Travel Products - Best B&R carry-on for 6' 4" guy?

After reading through numerous threads here on Flyertalk, I am hoping to get some advice as I have narrowed down and trying to decide between a few B&R Baseline series two wheel roller carry-on bags:

20 Inch Carry On Expandable Wide Body Upright - U420XW
21 Inch Carry On Expandable Upright - U421X
20 Inch Carry-On EZ-Pocket Expandable Upright -U420ZX

From what I understand, all BR TRUE bag dimensions are larger than stated on website...

Background/Needs:

6' 4'' 48L sport coat/suite coat
Bag Weight seems like a non-issue for most US domestic carriers (max 40lbs)
Trip Length is strictly M through TH w/in USA

Most importantly, I want to severely limit FA sizing issues/overhead bin fitting headaches or hassles/checking bag at gate (I understand some small planes it's inevitable)

Which bag is the best way to go? Or any other recommendations?

Additionally, I have searched the internet and found out BR will be releasing updated bags in August...does this have any bearing on a decision?

THanks in advance!

have you watched some packing videos on folding suits? I've seen a few on youtube from packing light dot com guy I think it was, but there are bunches of them. seems to me for your size, you want as much length in the bag (21 vs 20, for ex) so the sleeves and shoulders of your jackets are more likely to fit without excessive folding.

I bet there are lots of threads on matching suit size to carry on, or at least tips on folding methods which minimize wrinkling, here on FT. I'd also rec you consider another brand with good reputation for warranty, Eagle Creek. good hunting!

All of those will work. You should probably go to a shop and see which one you like as everyone has his own preferences.

As for coats and such that take up half the entire bag, if I have to bring those, I've bought a separate soft hand carry bag (manly coloured LeSportsac ;) ) to carry them. Since it's soft, I can temporarily squish it to fit any sizer - if I'm asked. Works well for my routine.

In case you might have to travel international in the very long life of any B+R bag, the 20in is always safer than bigger sizes. Measurement of B+R bags are given internally so external size is 1-2 inches bigger. I do have a 21in and it feels weirdly, significantly bigger when full than the 20in, so I guess you could risk it if you really need the shoulder width. The 22in will definitely exceed international size. But the 20in is always safe except in those little aircraft where you even have to check your handbag (maybe not yours, but mine!).

From what I can recall the "wide-body" might also be too wide for international sizing, without adding as much space as an expandable bag (which expands on the top not the sides). Personally I'd take an expandable, pref. One-Touch, rather than wide body for this reason.

For expansion I strongly prefer the B+R One-Touch expansion system (it;s in the title of the bag). It's bomb-proof. If the title just says expandable then this is just a zip-out expansion. Just "expandable" won;t expand as much as the One Touch system. In the 20in the One-Touch lets you add about 30% capacity (more in my case I push it to 35%) and the expanded bit is much more protected/stable. The One-Touch system is a bit heavier but for me it's worth it. YMMV.

Have you looked at the new spinners? With B+R lifetime guarantee you can't lose even if a wheel gets knocked it just gets replaced. There's no expansion model in these so far, but they are much lighter.

I'm a size 44 jacket and hate to fold around my shoulder peaks. I had an old "22" samsonite that was more like 23.5, but somewhat thin - so it fit the bins lengthwise. So I didn't have problem carrying 2 or 3 suits in there. My new 22 inch bag is actually 22 inches and have less room. So I don't like to pack more than 1 suit in a carry on. If I really have to pack 2 or more suits I bring a separate garment cover like this one http://www.redoxx.com/Airline-Carry-On-Luggage/Gypsy-Suit-Cover/91036-Suit%20Cover/100/Product and stash my thin briefcase ( http://www.amazon.com/Alpha-Screen-Computer-Portfolio-Briefcase/dp/B001XCXAIS ) inside of my carry on suit case (to keep within 1 carry on and 1 personal item limit).

Being a big guy is no fun for frequent traveling..... (except when I fly biz or first class)

and....... you should go with the 21inch one touch. it's actually about 1/2 inch deeper than the other two bags in your post.

