Luggage recommendations

[d_a_n1979]

We're off on holiday end of July for a week and would like to invest in some of our own proper 'check-in' luggage

Last year we borrowed the parent-in-laws Eagle Creek 'Load Warrior' wheeled duffel luggage and they were superb - over 10 years old now but still solid

We'd like to buy something similar; just unsure if I want to spend Eagle Creek prices (bloody expensive)

Can anyone suggest an alternative of decent quality but not quite as steep as Eagle Creek; something similar to their current Cargo Hauler style is ideal

[x5tuu]

I dont have a recommendation on the specific, only one to avoid - I wanted similar and bought a Cressi bag.

Supposedly able to take upto 120kg etc. as its made for scuba gear - utter garbage - lasted 2 US trips (4 flights) with 20-30kg in before the strap clasps went.

After buying various hard and soft bags over the years and them all not lasting I now buy light and cheap - they get mistreated and wrecked airside - especially with frequent use. Probably to caveat this I do probably anywhere between 10-20 long haul return trips annually and ive not found anything that provides a balance of light and easy to handle/manouevre and financially viable.

[eein]

I would also recommend avoiding Osprey. I have the wheeled 120 bag and while it works, it gets scruffy and dirty on the first trip and no cleaning will get it off, tamper proof stickers don't come off either, and the plastics and rubber parts are wearing and chipping up really fast.

I put a slightly negative 3* review on their website and it was deleted, so they are dishonest with their product reviews, so don't trust anything on their site.

I previously had a North Face from the early noughties and it did >15 years of many trips per year to all over the place, personal, adventure and business. I was very happy with it, but the latest North Face styles I didn't like so tried Osprey.

I have many luggage bags due to varied personal and business travel and therefore many brands and no-brands. I agree with the above post that if you are not planning to go many trips, then a cheap no-brand from the local market (or Temu or whatever) makes sense. If you are going to use it a lot then the brands I've found that last well have been North Face and Samsonite, I've had 3 and 4 from these and all have lasted really well.

[smifffymoto]

All our luggage is Eagle Creek .Their ‘ no matter what’ warranty is exactly that.
No matter how your luggage was damaged they will repair or replace it.
I have used the service a few times.

[ThingsBehindTheSun]

Not a wheeled duffle bag, but we ended up with Antler Clifton luggage and very nice it is too. With hard cases you effectively have three types of plastic used in the outer shell

1)ABS - The cheapest of the cheap, very brittle and prone to cracking.
2)Polypropylene - Middle of the road
3)Polycarbonate - Strongest, almost indestructible. The Antler cases are made of this.

Also bare in mind a lot of case manufacturers have been bought out by private equity firms and their cases are now made in China with cheap materials. Samsonite are an example of this, poor quality cases living on their previous reputation.

[d_a_n1979]

eein said:

I would also recommend avoiding Osprey. I have the wheeled 120 bag and while it works, it gets scruffy and dirty on the first trip and no cleaning will get it off, tamper proof stickers don't come off either, and the plastics and rubber parts are wearing and chipping up really fast.

I put a slightly negative 3* review on their website and it was deleted, so they are dishonest with their product reviews, so don't trust anything on their site.

I previously had a North Face from the early noughties and it did >15 years of many trips per year to all over the place, personal, adventure and business. I was very happy with it, but the latest North Face styles I didn't like so tried Osprey.

I have many luggage bags due to varied personal and business travel and therefore many brands and no-brands. I agree with the above post that if you are not planning to go many trips, then a cheap no-brand from the local market (or Temu or whatever) makes sense. If you are going to use it a lot then the brands I've found that last well have been North Face and Samsonite, I've had 3 and 4 from these and all have lasted really well.

Thanks for that; I've seen a few Samsonsite cases I like the look of, North Face and Patagonia too

I'll avoid Osprey; don't like the look of the finish on them TBH

[d_a_n1979]

smifffymoto said:

All our luggage is Eagle Creek .Their ‘ no matter what’ warranty is exactly that.
No matter how your luggage was damaged they will repair or replace it.
I have used the service a few times.

