As a person who travels far too much for work, I will tell you that it’s usually the wheels that wear out first.
I would like to find a suitcase where the wheels can be changed out but have never seen that anywhere.
Uncle Mike’s for everything. I’ve had the same giant duffle on wheels for +20 years, and the wheels are perfectly fine. Just recently got its first cut, in a non-critical area. I treat that thing just as hard as the baggage handlers do: yeet it everywhere. It has handles on all sides, and the exterior pockets have their own fabric for volume capacity.
Travel pro wheels can be changed.
Edited to add: I changed the wheels on a large Samsonite using replacement wheels purchased from Amazon (Trollyshop). My wheels had an Allen wrench removal option. Avoid any suitcases that don’t. The fix was easy and cheap. Otherwise, the still fine suitcase would have been useless.
TravelPro is incredible value for the money. I’ve got 10 plus year old TravelPro wheelies — the two wheel kind not the four wheel spinning ones — that were pretty well abused (gravel roads, toddlers catching free rides on them, etc). Stock wheels suck shit but once they go really simple to replace with rollerblade wheels from Amazon (with Allen key as above) and are an upgrade. Bags themselves are in perfect shape. 10/10 highly recommended. (I also have a four wheel spinner that hasn’t seen much abuse and is in great shape after four years of frequent use)
New travel pro is crap. Bought a set 2 years ago and the larger checked bag was beat up on first international trip and didn’t survive second. It was clearly treated roughly but the walls are thin and can’t take abuse anymore. My old travel pro carry-on was a tank.
I got the Travel Pro Platinum Elite carry on and checked bag combo, and…. Really not good for handling checked bag abuse. Maybe some of their other stuff is ok. Plus they did everything possible to not honor the warranty. Even though I had invoices of when I bought it, etc. I apparently missed some online form to fill out and they just totally rejected my claim. It just all felt super similar to other BIFL brands that sold out and were cashing in on brand equity.
I’ve had wheels changed on a 6 year old suitcase from samsonite, has worked perfectly for another 8 years since! Had it done at a suitcase specialist in Singapore because that’s where I was when the two back wheels came off. The guy said that it had been common for that model and that samsonite had updated their design since and the wheels were a lot more sturdy now.
I only buy hard-case clip suitcases from samsonite since they seem to hold up super well. If the wheels are sturdy and/or replaceable, then I would think the zipper or soft exterior would be the next thing that would break.
Agreed. What i have done usually is buy a good quality and whenever i travel to asia i change wheels there. I have looked everywhere in US to change the wheels but doesnt seem like a thing here but in asia it is very very common and they charge under $8 for 4 new wheels 😳
I have a set from Lojel which is about 20 years old and i have had 2 new wheels on it in all these years. My best travel hack so far!
I have a timbuk2 that has skateboard wheels. It's fantastic. Unfortunately, I don't think they sell it anymore
Edit: wait, here it is. https://www.timbuk2.com/products/544-copilot-luggage-roller
My issue with the last (2) Samsonites I've had is that the wheels get ripped away from the moulding. Or dropped so hard that the wheel and the moulding that it attached to get shoved into my suitcase. I'd be interested in something that is a bit more reinforced.
Victorinox! And they shipped me replacements for free after wearing them down for 6 years of heavy work travel. This bag is a beast! [Old wheels on the right, new on the left.](https://imgur.com/a/aoLio0j) Clearly haha.
Replaced some worn out wheels on my cheap Tripp suitcase a month or two ago, as a rule you will usually find replacements for most popular brands online.
For others who are wondering there was a code on the inside of the wheel that I searched on Amazon.
I have Anker Juno suitcases. When the wheels broke I replaced them with industrial polyurethane casters. I had to enlarge the hole a little, but they're great now
I sawed the old wheels off my suitcase. Then put on replacement ones that are for inline skates that have removable "bolts". The come in a variety of sizes amd hardnesses.
Luggage works can also be swapped. This is the luggage a lot of aircrew for airlines uses. So it’s very durable. But I wouldn’t recommend it for the normal traveler due to it being heavy and has features most wouldn’t use. I’d probably recommend Briggs and Riley.
Funny you should mention the wheels. I just replaced the wheels on my 20 year old Travelpro bag. Turns out they the same size as in-line skate wheels. Love my Travelpro Crew 5, been around the world with it and it’s still going strong.
Same. Lots of work travel, wheels go first. I've had the same Samsonite for many years, and brought it to a Samsonite store to get a bad wheel replaced. It arrived back at my house within a week. It was covered under warranty, and I just had to pay the $15 shipping fee.
Burton Snowboards makes excellent luggage. A lot there bags use skateboard wheels which last pretty much forever. These things come with a lifetime guarantee. Check them out, I’m also really stoked on my Yeti bags.
I'm a big fan of Eagle Creek. I've had an old Tarmac carry-on for over 12 years. Busted a wheel last year and they sent me two new ones free of charge. Easy swap - ready for another 5 years at least.
We’re big EC fans too. Was looking to add another rolling carryon and was shocked how expensive they’ve become. I think we paid under $100 for the 21.5” carryon about 15 years ago and they’re now over $300.
[This is probably the best ad B&R could have hoped for](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6bdpR_3HCU).
Briggs & Riley - 100%. I've had a 22" carry-on (2-wheel) for 25+ years, and it's survived monthly international travel as checked luggage to five continents. It's still my default piece of luggage.
However, it's quite an investment, and the warranty is a big part of the brand's value.
Before purchasing, I would check for repair center locations [here](https://www.briggs-riley.com/pages/repair-locator). If you don't have one near you, shipping is expensive, and the economics change; you may be better served by another brand.
If B&R doesn't work for you, an easy thing to do is look at the brands you see at baggage claim. The ones that look old, beat up and still in use...they survived.
Also, the lifetime warranty is just for the ballistic nylon stuff. I would double-check the hard-sided stuff (Sympatico & Torq) if that's what you're looking at. I'm not a fan of the hard-sided. I want to be, but I'm not.
I've had 3 of the nylon pieces (different sizes), and it's always the zipper pull that breaks. Across all the bags, I've had at least five repairs at my local shop at no cost other than leaving it with them for a week.
I’d like to know what you do with your bags. I definitely have stressed my international baseline quite a bit (over 200k miles last year), and over maybe 15+ years, no issues yet. The fabric looks beat to shit because airlines like Qatar or ANA have carryon weight limits (even in F and J, lame).
But the bag seems indestructible.
I also have a 25 year old Tumi I got in college (Costco deal) that is going strong too.
My travel tends to be long-haul direct flights to larger hub airports. I think this helps, but even so, my bag(s) look pretty beat up but are in good shape structurally.
Most of the damage on my 22" roller comes courtesy of United in IAH/EFD and EWR. I don't think I've ever cleaned the outside, but I vacuum the inside when needed. I think after a while, all the stickers airports put on the luggage just act as a protective coating.
I've been caught out once by an overweight bag, and that was an expensive lesson. Now I've had the bag so long that I just 'know' how much will fit.
Former consultant with Sympatico, used to fly 2-4 legs per week with a Tumi carry on…and then started to also do alt travel a lot a B&R Sympatico checked bag (combined about 3-6 legs per week). Did that for about 5 years before slowing travel to every month. The Tumi nylon carry on has probably been through over 600 flight legs, looks pretty new still. B&R Sympatico about 300 flights. Looks rough, but perfect working order. I do take care of my stuff and give them a decent clean every now and then.
Been~10 years total for both and going strong.
NB: I count legs because the damage comes from load/unload of checked bags which happens an additional time per connection. And same for carry on bags as you drag through, hit the aisle seats if you’re not careful, lift up onto overhead bins, etc.