Just remember though that the one touch expansion is either all or none. There is no in between if you just wanted to expand 1 inch. (without expansion it's actually 9.5inch depth - I measured) From what I understand, Briggs is coming out with a part expansion system in Aug. but only a rumor....... and it's darn heavy, about 13 lbs. (again I measured)

Thank you everyone for your quick, detailed feedback and experiences. I stopped by luggage store this evening to handle/ mock pack each bag.

Within the 21' suitor part, my suit coat fit w/o any folding which was pleasant surprise, while in both 20' bags I had to fold portions of the shoulders to fit - as warned in previous comments. Also, the saleswoman pulled out a few travelpro and tumi pieces, but none seemed overly impressive - from an overall value standpoint.

My last burning question, what is everyone's personal experience as to how will each carry-on bag fit w/in overhead bins? How often are you "called out" by a FA and forced to measure/size your bag or at worst check it with any of these bags? (I will be traveling coach 99% of time, until gain status)...

Ideally I'd like to go with the 21' bag, followed by 20' wide body, then the 20' EZ given my shoulder width... but most importantly need to be able to "stow and go" as possible for when traveling.

The 21' BR measured 23.5' length in store, a good 1.5' above 22 inch max length. Also the wide-body is 17', excess of 3 inches of 14' max width. The U420 ZX seemed to be the only "non-arguable" true carry-on.

What's the best way to go?

Thank you for your recommendations!

If you routinely fly in domestic First class, the FAs don't say anything even if your carry-on is a little larger than their requirement. If you fly frequently enough to have any elite airline status, you will board earlier than most of the coach passengers and should not have problems having overhead bin space for storage.

The 21' BR measured 23.5' length in store, a good 1.5' above 22 inch max length. Also the wide-body is 17', excess of 3 inches of 14' max width. The U420 ZX seemed to be the only "non-arguable" true carry-on.

What's the best way to go?

Thank you for your recommendations!

I don't know how you measured it but I measured it three times from the floor to the top of the bag and got 22.75 on one end and 23 on the other end (not including the leather handle on top as it can be squeezed somewhat). In any case, it fit just about all the coach cabins I flew on (except regional jets and some forward sections of the coach cabins where only 18s fit).

FYI. It's not just the length you gotta watch out for. It's also the depth that is important. The Costco bag which many people use has the same length but is about 10.5 inches thick (more like 11 inches when bag is full). Because of the curvature of the fuselage it actually takes up the same amount of additional inches in length as the difference between the depth of each bag, which is about 1 to 1.5 inches. (remember trigonometry from high school?)

If I really have to pack 2 or more suits I bring a separate garment cover like this one http://www.redoxx.com/Airline-Carry-On-Luggage/Gypsy-Suit-Cover/91036-Suit%20Cover/100/Product and stash my thin briefcase ( http://www.amazon.com/Alpha-Screen-Computer-Portfolio-Briefcase/dp/B001XCXAIS ) inside of my carry on suit case (to keep within 1 carry on and 1 personal item limit).

What's your experience on doing the roller+suit cover as personal item in coach seats? I have at least one upcoming trip where this trade off would be appealing.

What's your experience on doing the roller+suit cover as personal item in coach seats? I have at least one upcoming trip where this trade off would be appealing.

The suit cover should be just that, a suit cover. A thin one like the one I posted worked for me because I tell'em I can fold it and put it under seats. Usually I can fit it above my suitcase between the top of the bin space. but this means no briefcase.

What's your experience on doing the roller+suit cover as personal item in coach seats? I have at least one upcoming trip where this trade off would be appealing.

This review is pretty accurate about the Red Oxx suit cover.....

Ha ha - It Works! It's Cheap!
By Michael W., Oakland, CA, August 19, 2009

My title says it all - don't underestimate this bag because it costs less than the more complicated RedOxx offerings. It's simple, but the workmanship is impeccable, the materials are expedition tough, the zippers are the best made - YKK flat-lock, self-locking (won't open accidentally, only when pressure is applied to the zipper pull). .... Do remember that this is a FLAT style bag with FLAT dimensions, well suited for FLAT items like clothing, less well suited for bulky thick items like shoes and toilet kit (although shoes WILL fit in the front zipper slash pocket). .... My toilet kit goes in my personal bag anyway, so that isn't a problem for me. And I try not to carry extra shoes, at least on the type of business trips that dictate this type of "wrinkle resistant packing" garment carrier. .... If you are looking for something to carry "fat" items, check out the Flying Fortress Garment Bag instead.

