

Oh.. Does anyone have experience with National Geographic luggage? The few reviews I've found seem to say it's ok. Although I prefer she get something like shown above, my daughter is just dying for this thing (Ah the differences between a 6 y.o girl and a 40 yo man ). The bag alone is 3.2 kilos

https://imageshack.com/i/iq5GcsYtj

Thanks in advance.


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## Il Signor Crispone (Jul 18, 2014)

We've got two Samsonite cases - a normal large hold case and huge hold case - both in the hard plastic. They're fantastic.

Hideous of course, but the fact that they come in an unappealing grey is a bonus really, because they don't look bashed.

Very lightweight, very sturdy, really stop your stuff from getting squashed. I don't know about the models you're considering, but my experience of Samsonite has been excellent.


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## MaxBuck (Apr 4, 2013)

Briggs & Riley and Tumi typically get the best reviews; B&R has a lifetime warranty. My wife and I have a couple of Tumi carry-ons, one fabric and one polymer; both look brand-new after 5 years of use. Their retail cost was over $200 each, but of course my wife found them for far less. If I ever buy more luggage for myself it will be Briggs & Riley.

I myself typically use a cheap Ricardo fabric carry-on that I got at Costco for $49 about 7 years ago. It has been pretty beaten up, but has a great assortment of pockets and cubby-holes that make it ideal for a weekend trip.

I see you're looking at spinner bags (four wheeled rather than two). I prefer the two-wheeled variety of bag because they offer more storage space, plus I find the spinners to be unwieldy. But I know other folks like the spinners.


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## justonemore (Jul 2, 2009)

MaxBuck said:


> I see you're looking at spinner bags (four wheeled rather than two). I prefer the two-wheeled variety of bag because they offer more storage space, plus I find the spinners to be unwieldy. But I know other folks like the spinners.
> 
> I myself typically use a cheap Ricardo fabric carry-on that I got at Costco for $49 about 7 years ago. It has been pretty beaten up, but has a great assortment of pockets and cubby-holes that make it ideal for a weekend trip.


What I like about spinners is that if need be, I can handle 4 of them at once through airports, on sidewalks, Streets, etc. As I live in (and visit) hilly areas, I can't say that I find having to lay down the luggage (to insure it doesn't run away) all that convenient.

While I can undersatnd the space isssue a bit, I can fit up to a week's Worth of clothes and a pair of shoes into a spinner without needing the extra 2 inches in length (all of my bags have been expandable in width [which reminds me of another reason not to buy the plastic] ). I have to admit that even with the smaller space of the spinner, my problem is more as to keeping it within weight limits. That's why I mentioned bag weight and not the bag dimensions. When you're only allowed 20 kilos, every kilo counts.

Funny you mention Ricardo. It's the same brand we picked up in a San Diego Macy's last October. If memory serves correct, they were no where near $49. We've only used them for 2.5 trips at the moment but no complaints so far.


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## kostas (Jul 9, 2014)

I've been using a hard-side samsonite carry-on with a single set of wheels for more than two years now (about 20 trips). I have even dropped it down a staircase and it survived with just a few scratches. So I'm totally satisfied with it. I've also used once a carry-on with two sets of wheels which was easier to carry around when full but somewhat tricky to maneuver (at least for me!), also you have to hold it when standing in a bus so it doesn't move around. Generally, I'm used to the single set of wheels so I can't really tell you if you should choose the double. What I miss in comparison to a soft-side carry-on is that it has no outer pockets. All things considered, I'm happy with it and will consider changing it only after it has been damaged and cannot be used. If I were to choose a carry-on right now I'd probably opt for a soft-side.


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## racinglikeapro (Jul 27, 2014)

I travel every week for work, 2-4 flights a week. For the first 3 years I used a soft sided Samsonite spinner I got for around $50 at a Marshall's

Pros:
Cheap
Nothing broke
Held a ton for its size

Cons:
Spinner wheels are pretty useless on anything but smooth surfaces. Near the end I was rolling it on two wheels more than one as I was fighting it more to roll on 4 and caused wrist pain

Recommendation: If this for the occasional trip you should be fine with either. I'd go with the red as I don't like the clamshell designs and external pockets are useful. Id look at Macy's or Dillard's as well as they have some decent pieces from TravelPro, Samsonite and Delsey that while more expensive are more functional and better quality. Go two wheels instead of four for a carry on. And always store your smaller personal item in the seat in front of you 

In the end I retired my old Samsonite for a Tumi Alpha 2 international carry on. Overkill for most on quality and price but I use it every day. I liked the finish and appearance of Tumi over Briggs & Riley.


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## Anon 18th Cent. (Oct 27, 2008)

Hartmann


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## Bjorn (May 2, 2010)

Rimowa poly cases are really good. Locks and wheels and zippers included. Good prices at German online stores.


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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

"Carry on Luggage" sounds like a comedy film set in an airport.....


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

The past few trips including international I've used a Ricardo poly spinner. Inexpensive from Costco and it's worked great. The poly is actually flexible and fits in the overhead fine.

And I like the spinner part. It goes down airplane aisles sideways.

You might look at the How To Buy Luggage article linked from the Home Page in the Travel Section of articles under "Lifestyle".


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## pleasehelp (Sep 8, 2005)

Are you replacing your luggage out of a desire for new luggage or because it breaks? If the former, I'd suggest Tumi products with a lifetime warranty.

I have a pretty broad variety of luggage. For a carry-on, I actually prefer something with no wheels because I can walk faster by carrying it. For something that I check, I prefer something with four wheels because it's easier to use.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^+1.

Tumi bags do not disappoint,,,at least they have never failed me! However, having said that, I must admit a penchant for classic leather luggage and a Colonel Littleton No #1 Grip is my go to carry-on of choice.


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## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

I had a hernia, requiring surgery, a couple of years ago. Obviously, in my line of work I have to carry books etc around with me a lot, so I invested in a wheeled briefcase, buying one by Samsonite, thinking that it would be able to stand up to regular usage. It not only didn't stand up to frequent usage, lasting less than 6 months, but also couldn't be repaired, except by Samsonite themselves, and then at a price that was close to the cost of a new bag. I binned it and bought a wheeled briefcase/laptop case by Victorinox instead, which I've used every day for work for the past two years without any problems.


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## style417 (Jun 28, 2014)

eagle2250 said:


> I must admit a penchant for classic leather luggage and a Colonel Littleton No #1 Grip is my go to carry-on of choice.


Thanks for a pointer to that site. Most business trips these days are a week or less for me, so I'm embarassed to say I usually use a gym bag I got from one of the startups I worked for. With the number of tiny "lawn dart" airplanes I seem to end up on, it fits everywhere nicely. I will have to look at these as I do like my leather luggage too.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^You are quite welcome and good luck with the hunt! :thumbs-up:


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## Allen Dreadmon (Nov 8, 2014)

I have been using a polycarbonate Swiss Gear Wegner suitcase. It's fairly rugged and looks clean and modern. I personally would not go for a soft case, especially after a video leaked this year showing Air Canada employees just dropping cases into a bin below the plane!

Here is the video:


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