MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
I need to replace my beloved old Samsonite bag. It's hard a hard ten years or so of flying, and is starting to fall apart. 🙁
The closest equivalent seems to be this,
Is there anything else I should be looking at?
Needs to be,
2 wheeled
Cabin size (just!) for main airlines (BA, AA, CX, DL etc)
Tough. Last one lasted over ten years.
Suggestions, anyone?
(Awaits DD's input.... 😉 )
Tough.
Auer - the plastic crate people - have started to branch out into case and tool box products - they have a range of stuff that give's Festool / Tanos a run for its money for tool boxes and a range of travel cases that look aimed at the Pelicase market (the sort of luggage wildlife camera crews travel with) and includes wheelie suit case jobbers.
Everything they make is extremely tough and cleverly thought out and it makes absolutely no sense that it costs as little as it does. You order direct from the factory in Germany and stuff takes a little time to arrive as even though their minimum order is 1 stuff tends to be manufactured to order.
Suitcase ??
I leave a change of clothing at my properties around the world.... thought everyone did ?
@maccruiskeen, thanks, but perhaps a little too 'industrial! Should have added that it needs to look smart enough to occasionally be wheeled in to a meeting en route to an airport, something my loony tunes big red Osprey rather fails at!
The only other brands that I see as much as Samsonite are Tumi and Victorinox. My Samsonites last an average of 10 years, and given their price vs the Tumi and Victorinox I won't be looking elsewhere
Douchebag
take that as you will
I'm 4 years in with my large evoc, the small cabin bag one was on my list, might be available in black, solid wheels and well thought out, Rich the Silverfish has them (wonders if he has his name on a google alert for here)
https://www.evocsports.com/products/bags/terminal-bag-40l-20l
Whatever wilkos sell for about 30 quid.
Aldi have some in just now.
Db +1
I'm deeply disappointed that the OP doesn't have a handmade Tiger skin suitcase that he shot himself.
Standards are falling.
Plan to get a Patagucci one on my next trip stateside. Love my laptop bag, and the lifetime guarantee and eco credentials tick my middle-class vegetarian do-gooder boxes.
Edit: those Auer ones look awesome.
My Osprey Ozone has lasted 2 years of weekly flights with minimal wear and tear.
https://www.surfdome.com/osprey_luggage_-_osprey_ozone_36_hand_luggage_-_black-221652
Holdalls are where it's at. Haven't used a suitcase in years, at least 15 I'd say
Easier to carry and lob in the car, not so easy to drag along but easy in a trolley and then I tend to lob them on my back/shoulder
Last family trip to Lapland I took 6 holdalls (4 North Face, 1 Osprey, 1 folding Skypak one
I try to get by with hand luggage all the time so go for 2 criteria - lightweight - the lighter the case the more stuff you can take - some of these hard case/heavy duty cases are ridiculously heavy and you simply don't need the robustness for hand luggage. Also they have crap internal volume due to the more heavy duty nature of the exterior shell.
I like external pockets especially for laptops as you're always wanting to access stuff and I don't want to be always opening the main part of the case to get stuff in and out especially when you're in a queue at security and having to fish your laptop out of your main case.
Currently I'm sporting an IT case that claims to be the worlds lightest case in the world. It is certainly lightweight and plenty spacious with plenty of external pockets and an external laptop pouch so really convenient for security. Can easily do a week long work trip with it without having to employ the British army method of getting 4 days out of a pair of undies.
Last family trip to Lapland I took 6 holdalls
**** me, Santa's on STW!!!!
you simply don’t need the robustness for hand luggage
You'd have thought so, but recently I've got tired of people with rigid luggage ramming it into the locker on the assumption that if they apply enough force they can grind down my backpack to zero volume, having reduced my glasses, camera, easter eggs etc to dust 🙁
Eastpak is who I would be looking at, reasonably smart and very durable. They also have a lifetime warranty so if they do break, they'll repair it for free. We had 1 where the inside zip came apart, mainly due to me trying to fit 2 weeks of skiing stuff including boots, into a cabin bag. It was repaired without question and was done very quickly.