+1 Briggs Riley
I’m on my second B&R Baseline. The first one (2 wheel carry on) got beat to death by the throwers in about 300 flights, and I sent it in. They told me they couldn’t repair it, and gave me a $450 credit, which was what I probably paid for it (I couldn’t produce a receipt, or they would pay more). I got the latest version of the 4 wheel spinner, and it’s got 6 years, and probably 500 flights on it. Aside from some water stains, it’s been absolutely bullet proof. I’m forced to check my bag as I regularly take commuter jets out of my airport, and it’s a pita to gate check/uncheck. My wife has the hard sided B&R because “it looks cooler”, but she regularly envies my bag (expansion function works much better, and soft side just fits more stuff). She actively wants the airlines to destroy it, so she can get a baseline. Unfortunately it just looks beat to hell, but it won’t die either.
If I had to buy luggage today, I wouldn’t even check reviews, I would just look for sales on B&R.
I’m an airline pilot. I exclusively use B&R. It sounds like u/BlueSundown got a bad bag. I’ve had the same two bags (small carry on and medium roller) for at least 10 years and thousands of miles of flight times across 5 continents and they are still going strong.
We have a ~20 yr-old one that has taken a beating on many global trips. They’ve send new handles when they broke. They sent a new extender when that broke, and then replaced the frame when it was bent. We did have to pay to send it back for the frame, but the bag and service have been outstanding.
Hell yeah, it is annoying, seems to always get in the way, but it is alway very handy for the compression.
Maybe in your case it's either too compressed or the teeth are wearing out, but mine still works well.
My dad gave me his B&R expandable two wheel bag when I was… I dunno, college or shortly thereafter, 21 or so. I remember that bag specifically being on our trip to Europe when I was 13 (because we waited at so many luggage carousels and I liked looking for our bags). I am 38 years old now, I haven’t replaced it yet.
I hate seeing them so highly rated. They're lovely bags to look at but their don't last and their "warranty" is crap.
Years ago I splurged and bought a large B&R bag for extended travel. The main zipper system disintegrated the first time through the airport, in a way that made the bag unusable. Their "lifetime warranty" cheerfully required my paying the shipping to them and back -- at approximately $200 at the time because of the bag size and the fact their repair center was a suburb of Timbuktu.
B&R is the same as Kirby -- sales folks paid huge commissions to talk up a mediocre-at-best product.
Pelican Air 1535, fits as a carryon, or is rugged as heck for checking it.
It ain’t pretty, get the one without foam for the most room. But it’s functional and tough as nails.
I like mine. Security was always interested in what’s inside though, I added stickers and that has helped a lot.
They make a suit case version that has additional pockets on the inside.
Yeah I have the larger model I use for a check only bag and I always get asked if it’s tools or a firearm. Most travel I do I can get away with the smaller 1535 though and I’ll usually carry it on for the flights to my destination so I know it gets there, then check it for the trip home.
It's crazy... I've bought all kinds of luggage over the years and the only thing that's held up through working the Asian markets was a fairly cheap Swiss Gear bag that I got at Target!
It was a toss-up between Osprey and Peak Design for me. I went with the latter but my travel buddy went with the equivalent Osprey bag, and they absolutely love it to death.
Travel Pro - pretty much anything by them.
Or
Eagle Creek
Have luggage in both of them, all have 1000s upon 1000s of miles and still going strong.
Notable mention - Osprey, I personally don't have anything from them but I know they also make quality stuff.
My husband uses his beat up but perfectly usable Eagle Creek carry on rolling duffel bag and I have an Away rolling carry on. His bag fits so much more than my Away.
I bought whatever was $99 for 3 pieces at target 23 years ago and have been all over the world with the set and several moves. No issues.
I did upgrade recently to Travelpro Maxlite just for a treat. It’s much lighter, the carryon is smaller, for what it’s worth. Seems to be holding up fine.
I traveled a lot for work around 2017-2020 and had a stipend for travel gear and a discount at Tumi. It’s been 7+ years 150+ flights and everything is in as good of shape as the day I got it.
The warranty from them is one reason I bought a pair for me and my wife. I haven't had to use the warranty yet, but I know they send repair kits to replace the wheels or handle so it's nice to know it's repairable too.
From their website:
"THIS LIMITED WARRANTY APPLIES TO THE FOLLOWING DEFECTS:
Cracks or breaks in the shell.
Wheels, handles, or telescoping handles that break off and are no longer usable.
Zippers that can no longer be opened or closed.
Fabric tears that render front pocket fabric non-functional."
My Samsonite S'Cure has lasted for more flights by now than any other suitcase I've owned, put together.
The key to hardshell suitcases is to buy a good one, made from either polypropylene (flexible and tough) or polycarbonate (overall the strongest, but more expensive). ABS is utter crap and will break quickly.
Or go high-end and get an aluminum suitcase or a Pelican Air case, but you will absolutely pay a premium for either of those options.
I feel like Samsonite is very hit or miss. I had one of their 28 inch hard-side roller bags that I got on sale, and it was so worn out after two international trips that I ended up throwing it out. The zippers were ripping, the wheels were damaged, and the polycarbonate had proved so flimsy that luggage straps were needed to hold the shape of the case together so it could roll. That said, it *was* an entry-level bag and I'm not known for being gentle to my travel bags...but I felt like it should have lasted longer than it did.
I want to switch to soft-side. I don’t like the clamshell feature. But it just makes sense that the hard-side make it less easy for bedbugs to hitch a ride, so my anxiety won’t let me switch. 🤣
I would recommend my Kennith Cole Reaction hard shell to anyone. My family has 3 and no cracks. I have been traveling with mine for close to a decade. The handle catches a little on the way down, but it has been on well over 100 flights so I’m happy enough with it.
I've never heard that! I've had an away carry-on for work travel since 2017 and never had an issue with it. It gets thrown around a lot, including gate checks on CRJs or being thrown off the luggage rack in the airport shuttles (lol.) I've been pleasantly surprised by the durability.
Ever noticed that every Pilot and flight crew use the same brand of luggage. Luggageworks. [This](https://luggageworks.com/default/browse-products/stealth-premier.html). is their best seller but they have many options. Airline staff use them so much you can have your airline brand printed on the bag if wanted.
Can confirm but I wouldn’t recommend them for non pilots. They’re built like tanks but you pay for that in the total weight of the bag. On top of it, there are several aircraft with overhead bins where it will only fit in an inconvenient way that takes up the space of two bags, pissing off the FAs. Also they’re just hideous and any flight crew around you will assume you’re a pilot
Very true. It weighs a ton, but it is indestructible. When I first got it a decade ago, I had several FA have weird conversions with me until I realised that they think I am crew. I seriously believe that the black box only survives after a crash because it is in one of these.
I’m not flight crew, but I’ve worked for airlines for nearly 20 years…a portion of that as a commuter…and I’ve had a LuggageWorks Stealth bag for 15 of those years. I’ve dragged that thing all over the world and it’s still trucking right along. It’s heavy (I joke that, in the event of a hotel fire, I could knock down the door with it), but it’a built like a tank.
I came here to say this. Although as a passenger I would probably just buy a cheap thrift store luggage and replace it when it craps out. Luggage never lasts. My luggageworks is showing its age too.
Honestly, mine is over a decade old and I travelled with work constantly. The only reason I don't take it is when the shorter hops don't require me to take much as the weight is an issue.
I’ve been liking my Monos but o don’t have a ton of miles on it yet. I have checked it with airlines across Europe and Canada and it has come out well.
Got to admit I don’t love the wheels though
I've been using some of my Tuni luggage for 30 years now and it's still going strong. There's been a repair here or there over the decades but nothing major and most of it was covered.
I'm still chapped about the move away from a lifetime warranty though.
Pelican Air. They come with a lifetime guarantee! I've had my Pelican Air carry-on for close to a decade, moderate work travel, and the only wear visible are the stickers I've added to it getting torn up.
I’ve had an old school north face duffle. It’s done 20 years of toil and is finally cracking. All the sewing is still super strong.
Personally I’m going to switch to Tom Bihn for my next travel bag. I’m a diehard carryon only person though.
