Travel Products - Rimowa Salsa Air Deluxe Questions

I'm looking at Rimowa an Koffer's websites for the Salsa Air (or Salsa/Deluxe)...

A couple of questions:

1. Is the Deluxe worth the extra money over the Air? it's about $150 USD more on comparable sizes... other than the divider which is great, what else justifies the increase and makes it worth while?

2. Is there some luggage limitations with certain airlines or why do they make a 29, 30 and 31 inch luggage? I can get 20, 22... 26 is sort of midsize.. but why have 3 in such closer proximity in size?

And since the weight/storage isn't that significantly different, which one is better to get?

Thanks!!

The Salsa/Salsa Deluxe lines have two vertical bars that connect the bag to the pull handle vs. the Salsa Air has a single vertical bar to the T style handle.

I think the Salsa Air may have smaller diameter wheels, but I may be mistaken.

I'm looking at Rimowa an Koffer's websites for the Salsa Air (or Salsa/Deluxe)...

A couple of questions:

1. Is the Deluxe worth the extra money over the Air? it's about $150 USD more on comparable sizes... other than the divider which is great, what else justifies the increase and makes it worth while?

2. Is there some luggage limitations with certain airlines or why do they make a 29, 30 and 31 inch luggage? I can get 20, 22... 26 is sort of midsize.. but why have 3 in such closer proximity in size?

And since the weight/storage isn't that significantly different, which one is better to get?

Thanks!!

I would suggest ignoring both the "Salsa Air" model and the "Salsa Deluxe" model and just go straight for the regular, ordinary "Salsa".

The "Air" is noticeably lighter but the dealbreaker for me is the single-pole handle - it's just not practical for slipping your briefcase over the top.

The "Deluxe" has more internal fittings, and a strap for hanging an extra bag off the front, but it is a little heavier.

The regular model does me just fine - basically it comes with one big divider and some cross-straps, perfect for my needs.

And regarding those sizes, it's not just the length that changes but also the width. The model number XXX.73.YY.Z will probably max out your airline's allowance (62 linear inches), but going down one size (about 1") will lose you 12 liters - that's quite a lot of packing space!

The model number XXX.73.YY.Z will probably max out your airline's allowance (62 linear inches), but going down one size (about 1") will lose you 12 liters - that's quite a lot of packing space!

Yah.. i know.. 1 inch and you lose 10-12 litres..
but why would RImowa make a 29 and a 30 inch? i mean just curious b/c manufacturing wise, it costs a lot of money for producing 2 vs 1 model.. switching production lines, molds, etc.. i wonder why they make 2 that are so close..

I would suggest ignoring both the "Salsa Air" model and the "Salsa Deluxe" model and just go straight for the regular, ordinary "Salsa".

The "Air" is noticeably lighter but the dealbreaker for me is the single-pole handle - it's just not practical for slipping your briefcase over the top.

The "Deluxe" has more internal fittings, and a strap for hanging an extra bag off the front, but it is a little heavier.

The regular model does me just fine - basically it comes with one big divider and some cross-straps, perfect for my needs.

And regarding those sizes, it's not just the length that changes but also the width. The model number XXX.73.YY.Z will probably max out your airline's allowance (62 linear inches), but going down one size (about 1") will lose you 12 liters - that's quite a lot of packing space!

I agree re: the Salsa Air - impractical for me as well. However, I disagree re: the Salsa Deluxe. I have a 30inch or so (don't know the real size - but its big) Salsa "regular" and every time I pack it I regret not springing for the Deluxe. Those extra fittings help lock stuff down within the bag much better than the single divider and straps. Inevitably, everytime I go to unpack I open the back on the "wrong" side and spill my stuff everywhere.

I have a 30inch or so (don't know the real size - but its big) Salsa "regular" and every time I pack it I regret not springing for the Deluxe. Those extra fittings help lock stuff down within the bag much better than the single divider and straps. Inevitably, everytime I go to unpack I open the back on the "wrong" side and spill my stuff everywhere.

I see what you mean.. being a clamshell.
The Air has zippers on both sides tho.. wouldn't that help with the 'things flying'? or is it more restrictive perhaps?

Still wondering about the 29 vs 30 inch.
I get 32 is huge and over the baggage limit for flight.. and 30 is pretty much the largest you can get within baggage limit for airlines.
but why make a 29 inch version if you have a 30 inch version?

It is the concept of special tools for specific jobs found in most German products. This long standing concept pre-dates TSA, the current economy crises, and the subsequent new airline requirements.

