anabolism

To follow up on my own post, I ordered the Victorinox WT 22" dual-castor from eBags. Turns out to be a little (maybe an inch) smaller than my B&R 22", so it is harder to fit everything in, but on the other hand it should fit the right way in the bins on more planes. One surprising downside is that there is no inside pocket, as there is on every other suitcase I've ever tried. if you leave the suitor in, you can turn it around and zip it back in backwards to have an inside pocket, but then you have the extra space of the suitor itself. Surprising.

I took my computer backpack to a luggage repair place to have them sew in a strap to hold it over the handle on the Victorinox (since the bag will be upright instead of at an angle, so it's more likely for the backpack to slide off or get unbalanced).

I'd love to be able to travel lighter, but unless I dramatically reduce what I bring, I don't see how. As it is I have trouble fitting everything in the old B&R 22", it's even harder in the new Victrorinox 22". I'm glad some people are able to go lighter and carry everything on their back, but I don't see me capable of that.

Mellonc

I got a bit irritated the other day on Glad Flexforce, Nylon Coduara 1000 Bullet Proof type of bags including the Tom Bihn designs because of what happened during the flight mentioned above..... I was just saying........

I am user of Briggs for for the most part and a few Hartmann (daily office bag) here and there just because they make me feel good to look at the nice leather work.

Briggs does win out on durability. I wish they would design a bag that reach down to either side of the handle bars to increase the depth of its bags. Yeah, the flat packing spot is nice but you can also use the extra space and make them flat by simply building a custom packing cube that fit that space. Look at the bags from Clava. It has a one piece flat liner that covers the entire 3 crevices made by the handle rails (to the right, middle of the bars and to the left). Here is a link to the pic.

http://www.clava.com/catalog/product...ge/420/id/149/

Hartmann is just nice looking. Gotta give it some love to simply looking good... you know......easy on the eye. There is some merit in there somewhere.

bagobsessive

I like the B&R best too and notice that even though you loose space with the ouside handle system, B&R just seems better organised so I still seem to get more in them than in similar bags of other brands - I am referring here specifically to rolling computer bags.

Like you I note the flat packing sacs which can level out the spaces created by the handle rails when they are inside the bag and I recall that Targus once had a rolling computer bag called the CURC which came with long-thin packing sacs designed to fit between the handle spaces on the inside.

seaflyguy

A year ago, my (just wed) wife and I went out to buy her a new set of luggage. She had seen my Eagle Creek gear and liked it, and liked the guarantee offered, which she hadn't had with luggage before. But when we got to the luggage store and narrowed the options down to EC and B&R Transcend, I had to agree with her that the B&R won out. We both liked the internal layout and features better, and B&R offered a local option where she could take her luggage to get it repaired rather than paying to ship it to the manufacturer.

A year later, after watching her enjoy her luggage, I made the switch away from EC -- I had had my first set from them for almost 10 years, my second set about 3, but the latest luggage had problems. Every piece of EC luggage in my second set had something fail, typically from being ripped off or crushed -- missing nameplates, lost zipper pulls, and the like. It felt like EC's quality had gone down.

I just finished my first big trip with the B&R Transcend luggage and loved it -- lots of room inside, reasonably light for the size, easy to stack for moving through airports. I'm quite happy with the switch.

Mellonc

Agreed on the local repair option. My luggage store is an authorized repair center for both Hartmann and Briggs. He can do just about all repairs locally for Briggs. However, for Hartmann, he has to send it out at your shipping expense and wait for the bags to be turned around. Usually the wait is about a month.

