vmsea

What's the best 25-26inch luggage that "reasonably" money can buy (i.e. sub $750). Also I prefer light.. don't need suiter or shirt folders etc..

i.e. Briggs, Rinowa, Tumi, etc?

Thanks!

NeverFirst

I'll throw in a vote for a Rimowa spinner first. And I'll say a Rimowa Salsa at that.

Just bear in mind the warranty isn't as good as the Briggs, but I just find them nicer.

NeverFirst

I'll throw in a vote for a Rimowa spinner first. And I'll say a Rimowa Salsa at that.

Just bear in mind the warranty isn't as good as the Briggs, but I just find them nicer.

RevJim

I've owned a Rimowa Salsa spinner for several years, and I just bought a Briggs & Riley spinner of about the same size. I'm just on my first trip with the Briggs, and so far I think the Briggs is miles ahead of the Rimowa.

The biggest problem with the Rimowa is that the zipper is right in the middle of the bag. That means you can't put it on a hotel luggage rack and live out of it for a week. Every time you want to get something out of it, you have to move it over to the bed and flop both sides open at once. Having a zipper in the middle also means that one side needs a "divider" panel that is tied down with straps (otherwise when you opened it, all the stuff would pour out). It's a major hassle.

Here's the Briggs I bought. It says it is measured at 27" but it's definitely slightly bigger overall than my 29-inch Rimowa. I don't know which one is lying, but they are very close in size. Notice that the B&R zippers open on top, so when you lay it on a luggage rack you can just lift the lid and get what you want.

The Rimowa feels slightly more sturdy than the Briggs when you wheel it around in "spinner mode". The handle on the Briggs just feels a little more delicate I guess. Otherwise the wheels feel about the same so far. I can't answer the durability question yet, but since the Briggs has an unlimited lifetime warranty, it's hard to beat it.

So yeah, if you don't mind spending a few bucks on good luggage, you probably can't go wrong with a Briggs & Riley.

Kgmm77

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Worth pointing out, depending on the Salsa model, the B&R you mentioned is 50-100% heavier. Probably less relevant in a checked bag, but one reason why I went for a lighter B&R model (I have a Rimowa cabin bag).

RevJim

The 27" Briggs is definitely heavier than the 29" Rimowa. The Briggs is 12.85 lbs vs. the Rimowa's 9.69 lbs. So around a 3-lb difference. As you mentioned, it doesn't matter that much in a checked bag....

Rimowa bags are really fantastic in the strength-to-weight department. If only they didn't have that lousy clam shell design it would be the perfect bag.

vmsea

Any specific Briggs models? or just about any?

Also spinner for a 25inch any good? I like it on my carryon, but for a massive 30 inch it's too heavy to spin i find..and i end up having to pull it?

NeverFirst

I agree about the clamshell problem on the Rimowa. Mine (26") came with a divider which holds everything in place, but I can never remember which side I put it in and when I open the suitcase it's normally "wrong-side-up". I just make sure I pack with something big holding everything else in under the straps, and I usually unpack at the hotel.

The big decider for me is that the B&R are quite ugly. This is just down to personal preference though!

So;
B&R wins on; warranty, non-clamshell design
Rimowa wins on; design (looks), weight (edited to add "Rimowa also wins on wheel design, but this is offset against B&R better warranty")

NeverFirst

I think in any situation a spinner would be easier to use than a "puller". You just have to get your arm in the right position (and yes, the strains are a little different, but overall the spinner is a lot easier on the arms).

vmsea

In airports i LOVE spinners.
but what about hotels with carpets? i always have trouble.. maybe it's my spinner that is no good?

NeverFirst

Oh no, you're right - you will still have to pull a spinner across a carpet. The balance for me is; with a two-wheeled suitcase you always have to pull it, but with a spinner you only sometimes have to pull it (and as you say, in the airport or on a hard surface spinners are superb.

If you're pulling it (hotel-carpet situation) then a spinner with decent wheels and a two-wheeler will be exactly the same. If you have a spinner with those itty-bitty little castors then you're more likely to drag it across the carpet as thought it didn't have any wheels at all.

Swissaire

I just purchased another Rimowa Salsa Air.

My reasoning in this purchase was using my wife's Salsa Air on a recent business trip last week. I found I could use her Salsa Air cabin (22 inch) to carry my IPAD 2, and a change of clothes for 2-3 days. Essential files are downloaded on a secure network, per company policy. All other files are on a 32Gig flashdrive.

It is Winter here, so I wore my warm overcoat and gloves most of the time over my suit. I even have room for a small folding umbrella. Everything fit with no stress on the case. No problems with the thick hotel carpet now that you mention that.

I have a Rimowa Topas in alu, but my reason for the new Salsa Air was clear. Very little weight with the Salsa Air, and a very good designed case. Although price was not the issue, the Salsa Air compared to a Topas multiwheel is a better value item ( 400 CHF versus 800 CHF ).

I note the comment about a " clamshell " versus using the luggage rack, but the hotels I stay in ( In this case Italy) all have armoires, or drawers in the room to put my clothes and personal items in. I don't recall staying in a room recently without a chest of drawers.

Note: Anything of value was secured in the Hotel safe, and not locked in the luggage. I keep my Passporte and Swiss Passporte ID card on me at all times, with a photocopy in the safe.

I think that beyond 7 days it would be pushing the limit, at least for business. In that intinerary, I would add a larger case as checked luggage.

RevJim

The Briggs I just bought is model # U527SPX. That's a 27-inch model. They also have a 24-inch model # U524SPX if you want something a little smaller.

I don't think I've ever stayed in a hotel without drawers of some sort. It just seems weird and old fashioned to me to actually unpack my stuff into one. Kinda like an invitation to bring home bedbugs or something. I realize I have no rational basis for that thought.

Obviously back in the old steamer trunk days that's how it was done. And people who travel like that must be Rimowa's target market. I usually hang my button shirts and the rest stays in the suitcase. Am I the only one who lives out of suitcases on luggage racks?

Swissaire

In the steamer trunk (Bahnkoffer) days, your clothes always remained in the shelves or drawers of the trunk along the way.

I have inherited and restored two of these very heavy cases, which included hanger racks and multiple shelving drawers inside the case. Both have wooded runners and large multiple padlocks, and were moved by train or steamship employees using wheeled carts. One is a 1950 Rimowa ( an early version of the Columbus model ), and the staff at Rimowa were very helpful with restoration tips, especially regarding the runners and the locks. It is now restored and as good as new.

Unlike today, no one carried, pulled, or moved the steamer trunk by themselves. No rolling Rimowa through Templehof or Dubendorf. The cases in most situations were sent well ahead of the traveller actually leaving so they could be packed onboard.

In general, travellers also stayed at European hotels or resorts for a longer period, usually two weeks or " for the season. "

For short term Hotel stay of a day or a night, leaving your clothes inside your luggage is certainly one of the safest options. Other health and hygiene concerns might be best addressed using a spray application on bedding, drawers, and linen, etc. of 91% Isopropyl, but that would have to be a local purchase, as you cannot pack that given the flammability of the product. Disposable wipes obviously would not work. The Cologne, 4711, having a high alocohol content, has been used for that secondary purpose for years.