Advice on new luggage

HI everyone

I am looking for some advice on a new luggage set; our old faithful set is in desperate need of an upgrade.

Has anyone got any suggestions on the best sorts of luggage to either consider or avoid.

I am looking to spend a max of £800 for 3cases and 2 hand luggage and would probably like to go for a hard shell cases.

Cheers in anticipation of your advice and assistance on this matter.

Jerseyboy

[/quote]

I have always had great luck with Samsonite hard cases. That said, I no longer use hard cases because I find them difficult to pack away in the boot or under a hotel bed -- they are, by their nature, inflexible and thus less useful to me. I have some Samsonite soft cases that have metal frames so that everything is not just crushed -- I've packed suits, etc., in them and worn them after landing to Gordon Ramsay and looked a right supermodel [:p]

Phillipe Starck makes a very nice range, I believe, for Samsonite that features hard cases IIRC.

GJ
[/quote]

Cheers Naomi[}:)]

[RichardMannion]

With GJ on this one - Samsonite makes great luggage, though I steer clear of the hard sided cases for similiar reasons.

Makes good sense to invest in decent luggage, choose wisely and it will last a very long time. Buy your 3 for a tenner down ASDA and you will soon see why it's a tenner. My main large Samsonsite case I have had for 9 years now and is still serving the purpose (Lady S and I shared the case for the Bitches tour!).

Samsonite do have the Black Label stuff which is pricey, but there is also the Pro DLX range which is extremely good. If I recall most UK factory outlets have Samsonite company stores which offer some good promos/incentives from time to time.

Tumi do some very luxurious luggage too that is fit for purpose, but up on the higher end of the price scale. They have an outlet in Bicester now.

Thanks,
Richard

[Decker]

Tend to buy TravelPro over Samsonite these days. Amex have some good "in country" offers on Samsonite bundles...

I use Travel Pro Crew 5 ..... very practical and very hard wearing.....

mark

[Darren Wheeler]

I go down the practical but discreet line. My main bags are either North Face or Mountain Equipment duffel bags. Although not exactly what you want for a glam trip to Monte Carlo, the will take anything baggage handles have thrown at them. They can be carried or just dragged around. If you want wheels, look at the TNF Rolling Thunder, 140L of bullet-proof, carousel eating underwear hauling.

Originally posted by jerseyboy
I am looking to spend a max of £800 for 3cases and 2 hand luggage and would probably like to go for a hard shell cases.

Any particular reason you need the hard shell cases? With the latest charge-for-any-hold-baggage frenzy going on, it may soon be at a favorite airline near you! [:0] There's just about no way to carry on a hard-sider save the smallest ones.

The lighter hard-shells don't hold up like the old-style ones, and even the lightest hard cases are heavier than a top-of-the-line softsider. If you're packing heavy items, be aware a new hard case might put you at or over the weight limit.

Electronics? Dive gear? Stuff that's fragile and/or can't get wet? With a little more info as to why you need the hard sided cases, we might be more able to help you find ones that are tough, light, and have the best chance of getting your stuff to where you're going in one piece (and hopefully under the dreaded excess baggage fee cutoff).

[img]http://usera.imagecave.com/stoneman/DSC00738.jpg[/img]
Hideo Wakamatsu. Smooth 4 wheel motion, the only way to travel.[:I]

[HighFlyer]

Stoneman, very 'modern man' of you to have such an attractive Pink luggage set ...

Thanks,
Sarah

Originally posted by vs_itsallgood

Originally posted by jerseyboy
I am looking to spend a max of £800 for 3cases and 2 hand luggage and would probably like to go for a hard shell cases.

Any particular reason you need the hard shell cases? With the latest charge-for-any-hold-baggage frenzy going on, it may soon be at a favorite airline near you! [:0] There's just about no way to carry on a hard-sider save the smallest ones.

The lighter hard-shells don't hold up like the old-style ones, and even the lightest hard cases are heavier than a top-of-the-line softsider. If you're packing heavy items, be aware a new hard case might put you at or over the weight limit.

Electronics? Dive gear? Stuff that's fragile and/or can't get wet? With a little more info as to why you need the hard sided cases, we might be more able to help you find ones that are tough, light, and have the best chance of getting your stuff to where you're going in one piece (and hopefully under the dreaded excess baggage fee cutoff).

Cheers Vs,GJ,RM,Mazz,DW & Decker

Some helpful advice gained from you all.

