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Luggage (1 Viewer)

Check the warranty - some fake-nice brands exclude zippers and wheels, which is everything that breaks.  Some lesser brands like ebags have full warranties - I was doing some pretty brutal work travel involving loading onto container ships and used an ebags warranty a couple of times after destroying a couple of Samsonite bags with fake warranties.

 
I had an Away for about a month. My job changed and I stopped travelling so I returned it under their 100 day no questions asked return policy. They even let me keep the battery. Was a very nice suitcase, but IMO hard to justify the expense of it unless you travel A LOT

 
I generally run an old Wenger "Swiss Army" Carry on size, 2-wheeled bag (rollerblade wheels). I think I paid $45 at TJ Maxx. I've had it for nearly a decade... all over North America, Europe, South America, Central America.

I've joked about trying to kill it to buy another bag.  I've wheeled it aggressively down staircases... packed it overfull (even with the zippable-expansion)... slung it around by the extended handle while full.... It's light but somehow it's bombproof. I've had to take hair trimmers to clean up frayed edges and wash it by hand... but it's essentially in like-new condition, functionally. 

I use an Osprey Porter 46 backpack for situations where I want a carry-on sized backpack... ie: lot of walking/travel between stops on surfaces where roller bags suck. If I'm going to warm weather for a week or two... or colder weather for a week. This is my bag. 

On longer trips I combine the two. I could pack for 6 months in the Osprey/Wenger. 

My thoughts on bags: 

1) Wheels: I like two wheeled bags, preferably with replaceable rollerblade style wheels. 4 wheel spinner style  rollers SUCK on any uneven surface. They roll like less efficiently when tilted. Unless 90% of your wheeling is done on perfectly smooth airport floors, you're better off with a quality 2 wheel bag.

One selling point for spinner bags is they stand on their own... but good 2 wheel bags do too. Spinner style wheels tend to be more prone to damage and/or getting hung up on stuff.  

2) Internal Space: I dislike bags with ####loads of segmentation of internal compartments. At that point I'm having to adapt my packing to fit the bag's design. If you're always going to the same place and packing the same things... and those internal shelves and such work for you... Great. Me... Let me use Packing cubes to customize the internals of my bag to my needs. Give me a blank slate to work with. 

3) Packing Cubes: Yes. So much yes. You can access items without having to be cautious to not have to fully repack the bag anytime you need something.  YOu can compress items. You can organize (shirts in one cube, pants in another, underwear/socks in another). Mid trip you can break out dirty/clean clothes. You can easily transfer cubes to dressers without fully unpacking, etc. Nominal added weight and volume, but way more flexibility. 

Regarding brands... Have heard good things about Away. If I didn't ####### love my suitcase so much, I'd jump on this promo as a Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholder. I agree with shunning other more expensive brands in favor of Away. Not due to personal experience... but due to reputation. 

 
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I only do overnighters or at most, 2-nighters, so I have this guy that I carry on along with my Patagonia backpack that carries my work folder, laptop, iPad and headphones.

The bag has a bottom compartment that JUST fits my work boots.  The top portion is more than big enough for a pair of pants, undergarments, shirts, sleep clothing and toiletry bag.

I've given thought to investing in carry-on "luggage" with the fancy rollers and hard shell...... but my current travel needs don't push me there quite yet.

That said... :blackdot:  just in case.

 
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I treat luggage like sunglasses....buy and replace every couple years or when it gets lost/dirty.

Pick up a $90 or so piece from TJ Maxx/Marshall's and go from there. 

Also, try to get one that's easily recognized on the baggage claim belt.

 
gianmarco said:
Reviews seem to be pretty solid.

I just picked up the folding shelves based on this since I already have luggage and used it for the first time this weekend. It's fantastic.
Click to expand...
Which folding shelves did you get?

 
Tick said:
Also, https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/travel/luggage/ is a good guide.  They seem to be settling on Travelpro brand, and mention the warranty.
Click to expand...


