Mike, thanks for sharing your impressions on the Rimowa and Halliburton alu luggage.
I really like my Rimowa. You are right that they dent fairly easily. I had some dents the size of a quarter on my first trip with it and was a bit disappointed. It also attracts scruff marks easily. The marks can be scrubbed away and the dents can be beaten out for the most part. Rimowa offers a service for that in Germany. But I don't know if there are such service centers outside of Germany.
For camera gear I would rather use something like Pelikan cases. It seems to me even sturdier than Rimowa. And the pluck-it foam fits perfectly.
I would take that with a grain of salt... If anything, the zeros problem is that they are overbuilt. Fragile as paper they are not. More like hard as a rock.
I've owned more than a dozen zero cases, and currently have 2 of the Rimowas - a 29" aluminum, and a 26" plastic (salsa).
The zeros are made out of a much stronger aluminum than the Rimowas, with a heavier hinge. Which these days makes them too heavy to be realistic travel cases. I did hundreds of trips in heavily loaded halliburtons, and the case part always held up well. But the latches were weak and needed constant attention, the handle and rollers on the zerorollers were constantly breaking, and zero was worthless on warranty claims (everything was "wear and tear.")
After 911 when you could no longer use the combo lock on the halliburtons I retired them all - as you could not trust the latches to stay shut without the combo lock as insurance - and the TSA would not allow you to use the lock.
When I saw the rimowas with the integrated TSA locks, I thought I would try them. The long term plan is to use this stuff to carry cameras (fill the cases with foam) but I've been trying out the Rimowas with my clothes first.
The aluminum is shockingly thin on the Rimowas. My first trip produced 5 or 6 sizable dents on the case, and each successive trip adds more. After 6 months, the case now looks really pretty beat up. But the interesting thing is that the hinges, seal, and latches are holding up well. I think the thin aluminum might just be part of the design concept - if the case is absorbing the hit with a dent, the stuff on the inside is protected a bit better.
Each time I've traveled it has arrived with all of the latches closed and locked which is great. But I wish Rimowa would just put the locks on all 3 latches. That would be even safer.
The TSA has managed to get in and out without screwing anything up.
All in all I am pretty satisfied. If it still looks intact after about a year, I am going to get another one and convert it for the cameras.
I have used Halliburtons for many years and miles. They certainly did acquire marks and dents but always remained usable and the only criticism I ever had was their empty weight.
I recently purchased two Rimowas, a 32 and a 28. The 28 just returned from its first trip with marks and one large dent. Too bad, but that is the price we pay for a lighter case made of thinner aluminum. I do hope that it holds up and remains serviceable, even if not pretty! I will say that the four wheel design really rocks and it is nice to have a case this light.
It scuffs and scratches easily. It also dents rather easily. This does not influence the functionality but it clearly takes away from the good looks. By the way, it looks terrific and it looks terribly expensive, which it is. .
Yes it scratches and dents but unlike cheap plastic hardshell suitcases you can repair a Rimowa suitcase. I also think that the dents and scratches give a Rimowa suitcase some kind of personality. Together with some stickers a aluminum Rimowa suitcase is always the king of baggage claim.
Yes it scratches and dents but unlike cheap plastic hardshell suitcases you can repair a Rimowa suitcase. I also think that the dents and scratches give a Rimowa suitcase some kind of personality. Together with some stickers a aluminum Rimowa suitcase is always the king of baggage claim.
You certainly are right about that. Although, I admit I haven't added any stickers yet and am not sure how I would want to "brand" my case or if any further branding is a good idea. It basically screams "Steal me!" anyway. I don't know if I wanted to give out any further, if indirect, info on the owner's likes or dislikes e.g. a Rolex sticker or a Montreux Jazz Festival sticker.
As far as repair goes, please allow me to quote myself from an earlier post:
I also read about some repair comments on Rimowa. Wheel replacement is Euro 60 and wheel replacement plus dent repair Euro 95. At least those were the prices paid by some of the reviewers in 2008. I do not know how many wheels and if that includes shipping or whether the suitcase is brought back to the store where you bought it locally and they take care of it. That's usually how it's handled in Germany.
i've never really playe daround much with the alu ones...but the polycarbonate while "indestructible" (as i've seen it described) still feels flimsy. deforms under weight and such...
The polycarbonate ones are lighter and are more flexible than aluminum ones. But they have a totally different touch and feel.
True that! I don't like the PC ones, either. The material will give in to pressure but won't dent. Also the "tenue de route", Strassenlage in German (anyone know how to translate that?), is not as good. Imagine you are driving a stiff sports car. It hugs the road and stay nice and flat. Now imagine a Lincoln Towncar, wobbly and not precise. This might be a bit exaggerated to get the point across.
In addition, the PC cases have zippers. Clearly not such a great solution. Not as safe and not as water proof.
Still among the PC cases, Rimowa makes the nicest ones I've seen. They have one with several compartments in the Tango line that is a little like the Zuca Pro Roller.
I've been looking to buy a Rimowa rollaboard for over a year now. In many of the shops I've visited, they have limited selection. Or, if they have medium-sized selections, they're firm on price. Some people online have reported that buying them in Germany is much cheaper. I looked at German online retailer koffer24.de and found the prices to be roughly the same after the exchange rate.
Does anyone have any insight as to finding a lower price on a 22" Salsa/Salsa Deluxe Multiwheel?
Does anyone have any insight as to finding a lower price on a 22" Salsa/Salsa Deluxe Multiwheel?
Yes, try this place http://www.dasbags.com/servlet/StoreFront, or eBay. In both cases and with some of the other online sellers you can do better than the listed prices.
out of curiosity, how do the aluminum ones compare to the plastic ones? is one clearly better in terms of function or is it simply a matter of taste?
I have a salsa deluxe 26, as well as my Topas. The poly is very very soft and rubbery feeling, and very flexible. It is almost like a soft bag in that you can keep cramming things in there, and really over-pack it and get it to close. It will not provide protection in an impact - it will simply "give" and spring back, as if it was canvas or cloth.
I like the zipper closure and TSA lock system. It is very well built and I get the impression that it is pretty much indestructible. I would definitely buy another plastic Salsa case - but not if I was going to put anything breakable in it.
I really like the PC case. It is also a lot lighter than anything else I've ever owned, something like 4 pounds. I like the handle and it rolls just fine (I have the 2 wheeler style that I prefer.
Although, I admit I haven't added any stickers yet and am not sure how I would want to "brand" my case or if any further branding is a good idea. It basically screams "Steal me!" anyway. I don't know if I wanted to give out any further, if indirect, info on the owner's likes or dislikes e.g. a Rolex sticker or a Montreux Jazz Festival sticker.