The reason I was looking at hard shell is to stop my wife over packing as she always does, and for general durability. Also any soft cases we have always land up snagged or marked in some way. I donÕt like shabby looking cases so I though a decent hard shell may keep the look for a while longer.

Neither of us bother taking hand luggage on board any more apart from my laptop case which has room enough for everything else I need for the flight and the wifeÕs handbag which always holds 200% of what she needs for the flight.

I have listened to advice on manufacturers and have opted to go for Samsonite and in true fashion before i could say GrinningJackanapes the wife went and got a Sky Wheeler 76cm 4 Wheel Spinning Trolley Case on APRO.

I am not 100% convinced so this choice might change.

Cheers
Jerseyboy

Originally posted by stoneman
[img]http://usera.imagecave.com/stoneman/DSC00738.jpg[/img]
Hideo Wakamatsu. Smooth 4 wheel motion, the only way to travel.[:I]

I want, I want, I want nothing like that following behind me in any Airport ferry terminal or train station in any part of the world. I struggle enough with the afflictions I already have without adding to them.
Cheers
Jerseyboy

[Darren Wheeler]

Nice Luggage

Make a handy step to see more out of the Luxor windows too.

[RichardMannion]

Originally posted by GrinningJackanapes

Originally posted by stoneman
[img]http://usera.imagecave.com/stoneman/DSC00738.jpg[/img]
Hideo Wakamatsu. Smooth 4 wheel motion, the only way to travel.[:I]

Speechless.

GJ

That makes two of us! Actually no come to think of it, Stoneman is that your teenage daughters luggage? They don't call it Lurid pink for nothing.

But then at least no one is going to mistake it for theirs at baggage reclaim!

Smacks hand, sorry I must respect diversity and choice! Nothing wrong with the luggage per se, just the colours are so damn vivid.

Thanks,
Richard

[preiffer]

It's a VERY clever M.O. Richard.

Own luggage that NOBODY would steal - never risk someone walking off with the contents... [:w]

Originally posted by RichardMannion

Originally posted by GrinningJackanapes

Originally posted by stoneman
[img]http://usera.imagecave.com/stoneman/DSC00738.jpg[/img]
Hideo Wakamatsu. Smooth 4 wheel motion, the only way to travel.[:I]

Speechless.

GJ

That makes two of us! Actually no come to think of it, Stoneman is that your teenage daughters luggage? They don't call it Lurid pink for nothing.

But then at least no one is going to mistake it for theirs at baggage reclaim!

Smacks hand, sorry I must respect diversity and choice! Nothing wrong with the luggage per se, just the colours are so damn vivid.

Thanks,
Richard

:D Ok,Ok, I asked for it!! That set belongs to my wife, mine are PURPLE.[:$] Advantages. Very hard and quite lite(large case is 6KG empty) always gets admiring comments from check-in staff, starts the day off nice, and sometimes gets us legroom seats for making their day[y]. 4 wheel independent roll along, never need a trolley, just push.(the Japanese only seem to use this type, from my observations) Easily fits the 32KG allowance in 1 bag. Spotted almost when it comes off the plane, let alone when it hits the baggage claim!! Use TSA straps to make secure.
Very good for my little girl to stand on to look out of the Luxor windows.
Disadvantages
None, not for me anyway, AS THEY ARE NOT WITH ME[}:)][:0]
[:0]

Don't think for a minute Jerseyboy that a hard case will stop your wife from overpacking:D:D. I'm sure you'll be happy with the Samsonite -mine are as good as the day I bought them, but I've also bought a couple of Travelpro cases recently, which admittedly hold more and are much lighter.

Originally posted by DragonLady
Don't think for a minute Jerseyboy that a hard case will stop your wife from overpacking:D:D. I'm sure you'll be happy with the Samsonite -mine are as good as the day I bought them, but I've also bought a couple of Travelpro cases recently, which admittedly hold more and are much lighter.

I Guess the only time I would stop her from over packing is if I tell her it's a 5 night holiday and when we get to the airport admit that itÕs actually 14 night's.[:w]

I have just come back from town with a further 3 Sky Wheeler and a free 450 Series Sahora + ICT Cases and a 10% discount[^][^] so I am chuffed to bitts and looking forward to christening my new case and the wife's 3 in the BalticÕs in July.

Cheers everyone for your hint's, tips and advice.[:X]

Jerseyboy

I'm glad we were able to help, Jerseyboy! As to another matter I've just read on page one...