We have a set of Travel Pro.  They're probably 7-8 years old at this point and we've beat the crap out of them on family vacations and some work travel for both myself and the Mrs., but they're really nice and holding up well.  Amazingly light suitcase and the Magnatrac wheels are fantastic.

 
[icon] said:
Packing. Cubes. 
Click to expand...
Used. Them.

I have a set of packing cubes.  Yes, they are good.

The hanging travel organizer is better, IMO.  Organized in one spot, easier/faster to pack and just take out and actually see everything I have.  Easier to compress. 

 
gianmarco said:
Can you get 2 of these?
Click to expand...
The wheels alone are a non-starter on that. You're giving up 3" of length with no capacity. How's it roll on Gravel / Uneven stone or cobblestones? 

Can the wheels be replaced if they break or do you have to ship the entire suitcase in for warranty? Do they pay shipping both ways? What's the turnaround time / how long am I without my bag. 

I've seen bags with telescoping internals before and they always came off cheap. These guys may have figured it out but I'm more of a KISS guy when it comes to luggage. Glad it's working for you though :thumbup:  

 
[icon] said:
The wheels alone are a non-starter on that. You're giving up 3" of length with no capacity. How's it roll on Gravel / Uneven stone or cobblestones? 

Can the wheels be replaced if they break or do you have to ship the entire suitcase in for warranty? Do they pay shipping both ways? What's the turnaround time / how long am I without my bag. 

I've seen bags with telescoping internals before and they always came off cheap. These guys may have figured it out but I'm more of a KISS guy when it comes to luggage. Glad it's working for you though :thumbup:  
Click to expand...
FWIW, I didn't get that luggage. I have a regular carry on and I picked up the compressible organizer that I linked.  

I was just pointing out that packing cubes aren't the only way to go. Your points about the luggage itself are valid, although personally I still prefer 4 wheels to 2, but that's just preference. 

 
pmedina said:
Runs about $700 for a carryon and checked bag combo. Agree great reviews, but about $300 more than the away brand combo. 
Click to expand...
I find over and over that Wirecutter knows what they're doing - I'll get their budget option for some things when they mention one, but if it's something I'm going to use for a long time, their first choice has been worth the money pretty much every time.

 
IMO Away makes really good stuff.  I got in on them in a credit card deal and now hooked.  I have a Briggs/Riley garment carry on that I will carry for short trips just for the form factor if not checking, but checking it's away and I leave the B/R behind.  

Also have a zillion packing cubes and some suck down bags for laundry and wet stuff.

 
Update:

I went with a 25" Travelpro Elite for my work trips > 3 days  https://travelpro.com/products/platinum®-elite-25-expandable-spinner?variant=19631913959522.

First trip today with the bag, and first impressions packing it are fantastic.  Fit 4 pairs of size 13 shoes; two suits, and a variety of other work/gym clothes..Paired it with packing bags/cubes and it is the most organized I've been pretrip!

Pricey, paid $330; work sent me a wellness bonus Visa card for $500 so I decided to splurge and use it for the bag.  

Thanks all!

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Great thread. 

I'm with eoMMan   As irritated as I get with the wheels on my luggage going bad (that always seems to be what does me in), I would have an extremely hard time spending the $$$ on these supposedly high quality bags and hope that there's some kind of difference.  Actually, no way I'm spending that kind of money on luggage.

 
Got an Away suitcase for Christmas a few years ago.  I would recommend it.  It's held up through a lot of work travel.  The carry-on size is also perfect to fit into the little box gate attendants will make you put your bag into to check the size (especially the low-cost carriers in Europe that are sticklers).

 
I use an Eagle Creek backpack that's since been discontinued. It's huge, can fit a weeks worth of clothes easily. Use packing cubes for organization and have no issues. Only knock I have is there is a section for your computer and electronic stuff. When the bag is fully loaded, you got no room for the computer stuff you need but I usually figure out a way to make it work. I hate to check bags.

 
pmedina said:
Update:

I went with a 25" Travelpro Elite for my work trips > 3 days  https://travelpro.com/products/platinum®-elite-25-expandable-spinner?variant=19631913959522.

