Originally Posted by seepea

hello, i just came back from a month of gallavanting around NZ & Australia and my two checked bags have completely fallen apart.

i am/was a firm believer in samsonite as its customer service has been great. i haven't BOUGHT a luggage in a VERY long time due to their quick replacements!

BUT - i'm really tired of the fabric ripping from my rolling HUGE duffle bag (the bottom of rolling side is NOT padded so of course it'll rip so now it has huge silver duct tape pieces on it and inside) and zippers on my upstanding silouhette spinner has been ripped. I LOVE the spinner as it can go and do anything BUT i'm kind of tired of the ripping zippers tags (zippers themselves are totally fine).

now, i think i'm ready to invest in ONE really AMAZING check-in bag. i've been looking at Tumis as i thought it may be the "next level up," but after reading a few pages of this thread, i'm thinking of checking out the B & R, esp because y'all said Tumi's customer service sucks.

what i'm looking for is this:
i don't travel TOO frequently, but when i do, i'm a bit rough so things tend to break easier for me. i don't heaviness. i don't mind hardside as long as i won't break it by sitting on top of it in order to have it closed, when i fly overseas, i fly biz or FC so weight is not a restriction but i live on a 3rd floor walk up in nyc so weight's a consideration. i don't want it SO standing out that i feel conspicuous in some foreign city. i don't want it black. i don't know whether to look for a hardcase or a soft. i like rolling duffles as i think it mentally gives me this idea that i'm putting in a lot more in it!

as mentioned before, i took TWO to a month of travel for Down Under and it was a BIG mistake. i almost never take two pieces of checked-luggage and i sure did overpack. so i'm just looking for ONE. nothing HUGE. perhaps expandable in SOME way. but wheels a must. think european cobblestone streets (where i broke my first ever samsonite garment bag in belgium), etc...

okay that was a lot of demands. i'm also open to LE, LLB, EB, other brands that you might think would be good for a long-term investment for CHECKED WHEELED luggage! thank you!!!