For example, take a look at the products of Rösle, Fissler, or WMF. There is a wide choice of many similar products, all slightly different, for specific applications. You also find this in auto, construction, and manufacturing products.

Rimowa has proud hstory of custom alu cases made for guitars, champagne bottles, cassettes (if you remember those items), sporting equipment, and more. I think you should be glad that in this world wide economic situation, one company continues to offer it's customers a robust and large choice of luggage products, rather than down-sizing to just a few.The Rimowa and LH Worldshop catalogues have not gotten smaller, but actually increased.

As many FT members like certain cases based on individual needs, the one size fits all idea would not be popular. Imagine if you will that you would be limited to a single carry-on and one check-in sized case only, no colour choice other than a dull, flat black, and only of polycarbonate and no metals.

Most would not be happy, and sales would plummet. The former DDR comes to mind.

Being German I very well understand the concept of specialized tools. However, I also wonder why they would have a 29" and a 30" version. The cases are basically identical except that one is an inch higher. It's not that it's a highly specialized application like a guitar case. BTW, imagine the coolness factor of a Rimowa contra-bass case. Alu shaped in the form of the instrument. :D

I must also add that this concept has been a little overused by German manufacturers to sell more stuff by suggesting the need for specialized products. Example: The tomato knife. C'mon! If you have a decent kitchen knife it will go through a tomato very cleanly. And now let's all sing the praises of the melon ...... knife and the apple de-corer knife. :)

This is notwithstanding certain freaks like myself who have 30+ pieces of luggage even if 90% of their travel luggage needs could be met with just three or four bags.

Till

Mein Lieber tfar.

Ich haben ein zusätzliches Tomatenmesser von Rösle !

Mein Lieber tfar.

Ich haben ein zusätzliches Tomatenmesser von Rösle !

I'm a big fan of the Victorinox tomato knife. I also have some ceramic knives which slice extremely nicely. I agree with tfar that any decent knife should be fine, but I know plenty of people who have not sharpened their knives in years.

Good point NeverFirst.

I suspect a few that never clean their luggage !

I admit that I am guilty as charged regarding Rimowa, Rösle, and Bang & Olufsen products. And when I cut my index finger to the bone in Paris (at age 15) I discovered I was using the wrong knife, or wrong tool. My parents, the Executive Chef of the Cooking School, and I were not happy. Especially not the Physician.

I now appreciate and use my Kitchen knife collection as much as my Rimowa collection. Good tools of the trade to have and use.

Mein Lieber tfar.

Ich haben ein zusätzliches Tomatenmesser von Rösle !

Kenne ich. Gutes Produkt! :D

Just probably not necessary given that you of all people will not neglect your knife collection.

I must admit that I could give a sharpening to some of my Messermeister Elite knives. The problem is finding someone to put a convex edge in a 17 degree angle on them. And Messermeister hasn't been responsive when it comes to their free sharpening service, which I find quite disappointing. They still slice tomato just fine, though.

Regarding your injury as a 15 y.o. that sounds terrible but I guess knife skills are always painful to acquire. :p

Till

I admit that I am guilty as charged regarding Rimowa, Rösle, and Bang & Olufsen products.

You had me right up until you mentioned Bang & Olufsen (expensive & good but hard to justify on quality/price ratio unlike the others mentioned).

I hope we're not going to fall out over this. :p

NeverFirst, no we'll never fall out over B&O, but I'm crushed.

Tfar, the best solution I found to prevent our knives dulling was a set of the Rösle Schneidauflage, or colour cutting mats. They are available in North America. I was skeptical at first but they actually work, as the knive blade side is semi-soft.

I also have an extra Pellkartoffelgabel or two: Just say the word. Only not in the Rimowa luggage: Too confusing to the inspectors.

Ok.. so we now get they make 29 and 30 b/c they like to make a bunch of cohices for the consumer..
the question now:

should i get the 29 or 30?
:)

Ok.. so we now get they make 29 and 30 b/c they like to make a bunch of cohices for the consumer..
the question now:

should i get the 29 or 30?
:)

Well as you say, there's not much difference between them. Personally I would go for the 29" of the two. That way you are less tempted to overpack (and be charged overweight fees).

If you learn to pack properly (and I still haven't, so I dont want to sound smug) the 26" shoud be fine for months at a time. The reason I mention the 26" is that it is about the sweet-spot for checked baggage, it just "feels" the right size.

Anyway, 29" is my answer to your question, purely for the lower risk of overpacking.

Based on what your concerns have been thus far, I would suggest the 29.