...without having to employ the British army method of getting 4 days out of a pair of undies.
Only 4? Which reg were you in?
+1 for Eastpak.
I would stick with Samsonite but go with a four wheel version - so much easier to move around than two wheels.
Another Osprey Ozone user here - tough and lightweight. Also has a neat little pocket on top for putting stuff like your toiletry bag in thereby reducing faff when you need to find it when going through security...
That said - Dakine Cabin Roller is worth a look
a four wheel version
Ever see aircrew with four wheelers? Nope, all two wheeled. Stronger.
The Osprey and Patagucci look like interesting alternatives, will have a closer look.
That Samsonite looks good and similar to what I have (but from another well known brand). For cabin luggage I think a polypropylene shell case with a fabric skin (ie like mine and the Samsonite) are the perfect balance of toughness, protection and lightweight. I too prefer the two wheeled option and frankly, this being STW, I would have expected a bit more enthusiasm for 2 wheels over 4.
(PS I do occasionally look lustily at Rimowa, but then common sense take over and I have a word with myself).
I’m done with wheels. My next bag will be a soft hold-all black hole or similar
another well known brand
?
Rimowa is like using a Mont Blanc pen. Very "LOOK AT ME"
The other well known brand is "Antler"...had to run upstairs to check! Around 10 years of semi regular flights and trips and still wearing well. Protects my Lamy pen nicely 😉
My Tesco bag for life has a Bic biro in it
I’ve found these excellent.
+1 for Antler - equivalent to samsonite IMO, and you can always get them at TK Max for peanuts.
I have a hardshell carry-on, it is heavy, but I can keep my suit carefully folded in one half, so it arrives in a decent state at the other end.
Spotted this the other day - looks good: https://huckberry.com/store/rocky-mountain-underground/category/p/53193-brfcs-35l
My Tesco bag for life has a Bic biro in it.
Name dropping "Tesco" and "Bic". Bit of a brand snob are we. (Saunters off with generic biro nicked from a betting shop inside a fake charity collection bag). 🙂
Wagon wheels for carry-ons! Actually makes a lot of sense & would do away with the clatter-clatter-clatter of regular bags.
Holdalls are great for family trips & we have a fleet of them, but for regular flying a bombproof carry-on makes a lot of sense. Particularly if you have to travel to the US, where even the sodding airport trolleys are privatised.
After 35 years of export travel around Africa I can tell you that there are only two brands of case that I will buy: Samsonite and Delsey.
Name dropping “Tesco” and “Bic”. Bit of a brand snob are we.
We have standards to uphold. We're not uncouth savages.
Wagon wheels for carry-ons! Actually makes a lot of sense & would do away with the clatter-clatter-clatter of regular bags.
Nice design, but not cheap!
Another +1 for Eastpak.
Tough as anything I've yet to find, with top line guaranties. Tanverz S or XS are perfect cabin size.
My XS has been back and forth with me on and of the ship and offahore helicopters for 4 years or more now. Some signs of wear and tear on the wheels and corner protectors.
I'd use a Tranverz S preferably to give a bit more stuffage, but we fly with some tiny little airlines in the Caribbean, and their 'cabin size' is a bit smaller than everybody elses!
For an overpriced yet cycling related one, get one of these:
For an overpriced yet cycling related one, get one of these:
I'm waiting for the Rapha version at £850 for a 30l hold all with a dash of pink cloth stapled to one corner.
Currently I’m sporting an IT case that claims to be the worlds lightest case in the world.
Coincidentally, I spotted these yesterday in Matalan. (Don't judge me, I was collecting a DPD delivery.) Looked decent enough and given that it's Matalan I expect they were pretty heavily discounted.
@Flashy - what did you get?
My old bag is on its last legs. I'm looking for cabin size but robust enough to handle baggage handlers and being dragged 2km across town.