First trip today with the bag, and first impressions packing it are fantastic.  Fit 4 pairs of size 13 shoes; two suits, and a variety of other work/gym clothes..Paired it with packing bags/cubes and it is the most organized I've been pretrip!

Pricey, paid $330; work sent me a wellness bonus Visa card for $500 so I decided to splurge and use it for the bag.  

Thanks all!
Click to expand...


Holy crap, $330 for a suitcase?  I would never do that even with work sending me a $500 Visa card. I travel a fair amount and could not see myself committing that much.  

 
Dez89 said:
Great thread. 

I'm with eoMMan   As irritated as I get with the wheels on my luggage going bad (that always seems to be what does me in), I would have an extremely hard time spending the $$$ on these supposedly high quality bags and hope that there's some kind of difference.  Actually, no way I'm spending that kind of money on luggage.
Click to expand...
Ditto.   Kohls cheap Dockers suitcases must be 6+ years old and we've beat the crap out of them - still going strong.

 
[icon] said:
I generally run an old Wenger "Swiss Army" Carry on size, 2-wheeled bag (rollerblade wheels). I think I paid $45 at TJ Maxx. I've had it for nearly a decade... all over North America, Europe, South America, Central America.

I've joked about trying to kill it to buy another bag.  I've wheeled it aggressively down staircases... packed it overfull (even with the zippable-expansion)... slung it around by the extended handle while full.... It's light but somehow it's bombproof. I've had to take hair trimmers to clean up frayed edges and wash it by hand... but it's essentially in like-new condition, functionally. 

I use an Osprey Porter 46 backpack for situations where I want a carry-on sized backpack... ie: lot of walking/travel between stops on surfaces where roller bags suck. If I'm going to warm weather for a week or two... or colder weather for a week. This is my bag. 

On longer trips I combine the two. I could pack for 6 months in the Osprey/Wenger. 

My thoughts on bags: 

1) Wheels: I like two wheeled bags, preferably with replaceable rollerblade style wheels. 4 wheel spinner style  rollers SUCK on any uneven surface. They roll like less efficiently when tilted. Unless 90% of your wheeling is done on perfectly smooth airport floors, you're better off with a quality 2 wheel bag.

One selling point for spinner bags is they stand on their own... but good 2 wheel bags do too. Spinner style wheels tend to be more prone to damage and/or getting hung up on stuff.  

2) Internal Space: I dislike bags with ####loads of segmentation of internal compartments. At that point I'm having to adapt my packing to fit the bag's design. If you're always going to the same place and packing the same things... and those internal shelves and such work for you... Great. Me... Let me use Packing cubes to customize the internals of my bag to my needs. Give me a blank slate to work with. 

3) Packing Cubes: Yes. So much yes. You can access items without having to be cautious to not have to fully repack the bag anytime you need something.  YOu can compress items. You can organize (shirts in one cube, pants in another, underwear/socks in another). Mid trip you can break out dirty/clean clothes. You can easily transfer cubes to dressers without fully unpacking, etc. Nominal added weight and volume, but way more flexibility. 

Regarding brands... Have heard good things about Away. If I didn't ####### love my suitcase so much, I'd jump on this promo as a Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholder. I agree with shunning other more expensive brands in favor of Away. Not due to personal experience... but due to reputation. 
Click to expand...
Ike is dropping knowledge here.

 
I bought a Targus backpack a while back.  I can't remember when I bought it but it's been on a ton of trips as a personal item carrying my laptop and all my travel junk (pens, books, passport, phone(s), cables, cameras, etc.).  I spent $70 on it, which at the time I thought was crazy but it was so nice I had to have it.  Lots of space, great padding, has a convenient little pocket at the top, and the thing that sold me was these smooth zippers.  I carry a bit of weight around in it, and the stitching is finally starting to come out in a couple of spots, but I think it still has quite a bit of life left and I wouldn't hesitate to buy another when the time comes.