The Salsa Air is minimalist and well made, while the Salsa Deluxe offers better features.

Your choice depends on how often you will be travelling. If you read the sage advice offered in the other FT threads, this may in fact be the start of your collection.

If you learn to pack properly (and I still haven't, so I dont want to sound smug) the 26" shoud be fine for months at a time. The reason I mention the 26" is that it is about the sweet-spot for checked baggage, it just "feels" the right size.

Anyway, 29" is my answer to your question, purely for the lower risk of overpacking.

I looked at the 26" as I can pack pretty well.. however as I'm a pretty avid photographer, I tend to take my Gitzo tripod with me for most of my trips, and it doesn't fit in the 26".. diagonally it's too long by about 1 inch.. really a pity.
I guess i'll go 29" based on advice here and on other threads.

Thanks again!!

Good for you.

Only curious, but what camera and lenses do you like to shoot with ?

Good for you.

Only curious, but what camera and lenses do you like to shoot with ?

What I always have on me:
Canon 5d2 with 24-70mm f2.8 and 35mm prime

Other lenses I may bring:
17-40mm f/4 - usually have when traveling for landscapes
70-300 L or 100-400 L (bring this if I feel like i need a zoom.. but usually 70mm is fine for me).
100mm Macro - special purpose, but not often when traveling.

NeverFirst, no we'll never fall out over B&O, but I'm crushed.

Tfar, the best solution I found to prevent our knives dulling was a set of the Rösle Schneidauflage, or colour cutting mats. They are available in North America. I was skeptical at first but they actually work, as the knive blade side is semi-soft.

I also have an extra Pellkartoffelgabel or two: Just say the word. Only not in the Rimowa luggage: Too confusing to the inspectors.

That is interesting. Gotta check those out. I use a thick end-grain bamboo cutting board. With the end-grain the knife can cut aways into the wood so that it doesn't dull the knife so badly. I have also sharpened some of my other knives with a Chef's Choice sharpener with surprisingly good results. Mind you, not for convex edges and I wouldn't use it on the super fine Japanese stuff for sure.

Pellkartoffelgabel is a nice word. I also like Thomas Bernhard's famous Weinflaschenstoepselfabrikant. ;)

Regarding hi-fi, as a bona fide high-ender, I must admit that B&O is sans pareil for design. But in terms of sound much better price value can be found. Check out Audionet for electronics from Germany and Piega for speakers from Switzerland; especially if you like the techie look. Then also consider Burmester from Berlin if you are into the whole system idea.

If you like stuff from up north Primare and Gryphon are worth a look.

The speakers made by Sonus Faber in Italy and JMLab Focal in France are also magnificent in all regards.

I can hardly imagine a more stunning look than a pair of Sonus or Focals matched with either Macintosh or Accuphase gear.

You'd have to go all out with a pair of Avantgarde Audio horns and an ASR Emitter amp plus Transrotor record player to match the wow factor.

Plus they will dwarf B&O for sound.

Back to topic. :)

Funny that the item to pack is a tripod. When I had to choose my tripod I went out of my way to find one that will fit into a 22" suitcase diagonally. I did find a lovely Velbon carbon and outfitted it with a Markins Ballhead and a Really Right Stuff clamp plate. Works perfectly well and is not too heavy. So far I've not needed anything that extends higher than this combo (around 5ft at max).

When you take off the head, maybe the Gitzo fits, too?

Till

Edit: How could I forget to mention the almost unknown but very understated and high-end Ensemble Audio from Switzerland and the more glamorous Goldmund from the same country. I swear that the Goldmund chain I heard in the mid 90s at a fair in Paris was the best sound I ever heard and those were their small speakers. Pricewise not for the faint of heart, though.

That is interesting. Gotta check those out. I use a thick end-grain bamboo cutting board. With the end-grain the knife can cut aways into the wood so that it doesn't dull the knife so badly. I have also sharpened some of my other knives with a Chef's Choice sharpener with surprisingly good results. Mind you, not for convex edges and I wouldn't use it on the super fine Japanese stuff for sure.

Off-topic? Me?

I have a collection of chopping boards (luggage? chopping boards? Is this a man-thing?) and I have to say my favourite for use is the Epicurean http://www.amazon.com/Epicurean-Kitchen-13-Inch-Cutting-Natural/dp/B0008221B6/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top (other models are available). My heavy end-grain board is good for "big butchery" but I don't do much of that.