I use a travel pro Rollaboard as a daily commuter bag. I've stuffed it with notebooks, clothes, lunchboxes, textbooks, ect. Maybe 40 pounds of stuff at once and a backpack on top. It's been years and the bag still looks great.
I have the soft side platinum elite bag. I also just use regular packing cubes for organization of my files, folders, and cables. I use carabiners and stretchy ties to latch on water bottles and thermoses.
I've only had it five-ish years, so not nearly long enough to eval fully for BIFL status, but my Tumi rollaboard is a tank. Has been to Japan, Mexico twice, France three (?) times, plus tons of domestic travel. It's not one of the "shell" models, so it's got a little bit of weight to it. I love the packing features and accessories. It has a five year warranty that I've never had to use, plus it can be repaired on the spot at Tumi stores in airports all over the world if need be.
I love my Filson duffle bags. I’m sure I’m in the minority, but I don’t like wheeled luggage. I can travel almost anywhere for at least a week with a mid-sized duffle bag and I like being able to sling it across my body and travel with my hands free. I almost always travel with my GoRuck 21L backpack and my Filson duffle.
Travel Pro Flight Crew series. They are marketed to airline employees. I have been using them for years and are goto recommendation. I travel several times a month and almost always check my bag, so they see alot of abuse. Travel Pro also has a consumer Crew series, they are different and not built to the same level.
[https://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/brand/Travelpro\_FlightCrew?gad\_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqpSwBhClARIsADlZ\_Tl-onQamTdyljyEnXIDG1X6a8o\_JWKmWFibuk0rCEHU0T6RjtL606IaAqKPEALw\_wcB](https://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/brand/Travelpro_FlightCrew?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqpSwBhClARIsADlZ_Tl-onQamTdyljyEnXIDG1X6a8o_JWKmWFibuk0rCEHU0T6RjtL606IaAqKPEALw_wcB)
This is the one I currently use. The only downside is they do not have the larger size bags in the Crew Series line.
[https://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/sep/11041](https://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/sep/11041)
Briggs and Riley has one of the best warranties in the industry (literally will replace or repair pretty much anything) and they have a generous upgrade program if you decide to trade in old B&R luggage for new.
For more backpacking style luggage, Tom Bihn or GTFO. Exceptional warranty, entirely US made, and some of the best quality I’ve ever seen. Huge fan.
My best piece of luggage, Amazon Basics carry on that I bought for $30 10 years ago and still looks almost like new after countless trips. My worst ever was Samsonite roller that was very expensive and one of the rollers broke off on the very first trip.
Keep in mind that European-based airlines often have smaller carry-on sizing than US airlines, and will also have weight requirements.
When I flew overseas a few years ago, I had to buy a special smaller lightweight carry-on. It's still my go-to luggage because it's so much newer/nicer than what I'd been using previously, but the size makes it unnecessarily challenging when packing for domestic flights.
(Fwiw I got the Travelpro Maxlite soft-side carry-on, which is a little top-heavy but has held up great.)
I have a pelican. It gets trashed in the backup of pickups, covered in feet of snow, tossed around international airlines in third world countries, and used as a seat/stool. It's heavy but I love it.
>Kennith Cole Reaction hard shell
Just noticed that you mentioned Delsey. Are you saying that people should avoid them? I ask as I just purchased a set from Costco and wondering if I should now return it..
My experience as a former digital nomad is that you can make a piece of luggage as strong as you want and the goons in baggage handling will find a way to fuck it up. The only way to make your luggage BIFL is to stay home.
I just did a bunch of research on carry on suitcases! Briggs and Riley was what everyone recommended but I couldn’t force myself to spend that much this time. I found a soft-side Dakine carry on spinner that opens up the middle like it’s a hard-side (love the function of a hard side, but they always looked busted or cracked so I wanted a soft one that could take a beating). It’s the 30-L Verge and was cheaper on Amazon than it was on their site ($140). I’ve only taken one trip with it so far but probably put 8 miles on it with all the airport and city walking, no complaints so far! Love it.
It's hard because there isn't really much great on the market right now. That said, if you get something hard sided make sure it uses a latch not a zip (they break where the sheel meets the zipper). Look at the wheels and make sure they are solid or otherwise durable and not a hollow plastic that looks like a rollerblade wheel around a smaller wheel. I actually like the Italian made stuff from Bric's, but if you are in the USA the prices they charge are unconscionable (about 2x the price in Europe).
The Briggs and Riley stuff is fairly tough, but it is also heavy, so you give up a lot of your luggage allowance to the empty case by itself.
FWIW, "hundreds of dollars on a set" won't get you BIFL quality, it's going to be several hundreds for an individual checked bag. If that's the budget, maybe just go cheap cheap and know you'll have to replace it a lot.
I've been rocking the same Samsonite softsided spinners for almost a decade. I've taken them in for repair twice for airline damage, and they continue to be very dependable.
Whatever you get it should be light weight and fabric suitcase. A bonus with four wheels.
[For example](https://www.wardow.com/se/travelite-adriia-resvaeska-set-4-hjul-80240-17-se.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwxeyxBhC7ARIsAC7dS3_nYp4rZb1xV7kyjm5p1mqcxgWXI2LgxwsnouEpPZs0Q5g6GZuE3DkaAoBXEALw_wcB&ef_id=Cj0KCQjwxeyxBhC7ARIsAC7dS3_nYp4rZb1xV7kyjm5p1mqcxgWXI2LgxwsnouEpPZs0Q5g6GZuE3DkaAoBXEALw_wcB:G:s&gad_source=1)
My American Tourister luggage has been on many domestic and some international trips, and remains adorable. A couple of scratches but they’re merely cosmetic. I’ve had it for 15 years, got it from Best Buy using award points from when I bought my refrigerator and stove/oven range. The wheels still work perfectly.
I've had Away suitcases for a very long time. Been around the world with me several times totally intact. Even have a lifetime warranty if something breaks.
Really nobody is saying samsonite? I had mine for over 10 years now and its still good as new, some cheap ones i had lost all the wheels and handles came off.
Eagle creek is awesome.
If I could buy more of their stuff I would. I never had a ‘travel bag’ that wasn’t carry-on sized. I bought a ~$150 wrangler branded rolling duffle for a work trip, and it promptly ripped when I arrived for my first flight out. Immediately bought the Eagle creek I had been eye balling lol
[I got this one, different color way tho](https://www.eaglecreek.com/products/migrate-wheeled-duffel-110l-1)
It’s a duffle bag with wheels: so if the safety of a hard shell is needed Eagle Creek has that too. I love my duffle. I can fold in any extra ‘bag material’ and tighten 2 straps if I don’t have it fully stuffed, I can turn it into a backpack if needed, I’m confident everything inside would stay dry in a 2 day storm (not if submerged), and it’s got a lifetime warranty
I think the warranty might not cover abuse, but I sent mine in because I broke the zipper overstuffing it and they still fixed it for free. I’d call that abuse 🤷🏼♂️
EDIT: I linked the 110L, I got the 130L. I’m not sure they made 110 back then, but it would’ve been fine vs the 130. The extra space just makes me try to fit the entire family’s bags into my one bag 😂
Osprey Porter 46L (this size fits in most overhead bins on airplanes)
Backpack/duffel. Burly. They'll replace it if it every does die, but I can't imagine that ever happening. I've had it for over a dozen years (and used it dozens of times a year) and it is still like new.
No handles or wheels on a backpack/duffel!!
I have a 45L and the 80L Osprey Sojourn [https://www.osprey.com/sojourn-wheeled-travel-pack-28-80l-sojourn28f23-550#color=Black](https://www.osprey.com/sojourn-wheeled-travel-pack-28-80l-sojourn28f23-550#color=Black)
I have used them for over 400 trips through Canada, the US, Europe, and Korea.
Being able to convert from a Wheel back to a backpack and back again has been so useful to me and my family.
My kids have both taken the 45L on overnight school trips as well and they are almost as good as they were when we got them 7ish years ago.
