I have a 22" Tumi from '94 or so which is bulletproof. Eventually Parisian cobblestones on a wet morning made the wheels squeek occasionally - repair was something like $14.

I have a 22" Tumi expandable from '99 or so which is much more fragile. The top handle is held on with two philips head screws that seem to come loose every other trip.

When I complain (to random people), frequently the response will be "they started making them in China ...". I don't think manufacture location has anything to do with it -- it's design and choice of materials.

I have a 24" Tumi expandable (this sucker is HUGE when expanded) from '02 which is very sturdy again. As is the 20" I have from '01.

Maybe they've learned something?

Oh, and I have a ballistic nylon Tumi laptop briefcase which qualifies for admission to F/C, but it's not leather so I still feel like I'm from the wrong side of the tracks. (I had to have the zipper replaced on this one once, and recently the shoulder strap latch-to-bag thingie wore completely through the metal (!!) - hard to blame Tumi much for that, IMHO, but I noticed that they're now putting some nylon slippery stuff between the metal ring and strap-latch-thing to minimize this)


But I'm NOT a Tumi snob. I have a collection of North Face duffel bags as well (talk about heavy duty...) Not a snob. Not a snob.