I bought a new suitcase

[1of4]

Hi 1of4. Just wondering if you, yourself are able to lift the 27" hard-sided Samsonites when they are packed?

Thanks!

 

I admit that the cases are not light, even when empty, but they are the only ones I can find without zippers. Zippers are a weakness so I prefer to avoid them if I can.

 

I can life them, and will have to, as DD and I are taking two of them to Australia in March without DS and DH!

[Chelly]

I am loving this thread but have to stop following it before I go out and purchase an entire set of new luggage.:D

[sapper1]

I admit that the cases are not light, even when empty, but they are the only ones I can find without zippers. Zippers are a weakness so I prefer to avoid them if I can.

 

I can life them, and will have to, as DD and I are taking two of them to Australia in March without DS and DH!

 

My husband cannot lift the bags but I have developed a knee jerk-arm swing motion to load them when I have to.

Mostly one of my husband's sons will drive us to the airport and do the lifting all the way until they are checked. We use a porter in Fort Lauderdale so there is really not much lifting involved.

[solocanadian]

My husband cannot lift the bags but I have developed a knee jerk-arm swing motion to load them when I have to.

Mostly one of my husband's sons will drive us to the airport and do the lifting all the way until they are checked. We use a porter in Fort Lauderdale so there is really not much lifting involved.

 

I just look helpless and bat my eye lashes and wait for some dude to lift it off the carousal at the airport. Ask my cabin steward to lift it on the bed to unpack it. There is no way in the world I could lift it that high. I have a new bed at home so that will be a challenge. Used to have twin beds so it was easy to put the luggage on the bed I didn't use. Now I have a queen I may have to turn it sideways to pack it on the side I don't sleep on. This process can take 2 to 3 days.:eek:

[Vict0riann]

I want a new suitcase! What with sail aways, shoes and suitcases I'll be joining SA, too.

[Randyk47]

I just look helpless and bat my eye lashes and wait for some dude to lift it off the carousal at the airport. Ask my cabin steward to lift it on the bed to unpack it. There is no way in the world I could lift it that high. I have a new bed at home so that will be a challenge. Used to have twin beds so it was easy to put the luggage on the bed I didn't use. Now I have a queen I may have to turn it sideways to pack it on the side I don't sleep on. This process can take 2 to 3 days.:eek:

 

Lifting bags? Lifting bags? I don't lift no stinking bags! :rolleyes: That's why I married a younger woman. ;) And right now I'm hoping she doesn't come and read this post. :eek: Seriously though both my wife and I have tricky backs. Sometimes we can lift our bags without problems, sometimes it takes both of us to lift them, and sometimes they get packed and unpacked on the floor. Right now we're getting ready for our Med cruise in May and part of that is a lot of exercise and a bit of diet....actually a lot of diet.....let's just say we've wintered well and winter isn't even over. :o Hopefully the exercise will help the backs as we look more like we're moving than going on a vacation with the size and number of bags we take. I truly much admire the light packers here, we're not one of them. :o

 

I actually did mention this thread to my wife as she's "test driving" a new bag on a business trip. It's still the Samsonite brand she prefers but it's a little lighter and a little squarer than her older bag. Jury is still out on whether this one will go on our cruise. Of course bag weight really just means more or less clothing as we pretty much push the packed weight to the airline limit.

Edited January 17, 2014 by Randyk47

[pcur]

We bought a cheap pair of large, hard case, spinner wheel, 3" expandable suitcases from Kmart, and then added on a two year warranty/replacement policy. We tried them out on a domestic trip several months ago, and it was great wheeling them around with a 50lb load. I love these suitcases!

 

What's different about these (but, maybe just normal if you've used this type before) is you pack on both top and bottom compartments, instead of just one cavity. There's a secure cover on one side to hold the items in, so it's pretty obvious that side is for lighter weight clothes / objects.

 

Since it's hard, the suitcase has no outside pockets, and that's the only thing I miss.

[PCruzer]

I have good luggage and invested in vinyl coverings made to order for them. They cost about $50 each and they have really protected my luggage from both the airlines and the cruiselines.

The company is Carryrite of California. If you contact them with the the dimensions and pictures of your luggage they make the vinyl coverings to order. My luggage is well protected and looks like new.

By the way, it is Vera Bradley and it looks like it came out of the store yesterday and I have it four years.

Terri

I like this idea! My only concern would be when your bag is randomly chosen to be searched behind the scenes at the airport. Has that ever happened to you? I would be afraid that they wouldn't put the vinyl cover back on properly, or worse yet, at all. I have lost many TSA-approved locks that way. They remove them but don't always put them back on.

[hvsteve1]

I used to manage a luggage department so here are my observations.

 

Buy good stuff. Cheap luggage is going to have substandard wheels, handles and zippers.

 

Ignore designer name luggage. Believe it or not, most of the big designer names are on the cheapest, crappiest stuff in the expectation uneducated purchasers will think a designer name wouldn't be on junk and WHAT A DEAL!

 

Buy the smallest possible case you can get away with and pack it a solid as possible. It's more difficult to break a brick than a balloon.

 

Look at the quality and not the brand. Most brands, such as Samsonite, make a whole range of quality lines from the very cheap 3-piece $99 set to cases that run in the hundreds of dollars each.

 

In the ten years I ran the operation I never had a pilot or flight attendant come in looking for anything other than Travel Pro. Admittedly, Travel Pro did a good job of marketing to people in the airline business, but I used to sit waiting for my plane and amusing myself by observing what airline crews were using, and it was usually Travel Pro.

 

Shop at overstock stores such as T J Max, Marshalls and Tuesday Morning. They get a lot of odd pieces that were returned to the manufacturer.

 

Understand pricing. Luggage is one of the highest markup, most discounted items in a department store. A typical good deal is 50 percent off plus a 10 percent coupon and, maybe, a free tote or carryon with the purchase of several pieces. Anyone who buys luggage in a regular department store at list price is really getting ripped off.

[CruiseWhere]

Swiss Army soft sided suitcases for DH and myself along with crew rollerboards.

[peaches from georgia]

DH and I also each have Victorinox Swiss Army luggage and love it. Have used it for all our land travel, flights, and cruises for 7-8 years and have never had a problem. The bags pack beautifully, have exterior pockets, and are expandable. Nothing broken, wheels are great, and zippers are still like new. Highly recommended.

[RocketMan275]

Glad you started this thread. Cruising in about six weeks and need a new bag. Thanks.