Time to buy new luggage

[Mary229]

DH’s luggage has finally reached the end of the road.  It will now be relegated to blanket storage.  I will be purchasing a set of two, I think, a carryon and a 26 to 28 inch.   So let’s hear your criteria and suggestions, I have an open mind but a tight wallet.  I don’t want cheap but a good value and at my age I don’t need lifetime guarantees .  Thanks for your opinions.  

[crystalspin]

Hi Mary!

If he could stand hot pink (easy to spot on the Carousel!), there is this 26" one on eBay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/204073660660

Black, Hard-shell, 28", and expandable:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/394215051081

Here is the carryon companion for the Hot pink:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/204055656024

Here are the same cases (both sizes in the selection box) in Black!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/363959657769

 

We love our IT 2-wheel carryons, but they have become hard to find! Here is the carryon in Herringbone check:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265834457690

Oops, I just found one brand new for possibly even less in a darker check:

https://smile.amazon.com/Luggage-Worlds-Lightest-Angeles-Charcoal/dp/B07GWTGBHF/

With enough persistance you might luck onto a matching larger case.

 

ETA: Search Amazon for IT Luggage to see MOSTLY spinners, some in sets.

Edited September 9, 2022 by crystalspin

[Essiesmom]

We have had good luck with bags purchased from ebags.com.  If you aren’t particular that they match, I have found good bags on sale at department store and TJ Max, Burlington (coat factory), Target.  I travel carryon only and am particular about the interior.  It has to be expandable (although I have never used this feature), have at least one side that zips closed, preferably both.  This would be hard side luggage.  About 7-8 years ago I found a 22” bag by Revo at Macy’s for about 75% off.  Bright orange.  I have a smaller Heys bag from Target that has made many trips.  I also travel with a backpack, the Motherlode Jr. from ebags.  My last cruise was only 4 days and all I took was a rolling backpack from High Sierra.  
There was quite a long thread about luggage a year or so ago, either this board or First Time Cruisers.  You might try a search for it.  EM

Edited September 9, 2022 by Essiesmom

[Ashland]

We have gotten (and continue to get) many miles out of our TravelPro luggage.

[LHT28]

I would  not get the 28"  unless your airline of choice  does not charge extra  as  those may be oversized

 We like our HEYS  brand hard side AWD  26" one  & a smaller carry on  AWD

 easy to roll even on some carpeted areas 

 

[Joebucks]

I would first check the dimensions against the top airlines you normally travel for both carry-on and checked. 

[slidergirl]

i would also decide if this is just for "in the car/to the airport/to the ship" luggage or if this is going to be used for pre/post/non-cruise vacations.  My anecdotal experiences:

Working at various hotels and resorts, I've handled a lot of bags.  Spinner bags were the worst - they were difficult to roll down all the carpeted hallways and I'd end up tilting them like 2-wheelers.  2-wheel duffels were easy to roll, but most of the time they would fall over if I tried to stand them up.  Hard-shell 2 wheelers were the best for any terrain.

I was looking for a new carry-on size roller for this summer's vacation.  Listening to everyone sing the praises of spinners, I bought one.  I HATED IT.  First, I lost space in the bag because the wheels aren't built-into the bag like many 2-wheelers.  There's about 1.5 inches of lost space.  Second, it would "jump" and go sideways if it hit any cracks in sidewalks, raised metal in between spots in the floors/sidewalks and run over what had been my clean sneakers, bounced all over on the cobblestone and turning my arm.  I ended up pulling it 2-wheel-style instead of being able to utilize the 4-wheel function.   Not fun, especially in Aix-en-Provence where i had to park .6km away from my apartment and walk!!

When I got back from that month in Europe, I turned around and did 2 more weeks in the US for a reunion and a wedding.  There were the "car/airport/car" kind of trips and the spinner was tolerable, although it did jump a few times on the floor where the metal was dividing up floor slabs. 

I will be hunting for 2-wheelers from now on if I buy again.

 

[Mary229]

8 hours ago, LHT28 said:

I would  not get the 28"  unless your airline of choice  does not charge extra  as  those may be oversized

 We like our HEYS  brand hard side AWD  26" one  & a smaller carry on  AWD

 easy to roll even on some carpeted areas 

 

I prefer 26 inch too but they seem to be harder to find.  

[Mary229]

2 hours ago, slidergirl said:

will be hunting for 2-wheelers from now on if I buy again.

I tend to agree.  My 22 inch is a two wheeler.   Though I am buying two I would only be using one or the other on any given trip so the main benefit of a four wheeler - rolling side by side - is lost on me.   
 

The hard shells seem that they may be prone to separation at the zipper, is that your experience?   He likes hard side but they look problematic. 
 

how about duffels, with or without wheels?

Edited September 10, 2022 by Mary229

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

how about duffels, with or without wheels?

 

I find it hard to pack in duffels to keep things from moving around and getting wrinkled. Also for me they tend to encourage overpacking since there is usually a generous amount of room. 