The suit cover should be just that, a suit cover. A thin one like the one I posted worked for me because I tell'em I can fold it and put it under seats. Usually I can fit it above my suitcase between the top of the bin space. but this means no briefcase.

I think I need to do a trial packing run for my longish upcoming trip. If I can't fit everything in my current arrangement that bag (or a similar wally bags one) might give me the most space.

They are indeed from packinglight.com; Jon is a good friend, but to give credit where it's due, his mother Gussie developed the system. The packing light system (including step by step on packing a suit) can be seen here (www.packinglight.net/packinglight_method.aspx) (and his prices are often quite decent as well). Videos can be seen http://www.packinglight.net/travel_info_depot.aspx.

have you watched some packing videos on folding suits? I've seen a few on youtube from packing light dot com guy I think it was, but there are bunches of them. seems to me for your size, you want as much length in the bag (21 vs 20, for ex) so the sleeves and shoulders of your jackets are more likely to fit without excessive folding.

I bet there are lots of threads on matching suit size to carry on, or at least tips on folding methods which minimize wrinkling, here on FT. I'd also rec you consider another brand with good reputation for warranty, Eagle Creek. good hunting!

B+R is updating their Baseline models in fall (September?). May want to wait until then for new models or for old models to come down in price.

As you found out with a 48L suit you will need all the length you can get in a bag.

I'd have a number of suggestions to make thus:

1. BR bags are fantastic in general. BUT as carry-ons they are unnecessarily heavy and the proportions are just not ideal, as you have noticed yourself. Also, the unlimited warranty is great for checked luggage but not really needed for carry-ons unless you are really hard on your luggage dragging it up and down stairs and curbs and throwing it around.

2. I find a very good alternative is the Travelpro Platinum line. They are a bit lighter and truer to size. They also have an unlimited warranty. Moreover they are a tad cheaper.

3. Forget about the suiter feature. Just throw the thing out. Learn how to fold a suit by checking out the Master Packing Thread stickied on top of this forum. You will not need the suiter anymore saving space and weight.

4. If you really don't want any sizer issues you might want to check out a hardside Samsonite or Rimowa bag. Or a shoulder carried bag like the Airboss by Redoxx.

Till

B+R is updating their Baseline models in fall (September?). May want to wait until then for new models or for old models to come down in price.

Spoke with a luggage rep at a local store and he said the new models roll out Aug. 1. That's why the current baseline model is on sale online and clearance at discounters (ex. costco). He also said that the new line wasn't quite as streamlined and has a large pocket on the front (similar to the NXT 5.0 victorinox line), but that will be a matter of preference.

I am 6'6", 300 lbs, and wear a 54xl suit. I often travel internationally.

if you have a bag larger than 20", I guarantee that at least one foreign carrier will reject it, even if it seems to fit the sizer. The Agent will be adamant that it is sticking out. The "culprit" is usually the wheels, which never seemed to stick out to me; but the foreign gate agent insists. Some airlines, such as bargain carrier RyanAir (avoid them like the plague), actually will have a smaller 19" limit. It think this helps them charge for checking a bag you didn't expect, although some foreign carriers actually limit the weight of your carry on bag to only 10 lbs. My MacBook Pro weighs 6 lbs.

Someone above mentioned a spinner model. That will almost always fail the foreign sizer. Once again, blame the wheels.

Usually, I use a travelpro 20" model. I do use the zip-in suiter flap, but I only take 1 suit. Yes, the shoulders do have to be folded in. When your clothes are larger, either you check a bag or you try to find a way to pack that does the least damage. Many folks recommended watching videos or reading blogs which cover the packing ideas. I highly recommend that, although my size has led me to my own ways.

Of all the things listed above, the one idea that struck me as the best was in bringing a suit along to the store and try to pack it in at the store. The sales folks often have suggestions for folding that you might never have considered.

Good luck, and don't forget to bring personal entertainment (ipad, etc.) on any long trip.