Is it impossible to get a solid carry on under $100?
 

Title says it all, reading & shopping around I am completely baffled by the prices of carry ons, seems to me these are becoming more & more some sort of fashion statement...

So my mission is clear, I need a new carry on; I don't care what the brand is & what it looks like (well, to some degree...), what I'm looking for:
- Lowest weight at this price point
- Durability
- Ideally I prefer 2 wheels as opposed to 4 as long as they are solid. 4 wheels seems more complicated & more fragile to me.
- A couple front pockets would be nice.
- A long enough handle for a 6 foot 2 adult.
- Big enough for workweek trips (4-5 days)

I live in France so shopping as far as the EU zone if the price is right (online retail stores).

Thanks to all for your advice :)

If you would forget the wheels, this one has been "battle proven" by years of real world experience...

https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/classic-backpack

No offense but you won't get anything good for that price. You'll find plenty of carry-ons at that price point, mostly made in China, but that's about it.

Thanks :) Sadly I need wheels (bad back...)

To answer your question?

No. It's not possible.

You can have built well, or you can have cheap. Either way, you're going to pay a price.

Yes you can -- at least in the US market. Take a look at Costco periodically. I got a sensational bag for $99 which is no longer available. It was a Kirkland bag (their house brand). I have used it for hundreds of thousands of miles of flying. At the moment, they have the following on offer: https://www.costco.com/Kirkland-Sign....11760915.html. It was well-built and inexpensive but not cheap.

Costco often offers vendors offer the right to sell their own products on Costco shelves if they also provide a Kirkland brand product. I don't know if that happened here. It talked with a Samsonite exec who told me that my bag was likely a Samsonite-made bag. I gather that Samsonite is now such a large player in the market that it is well down the cost-curve and hence can sell high quality, lighter bags at lower price points.

Well, $99.99 is under $100! :)

Are those dimensions honest?

https://www.amazon.com/Samsonite-554.../dp/B00I2KNDKO

I bought this a while ago on a whim for a packing light trip. Thought I would be returning it, but I love it. I can cram a ton of stuff in it. It looks small but holds a ton of stuff. Lots of pockets and also a detachable hanging toiletries bag etc.

I have taken this bag around the world on multiple trips.

Owner of Kirkland Signature 22" roller here for a # of years.
No, they are not accurate as far as exterior measurements (those are interior #'s given) Height, floor to tallest point/handle/top of case is 22.75" and depth is closer to 10" even when it's not stuffed "full" - expanded, it's even taller & no way GA will let you board with it, as it will not fit 90% of the OHB. It would also be so heavy as packed that lifting it can be a challenge.

Lately, I've only taken in on JetBlue flights as they do allow up to 24" as carry-on legal and I've gotten it onto KE's A380's OHB. It is very deep and can pack everything needed for a week to 10 days worth of items ... with thick/winterwear, unzip the expansion as needed. Amazing to use this without packing cubes, just roll & fit - it keep swallowing up. It's mainly use for car/road trips year-round and on cruise-vacations; and, as a checked bag flying TPAC, gotten a few scratches on the corners & bumpers, but otherwise, it's almost like new.

At about $120 shipped if order online - it's a best buy. eBag's private label brand prices had risen quite a bit in the last 2 years - otherwise, the TLS 21" or 22" rollers are great - lighter at around 8.5 lbs & sturdy. I use that more than these days and sometimes take the 22" Motherlode convertible backpack instead.

OP being in Frances & flying Euro carriers with tighter rules on size & weight for carry-ons, I am not sure if the Americas have anything that match his/her requirements as noted + cost of shipping. Maybe on a run over here, pick one up while in-town or get a friend to bring one over.

Costo in Asia supposingly has a smaller sized variant of the above Kirkland Signature carry-on roller/spinner ? in the 18" to 19" or 20" size - haven't seen or read any FT'ers reporting on & uploading pic/links.

I was afraid of that. So many bags only seem to come in the oversize versions these days. I've flown more international flights in my life than domestic.

BUY the kirkland signatue roller bag. the soft sided kevlar one is only sold on costco.com (not in stores--which sell a lesser quality, smaller version with 4 spinner wheels) It fits in every sizer I have tried, and we have logged over 150k miles on 16 airlines worldwide in the 8 months since we got this new model. Extremely well built, comes with a bag of spare zipper pulls, and the 2 wheels are replacable using an allen wrenh (wheels are standard rollerblade size).

