Originally Posted by Braindrain
The retail-branded AC luggage is really quite horrible. I received one as a gift and I would categorize it at the lower-end of the luggage spectrum.
I also only use the hard-shell Samsonites. My latest acquisition is the Cruisair Spinner.
I had also walked into a specialty luggage store in Seattle and saw the $700 USD Tumi's. Those were nice.
TUMIs are pretty special.
The older branded AC luggage was great - I've had a set for about 7 years now. And I fly every 4 or 5 days...my luggage still looks great.
The stuff I've seen recently in collacut, bently etc looks pretty flimsy, but the Bay has the higher quality ones. AC branded luggage has several names (and corresponding prices), like ESCAPE, VOYAGEUR II, EXPLORER. I think the Explorer is that pink one.
Cheers / RTR