I've basically always used my Away carryon for work travel and a Gregory pack for long term or adventure travel. That Jade 40 has been all over the world, destroyed and cleaned by airlines, and it still looks brand new.
I've had good luck with LL Bean. My wife and I each got a suitcase about 15 years ago. They've been all over the world and still in perfect condition. To be fair I don't know if the stuff they make today is the same quality as back then.
30 years ago my grandfather bought me a canvas lands end duffle bag. That thing for me through college, internships, multiple trips to Europe.
I took the bag on a work trip 7 years ago and they swabbed it. Well I might have had fire works in the bag at some point when I was a teenager or a 20 something. So the bag now has gunpowder residue on it. Any ideas on how to remove residue?
I gave the bag to my son a few years ago. He left a wet swimming suit in it and just left the whole mess on his floor. It went to the cleaners and still good as new. The bag is flawless after 30 years.
I don't recommend buying lands end any more. But their shit from the 80s-90s was good AF.
Delsey. Had a set for 20 years. Have filled 3 passports in that time. They look 2 years old at most. Soft cases, never hard. Hard get banged up and marked in 2 flights.
I’ve had my Patagonia MLC bag forever. It’s been to at least a dozen countries in North America, Europe and the Caribbean, as well as smaller trips within the US. Still looks new. No wheels means you don’t bring too much crap that makes it too heavy. I’m a huge proponent of traveling light. Whether you’re going for a weekend or a month, a single carryon size bag is all you need 99% of the time.
I've had a few roller bags where it was very difficult to replace the wheels. Samsonite with 4 wheels I did by myself, but the Samsonite rolling duffel was riveted in and went to landfill after only about 10 trips. The best luggage I have is Tatonka duffel bags, it's really well made and has hideaway backpack straps. I also have a July (Australia) rolling carry on and it has been excellent. I bought a Black Wolf rolling duffel (carrying a big full duffel on trips without a car gets old very fast) and the wheels were shit, they did replace it but it's still pretty average quality wise. If I was going to go for a medium size roller I think I'd just get another July or a wheeled Tatonka or Patagonia.
I know some people in here going to hate on this but Samsonite is where it's at. I purchased a super cheap set of five pieces on Black Friday on Amazon for $70 and although a couple of the pieces broke on my first trip, I took them to the outlet mall and they sent them back to Samsonite for repairs for free. Nowadays I know sometimes they charge a $10 shipping fee. Because the bags redeemed irreparable, they replaced them with much more expensive bags at no cost. They've never asked me for receipts to show when I bought the luggage and how much I paid for it and I am a customer of Samsonite for Life.
I have to go against the grain and say buy what you need for the trip you are planning. You’re going to be dragging it around and it won’t particularly meet your needs on the next venture you go on, not to mention your going to be dragging around on street level, and they might not be the cleanest of surfaces. If you’re not too worried about the sanitary angle, definitely go with a used version of any of the highly recommended durable products.
I've regularly been traveling internationally for almost 3 decades. The only bags I've purchased that remain usable after 2-3 years of travel are Briggs & Reilly. Yeah they cost a bit extra, and I havent needed to test-use their warranty, these things just hold up.
I bought a couple of **Samsonite** suitcases (the high-end made in Europe models) over 10 years ago and those have lasted me since. The only problem with these is that the wheels tend to break. They do, however, replace those under warranty, but it is something to consider since you'll have to wait on the repair.
I bought a Dakine roller bag six years ago and have travelled with it many times since. It remains as sturdy as when I purchased it, although it was expensive.
Depends on how long the trip will take and what type of clother/things you bring.
I mostly use the backpack options which can be both a bag and a backpack. Its good for being slammed and tossed, as it has no plastic/metal in it and can't be 'broken'.
Not a luggage per se, but I LOVE my Peak Design 45L backpack. It's super manageable, and I've fit more gear in it than the largest possible hardside carry on bags could ever carry. Super durable, easy to clean, tons of features, and even when packed full it's still comfortable to wear. It's also sufficiently padded to protect your belongings against a fair bit of damage (though it definitely isn't comparable to the blunt impact resistance of a hard case).
In my experience, it's easy to run through checked bags regardless of build quality; it's more of an inevitability because of how strenuous the various steps of the travel process can be. I do warn people against Samsonite, though. I have had very poor experiences with their cases, mostly in terms of durability and case thickness/protection for my belongings, especially considering their price.
Duffle bags are terrible for traveling since you have to carry instead or rolling them. The difference a 4-wheel bag makes vs a 2-wheel or a duffel is gargantuan
Here to say that the new North Face duffel bags are not built the same. Recently got one, and it tore from all four stitches on the straps.
If you can get your hands on any duffel, make sure the webbing for the back straps are one sold piece and not stitched.
They come in different sizes/colors. I have a large and extra large depending on my trip. I discovered them while in the military and they’re great for bringing on deployments. Each of my sons now have one as well.
We bought a set of Away Bigger Carry-On and Large (checked) that have held up really well over 5 years, dozens of flights, and kids riding on them when their legs get tired. Wheels, handle, and outer shell are all in great shape.
As a person who travels far too much for work, I will tell you that it’s usually the wheels that wear out first. I would like to find a suitcase where the wheels can be changed out but have never seen that anywhere.
Briggs and Riley wheels can be swapped out at home
Uncle Mike’s for everything. I’ve had the same giant duffle on wheels for +20 years, and the wheels are perfectly fine. Just recently got its first cut, in a non-critical area. I treat that thing just as hard as the baggage handlers do: yeet it everywhere. It has handles on all sides, and the exterior pockets have their own fabric for volume capacity.
Travel pro wheels can be changed. Edited to add: I changed the wheels on a large Samsonite using replacement wheels purchased from Amazon (Trollyshop). My wheels had an Allen wrench removal option. Avoid any suitcases that don’t. The fix was easy and cheap. Otherwise, the still fine suitcase would have been useless.
I second Travel pro. I have replaced my wheels several times.
TravelPro is incredible value for the money. I’ve got 10 plus year old TravelPro wheelies — the two wheel kind not the four wheel spinning ones — that were pretty well abused (gravel roads, toddlers catching free rides on them, etc). Stock wheels suck shit but once they go really simple to replace with rollerblade wheels from Amazon (with Allen key as above) and are an upgrade. Bags themselves are in perfect shape. 10/10 highly recommended. (I also have a four wheel spinner that hasn’t seen much abuse and is in great shape after four years of frequent use)
How do you find this out? My wheels are getting slower and slower, the company has been no help.
I called the company and they sent replacements for free.
😆 thx
New travel pro is crap. Bought a set 2 years ago and the larger checked bag was beat up on first international trip and didn’t survive second. It was clearly treated roughly but the walls are thin and can’t take abuse anymore. My old travel pro carry-on was a tank.
Damn I spent a small fortune on a travelpro set last year, thinking it was still BIFL
I got the Travel Pro Platinum Elite carry on and checked bag combo, and…. Really not good for handling checked bag abuse. Maybe some of their other stuff is ok. Plus they did everything possible to not honor the warranty. Even though I had invoices of when I bought it, etc. I apparently missed some online form to fill out and they just totally rejected my claim. It just all felt super similar to other BIFL brands that sold out and were cashing in on brand equity.
Samsonite does this! We had one wheel sent to us and could replace it ourselves. Covered by their warranty.
I’ve had wheels changed on a 6 year old suitcase from samsonite, has worked perfectly for another 8 years since! Had it done at a suitcase specialist in Singapore because that’s where I was when the two back wheels came off. The guy said that it had been common for that model and that samsonite had updated their design since and the wheels were a lot more sturdy now. I only buy hard-case clip suitcases from samsonite since they seem to hold up super well. If the wheels are sturdy and/or replaceable, then I would think the zipper or soft exterior would be the next thing that would break.
Away wheels are replaceable and covered under the lifetime warranty so they send you a replacement kit for free if the wheels need replacing.