This new model is advertised as 21.5 and it is almost exactly 'true to size"

The ones sold more than 12-18 months ago were sold as 22" but oversized and as noted above don't fit in all the sizers. We had used one of those for 7 years and over 1500 flights before the handle rail broke. We emailed costco just asking where we could have it repaired, and they had us bring it to any store for a full refund Store gave us an immediate refund (and it's pretty easy to find a costco, with stores in many countries.

Thanks & good to know. Is that newer 21.5 roller lighter in weight vs. the older one (which is what I have) ... there's a long thread but mostly on the older model, and it is solid & built to last. Now, I need a good reason to return it to Costo to get it repaired/exchanged for the new roller, not the spinner (don't like those.)

For visuals to those thinking of buying one of these: I've managed to put 4 of our carry-on bags together, the monster is the old Kirkland Signature 22 roller as sold years ago - as pictured below, next to eBags' TLS expandable 22" roller, and the 22" TLS Motherlode convertible backpack/carry-on. We also have a smaller eBag hardside 22" carry-on (discontinued model) that is similar size-wise compared to the TLS expandable 22" roller - interior is smaller, closer to 20.5" inside, expandable and it fits ALL the mainline OHB (not CRJ's - has to be gate-checked) ... these should give good comparison on heights, width and depths.

BTW, the Kirkland, expanded (unzipped) - tightly packed, can easily tip the counter agent's scale at 49.5 lbs, especially when gadgets and heavier items are checked ... usually only on a flight returning home.

Thanks all for your recommendations, much appreciated. Yes, living in Europe, airlines are more strict I think. Size matters more than weight as this is most often checked so I need a "stealth" option :)

Here in Europe many airlines are much more weight and size conscious then in the US. Getting a good quality back pack or messenger at $100 is no problem but getting a good roller at that price is challenging.

As for recommending a bag I have to think some more about it. is the $100 limit absolutely fixed, can you not go up a little?

Maybe up to 150$ if it really guarantees a solid product :) I just don't feel like paying 500€ so that it says "Rimowa" on it :)

Then you don't know much about the brand, no one is buying it simply because it says Rimowa. Unless you think that people that travel 5 days of the week every week, like flight attendants or pilots, only care about the logo and not a quality product able to handle daily use.

There's nothing wrong with a $100 bag (except it's usually low quality and will look as such too), but Rimowa isn't merely a label, it has over 100 years of history to back up its success and quality.

Low weight, durability, and low price - Pick two.

Since you are in the EU, check out amazon.de and koffer-direckt
https://www.amazon.de/s/ref=lp_24365...language=en_GB

The lightweight luggage thread had some posts on the travelite delite several years back and perhaps the new models are worth looking into
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...l#post20387117

There are plenty of EU models which focus on weight as most US domestic flights don't have weight limits.

Eagle Creek and Osprey have some lightweight two wheel carry-ons, good warranty, and contracted repair service centers in Europe/UK. Both offer replacement parts like wheels.

Maybe I exaggerated abit :) Obviously I don't travel nearly this much, still though I could never justify paying this much for a piece of luggage, just my 0.02c though, YMMV

Now those are definitely prices I can handle :) Thanks for sharing these, much appreciated!

0.02c is far less than 2 cents, you really are stingy :(

+1 on the Costco Kirkland Signature. Excellent bag, and dollar for dollar probably one of the best deals out there.

When it comes to bags that get checked, there's two kinds: those that have been destroyed, and those that haven't been destroyed yet. That's where the brand comes in. You destroy a Rimowa, they fix it. You destroy a Kirkland, they replace it. And in my personal opinion, as a fairly regular traveler, the Kirkland is at least 75% as good as the Rimowa, for less than 20% of the cost.

I've been on hundreds of flights with carry ons that are slightly larger than the sizer. You know how many times the GA has checked or stopped me? Zero. You know why? Because I smile, I say please and thank you, and I'm not a snooty d;ckhead trying to act like I'm special just because I'm a customer who flies a lot. Hopefully you're not one of those, or a "do you know I am" type. Those folks probably want a bag that fits the sizer.

The Linea range from House of Fraser in the UK might fit what you need - http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Suitc...Load=true&spcl

They seem to be a bit short on cabin size stock at the moment, and they regularly have sales on.

I bought a soft spinner from them three+ years ago, cost me £65, I use it every week, and apart from needing new wheels ATM it's in fine condition.

Wow those are some cheap bags! Amazing deals thanks so much!

Just caught a Spring Break clearance sale at the nearby Samsonite outlet store.

I grabbed an entry-level black pull-behind roll-aboard plus laptop bag for $52.