For a knife sharpener I use a ceramic knife 'steel' http://www.amazon.com/Kyocera-CSW-18-BK-9-Inch-Ceramic-Sharpener/dp/B000KKLZ68. I used to use an ordinary steel embedded with diamond but it wore out surprisingly quickly.

I also have an electric knife sharpener (from Tchibo - I love that shop) which does an extremely quick and good job for knives I have let get too dull.

Funny that the item to pack is a tripod. When I had to choose my tripod I went out of my way to find one that will fit into a 22" suitcase diagonally. I did find a lovely Velbon carbon and outfitted it with a Markins Ballhead and a Really Right Stuff clamp plate. Works perfectly well and is not too heavy. So far I've not needed anything that extends higher than this combo (around 5ft at max).


Great point, if I take the ballhead off, it does fit.. but if i stick the tripod/ball head into a 20" carryon, i will need more than 1 carryon to fit other stuff.. so thus i'm kind of stuck.

Also, I know there are gitzos WITH ballhead that fits in a carryon. but those are 4 or 5 segment versions, with a long center column (which is what you DON"T want if you want stability).
Mine is a 3 segment, and no center column, and it reaches up to nearly 6 feet. This allows me to not bend over, and gives me max stability (in highly windy places etc).

I know I'm probably a bit picky with the tripod gear, but it's a setup that's light, stable, supports 50 lbs (which is key with a big zoom lens).. i guess i'll suffer a bit by chekcing a luggage :(

Ended up going with the 29 inch salsa air.. the weight is key.. and 29 inch allows the tripod to fit perfectly/snugly..

Haven't used it as I just got it yesterday but boy it's light, and it moves with grace/ease..
hope it's as good as advertised when it's on the road :)

Ended up going with the 29 inch salsa air.. the weight is key.. and 29 inch allows the tripod to fit perfectly/snugly..

Haven't used it as I just got it yesterday but boy it's light, and it moves with grace/ease..
hope it's as good as advertised when it's on the road :)

Good for you !

Some of the other FT members might be interested in what colour you chose ? Is yours the Airlight, or Ultralight (no side handle) model ?

Glad to hear your tripod fits inside the way you want it to. Fully loaded, my wife and I push ours through the airport 90% of the time, rather than pull it behind us.

Remember to take a photocopy of the case specifications, sales receipt, and the warranty with when you travel, just as you do with your passport and ID. Should anything happens along the way, you are covered 24x7 anywhere in the world by Rimowa for repairs or replacement.

Enjoy !

Good for you !

Some of the other FT members might be interested in what colour you chose ? Is yours the Airlight, or Ultralight (no side handle) model ?

Glad to hear your tripod fits inside the way you want it to. Fully loaded, my wife and I push ours through the airport 90% of the time, rather than pull it behind us.

Remember to take a photocopy of the case specifications, sales receipt, and the warranty with when you travel, just as you do with your passport and ID. Should anything happens along the way, you are covered 24x7 anywhere in the world by Rimowa for repairs or replacement.

Enjoy !

I have a side handle.. so it's just airlight? I'm not sure..
I got the Ice Blue.. b/c I don't want purple or gold.. so it was Navy or Ice blue.. Went with the lighter color so hopefully to identify it easier in luggage pickup areas etc..

Good advice on the receipt/warranty. Thank you!

Rimowa Air Light it is then.

Enjoy it, and start dreaming about the 72L model as a matched pair !

Night.

Does anyone know how to set the brakes on a Rimowa Salsa Deluxe? Is this a feature that I am stupidly overlooking or do I need to buy an optional accessory in order to do so?

Not only do I thank you in advance but so too do my fellow subway riders. I nearly squashed a guy on the Blue Line coming home from O'Hare a few weeks back when the train first started pulling out of the station.

Does anyone know how to set the brakes on a Rimowa Salsa Deluxe? Is this a feature that I am stupidly overlooking or do I need to buy an optional accessory in order to do so?

Not only do I thank you in advance but so too do my fellow subway riders. I nearly squashed a guy on the Blue Line coming home from O'Hare a few weeks back when the train first started pulling out of the station.

Does anyone know how to set the brakes on a Rimowa Salsa Deluxe? Is this a feature that I am stupidly overlooking or do I need to buy an optional accessory in order to do so?

Not only do I thank you in advance but so too do my fellow subway riders. I nearly squashed a guy on the Blue Line coming home from O'Hare a few weeks back when the train first started pulling out of the station.

There are no brakes. Either turn it on its side or grab hold of the handle (and now you've experienced it you'll know in future).

Actually what I do generally is wedge it against the wall/seat, etc. with my knee so I have both hands free for reading.