My sister bought me a hard-shell suitcase that I used for 2-3 years until it cracked.  I didn't really like it.  I didn't like the fact that I had to figure out how to pack two sides separately, and then once I had it opened up on a floor somewhere it was a pain to move (can't just close the lid).  Soft-sided is the way to go IMO.

 
I just bought Away carryons for the whole family in the hopes that travel is here to stay. They are awesome. I put the charger in one and got 1 with a pocket.  We’ll get a week at the beach in these 4 carryons.  Can’t wait. 3 weeks now…
 

 
nirad3 said:
Holy crap, $330 for a suitcase?  I would never do that even with work sending me a $500 Visa card. I travel a fair amount and could not see myself committing that much.  
Click to expand...
I certainly was hesitant; hopefully the quality is worth it 🤞. 

 
Whyatt said:
I bought a Travelpro suitcase and garment bag last summer. The quality is big step up from my previous garbage. Previously, I didn’t think it mattered much but I really could tell the difference at the airport.
Click to expand...
Yuppers, my friend.  TravelPro is what the pilots and flight attendants all use.  And it's what my son and oldest daughter use.  It can definitely take abuse!  

 
Last edited by a moderator:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...bxBCD3JIKPa8QIZxtKWYUjD6ElZ-c/htmlview?pli=1#

Came across this google doc for carry-on backpacks while searching for a new carry-on travel bag / backpack. Anyone own any of these or have a good suggestion? I want a new do-all, carry-on / personal bag that can fit a few days of clothes and a laptop and also go under the seat if need be.
I don't travel a lot for work and won't need to pack suits so I can travel light (comfy business casual clothes and one pair of shoes).
 
beef said:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...bxBCD3JIKPa8QIZxtKWYUjD6ElZ-c/htmlview?pli=1#

Came across this google doc for carry-on backpacks while searching for a new carry-on travel bag / backpack. Anyone own any of these or have a good suggestion? I want a new do-all, carry-on / personal bag that can fit a few days of clothes and a laptop and also go under the seat if need be.
I don't travel a lot for work and won't need to pack suits so I can travel light (comfy business casual clothes and one pair of shoes).
Click to expand...
I have the Cotopaxi Allpa and am happy with it. Handles on all sides, lots of pockets, clamshell design, good zippers, some good accessible sections from the outside. Nice spots to connect carabiners for work boots/hardhat. I have a huge work laptop and it fits - that's pretty rare since most sleeves are too small.

Two downsides: 1. Not its fault, it's the airlines - they'll occasionally make passengers put anything that doesn't have a rollerboard under their feet, which is stupid. 2. No water bottle holder.

Here's a review video if you want to see all the compartments and stuff. I saw it as a Wirecutter choice when I was looking for a one-week work travel bag. I've made about five trips with it and it works well for me. I pair it with a little purse-like thing (It's European!) that I put in the externally accessible pocket with a tablet, pens, batteries, etc. in the seat.
 
Tick said:
beef said:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...bxBCD3JIKPa8QIZxtKWYUjD6ElZ-c/htmlview?pli=1#

Came across this google doc for carry-on backpacks while searching for a new carry-on travel bag / backpack. Anyone own any of these or have a good suggestion? I want a new do-all, carry-on / personal bag that can fit a few days of clothes and a laptop and also go under the seat if need be.
I don't travel a lot for work and won't need to pack suits so I can travel light (comfy business casual clothes and one pair of shoes).
Click to expand...
I have the Cotopaxi Allpa and am happy with it. Handles on all sides, lots of pockets, clamshell design, good zippers, some good accessible sections from the outside. Nice spots to connect carabiners for work boots/hardhat. I have a huge work laptop and it fits - that's pretty rare since most sleeves are too small.

Two downsides: 1. Not its fault, it's the airlines - they'll occasionally make passengers put anything that doesn't have a rollerboard under their feet, which is stupid. 2. No water bottle holder.

