He asked who makes good luggage...I answered...
Whether it's right for his application or not, I can't really say.
Who makes good luggage?
- Thread starter Sandwich
- Start date
Whether it's right for his application or not, I can't really say.
It is way more abused by the handlers than the TSA. Ever watched what they do with bags when loading/unloading from plane. Also, you are only one full flight away from having carry-on turned into checked in, and nowadays airlines begin to charge more for carry-on than checked in anyway. Bottom line - fancy bags are fancy, yet still disposable.
I’ve got a 90’s Eagle Creek backpack that held up pretty well. I recently bought a big roller bag, which seems stout. I have a 30L duffel/backpack bag that’s got a bit of a tear forming but it’s not bad. Plus the warranty seems good.
I bought an extra-large Samsonite spinner a few years back to ship some of my dad's belongings back home after he passed. It's burly and tough. I used it a couple of times for North American bike trips before I bought an Evoc bike bag. I could rest the cardboard box on the suitcase and cruise around the airports and most sidewalks and roads no problem.
The problem with it is that because it's so big and burly, it's quite heavy and it eats up a large percentage of the weight allowance. On top of that, because it's so cavernous, it's easy to overfill. I thought we could use it as a family suitcase for my last Euro trip, but realized it was too heavy. The airline doesn't care that you have one piece for four people, that ONE item is too heavy so you must pay.
When I got my Evoc bag, I got a lightweight medium-sized cheapo spinner from some random luggage store in town. It's been on 7-8 trans-Atlantic trips now, and is doing pretty well. I can't overfill it (too much), and it's light weight means I can bring more.
in summary, IMO, inexpensive medium-sized lightweight luggage is the way to go. I don't know if the brand she wants is any good, but maybe take a trip to a luggage store and have a look around. It' doesn't take long to tell the complete crap from the high-end stuff.
The problem with it is that because it's so big and burly, it's quite heavy and it eats up a large percentage of the weight allowance. On top of that, because it's so cavernous, it's easy to overfill. I thought we could use it as a family suitcase for my last Euro trip, but realized it was too heavy. The airline doesn't care that you have one piece for four people, that ONE item is too heavy so you must pay.
When I got my Evoc bag, I got a lightweight medium-sized cheapo spinner from some random luggage store in town. It's been on 7-8 trans-Atlantic trips now, and is doing pretty well. I can't overfill it (too much), and it's light weight means I can bring more.
in summary, IMO, inexpensive medium-sized lightweight luggage is the way to go. I don't know if the brand she wants is any good, but maybe take a trip to a luggage store and have a look around. It' doesn't take long to tell the complete crap from the high-end stuff.
Spinners are what they call the 4-wheelers. Caus' they spin 'round and 'round. Like a Rivian doing tank-turns.
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That Briggs and Riley stuff is expensive but comparing their backpacks to my pretty average Deuter Giga Office there is a night and day difference. The B&R stuff would have probably double the amount of sewing time and way higher material costs. An American Seamster would be getting around $10/h more than a person in the Far East, so to me the backpacks don't seem insanely priced.
There is no way I could justify the cost of one of their larger packs as I rarely travel and paying lots of money for something that would no doubt be damaged by someone that hates their job would just be silly. If you rely on it for an income, sure, but for me my ancient hard base Timberland roll bag works and I don't care if it gets broken.
If I did buy another case I would make sure I can swap the wheels out for some rollerblade wheels with decent bearings, I really hate listening to over priced cases with plastic wheels and bearings that belong in a fidget spinner.
There is no way I could justify the cost of one of their larger packs as I rarely travel and paying lots of money for something that would no doubt be damaged by someone that hates their job would just be silly. If you rely on it for an income, sure, but for me my ancient hard base Timberland roll bag works and I don't care if it gets broken.
If I did buy another case I would make sure I can swap the wheels out for some rollerblade wheels with decent bearings, I really hate listening to over priced cases with plastic wheels and bearings that belong in a fidget spinner.
Given what that bag was carrying and what it went through in transit, losing only a wheel was heroic...
And to reiterate, B&R is expensive and maybe not for everyone, but I've paid a lot for luggage precisely once in 14 years of an international career lugging shit around.
Any damage whatsoever gets fixed for free, and relatively quickly.
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Yes I understand they make good luggage.
But OP asked about buying luggage because his wife was being a wife and he didnt want to spend crazy money on it. He also wont be using it more than a handfull of times a year maybe.
So saying theres only one (super expensive) option and thats the end of it didnt seem in his best interest to me.
I also understand your bags go through a lot of abuse, so do mine.
Ive dragged them all over the world from Pakistan to Greenland, carrying heavy metal tools and knives and they take the abuse without any problems.
The shape of the bag, the straps used to tie it down/compact it and the hard plastic bottom all work together to make sure the bag doesnt get hung up anywhere or gets snagged like a conventional shaped bag.
Plus the inline wheels roll over anything and are super beef.
Breaking a wheel on an international airport is one thing but when youre working in semi remote places chances are you wont find a store to fix your problem.
The warrantee on B&R might be excellent, I dont doubt that. But looking at their bags I honestly rather take my chances with the Ogio. Their soft sided stuff looks like bags that I would brake pretty easy but tbf I havent really paid attention to them irl.
Then you went on to make a point about (semi) hard sided bags being too heavy and breakable.
My 10years experience with the Ogio, and 1 year with the North Face bag have proven the exact opposite and I will never buy anything else.
Not saying your bags suck. I just dont agree with what you recommended for OP.