That's what appeals to me TBH; costs are steep; but if you get what you pay for then that's always a good thing

[captain_cynic]

No experience with Eagle Creek (I will peruse their website however) but I echo the sentiment that a quality product is worth paying for.

I had a Blackwolf backpack for 12 years before the zips started to jam (still works but may be a little difficult to unzip). Was well worth the price. It's a shame they don't sell them in the UK.

[RizzoTheRat]

I have an Eastpak cabin bag sized one, but they do them up to massive suitcase sizes. Hard back but soft front so easily compressible while keeping anything in the back half well protected. Really tough fabric and after 10 years or so of abuse, including a few years of weekly flights, the only thing wrong with it is the wheel bearings are getting noisy.

My wife bought a 4 wheeled soft sided Samsonite Respark when her old case broke on holiday, seems well build, with built in TSA lock. She's now bought the next size down as well as the original one is huge.

[seefarr]

RizzoTheRat said:

I have an Eastpak cabin bag sized one, but they do them up to massive suitcase sizes. Hard back but soft front so easily compressible while keeping anything in the back half well protected. Really tough fabric and after 10 years or so of abuse, including a few years of weekly flights, the only thing wrong with it is the wheel bearings are getting noisy.

My wife bought a 4 wheeled soft sided Samsonite Respark when her old case broke on holiday, seems well build, with built in TSA lock. She's now bought the next size down as well as the original one is huge.

+1 for the Eastpaks Tranverz. We've had the two-wheeled ones in various sizes for a 5+ years with dozens of trips a year and they're holding up brilliantly. They also fit well on the rear parcel shelf of an Audi R8, which is a critical requirement for most purchasers.

We had a few four wheeled Samsonite ones and the wheels kept failing. Having to drag a large three wheeled suitcase through the cobbles of Athens in 33C heat was a particular favourite.

[d_a_n1979]

RizzoTheRat said:

I have an Eastpak cabin bag sized one, but they do them up to massive suitcase sizes. Hard back but soft front so easily compressible while keeping anything in the back half well protected. Really tough fabric and after 10 years or so of abuse, including a few years of weekly flights, the only thing wrong with it is the wheel bearings are getting noisy.

My wife bought a 4 wheeled soft sided Samsonite Respark when her old case broke on holiday, seems well build, with built in TSA lock. She's now bought the next size down as well as the original one is huge.

Super, thank you

Never heard of them but they look solid enough and big enough! Half the Eagle Creek prices too

• Edit: Ordered x2 Eastpak TRANSIT'R L cases - bright blue for me and floral for the wife

They were cheaper on Amazon Prime over the Eastpak website, even with their 20% off!

See how they look when they land with us but by the measurements, they seem to be the spot on sizes needed

Edited by d_a_n1979 on Thursday 6th June 14:10

[g40steve]

Samsonite upscape seems to handle the rigours of luggage handling Olympics

[smifffymoto]

We had a wheel flat spot because a stone wedge it and stopped it turning. Eagle creek replaced the bag as the wheel construction had changed materials.

[Louis Balfour]

d_a_n1979 said:

We're off on holiday end of July for a week and would like to invest in some of our own proper 'check-in' luggage

Last year we borrowed the parent-in-laws Eagle Creek 'Load Warrior' wheeled duffel luggage and they were superb - over 10 years old now but still solid

We'd like to buy something similar; just unsure if I want to spend Eagle Creek prices (bloody expensive)

Can anyone suggest an alternative of decent quality but not quite as steep as Eagle Creek; something similar to their current Cargo Hauler style is ideal

Anything but Delsey.

I invested a lot of money in their Chatalet luggage. It is lovely, but the customer service in the UK is a bloke in a rented unit in an Essex garden centre. Delsey Paris are slow and arrogant. It took circa six months to have a case replaced for a minor fault and, even then, it was a different model that came back because ours was discontinued.

Someone once told me that one should never buy anything French that cannot be put in one's mouth. It has never been more true than with Delsey.

[smifffymoto]

We had a wheel flat spot because a stone wedge it and stopped it turning. Eagle creek replaced the bag as the wheel construction had changed materials.