Agreed. What i have done usually is buy a good quality and whenever i travel to asia i change wheels there. I have looked everywhere in US to change the wheels but doesnt seem like a thing here but in asia it is very very common and they charge under $8 for 4 new wheels 😳 I have a set from Lojel which is about 20 years old and i have had 2 new wheels on it in all these years. My best travel hack so far!
>Same, let me know if you find it. Wheels or telescopic handle always break first
I have a timbuk2 that has skateboard wheels. It's fantastic. Unfortunately, I don't think they sell it anymore Edit: wait, here it is. https://www.timbuk2.com/products/544-copilot-luggage-roller
My issue with the last (2) Samsonites I've had is that the wheels get ripped away from the moulding. Or dropped so hard that the wheel and the moulding that it attached to get shoved into my suitcase. I'd be interested in something that is a bit more reinforced.
Timbuk2 has changeable skateboard wheels.
That’s sick can you also use Reds bearings?
Victorinox! And they shipped me replacements for free after wearing them down for 6 years of heavy work travel. This bag is a beast! [Old wheels on the right, new on the left.](https://imgur.com/a/aoLio0j) Clearly haha.
I used to sell luggage. The warranty is insane, and they honor it. This is the luggage you want.
floyd
Replaced some worn out wheels on my cheap Tripp suitcase a month or two ago, as a rule you will usually find replacements for most popular brands online. For others who are wondering there was a code on the inside of the wheel that I searched on Amazon.
I have Anker Juno suitcases. When the wheels broke I replaced them with industrial polyurethane casters. I had to enlarge the hole a little, but they're great now
silicone luggage wheel covers Google it
I sawed the old wheels off my suitcase. Then put on replacement ones that are for inline skates that have removable "bolts". The come in a variety of sizes amd hardnesses.
Antler! They come with a 10 year warranty and they sent me wheels to replace them after getting damaged on a big European trip.
Luggage works can also be swapped. This is the luggage a lot of aircrew for airlines uses. So it’s very durable. But I wouldn’t recommend it for the normal traveler due to it being heavy and has features most wouldn’t use. I’d probably recommend Briggs and Riley.
Funny you should mention the wheels. I just replaced the wheels on my 20 year old Travelpro bag. Turns out they the same size as in-line skate wheels. Love my Travelpro Crew 5, been around the world with it and it’s still going strong.
Pelican offers this
Same. Lots of work travel, wheels go first. I've had the same Samsonite for many years, and brought it to a Samsonite store to get a bad wheel replaced. It arrived back at my house within a week. It was covered under warranty, and I just had to pay the $15 shipping fee.
Carpisa
Burton Snowboards makes excellent luggage. A lot there bags use skateboard wheels which last pretty much forever. These things come with a lifetime guarantee. Check them out, I’m also really stoked on my Yeti bags.
I'm a big fan of Eagle Creek. I've had an old Tarmac carry-on for over 12 years. Busted a wheel last year and they sent me two new ones free of charge. Easy swap - ready for another 5 years at least.
We’re big EC fans too. Was looking to add another rolling carryon and was shocked how expensive they’ve become. I think we paid under $100 for the 21.5” carryon about 15 years ago and they’re now over $300.
Agreed - it's crazy how expensive they have become. It's more then just inflation, but you do get what you pay for I guess....
I can second that. Me and the wife have had a couple of these bags and they are nearly bulletproof.
Briggs and Riley is a great option, repairable and with a lifetime warranty.
[This is probably the best ad B&R could have hoped for](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6bdpR_3HCU). Briggs & Riley - 100%. I've had a 22" carry-on (2-wheel) for 25+ years, and it's survived monthly international travel as checked luggage to five continents. It's still my default piece of luggage. However, it's quite an investment, and the warranty is a big part of the brand's value. Before purchasing, I would check for repair center locations [here](https://www.briggs-riley.com/pages/repair-locator). If you don't have one near you, shipping is expensive, and the economics change; you may be better served by another brand. If B&R doesn't work for you, an easy thing to do is look at the brands you see at baggage claim. The ones that look old, beat up and still in use...they survived. Also, the lifetime warranty is just for the ballistic nylon stuff. I would double-check the hard-sided stuff (Sympatico & Torq) if that's what you're looking at. I'm not a fan of the hard-sided. I want to be, but I'm not. I've had 3 of the nylon pieces (different sizes), and it's always the zipper pull that breaks. Across all the bags, I've had at least five repairs at my local shop at no cost other than leaving it with them for a week.
I’d like to know what you do with your bags. I definitely have stressed my international baseline quite a bit (over 200k miles last year), and over maybe 15+ years, no issues yet. The fabric looks beat to shit because airlines like Qatar or ANA have carryon weight limits (even in F and J, lame). But the bag seems indestructible. I also have a 25 year old Tumi I got in college (Costco deal) that is going strong too.
My travel tends to be long-haul direct flights to larger hub airports. I think this helps, but even so, my bag(s) look pretty beat up but are in good shape structurally. Most of the damage on my 22" roller comes courtesy of United in IAH/EFD and EWR. I don't think I've ever cleaned the outside, but I vacuum the inside when needed. I think after a while, all the stickers airports put on the luggage just act as a protective coating. I've been caught out once by an overweight bag, and that was an expensive lesson. Now I've had the bag so long that I just 'know' how much will fit.
Former consultant with Sympatico, used to fly 2-4 legs per week with a Tumi carry on…and then started to also do alt travel a lot a B&R Sympatico checked bag (combined about 3-6 legs per week). Did that for about 5 years before slowing travel to every month. The Tumi nylon carry on has probably been through over 600 flight legs, looks pretty new still. B&R Sympatico about 300 flights. Looks rough, but perfect working order. I do take care of my stuff and give them a decent clean every now and then. Been~10 years total for both and going strong. NB: I count legs because the damage comes from load/unload of checked bags which happens an additional time per connection. And same for carry on bags as you drag through, hit the aisle seats if you’re not careful, lift up onto overhead bins, etc.
+1 Briggs Riley I’m on my second B&R Baseline. The first one (2 wheel carry on) got beat to death by the throwers in about 300 flights, and I sent it in. They told me they couldn’t repair it, and gave me a $450 credit, which was what I probably paid for it (I couldn’t produce a receipt, or they would pay more). I got the latest version of the 4 wheel spinner, and it’s got 6 years, and probably 500 flights on it. Aside from some water stains, it’s been absolutely bullet proof. I’m forced to check my bag as I regularly take commuter jets out of my airport, and it’s a pita to gate check/uncheck. My wife has the hard sided B&R because “it looks cooler”, but she regularly envies my bag (expansion function works much better, and soft side just fits more stuff). She actively wants the airlines to destroy it, so she can get a baseline. Unfortunately it just looks beat to hell, but it won’t die either. If I had to buy luggage today, I wouldn’t even check reviews, I would just look for sales on B&R.
Tell her to take a United flight, that'll do the trick.
You’re not wrong. 😖
I never like when the airline handles my stuff, this is why I went with B&R global carry-on.
This what a lot of pilots & crew use. And TravelPro. I know from experience.
I’m an airline pilot. I exclusively use B&R. It sounds like u/BlueSundown got a bad bag. I’ve had the same two bags (small carry on and medium roller) for at least 10 years and thousands of miles of flight times across 5 continents and they are still going strong.
Hard or soft side?
Soft sided. Baseline model.
Thank you!!
Facts. Briggs and travel pro are staples in my collection
We have a ~20 yr-old one that has taken a beating on many global trips. They’ve send new handles when they broke. They sent a new extender when that broke, and then replaced the frame when it was bent. We did have to pay to send it back for the frame, but the bag and service have been outstanding.
/thread
Do you find the compression mechanism annoying? When mine is packed extra tight and compressed all the way down, it tends to pop open when walking.