UPS Cost for something like a 22 inch roller bag is more than 35 bucks from where I am. Even when the bag is light enough you get charged "linear inch" rate for big items. I don't even want to know the cost for a 27 inch.

zfa32937

Hey guys i was about to purchase a couple briggs and riley bags. I was leaning towards TUMI at first until i ran into this website who changed my mind. I just want to be sure im making a good decision before i commit. You think you could look at this guys advice and let me know if he knows what he is talking about.

http://hmsamarah.nichepage.com/best-luggage-bags

Thanks

jrak

If you're not going to check your bags, either would be a good choice. But if you prefer to check luggage, I believe the Briggs and Riley is the best bet. I fall into the latter category and have used a Briggs and Riley bags for many years. It's still looks good and has never needed a repair despite having seen more than 100,000 miles of air travel per year. Prior to acquiring a Briggs and Riley bag, I had Victronix luggage which also had a bulletproof warranty. But that bag needed ongoing repairs (blown seams, lost zipper pulls, damaged zipper, damaged wheel axle) and was not a durable as the Briggs and Riley.

HawaiiO

There's another Tumi luggage sale on gilt.com on Thursday morning.

anabolism

First thing is to decide what kind and size you want, then determine the best bag for you. Are you looking for carry-on size or larger? Hard or soft? If carry-on, under-seat or bin? If bin only, can you live with a 20" or do you want to push it to 21" or 22"?

Lonsinla

maybe a little late as the sale ends in a few hours but they do seem to repeat their Tumi sales...just bought a continental carry on and I hope its great: http://www.gilt.com/sale/men/tumi-luggage-0856

HawaiiO

At Nordstrom rack today, saw Tumi Vapor, other Tumi and B&R luggage for sale.
The prices were quite good.
It's another place to consider if u want these luggage.

Mellonc

yep. That's a good place to find bargains. I make a habit of stopping by about once per month. I take a quick tour through the luggage area, shoes, and mens clothing all in about 5 minutes (unless I find something I want to buy). I hate (physical) shopping for anything but that's a nice place for unexpected bargains.

rodsren

tumi was great before they took the private equity then went piublic in 2004. They were lifetime, you paid about the same as you did not but the fixed it and got it back to you quick. Now it's a nyse business. That's it. I love they way some of them look, but i sent two older ones in (one i hardly used as it required checking in) and they low balled me 100 bucks to but a 600 and 900 bag from them as a replacement. Thhey would not even fix the wheels, that's not a manufacturers defect, it's a airline problem they screwed it up (it'a leather 22" carry on-o never check it). And they want $40 to fix it. That's after paying a $25 fee to have the privaledge of sending it in for me. Swful. B&r or the victonix looks better (a bit mroe hip and rock solid warrenty.) things are going to happen. I will keep the box. Big deal.

I hate hate hate hate hate tumi. I am so mad, they used to be the best, the full package. Now they are making tons of mmoney for their nyse friends and irrritate loyal customers of 20 years. It's pathetic. If you possibly can, go to victonix. Some of them loook pretty good and are 1/2 to 1/3 the price of tumi and will fix breakage for life that the airline does (tumi does this for 1 year only) and 5 years max if the burden of proof (which falls on you) can show that it was a manufacturing warrenty, which after 5 yeras of course it is probably not. Such a shame such a shame.

pillguy

I have been traveling with my Tumi stuff for 2 years now, and the only issue I have had is the zipper on 1 bag fell off. I went into my Tumi store and they replaced it no charge. However, I agree it isn't worth the cost. Next time I will look at Victonix or a Briggs.

I am not so much interested in the look, but the ballistic nylon is tough stuff. That is really why I bought it. No leather here!

Oh and I don't have headphones, a paper boarding pass, or a sport coat so hopefully I don't fall in to the douche category!

I do often get upgraded and frustrated with Group 2 folks that crowd the Group 1 line in the United terminal gates

gallantius

I have the TravelPro Platinum Magnum. . .I'very comparedo the handle with every luggage brand you can think of except Rimowa and Zero Halliburton and the Platinum Magnum is by far the stiffist and feels the most solid and after about over an year of weekly travel it still feels as strong today as I brought it a year ago.


But the rest of the bag seems to hold up OK, certainly not as sturdy as the handle.