Here's a review video if you want to see all the compartments and stuff. I saw it as a Wirecutter choice when I was looking for a one-week work travel bag. I've made about five trips with it and it works well for me. I pair it with a little purse-like thing (It's European!) that I put in the externally accessible pocket with a tablet, pens, batteries, etc. in the seat.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I was thinking of getting a separate "European" bag too! Maybe find one big enough to tote around the laptop in too and keep the backpack at the hotel room. I really don't care if it looks like a purse as long as it's practical.
 
See what flight attendants and pilots use.

For the longest time it was TravelPro. No idea lately (I used to have a neighbor couple who was a pilot and flight attendant).
 
beef said:
Tick said:
beef said:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...bxBCD3JIKPa8QIZxtKWYUjD6ElZ-c/htmlview?pli=1#

Came across this google doc for carry-on backpacks while searching for a new carry-on travel bag / backpack. Anyone own any of these or have a good suggestion? I want a new do-all, carry-on / personal bag that can fit a few days of clothes and a laptop and also go under the seat if need be.
I don't travel a lot for work and won't need to pack suits so I can travel light (comfy business casual clothes and one pair of shoes).
Click to expand...
I have the Cotopaxi Allpa and am happy with it. Handles on all sides, lots of pockets, clamshell design, good zippers, some good accessible sections from the outside. Nice spots to connect carabiners for work boots/hardhat. I have a huge work laptop and it fits - that's pretty rare since most sleeves are too small.

Two downsides: 1. Not its fault, it's the airlines - they'll occasionally make passengers put anything that doesn't have a rollerboard under their feet, which is stupid. 2. No water bottle holder.

Here's a review video if you want to see all the compartments and stuff. I saw it as a Wirecutter choice when I was looking for a one-week work travel bag. I've made about five trips with it and it works well for me. I pair it with a little purse-like thing (It's European!) that I put in the externally accessible pocket with a tablet, pens, batteries, etc. in the seat.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I was thinking of getting a separate "European" bag too! Maybe find one big enough to tote around the laptop in too and keep the backpack at the hotel room. I really don't care if it looks like a purse as long as it's practical.
Click to expand...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094ML7T9M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 - it's nothing special, but it holds a tablet and the rest of the stuff I like to have at my seat. Wouldn't fit a laptop. I wanted something to fit in the external pocket of the Allpa, and it does (a bit tight if I have headphones in there).
 
Tick said:
beef said:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...bxBCD3JIKPa8QIZxtKWYUjD6ElZ-c/htmlview?pli=1#

Came across this google doc for carry-on backpacks while searching for a new carry-on travel bag / backpack. Anyone own any of these or have a good suggestion? I want a new do-all, carry-on / personal bag that can fit a few days of clothes and a laptop and also go under the seat if need be.
I don't travel a lot for work and won't need to pack suits so I can travel light (comfy business casual clothes and one pair of shoes).
Click to expand...
I have the Cotopaxi Allpa and am happy with it. Handles on all sides, lots of pockets, clamshell design, good zippers, some good accessible sections from the outside. Nice spots to connect carabiners for work boots/hardhat. I have a huge work laptop and it fits - that's pretty rare since most sleeves are too small.

Two downsides: 1. Not its fault, it's the airlines - they'll occasionally make passengers put anything that doesn't have a rollerboard under their feet, which is stupid. 2. No water bottle holder.

Here's a review video if you want to see all the compartments and stuff. I saw it as a Wirecutter choice when I was looking for a one-week work travel bag. I've made about five trips with it and it works well for me. I pair it with a little purse-like thing (It's European!) that I put in the externally accessible pocket with a tablet, pens, batteries, etc. in the seat.
Click to expand...
I have a 35L Alpa as well. Works great for 7-10 day trips. For longer trips, I use a Patagonia Black Hole duffel bag. Either way, I have a small over the shoulder bag for phone, tablet, and snacks, which goes under the seat.

Never had an airline disallow the Alpa in overhead storage, and I’m not even sure it can fit under a seat, if fully packed.
 
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