Originally posted by GrinningJackanapes

Originally posted by vs_itsallgood
[Any particular reason you need the hard shell cases? With the latest charge-for-any-hold-baggage frenzy going on, it may soon be at a favorite airline near you! [:0] If you're packing heavy items, be aware a new hard case might put you at or over the weight limit.

I must say, jersey, I'm with the old girl on this one -- think long and hard about hard.
GJ

[:0]
Old Girl? GJ! I am wounded, wounded, by those words. Do you call SRB old man? He has a few years on me. This is akin to getting a senior discount without asking! My brother is tickled to see me getting one when he's old enough and he knows quite well his younger sister is very well not.

The pair of you are going to make me contemplate going straight to a surgeon and spend at least 2 Uppers for some major work! Ah, the perfidy! I am 39, I say... 39! (Pinocchio, look out, here goes my nose!)

Bad GJ. [V] Bad, bad, bad. [V] I have called your cleaners and ordered your precious suits sent to Russia for maintenance. [}:)]

I've had some excellent hard shell cases for about 7 years now, American Tourister spinners, you never need a trolley. However, I too am looking for alternatives for a couple of reasons:

1. Now BA have introduced a 23kg limit on domestic flights they are probably just too heavy - it matters because I almost always need to make a domestic connection to another flight when travelling VA, and rarely on the same PNR. Cases were about 26kg each for the last 12 day holiday, this was ok because it was in BA's grace period whilst we get used to the changes[V].

2. There are two ways of locking them - combination and latch and key. The TSA say they don't carry keys for these (although they almost identical to some Samsonites for which they do[:(!]). If you follow advice when travelling to the US and don't lock them there is very little keeping your bag together when it takes a "handling" pounding - no zips, etc.

Regards
Pat


Regards
Pat

Even though the purchase has been made, I'll add my 2p worth...

I've been a long term Travelpro fan, I have a 22" and a 26" Crew4, both about 6-7 years old, and blue rather than black, so they stand out a little.

Sure, they are a bit knocked about and look "well used", but they've taken a fair old beating as I often use public transport - so they get dragged up and down streets, on and off metro systems, etc., and the wheels are still good.

I wanted to get a small, 18", Crew4, but by the time I got round to it, they had switched to Crew5, stopped making the 18", and cheapified some of the important elements - i.e. the straps and handles are riveted rather than screw-fastened, making them harder to repair/replace, and the rubber handles have been replaced with metal/plastic ones which break more easily. The wheels seemed poorer quality too.

They are now making the Crew6 which looks cheaper yet again in some respects. The nylon doesn't look half as good quality as on the Crew4.

All the good stuff from the Crew4 which was cut in the Crew5 still seems to be available in a range called FlightCrew - which is for "flight personnel".

As such, FlightCrew doesn't seem to be sold through the usual retailers - I'm guessing that airline employees get them as part of their uniform issue, or through their employee shop - though it seems you can order them through some flight equipment suppliers.

If the Crew4s start to break beyond repair, I'll seriously consider trying to get a FlightCrew2 case before changing supplier.

One of my friends in the US swears by Briggs & Riley.

Mike

Originally posted by mike-smashing
Even though the purchase has been made, I'll add my 2p worth...

They are now making the Crew6 which looks cheaper yet again in some respects. The nylon doesn't look half as good quality as on the Crew4.
Mike

I can second that! I just saw a trashed Crew6 come off the carousel yesterday. Glad to know I wasn't wrong when I looked at the new line - I thought the old quality was lacking. The woman looked apoplectic - it was only the 3rd flight on the bag.

I can personally second the Briggs and Riley recommendation - I've bought them for family members. They have an iron-clad 'no hassle' guarantee: if it breaks, they'll fix it. No matter what. They'll cover anything.

Oh, and as for GJ's heartfelt plea: Yes, you may have your suits back. They've been returned from Siberia. As to the short-range missiles - if you live/work within sight of Bridle Trails, I'm even closer than you think... ixnay on the 'old' bit! I will age gracefully when I da**ed well have to! Until then, fuhgeddaboutit, or build a bomb shelter. [:X]

We bought 4 Delsey cases from Dillards,($200 each) 40% lighter than a normal case, huge capacity and even when full to the brim weigh less than 32kg. (I don't know who was more suprised us or the check-in staff). Check-in thought they were great, 2 Tangerine orange cases and 2 Lime green (and believe it or not, they do compliment one and other). There is no way they can be missed and I think a thief would be to embarresed to steal them.

Karen