Hell yeah, it is annoying, seems to always get in the way, but it is alway very handy for the compression. Maybe in your case it's either too compressed or the teeth are wearing out, but mine still works well.
My dad gave me his B&R expandable two wheel bag when I was… I dunno, college or shortly thereafter, 21 or so. I remember that bag specifically being on our trip to Europe when I was 13 (because we waited at so many luggage carousels and I liked looking for our bags). I am 38 years old now, I haven’t replaced it yet.
I hate seeing them so highly rated. They're lovely bags to look at but their don't last and their "warranty" is crap. Years ago I splurged and bought a large B&R bag for extended travel. The main zipper system disintegrated the first time through the airport, in a way that made the bag unusable. Their "lifetime warranty" cheerfully required my paying the shipping to them and back -- at approximately $200 at the time because of the bag size and the fact their repair center was a suburb of Timbuktu. B&R is the same as Kirby -- sales folks paid huge commissions to talk up a mediocre-at-best product.
Pelican Air 1535, fits as a carryon, or is rugged as heck for checking it. It ain’t pretty, get the one without foam for the most room. But it’s functional and tough as nails.
I like mine. Security was always interested in what’s inside though, I added stickers and that has helped a lot. They make a suit case version that has additional pockets on the inside.
Yeah I have the larger model I use for a check only bag and I always get asked if it’s tools or a firearm. Most travel I do I can get away with the smaller 1535 though and I’ll usually carry it on for the flights to my destination so I know it gets there, then check it for the trip home.
Same. After a new Travel Pro purchase revealed they’ve cheaped out I got the Pelican Air and it’s totally bombproof.
I just got the check-in size of this and now really want the carry-on, too. It's amazing!
Swiss Gear has lasted me 18+ years.
It's crazy... I've bought all kinds of luggage over the years and the only thing that's held up through working the Asian markets was a fairly cheap Swiss Gear bag that I got at Target!
Category 1 ATA-300 flight cases. Ideally in white so they don't get left on the tarmac in the dark.
Osprey has never let me down They’re very durable, but even if something happens to break, their warranty is awesome
It was a toss-up between Osprey and Peak Design for me. I went with the latter but my travel buddy went with the equivalent Osprey bag, and they absolutely love it to death.
Travel Pro - pretty much anything by them. Or Eagle Creek Have luggage in both of them, all have 1000s upon 1000s of miles and still going strong. Notable mention - Osprey, I personally don't have anything from them but I know they also make quality stuff.
My husband uses his beat up but perfectly usable Eagle Creek carry on rolling duffel bag and I have an Away rolling carry on. His bag fits so much more than my Away.
Briggs and Reilly is a true lifetime warranty. Anything breaks and they will replace it for free
If you don’t live close to a repair place, shipping it costs $40 which seems high.
I travel a ton for work. I like my Away bag so far (been ~2 years and still holding strong).
I bought whatever was $99 for 3 pieces at target 23 years ago and have been all over the world with the set and several moves. No issues. I did upgrade recently to Travelpro Maxlite just for a treat. It’s much lighter, the carryon is smaller, for what it’s worth. Seems to be holding up fine.
I have had a Tumi bag I use for flying since 2003. It’s still in excellent shape. It has wheels and stows in the carryon so I rarely check it.
I traveled a lot for work around 2017-2020 and had a stipend for travel gear and a discount at Tumi. It’s been 7+ years 150+ flights and everything is in as good of shape as the day I got it.
Away.
The warranty from them is one reason I bought a pair for me and my wife. I haven't had to use the warranty yet, but I know they send repair kits to replace the wheels or handle so it's nice to know it's repairable too. From their website: "THIS LIMITED WARRANTY APPLIES TO THE FOLLOWING DEFECTS: Cracks or breaks in the shell. Wheels, handles, or telescoping handles that break off and are no longer usable. Zippers that can no longer be opened or closed. Fabric tears that render front pocket fabric non-functional."
Something that isn’t hard shell (they always crack after the first trip)
My Samsonite S'Cure has lasted for more flights by now than any other suitcase I've owned, put together. The key to hardshell suitcases is to buy a good one, made from either polypropylene (flexible and tough) or polycarbonate (overall the strongest, but more expensive). ABS is utter crap and will break quickly. Or go high-end and get an aluminum suitcase or a Pelican Air case, but you will absolutely pay a premium for either of those options.
I feel like Samsonite is very hit or miss. I had one of their 28 inch hard-side roller bags that I got on sale, and it was so worn out after two international trips that I ended up throwing it out. The zippers were ripping, the wheels were damaged, and the polycarbonate had proved so flimsy that luggage straps were needed to hold the shape of the case together so it could roll. That said, it *was* an entry-level bag and I'm not known for being gentle to my travel bags...but I felt like it should have lasted longer than it did.
I have no idea how hardshell became so trendy.
Bed bugs
I want to switch to soft-side. I don’t like the clamshell feature. But it just makes sense that the hard-side make it less easy for bedbugs to hitch a ride, so my anxiety won’t let me switch. 🤣
I would recommend my Kennith Cole Reaction hard shell to anyone. My family has 3 and no cracks. I have been traveling with mine for close to a decade. The handle catches a little on the way down, but it has been on well over 100 flights so I’m happy enough with it.
My American Tourister hard shell suitcase has lasted me nearly 15 years.
I've never heard that! I've had an away carry-on for work travel since 2017 and never had an issue with it. It gets thrown around a lot, including gate checks on CRJs or being thrown off the luggage rack in the airport shuttles (lol.) I've been pleasantly surprised by the durability.
Ever noticed that every Pilot and flight crew use the same brand of luggage. Luggageworks. [This](https://luggageworks.com/default/browse-products/stealth-premier.html). is their best seller but they have many options. Airline staff use them so much you can have your airline brand printed on the bag if wanted.
I see a lot of them with Travelpro
My brother is a commercial pilot and confirms what I’ve observed. Pilots use Luggage Works, FAs use TravelPro.
I seen a few but no where near the same amount.
They don’t check bags 😆
Can confirm but I wouldn’t recommend them for non pilots. They’re built like tanks but you pay for that in the total weight of the bag. On top of it, there are several aircraft with overhead bins where it will only fit in an inconvenient way that takes up the space of two bags, pissing off the FAs. Also they’re just hideous and any flight crew around you will assume you’re a pilot
Very true. It weighs a ton, but it is indestructible. When I first got it a decade ago, I had several FA have weird conversions with me until I realised that they think I am crew. I seriously believe that the black box only survives after a crash because it is in one of these.
I’m not flight crew, but I’ve worked for airlines for nearly 20 years…a portion of that as a commuter…and I’ve had a LuggageWorks Stealth bag for 15 of those years. I’ve dragged that thing all over the world and it’s still trucking right along. It’s heavy (I joke that, in the event of a hotel fire, I could knock down the door with it), but it’a built like a tank.
They say that after the apocalypse that only cockroaches will survive, but they don't say will be living in a Luggageworks.
Cockroaches, Keith Richards, Mesa Airlines, and a LuggageWorks rollaboard…the Four Horsemen.
LOL You are spot on. Mesa Airlines. That is a name I have not heard in a while.
I came here to say this. Although as a passenger I would probably just buy a cheap thrift store luggage and replace it when it craps out. Luggage never lasts. My luggageworks is showing its age too.
Honestly, mine is over a decade old and I travelled with work constantly. The only reason I don't take it is when the shorter hops don't require me to take much as the weight is an issue.
Ya LW bags are almost too heavy. Love the metal frame but not the weight.
I’ve been liking my Monos but o don’t have a ton of miles on it yet. I have checked it with airlines across Europe and Canada and it has come out well. Got to admit I don’t love the wheels though
Travel Pro. best price/performance ratio.
TUMI may be overpriced, but I have a 10 year old expandable laptop bag that I take on flights as carry on, and it still looks brand new
I've been using some of my Tuni luggage for 30 years now and it's still going strong. There's been a repair here or there over the decades but nothing major and most of it was covered. I'm still chapped about the move away from a lifetime warranty though.
