Need New Luggage!!! What Do You Love??? Flight Attentants What Do You Have????

I have a samsonite suitcase, that has probably been on 20 plane rides. Looks like new! nothing ever fell off it. It is a carry on suitcase, cost a couple of 100, has spinning wheels. What I like the most about it is that the kids can ride on it, so no stroller needed

Do yourself the favor of buying the ones that swivel 360 degrees. They are wonderful. No more pulling a bag behind you. You "walk it" beside of you instead.

I also try to buy luggage that is lighter. I think that between pulling them and having a lot of weight to pull that I gave myself a hernia a couple of years ago. (An educated guess...)

As we replace our older ones, all of ours will swivel. Check Costco before you buy. That's where I bought mine after hunting around. Same thing I found elsewhere, less money.

http://shop.heys.ca/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=Parisi...
This is the set I have. I like it because its durable from the hard panels yet not ridged.

My only recommendation is to get a set of brightly colored or patterned luggage. If you notice most of the luggage is dark blue or black and it's hard to tell if it's yours or someone else's. I have red luggage with pink luggage tags and I always know which one is mine.

I've been searching luggage for a bit of time myself. Things have significantly changed since I did my last major international trip twelve years ago. There's a lot to think about.

First, weight and size matters. 50 lbs for checked bags goes fast. If you have heavy luggage, that's less that you can pack. We also have two of the largest sized bags which are 1-2" too large and would incur size penalties (and weight penalties if I filled them as usual). I've actually seen luggage scales for $20 or more so that people won't overpack.

When measuring, include the handle and wheels. I didn't, and now I've bought straps to scrunch the luggage smaller. The manufacturers may not include the wheels in their sizings, so be careful.

Some people are pro wheels and others are against them. They take up space, but getting around is so much easier. I got the 360 spinners on Atlantic luggage and I love them. We've gone on one flight with them and they survived. We'll see if the wheels on the checked bag survives this international trip.

We just ordered a bag from MEI that has straps to carry like a backpack but looks like a conventional piece of luggage. Proponents of this type say that wheels add weight and take away space. It comes in a carry-on size, for these folks also recommend that no one should check any luggage. We'll see how my husband enjoys having it on his back. Notice that I am not volunteering.

Also check the zippers. One style is superior to the other, though I cannot remember their names.

Try the Rick Steve's website and MEI. Happy trails.

We got my kids new luggage for Christmas - well carry-on bags. We got them Samsonite ones with the 360 wheels. They are GREAT! We got normal colors (two black for the boys and one purple for our daughter), but you'd be surprised how many purple bags there are! So we got some bright neon green string and tied it on to all of our bags - what a difference it made!

So 360 wheels, a good brand, and something to make them stand out :).

I vote for Samsonite. I bought my suitcase (non-carryon) at their Garland outlet before I started my first job out of college. Little did I know I would be traveling every two weeks for a year and checking in that bag. Well, the zipper broke once and they replaced it for free, which I was not expecting them to do for FREE. It's 17 years later and we are still using that bag. I'm about ready to get a new one because the fabric is fraying on the corners. But, before I get a new Samsonite, I'll ask if there's any way they could fix that fraying. :-)
PS- I bought it at the Bag N Baggage outlet in Garland. I think they have a repair shop in the back.
Bag'n Baggage
11067 Petal St, Dallas, TX 75238
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For a checked bag, I definitely wouldn't recommend getting spinner wheels. They stick out and are apt to get broken when being checked and going through the plane and baggage claim, etc. Especially if you go on international trips. Inline rollers that are imbedded in the bag are your best bet. Spinners on a carryon will also sacrifice some space in the bag to meet airline dimensions, but the risk of damage is a lot less since just you will be handling it.

I have American Tourister luggage that's been on a lot of flights, including 5 to India and aside from a little fraying on the outside, it's in great shape. My dad uses a Samsonite set that he's had a few years and they have held up really well.

A friend of mine just told me about this piece which is great because most hardshell luggage don't have the external pocket and its reasonably priced too! http://m.hammacher.com/Product/77348?promo=Travel-Luggage...

We have a set if Samsonite that has held up really well. They're at least 8 yrs old. The baggage handlers are brutal with luggage.

We travel a lot for business and personal. We stopped using the largest bag we have as it gets to heavy and hard to manage and keep within airline weight regulations.

We use the mid sized and smaller bag the most. We don't carry luggage onto the plane either.

We'd certainly purchase samsonite again.

Hey -
I have a medium sized American Tourister piece of luggage that I absolutely love. With that in mind, I needed more luggage this summer for some family vacations. Amazon has this set on sale for $66.00 which I thought was a great deal and so I bought it. These pieces don't seem to be quite as heavy duty as my original American Tourister piece. BUT, for the price, you can't beat how many pieces you get. I have Amazon Prime, so it was free shipping for me.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0047RPIIG/ref=oh_detail...

Good luck,
L.