Rimowa 32" Alu Topas 4-wheel Jumbo suitcase Review

[mikelevitt]

Originally Posted by tfar

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.

Till

I know what you mean about the pelicans with foam. I have literally dozens of them for various camera and lighting items. They are great for general transport, and hold up great on the plane and provide plenty of protection. But the problem is that they are very heavy, and you can only put one of those flimsy TSA combo locks on it. Unfortunately, you can break one of those locks in one second with a screwdriver, so it is not really like having a lock at all. But I still occasionally use them for flying.

I'm still using the aluminum topas for my clothes, not cameras. It's been great, but one of the latches has begun popping open even when locked. Luckily, it hasn't been torn off yet, but I am expecting one of these days that might happen.

But just for reference, I've probably flown it 75,000 miles at this point, so it's had some wear. More dents and scratches too, but nothing huge. Hinge and seal, handle and wheels still fine.

[tfar]

Mike, good to know the Rimowa Topas alu is holding up. Mine has about five or six checked return trips on it now. Quite a few dents but nothing too deep. One wheel cap lost; purely cosmetic. The wheels still work great. Same for everything else. I really like the case.

What you say about the Pelikan cases not being able to be locked properly also applies for the Rimowa. Those locks are easly opened, too. In fact, one could put a decent lock rather on the Pelikans but the Rimowas have no such latch.

In terms of damage, I'd be very comfortable checking even valuable equipment in a P case. Theft is another story.

Till

[tcl]

Thanks for the fantastic review Till

They're gorgeous, esp the champagne coloured ones. I've very fond memories of the Alu ones. As a kid I remember that if I was traveling with one of those, I was traveling with a Swiss friend of the family which meant good eats! His case had little dents all over it and was scuffed up in a very impressive world-traveled kind of way. It also had faded stickers from all over the world.

I've currently got my eye on the PolyCarb ones in the 29" size but can't bring myself to buy one just yet.

I've also been shopping for a new trolley (more biz looking) and have my eye on this although it is a touch too big and also on this for the laptop, files and catalogues. The biz trolley's divided section pops out so you can use it as a small overnight bag too.

Since I always fall for the multipurpose gimmicky things, the biz trolley looks really attractive. The only thing is that I'm afraid that it will get gate checked b/c it has wheels.

Bonnie's Luggage in the basement of the Manulife Center on Bloor St (The building where Birks & Sons is, across from Holt Renfrew) has the best prices on Rimowa I've seen anywhere in N. America including the online places. I buy a lot from them and they are very knowledgable. They use the stuff they sell so they can tell you if it's the right bag for your style of traveling.

[tfar]

Yes, the Rimowas are sexy. The Topas series especially and within that the champagne models make you feel like Goldfinger on a mission.
But have you seen the special edition graphite color models they sell through Lufthansa. NIIIIIICE!

For me, a carry-on without exterior pockets does not make so much sense. Rimowa once had a carry-on roller with exterior pockets and poly shell. I checked the website and couldn't find it anymore.

The poly series is alright but personally they don't turn me on. I just saw though that they do have an aptly named Limbo series where you get the poly material but with a hard frame like the Topas series.

Nonetheless, the biz roller does look sharp. So why not?

If I had the money and the patience of sacrificing comfort for vanity to travel with it, I would buy a Topas beauty case, rip the guts out and install something really fancy and high-tech. Say a $10,000 pair of tube-driven Sennheiser Orpheus headphones. I'd make them fab a lifting mechanism that lifts the amp out of the case. The case itself would have an IEC plug on the outside. That little case would steal the show of all but the most beautiful women because it is so perfectly proportioned.
http://di1.shopping.com/images1/pi/d...%3A17%20AM&r=1

Cheers,

Till

P.S.: Forget about that! The Orpheus wouldn't even fit.