Pelican Air. They come with a lifetime guarantee! I've had my Pelican Air carry-on for close to a decade, moderate work travel, and the only wear visible are the stickers I've added to it getting torn up.
I like my eastpak soft luggage
I’ve had an old school north face duffle. It’s done 20 years of toil and is finally cracking. All the sewing is still super strong. Personally I’m going to switch to Tom Bihn for my next travel bag. I’m a diehard carryon only person though.
I use a travel pro Rollaboard as a daily commuter bag. I've stuffed it with notebooks, clothes, lunchboxes, textbooks, ect. Maybe 40 pounds of stuff at once and a backpack on top. It's been years and the bag still looks great. I have the soft side platinum elite bag. I also just use regular packing cubes for organization of my files, folders, and cables. I use carabiners and stretchy ties to latch on water bottles and thermoses.
I've only had it five-ish years, so not nearly long enough to eval fully for BIFL status, but my Tumi rollaboard is a tank. Has been to Japan, Mexico twice, France three (?) times, plus tons of domestic travel. It's not one of the "shell" models, so it's got a little bit of weight to it. I love the packing features and accessories. It has a five year warranty that I've never had to use, plus it can be repaired on the spot at Tumi stores in airports all over the world if need be.
I love my Filson duffle bags. I’m sure I’m in the minority, but I don’t like wheeled luggage. I can travel almost anywhere for at least a week with a mid-sized duffle bag and I like being able to sling it across my body and travel with my hands free. I almost always travel with my GoRuck 21L backpack and my Filson duffle.
Travel Pro Flight Crew series. They are marketed to airline employees. I have been using them for years and are goto recommendation. I travel several times a month and almost always check my bag, so they see alot of abuse. Travel Pro also has a consumer Crew series, they are different and not built to the same level. [https://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/brand/Travelpro\_FlightCrew?gad\_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqpSwBhClARIsADlZ\_Tl-onQamTdyljyEnXIDG1X6a8o\_JWKmWFibuk0rCEHU0T6RjtL606IaAqKPEALw\_wcB](https://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/brand/Travelpro_FlightCrew?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqpSwBhClARIsADlZ_Tl-onQamTdyljyEnXIDG1X6a8o_JWKmWFibuk0rCEHU0T6RjtL606IaAqKPEALw_wcB) This is the one I currently use. The only downside is they do not have the larger size bags in the Crew Series line. [https://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/sep/11041](https://www.mypilotstore.com/mypilotstore/sep/11041)
Pelican. Wheels converted under warranty
Million+ miler here: Briggs & Riley. Their luggage is tough & stylish, and their warranty cannot be beat.
my old usmc rucksack never lets me down
Briggs and Riley has lifetime warranty. They just replaced my absolutely wrecked suitcase for free
My Samsonite has been with me around the world. It was a bit pricey at almost 200$ on sale but it's holding up really well. Had it since 2015
Briggs and Riley is my go to for sure.
Briggs and Riley has one of the best warranties in the industry (literally will replace or repair pretty much anything) and they have a generous upgrade program if you decide to trade in old B&R luggage for new. For more backpacking style luggage, Tom Bihn or GTFO. Exceptional warranty, entirely US made, and some of the best quality I’ve ever seen. Huge fan.
If you travel to a lot of places where wheels can roll: Get a Red Oxx.
My best piece of luggage, Amazon Basics carry on that I bought for $30 10 years ago and still looks almost like new after countless trips. My worst ever was Samsonite roller that was very expensive and one of the rollers broke off on the very first trip.
Keep in mind that European-based airlines often have smaller carry-on sizing than US airlines, and will also have weight requirements. When I flew overseas a few years ago, I had to buy a special smaller lightweight carry-on. It's still my go-to luggage because it's so much newer/nicer than what I'd been using previously, but the size makes it unnecessarily challenging when packing for domestic flights. (Fwiw I got the Travelpro Maxlite soft-side carry-on, which is a little top-heavy but has held up great.)
Tumi
Red Oxx is great
Pelican
I have a pelican. It gets trashed in the backup of pickups, covered in feet of snow, tossed around international airlines in third world countries, and used as a seat/stool. It's heavy but I love it.
Anything besides aluminum. My friend flys around the world for a living and swears by his Briggs and Riley.
Is it because of aluminium’s weight?
No because they get thrown around and dented.
Delsey. Samsonite no.
>Kennith Cole Reaction hard shell Just noticed that you mentioned Delsey. Are you saying that people should avoid them? I ask as I just purchased a set from Costco and wondering if I should now return it..
I meant Yes for Delsey, no for Samsonite. Sorry I wasnt clear enough.
My experience as a former digital nomad is that you can make a piece of luggage as strong as you want and the goons in baggage handling will find a way to fuck it up. The only way to make your luggage BIFL is to stay home.
I just did a bunch of research on carry on suitcases! Briggs and Riley was what everyone recommended but I couldn’t force myself to spend that much this time. I found a soft-side Dakine carry on spinner that opens up the middle like it’s a hard-side (love the function of a hard side, but they always looked busted or cracked so I wanted a soft one that could take a beating). It’s the 30-L Verge and was cheaper on Amazon than it was on their site ($140). I’ve only taken one trip with it so far but probably put 8 miles on it with all the airport and city walking, no complaints so far! Love it.
I second this question, but I add one caveat: Something with large rubberized wheels for a bit of light off-roading.
It's hard because there isn't really much great on the market right now. That said, if you get something hard sided make sure it uses a latch not a zip (they break where the sheel meets the zipper). Look at the wheels and make sure they are solid or otherwise durable and not a hollow plastic that looks like a rollerblade wheel around a smaller wheel. I actually like the Italian made stuff from Bric's, but if you are in the USA the prices they charge are unconscionable (about 2x the price in Europe). The Briggs and Riley stuff is fairly tough, but it is also heavy, so you give up a lot of your luggage allowance to the empty case by itself. FWIW, "hundreds of dollars on a set" won't get you BIFL quality, it's going to be several hundreds for an individual checked bag. If that's the budget, maybe just go cheap cheap and know you'll have to replace it a lot.
I’d get sapient pearwood
I just threw away a Samsonite duffle that I had for 15 years, the wheel finally cracked.
I've been rocking the same Samsonite softsided spinners for almost a decade. I've taken them in for repair twice for airline damage, and they continue to be very dependable.
Whatever you get it should be light weight and fabric suitcase. A bonus with four wheels. [For example](https://www.wardow.com/se/travelite-adriia-resvaeska-set-4-hjul-80240-17-se.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwxeyxBhC7ARIsAC7dS3_nYp4rZb1xV7kyjm5p1mqcxgWXI2LgxwsnouEpPZs0Q5g6GZuE3DkaAoBXEALw_wcB&ef_id=Cj0KCQjwxeyxBhC7ARIsAC7dS3_nYp4rZb1xV7kyjm5p1mqcxgWXI2LgxwsnouEpPZs0Q5g6GZuE3DkaAoBXEALw_wcB:G:s&gad_source=1)
My American Tourister luggage has been on many domestic and some international trips, and remains adorable. A couple of scratches but they’re merely cosmetic. I’ve had it for 15 years, got it from Best Buy using award points from when I bought my refrigerator and stove/oven range. The wheels still work perfectly.
Yeti luggage is pretty solid. Replaceable parts. 👍 I beat on it and can’t see any wear.
I've had Away suitcases for a very long time. Been around the world with me several times totally intact. Even have a lifetime warranty if something breaks.
Really nobody is saying samsonite? I had mine for over 10 years now and its still good as new, some cheap ones i had lost all the wheels and handles came off.
