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There is a rush on to buy carry on size luggage. I was at a major luggage retailer the other day and they had nothing left at all.
In the meantime the big sizes that require checking were going begging for sales with big mark downs.
What I'm trying to say is that a set of luggage may not be the best choice at all. Will you use all the pieces? Do you have enough storage?
As a general rule you are better off buying your luggage piece by piece unless a set just suits you fine.
That said: cheap luggage is cheap luggage. The Samsonite brand in this situation means nothing at all. What is Sam's guaranty? Will they give you your money back if a bag lasts only 1 or 2 trips?
Often you can get higher quality luggage on mark down at places like TJ Maxx and buy piece at a time.
TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Ross often have some suprisingly good deals on brands like Delsey and TravelPro. They also carry some very low-end brands, so make sure you know what you're buying. They often have designer clothing brands like Chaps but these are rarely quality bags. Overstock.com and Buy.com both also often have good deals on better brands like TravelPro and Briggs & Riley.
I've bought cheap luggage sets in the past (American Tourister, a Samsonite brand) and for continious use (more than a few times a year) they really don't hold up. It's usually the wheels, handle mechanism, or feet that go first. The feet are often pulled off when they get jammed in conveyers. The handle mechanisms begin to stick or not hold in place. Wheels either seize or the rubber seperates from the hub/axle.
There are some jems out when it comes to cheap luggage. The American Tourister Mobile Office 18" w/ side laptop access I got from Wal-Mart for $40 when I first started traveling lasted well over a year with only minor cosmetic wear. It still hasn't failed in a second year of use by a co-worker who travels less, but still about once a month. Another jewel is a $10 Solo leather briefcase from TJ Maxx. It feels like a bag I would have paid $75-$100 for and har held up to 2 years of daily carry to/from home/office with a fairly heavy 14" laptop. I did replace the shoulder strap with a spare TravelPro, but for comfort and not due to a failure.
My point after rambling for awhile... there are some great cheap items out there, but a $100 or $150 set probably isn't going to be one of them. There are also great deals to be had on better bags when bought piece-meal from places like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross, overstock.com, buy.com, and even sales from ebags.com and amazon.
Samsonite outlet has this 3 piece set - 22" Carryon rollerboard, 26" rollerboard and a tote for $199. I bought this set originally in 2002, it's been checked in over 100 times (all pieces except tote) and it's still going strong. It's ballistic nylon and its very durable. I know their outlet store still sells this set as a running deal.
Samsonite luggage comes from the very cheap to very nice pieces. The really cheap stuff is mostly found around BJs, Costcos and other retailers and is polyester. The nice stuff is found in their company stores, but is expensive. For the discount on good stuff go to TJ Maxx & Marshalls. You will notice the quality between the polyester and the nylon. I'd go for the nylon for sure.
eBags brand supposed to be real good - just based on sheer number of reviews. If I was buying again I would probably get their brand. Or get luggage at TJ Maxx & Marshalls. My mom was able to pick up 20' Tumi Tech for like $130 at a TJ Maxx a few weeks ago. It's the best place to buy luggage cheap.
Actually the Samsonite I saw at TJ Maxx is the same I saw at Sams Club (the 149 dollar set). They just broke it up and sell it seperately. I really just want the carry on. We will see.
I purchased a 3 piece Samsonite and paid $200 for the set. It is certainly not what it used to be. In 1 year of moderate travels, UA actually shredded one piece and the pull-up handle broke on another piece. I would not reccommend it.
I bought some Samsonite Luggage at their Outlets store in St. Augustine, Florida. I bought one laptop roller and hard-shell luggage. I think it was 399 USD for everything with 10 year international warranty.
It's holding up nicely.
Best Regards,
Billman
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If you're not sure about the quality of the luggage at Sam's Club, you can always buy off of the internet. There are countless websites that offer luggage, and that are trustworthy.
I bought some luggage by Samsonite a few months ago from Irv's luggage, and I havent had a problem with them yet.
Samsonite makes a very large number of lines from dreadful to quite good. However, at most price points better options may be available; you need to research your specific needs and budget.
As a general rule, nylon is better than polyester. While a carry-on that remains in your care takes less beating than checked luggage, I'd still choose nylon if possible.
If you just want a carry-on, buying a low end set is waste of money.
For best space/weight ratio choose a non-wheeled type if you are in good enough health to carry it. If wheeled, and all of your flights will be domestic US, then buy 20"-22" inch; if international flights too, then 18"-20".
There are lots of experts and good advice here. Tell us what you need and don't rush.
TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Ross often have some suprisingly good deals on brands like Delsey and TravelPro. They also carry some very low-end brands, so make sure you know what you're buying. They often have designer clothing brands like Chaps but these are rarely quality bags. Overstock.com and Buy.com both also often have good deals on better brands like TravelPro and Briggs & Riley.
-SNIP-
My point after rambling for awhile... there are some great cheap items out there, but a $100 or $150 set probably isn't going to be one of them. There are also great deals to be had on better bags when bought piece-meal from places like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross, overstock.com, buy.com, and even sales from ebags.com and amazon.
Agree. I never buy sets. I simply buy the pieces that I want. The above named outlets have some great prices. Unless you really would want to buy every piece in the set, it may make sense to evaluate your needs and select only the pieces you want. YMMV
Just got the Samsonite Black Label carry on at TJMaxx, only one left and quite a nice piece for $99. Online it looks like the MSRP is around $500. Just tried it out last weekend and I like it so far.
I know their outlet store still sells this set as a running deal.