Rimowa is like using a Mont Blanc pen. Very “LOOK AT ME”
Yep. Nice though - especially when you get a few explorer-credible dings in the aluminium 🙂
Still haven't replaced it! Apart from one, all my trips since this have been long haul and I've ben using my big Osprey. Had one short hail, but that was to Toulouse for lunch, so didn't need a bag.
Rucsac! I have no idea why anyone uses suitcases in this day and age. rucsacs are much easier!
I use a berghaus 30l for cabin luggage
@tj - rucsacs are great but when heavy, they ruin your suit and arriving at a meeting with a sweaty back and crumpled suit doesn't look great.
You never get a second chance to create a first impression. For our clients, especially in the financial hubs of Europe, appearance is important (I know it's very shallow but relevant in my industry).
🙂 I was only teasing really. I'd love to see CFH in his gucci loafers and pinstipe suit with a rucsac on his back!
Gucci loafers?
Outside. Now.
😀
Does anyone have a robust 2 wheeler that they can recommend?
The evil cobbles of Zürich broke my old bag last week resulting in a sweaty walk across town.
When I figured I needed a cabin bag I got this. Simple, rigid, and easy to roll and move. I’m hoping it’ll be as robust as my Samsonite hold bag. https://www.johnlewis.com/samsonite- s'cure-4-wheel-55cm-cabin-suitcase/p387724
Been using a bulletproof ParmeBe Marque with no issues for the last few years from a wee place in the Cotswolds. Handmade and tailored to the customer's height and stride means a waiting list. The maker is pushing 80 and a bit of a grumpy sort but his products are extraordinary.
Looking for one too. But is a cabin bag big enough for a 3 day trip,as I'm getting fed up with the long waits at the baggage dump?
I’ve used that Samsonite case for the last 5 years or so, with some hard use (c70 long haul flights/year, plus connecting short haul flights). Generally in the cabin, sometimes checked in.
It’s fine, just fits into the BA gauge, has expanding zipper if required, wheels fine etc. Usual weak points are zips if bag overloaded.
Mine was a replacement for a Tumi with a failed zip - quote for new zip was almost as much as the Samsonite.
I would stick with Samsonite but go with a four wheel version – so much easier to move around than two wheels
+1. Ours havent fallen apart.
Personally, I’d go for the Pelican carryon wheeled case, pretty understated and very tough.
https://g.co/kgs/iDcvDu
Crikey, that Pelican ain't cheap...
4 wheeled spinner cases are the spawn of Satan! Every bus or train near an airport has one smashing around like a lunatic. People like pushing them along - normally fine, but please stop doing it in aircraft aisles!! If you pull instead, it will follow you obediently, instead of banging into every seat like a pinball machine!!
Rant over 😬
Samsonite quality isn’t what it was imho. US bought stuff is given a lifetime warranty over there.
I currently use an eBags Weekender , which straps on top of my flight case to pull around.
I’ve given up on letting baggage handlers stress test my case.
4 wheeled spinner cases are the spawn of Satan! Every bus or train near an airport has one smashing around like a lunatic. People like pushing them along – normally fine, but please stop doing it in aircraft aisles!! If you pull instead, it will follow you obediently, instead of banging into every seat like a pinball machine!!
Rant over
Point proven! 2 wheelers are the only way to go.
Victorinox two wheeler with a removable suit carrier. Cheaper than Tumi. It’s lasted 10 years and still absolutely fine. Largest size I can carry on when not expanded. When expanded with purchases I check it in.
I like 4 wheels but think two for the larger case and strength. I really want to take laptop bag inside too for the smallest travel factor.
Otherwise it’s my Barbour weekend bag for a week with no purchasing.
Edit. This is the latest version. Not cheap but it’s been a trusty servant on about a hundred trips.
https://www.victorinox.com/uk/en/Products/Travel-Gear/Carry-On-Bags/Lexicon-Global-Carry-On/p/601171