 

I like a good quality soft-sided suitcase with two sturdy wheels. I don't need a lot of "extras" inside as I just want a solid rectangle to pack in. I like the Victorinox Werks line, I have bought several pieces on close-out over the years. Very sturdy yet lightweight (not ultralight, but light enough).

 

They have an interesting system where you can pack the bottom half, then use a sort of compression divider to keep those clothes in place and make a flat surface to pack your second half of clothing.  It helps keep things from shifting and allows you that little bit of extra space because of the slight compression.

 

One thing I realized over the years that I like about soft-sided bags is that most of them are not the "clam-shell" type where you have to pack on both sides. Those take a lot more room when packing and unpacking -- usually have to open and pack them on the bed, rather than on a luggage rack.  Just more awkward in small spaces.

[cruiseaholic78]

Just one advice after traveling in this summer, don’t buy black/grey/dark blue.  The baggage carousels are full of dark colored cases many of them without any significant markings. Unfortunately we also saw baggage carts full of (dark) cases all over Amsterdam and Copenhagen but that is another story.

We have aqua blue ones which stand out wherever we are.

A side note to the owners of dark colored cases get a bright baggage band so at least you can recognize them at a distance.

[Mary229]

6 hours ago, cruiseaholic78 said:

Just one advice after traveling in this summer, don’t buy black/grey/dark blue.  The baggage carousels are full of dark colored cases many of them without any significant markings. Unfortunately we also saw baggage carts full of (dark) cases all over Amsterdam and Copenhagen but that is another story.

We have aqua blue ones which stand out wherever we are.

A side note to the owners of dark colored cases get a bright baggage band so at least you can recognize them at a distance.

My luggage is purple paisley with lime green permanent luggage tags.  He is willing to accept a bright color. 

[Hlitner]

So many different opinions and ideas about luggage.  Our own criteria stress one thing, which is weight.  We buy the lightest luggage we can find that is reasonably priced and has decent quality.  We do not buy expensive luggage (which can actually be of the highest quality) because we think that expensive luggage makes it more likely to be the target of luggage thieves.  At the moment, our brand of choice are the lightweight lines of TravelPro.

 

One other thing about lightweight luggage.  One can buy a 26 inch (large) piece of luggage that weighs over 12 pounds or one can buy a TravelPro lightweight piece that weighs about 8 pounds.  That 4 -5 pound difference means one can pack an extra 4 pounds (per piece) and still stay within the 50 pound limit imposed by most airlines.  On long trips we will carry two of these large cases so this means just over 8 more pounds of "stuff."  While the lighter weight luggage is not as heavy duty as its heavier cousins,  the luggage does seem to hold-up rather well (and we give the a lot of use on cruises, flying, and land trips).

 

Hank

[2wheelin]

7 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I find it hard to pack in duffels to keep things from moving around and getting wrinkled. Also for me they tend to encourage overpacking since there is usually a generous amount of room. 

 

I like a good quality soft-sided suitcase with two sturdy wheels. I don't need a lot of "extras" inside as I just want a solid rectangle to pack in. I like the Victorinox Werks line, I have bought several pieces on close-out over the years. Very sturdy yet lightweight (not ultralight, but light enough).

 

They have an interesting system where you can pack the bottom half, then use a sort of compression divider to keep those clothes in place and make a flat surface to pack your second half of clothing.  It helps keep things from shifting and allows you that little bit of extra space because of the slight compression.

 

One thing I realized over the years that I like about soft-sided bags is that most of them are not the "clam-shell" type where you have to pack on both sides. Those take a lot more room when packing and unpacking -- usually have to open and pack them on the bed, rather than on a luggage rack.  Just more awkward in small spaces.

Have you tried packing cubes? I use them all the time and love them. Nothing but nothing shifts!.  Many sizes to choose from and can be compressed too if you want. Much less disturbance of clothing when retrieving an item. I sometimes fold to size and layer clothes, sometimes roll and put the tubes in a row.

Agree about the clamshell type, especially the larger they are. Thankfully when I accidentally purchased them, I got bright purple and I love how well they roll. They just are not for trips where you don’t unpack for the duration.

[slidergirl]

12 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I tend to agree.  My 22 inch is a two wheeler.   Though I am buying two I would only be using one or the other on any given trip so the main benefit of a four wheeler - rolling side by side - is lost on me.   
 

The hard shells seem that they may be prone to separation at the zipper, is that your experience?   He likes hard side but they look problematic. 
 

how about duffels, with or without wheels?

Duffels with wheels - you have to be careful how you pack.  They have a tendency to not stand upright when you let go.  if you load it with your heavy things at the wheel-end, it has a better chance of standing.

 

unwheeled duffels - i have 2 from Osprey that I've had since 2009 (a Porter 65 and a 42) that I have used when wheels won't work.  i also have one from Cotopaxi that is a 32L and folds flat to use a my 'i bought extra stuff' bag when i travel.  As long as you are comfortable carrying them, i'm ok with them.  

 

I can't answer the zipper question because I've only used this hardshell once.  I had it pretty stuffed and zipped/unzipped it plenty of times over the 6 weeks I traveled in July/August.  No issues for me.