They're nothing flashy, but I got 8 years out of my last Samsonite. If I get half that out of this new bag, I'll be more than pleased.

I've decided to settle on low price + light weight, and compromise on durability. For carry-on bags it has not been much of a compromise as the bag does not get thrown around by baggage handlers so it lasts longer than e one would expect.

So I spend $50 at JC Penney's or Target and get a multi-colored no-name-brand bag that is easy to see and less likely to be stolen, but will last 3 or 4 years.

I don't know that particular bag. The bag I purchased has been all over the world (monthly trips to UK and Frankfurt for 2 years, recent trips to Sao Paulo, Toronto, Calgary). I flew LH from LHR-FRA. I've also taken it from LHR-DUB and LHR-LIS. I've never been stopped for the size of the bag. I usually fly J or F, which may affect the

many buy as cheap as possible, then replace as needed

Well, there are plenty of people, me included, who get bored with luggage after a while, so longevity is not the #1 priority.....

Another +1 for the Costco/Kirkland 22"... Mine is 9 years old, used multiple times a week, and still in good shape. It is a little on the larger size, but I've never failed to get it to fit inside an overhead bin, especially if it's not expanded. Expanded, it fits most domestic US mainline jets. On the regional jets it'll only fit when not expanded, so I usually pack for this condition all the time.

Before you buy check the maximum dimensions for all the airlines you're likely to fly. European airlines are more size and weight restrictive. If you buy online make sure the dimensions specified include the wheels and "feet." Another decent brand that might meet your cost target would the French brand Delsey.

Man that Costco carry on is exactly what I need sadly no Costco in my area :/

You can order online, but probably not to Paris. Maybe on your next trip to the US.

I really like the Delsey cabin roller bags I have had, I am on my third, and whilst it is a slightly older model, it is still going strong (the last one I replaced with a lighter option, but I still use it when weight is not an issue - e.g. car trips).

If I was buying a new one today, I would likely go for this one http://www.delsey.com/int/en/p/dauph...224980122.html

The price varies a lot though - in the UK, the John Lewis' price for this is £115 (US$142) but it is on sale at my local store in Canada for $90 Canadian (£54 / US$67). My British parents always buy luggage when they visit me in Canada, they think it is far far cheaper here. So if you have a trip to North America coming up, it might be worth holding off and buying here.

Got a real nice Travel Pro Crew today at the thrift store in Carmel for 12$

Not sure how so many destroy their bags so quickly. I have, now retired(needed larger size), a standard sized Dakine roller bag. It's not rigid but still your standard rectangle with wheels and handle. 3yrs and about 350K air miles. 95% of the time it was checked with my clothes and I carried on my camera gear and backpack. It wasn't anywhere near 100 dollars. It's been to Asia and all over the US.



I now have a 130 dollar Ogio larger bag. It is 1.5 yrs old and has about 140K miles. Again it is still in 100% working order.



Not sure what happens to bags that the 'need' to spend way more money for durability comes from.

That description fits many here on FT. I like variety and I like to have exactly the right item(s) for different trips. What you need to take on a 2-night Amtrak ride to the east coast is different from what you would fly there with. Then there are 5-week trips to the Middle East and Europe, or 3 weeks in SE Asia. How about a 2-week cruise? Then there are those of us who just like luggage and have a lot of it (guilty as charged.) This has been an interesting discussion.

Guilty as charged. I find that there's a perfect bag or piece of luggage for every occasion. And shop accordingly.
Although I'm faithful to a couple of items, including my now-retired Costco carry on which traveled more airmiles than most people on the planet. Sadly they no longer make it. Instead they have adopted the obnoxious spinner wheels which I refuse to have.

Absolutely! But I've reached the stage where husband says I can't fit more into the storage room :rolleyes: (he's almost but not quite as bad - I admit I have more bags at this point....) So I have to adapt and have the 'best' for me for a few different scenarios.....

None of mine are super high end, but I don't buy cheapie cheaps any more either. The ones I use most often are B&R and Eagle Creek. I've definitely eyed the ebags TLS motherlode but the one I like best would be a replacement for my favorite EC, which isn't being made (at the moment....) But since I don't *need* a replacement.....

Unless I come across an unbeatable deal. Right?:D

Totally guilty of a luggage wardrobe/hoarding.

I might have two generations of Eagle Creek Load Warriors because the new one was on a super super deal (speaking of, Eagle Creek and REI have sales going on right now). I also have an Eagle Creek Wheeled Tote prototype/one-off when someone on FT pointed out an awesome sale had come back.

I'm sure you have nested your bags, right?