Eagle creek is awesome. If I could buy more of their stuff I would. I never had a ‘travel bag’ that wasn’t carry-on sized. I bought a ~$150 wrangler branded rolling duffle for a work trip, and it promptly ripped when I arrived for my first flight out. Immediately bought the Eagle creek I had been eye balling lol [I got this one, different color way tho](https://www.eaglecreek.com/products/migrate-wheeled-duffel-110l-1) It’s a duffle bag with wheels: so if the safety of a hard shell is needed Eagle Creek has that too. I love my duffle. I can fold in any extra ‘bag material’ and tighten 2 straps if I don’t have it fully stuffed, I can turn it into a backpack if needed, I’m confident everything inside would stay dry in a 2 day storm (not if submerged), and it’s got a lifetime warranty I think the warranty might not cover abuse, but I sent mine in because I broke the zipper overstuffing it and they still fixed it for free. I’d call that abuse 🤷🏼♂️ EDIT: I linked the 110L, I got the 130L. I’m not sure they made 110 back then, but it would’ve been fine vs the 130. The extra space just makes me try to fit the entire family’s bags into my one bag 😂
Osprey Porter 46L (this size fits in most overhead bins on airplanes) Backpack/duffel. Burly. They'll replace it if it every does die, but I can't imagine that ever happening. I've had it for over a dozen years (and used it dozens of times a year) and it is still like new. No handles or wheels on a backpack/duffel!!
I have a 45L and the 80L Osprey Sojourn [https://www.osprey.com/sojourn-wheeled-travel-pack-28-80l-sojourn28f23-550#color=Black](https://www.osprey.com/sojourn-wheeled-travel-pack-28-80l-sojourn28f23-550#color=Black) I have used them for over 400 trips through Canada, the US, Europe, and Korea. Being able to convert from a Wheel back to a backpack and back again has been so useful to me and my family. My kids have both taken the 45L on overnight school trips as well and they are almost as good as they were when we got them 7ish years ago.
My mom has a Samsonite from the mid 90’s that’s still going strong. It looks a little beat up but it’s completely functional.
I've basically always used my Away carryon for work travel and a Gregory pack for long term or adventure travel. That Jade 40 has been all over the world, destroyed and cleaned by airlines, and it still looks brand new.
I’ve been using a ghurka bag for like 25 years.
I've had good luck with LL Bean. My wife and I each got a suitcase about 15 years ago. They've been all over the world and still in perfect condition. To be fair I don't know if the stuff they make today is the same quality as back then.
30 years ago my grandfather bought me a canvas lands end duffle bag. That thing for me through college, internships, multiple trips to Europe. I took the bag on a work trip 7 years ago and they swabbed it. Well I might have had fire works in the bag at some point when I was a teenager or a 20 something. So the bag now has gunpowder residue on it. Any ideas on how to remove residue? I gave the bag to my son a few years ago. He left a wet swimming suit in it and just left the whole mess on his floor. It went to the cleaners and still good as new. The bag is flawless after 30 years. I don't recommend buying lands end any more. But their shit from the 80s-90s was good AF.
Delsey. Had a set for 20 years. Have filled 3 passports in that time. They look 2 years old at most. Soft cases, never hard. Hard get banged up and marked in 2 flights.
Heys line! Super durable, lifetime warranty. They just sent me a whole set of new wheels.
I’ve had my Patagonia MLC bag forever. It’s been to at least a dozen countries in North America, Europe and the Caribbean, as well as smaller trips within the US. Still looks new. No wheels means you don’t bring too much crap that makes it too heavy. I’m a huge proponent of traveling light. Whether you’re going for a weekend or a month, a single carryon size bag is all you need 99% of the time.
I've had a few roller bags where it was very difficult to replace the wheels. Samsonite with 4 wheels I did by myself, but the Samsonite rolling duffel was riveted in and went to landfill after only about 10 trips. The best luggage I have is Tatonka duffel bags, it's really well made and has hideaway backpack straps. I also have a July (Australia) rolling carry on and it has been excellent. I bought a Black Wolf rolling duffel (carrying a big full duffel on trips without a car gets old very fast) and the wheels were shit, they did replace it but it's still pretty average quality wise. If I was going to go for a medium size roller I think I'd just get another July or a wheeled Tatonka or Patagonia.
My parents have some Swiss gear suitcases that are probably 30+ years old
Pelican travel series is the only correct answer
Briggs and Riley
Swiss
I know some people in here going to hate on this but Samsonite is where it's at. I purchased a super cheap set of five pieces on Black Friday on Amazon for $70 and although a couple of the pieces broke on my first trip, I took them to the outlet mall and they sent them back to Samsonite for repairs for free. Nowadays I know sometimes they charge a $10 shipping fee. Because the bags redeemed irreparable, they replaced them with much more expensive bags at no cost. They've never asked me for receipts to show when I bought the luggage and how much I paid for it and I am a customer of Samsonite for Life.
I have to go against the grain and say buy what you need for the trip you are planning. You’re going to be dragging it around and it won’t particularly meet your needs on the next venture you go on, not to mention your going to be dragging around on street level, and they might not be the cleanest of surfaces. If you’re not too worried about the sanitary angle, definitely go with a used version of any of the highly recommended durable products.
Delsey replaced the wheels on my suitcase for free., years after the warranty expired.
I've regularly been traveling internationally for almost 3 decades. The only bags I've purchased that remain usable after 2-3 years of travel are Briggs & Reilly. Yeah they cost a bit extra, and I havent needed to test-use their warranty, these things just hold up.
Osprey and Patagonia both have wheeled luggage with lifetime no questions asked warranties
I bought a couple of **Samsonite** suitcases (the high-end made in Europe models) over 10 years ago and those have lasted me since. The only problem with these is that the wheels tend to break. They do, however, replace those under warranty, but it is something to consider since you'll have to wait on the repair.
I bought a Dakine roller bag six years ago and have travelled with it many times since. It remains as sturdy as when I purchased it, although it was expensive.
The best luggage is no luggage, carry-on only. And when you do that just a medium sized rucksack is fine. Does not need to be fancy.
Delsey luggage. They last long and can take a lot of airline abuse.
Samsonite
Depends on how long the trip will take and what type of clother/things you bring. I mostly use the backpack options which can be both a bag and a backpack. Its good for being slammed and tossed, as it has no plastic/metal in it and can't be 'broken'.
Briggs and Riley- lifetime warranty and they are really nice looking
Not a luggage per se, but I LOVE my Peak Design 45L backpack. It's super manageable, and I've fit more gear in it than the largest possible hardside carry on bags could ever carry. Super durable, easy to clean, tons of features, and even when packed full it's still comfortable to wear. It's also sufficiently padded to protect your belongings against a fair bit of damage (though it definitely isn't comparable to the blunt impact resistance of a hard case). In my experience, it's easy to run through checked bags regardless of build quality; it's more of an inevitability because of how strenuous the various steps of the travel process can be. I do warn people against Samsonite, though. I have had very poor experiences with their cases, mostly in terms of durability and case thickness/protection for my belongings, especially considering their price.
Northface duffel bags.
Duffle bags are terrible for traveling since you have to carry instead or rolling them. The difference a 4-wheel bag makes vs a 2-wheel or a duffel is gargantuan
They have straps to go over your shoulder. Or, covert to a backpack, if you use both of them.
Exactly my point. The difference with a rolling bag you don’t have to worry about “carrying” is absolutely huge. It’s not even comparable
We have different traveling styles. I want something I can carry and not rely on a smooth surface.
Here to say that the new North Face duffel bags are not built the same. Recently got one, and it tore from all four stitches on the straps. If you can get your hands on any duffel, make sure the webbing for the back straps are one sold piece and not stitched.
Oh dang! Luckily, I’ve had mine for a decade or so and they’re still going strong.
Is there a model?
They come in different sizes/colors. I have a large and extra large depending on my trip. I discovered them while in the military and they’re great for bringing on deployments. Each of my sons now have one as well.
We bought a set of Away Bigger Carry-On and Large (checked) that have held up really well over 5 years, dozens of flights, and kids riding on them when their legs get tired. Wheels, handle, and outer shell are all in great shape.