[cruisemom42]

5 hours ago, 2wheelin said:

Have you tried packing cubes? I use them all the time and love them. Nothing but nothing shifts!.  Many sizes to choose from and can be compressed too if you want. Much less disturbance of clothing when retrieving an item. I sometimes fold to size and layer clothes, sometimes roll and put the tubes in a row.

 

Not a fan of packing cubes. My packing style allows me to get the most use of all the space in my suitcase and minimizes wrinkles. The key is packing everything flat, making use of the whole size of the suitcase, and using the fewest "folds".

 

I am a houdini when it comes to retrieving items, if needs be!

[shipgeeks]

We have had very good luck with buying luggage at thrift stores and church rummage sales. The downside is that we don't necessarily find things that fit our wishes on the first try, so when we see something good, we buy it. All have lasted at least as well as the ones we bought at retail years ago. I imagine some of our best finds were bought for family members for a special trip, used once, and then donated. If you have suitable outlets nearby, they might be worth a look.

Oh, and even though I agree that plain black is too easy to be picked up by the wrong person, we overcome this by putting stickers all over the top (handle area).

[2wheelin]

2 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Not a fan of packing cubes. My packing style allows me to get the most use of all the space in my suitcase and minimizes wrinkles. The key is packing everything flat, making use of the whole size of the suitcase, and using the fewest "folds".

 

I am a houdini when it comes to retrieving items, if needs be!

Different strokes for different folks. My packing style allows me to get the most use of all the space and NO wrinkles. Suitcase doesn’t need to be full to prevent shifting and no digging. All those extras like shoes and bathroom supplies need to go somewhere and it is easy to just lift out a whole cube at once. I once packed for a cruise, including formal wear, and did 12 days of land travel before opening the cruise suitcase. Not a wrinkle anywhere. Cubes are really great if you are moving around rather than unpacking once.

 

No matter which way you do, it just takes a little practice to perfect. When I see people departing on a one week trip with two suitcases and a couple extra bags, I know they haven’t practiced enough. 😂 

[Gwendy]

Best luggage I bought was a bright orange case.  So easy to spot on airport carousel and on a land trip I did in India, the driver would say every day when we left the hotel, make sure your luggage is in the trailer.  Others would be checking to see if their black case was there with the other black cases, I just had to cast a quick eye over the luggage, yep there was my orange Jaffa.

[cruisemom42]

7 hours ago, 2wheelin said:

Different strokes for different folks.

 

Yep, we're all different. My goal is to have the right size suitcase (small as possible) and fill it without overfilling it. I don't want extra space. I don't shop or bring back souvenirs.

 

I tried packing cubes once, I wasn't able to get as much into the same amount of space. Perhaps I might have improved with practice but it wasn't worth the effort to me.

 

I do have one packing cube that I use when I have a small carry-on to pack a few extra clothes (and keep them separate) just in case my suitcase goes astray....  Which happened to me this summer -- my suitcase was AWOL for 12 days, but luckily it was on the return trip.

 

[Crew News]

My very experienced luggage includes blue Delsey clamshell spinners, EagleCreek garment folder for hangup clothes, foldable blue travel duffel, a blue two-wheel TravelPro carry-on roller bag, and various camera bags.  My previous TravelPro carry-on lasted 16 years before an irreplaceable wheel broke while disembarking the Zuiderdam in April. 

 

Spinners are great until you encounter carpeted hotels and cruise ships during self disembarking.

[2wheelin]

6 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

 

I do have one packing cube that I use when I have a small carry-on to pack a few extra clothes (and keep them separate) just in case my suitcase goes astray....  Which happened to me this summer -- my suitcase was AWOL for 12 days, but luckily it was on the return trip.

 

Wouldn’t it be fun to have suitcases with video cameras so we could see their adventures. They apparently sometimes need a vacation from us. 🧳 ✈️ 

[Tudorcruisers]

I love packing cubes .  Many years ago I bought a very distinctive case and just lifted it off the carousel and came home to find it was the wrong case!! I couldn’t  believe someone else had the same one and I was too young to have the sense to check the address label so that was a lesson I won’t forget.  

[ltraxler]

On 9/10/2022 at 2:41 PM, cruisemom42 said:

 

Not a fan of packing cubes. My packing style allows me to get the most use of all the space in my suitcase and minimizes wrinkles. The key is packing everything flat, making use of the whole size of the suitcase, and using the fewest "folds".

 

I am a houdini when it comes to retrieving items, if needs be!

Have you ever thought of doing a video of your packing style?

[iancal]

Understand that several luggage manufacturers have two lines.  One that ends up in specialty stores.

 

Another line specifically for department and discount stores that regularly advertise for 50 percent off.  It also ends up in those so called 'factory outlet' stores.

 

Years ago the owner of a luggage repair shop that did luggage repairs for a major airline pulled out a few bags in for repair and showed us some of he differences.   Especially wheels, zippers, etc.  

 

Brand name does not always signify a well made product.

Edited September 12, 2022 by iancal