But OP asked about buying luggage because his wife was being a wife and he didnt want to spend crazy money on it. He also wont be using it more than a handfull of times a year maybe.
So saying theres only one (super expensive) option and thats the end of it didnt seem in his best interest to me.
I also understand your bags go through a lot of abuse, so do mine.
Ive dragged them all over the world from Pakistan to Greenland, carrying heavy metal tools and knives and they take the abuse without any problems.
The shape of the bag, the straps used to tie it down/compact it and the hard plastic bottom all work together to make sure the bag doesnt get hung up anywhere or gets snagged like a conventional shaped bag.
Plus the inline wheels roll over anything and are super beef.
Breaking a wheel on an international airport is one thing but when youre working in semi remote places chances are you wont find a store to fix your problem.
The warrantee on B&R might be excellent, I dont doubt that. But looking at their bags I honestly rather take my chances with the Ogio. Their soft sided stuff looks like bags that I would brake pretty easy but tbf I havent really paid attention to them irl.
Then you went on to make a point about (semi) hard sided bags being too heavy and breakable.
My 10years experience with the Ogio, and 1 year with the North Face bag have proven the exact opposite and I will never buy anything else.
Not saying your bags suck. I just dont agree with what you recommended for OP.
I never recommended them as appropriate...just answered "who makes good bags." Up to him as far as what fits his needs, and never meant to imply that no other bags are good. (Hell, I also recommended Eagle Creek, myself, and am a fan of using cheap, relatively disposable stuff for certain things, as I also noted.) Anyhow, I'm sure the Ogio stuff is great too, and I'll take a look if I need a rolling duffel.
The idea that B&R "looks" like it would break is funny, though. It certainly doesn't look anything but plain, and I find that to be one of its strengths. (On my 14-year old stuff; newer models may be more stylish?) But if you take a look at the external handles on the rollers in person, you'll see they're anything but a typical bag.
The idea that B&R "looks" like it would break is funny, though. It certainly doesn't look anything but plain, and I find that to be one of its strengths. (On my 14-year old stuff; newer models may be more stylish?) But if you take a look at the external handles on the rollers in person, you'll see they're anything but a typical bag.
ok hol up
I appreciate advice from both sides. The B+R stuff is good to see as now I know what a quality bag costs on the top end (non designer of course). It's very useful as I'm looking at a $250 bag thinking it's expensive, but those are $530 bags. It helps to put into perspective what we would theoretically be spending on the Away bags.
I appreciate advice from both sides. The B+R stuff is good to see as now I know what a quality bag costs on the top end (non designer of course). It's very useful as I'm looking at a $250 bag thinking it's expensive, but those are $530 bags. It helps to put into perspective what we would theoretically be spending on the Away bags.
https://www.tombihn.com/ makes great bags. All hand/shoulder carry, so I don't know if that counts as luggage these days, but it is ideal on short trips and cabin-only luggage.
I buy $80 a pop hardcase bags at a shop in ft lauderdale. They look like samsonite ripoffs.
I get at least 10 no-issue international trips out of them, a few of them already have over 30 trips and still work fine.
Carry on, I have been using a 2-wheel soft-shell wenger small enough to fit transversally in the overhead bin, but big enough to sustain me for 3 night trips for over 10 years. It has to have at least 100 flights with no issues.
I get at least 10 no-issue international trips out of them, a few of them already have over 30 trips and still work fine.
Carry on, I have been using a 2-wheel soft-shell wenger small enough to fit transversally in the overhead bin, but big enough to sustain me for 3 night trips for over 10 years. It has to have at least 100 flights with no issues.
Lol Who said anything about a war?
I merely stated I dont agree with you. I really dont care what bag you want to use.
But yeah the thread title is who makes good luggage but then op elaborated in his post what hes looking for. You said “B&R end of story”.
You also said hard sided luggage is too heavy and will break. Which I also just dont agree with.
And I didnt mean it looks like its fragile. Simply stating it looks like any other luggage out there, nothing especially tough or anything, but I agree I could have worded that better.
I didnt mean to attack you or anything, theres already enough real wars going on atm.
I merely stated I dont agree with you. I really dont care what bag you want to use.
But yeah the thread title is who makes good luggage but then op elaborated in his post what hes looking for. You said “B&R end of story”.
You also said hard sided luggage is too heavy and will break. Which I also just dont agree with.
And I didnt mean it looks like its fragile. Simply stating it looks like any other luggage out there, nothing especially tough or anything, but I agree I could have worded that better.
I didnt mean to attack you or anything, theres already enough real wars going on atm.
I have dropped 2 hardcase full size samsonites down 2 consecutive flights of electric stairs in new york city. They tumbled all the way down, bouncing off the pointy/split edges. One had zippers, the other one had the plastic locks.
They didnt break, open or ripped.... and they didnt kill anyone downstairs.
If they survived that... they will survive most international flights and will keep contents in good shape. If they rip, get scrateched or whatever... they are cheap enough to replace. But its hardcase with zippers or nothing for me.
are you kidding? This is like the second hottest thread on ridemonkey (which is or isn't saying a lot)- this is extreme excitement
forget #toolboxwars...... #luggagewars is the new hot shit
The hotness of a thread in the eye of the original poster.
mrs sandwich finally got tired of using duct taped trash bags like the rest of boston ayyyyyyy
I have a hard side Samsonite that I have used regularly since 1993. Is horribly unfashionably dinged up but still in perfect functional condition. It wasn't just used a few times a year. I have spent about 7 years of my life on the road for work, and by that I mean I have spent 365 days times 7 living out of the damn thing.