bearrr

Hello!
I'm a very new user here and decided to make this thread as I saw many helpful inputs here.
I know that there are many threads about Tumi and Rimowa but I still can't find any real experience or answer to my questions.

I'm quite a traveller, moving between countries and continents. My cabin bag is a Samsonite Firelite for around 5 years, been using it 99% of my trips and I didn't baby it. the case still looks great but the wheels are extremely worn. Wanted to change the wheels but it took at least 3 months to order since Firelite is not in range anymore and the Samsonite sales said that other customer with Firelite has been waiting for the replacement wheels for like 5 months, so I'm thinking to buy Tumi Latitude or Rimowa Essential Sleeve which looks like Salsa with addtional pocket in front.

I do have Rimowa Salsa in the biggest size as my checked-in and the front case and the corner dented in my first trip while the lining inside in the middle of the luggage that connect both part was slight peel-off from the glue, but it's minor so I didn't fix it and as far as I know Rimowa doesn't cover any cosmetic issues, anyway I think the wheels are great and it's lightweight plus it has additional pocket for the cabin that I look for so I still put this on my list, but I really worry if the cabin will have same experience with my checked-in.

I new to Tumi, I expect their durability and since Latitude is their lightest and newest product, I'm looking to this but can't find whether their new SRPP BALLISTIC™ material is excellent or how about their warranty program works, especially after Samsonite bought them which many has worried about their quality issues. I personally think Samsonite products are way better before comparing to the new one and that's one of the reason why I don't buy Samsonite anymore. Besides, is it true that Tumi products are made in China/Thailand hence the quality is lower than Rimowa that made in Germany (I read this somewhere else but couldn't verify) ?

Any inputs on Tumi in general, specifically for the Latitude line are more than welcome.

Thanks!

PS: sorry no link or images, can't link them before I have 5 posts here

hornillas1

To answer some of your questions:

Rimowa: I own several pieces of Rimowa Topas attache and trolley items. I have not had any issues with the interior lining or aluminium-magnesium frame. Since the Essential is polycarbonate, you should be able to push any dents out from the interior, but all depends on the specific damage and location on the frame.

Tumi: I own several attache, duffel bag and backpack items (pre-Samsonite acquisition). In 2017, Tumi had an exclusive gross profit margin of 53.7%. All of their current lines are currently manufactured within Asia, primarily China. The only pieces I own of the modern Tumi collections are three (3) pieces from their Astor-line in 2015. Their last "Made in USA" collaboration was their Tumi 1975-line to celebrate their 40th anniversary; limited to 1975 pieces of each product within the line. All of my Tumi ballistic nylon pieces are of the "Made in USA" line, pre-1998, while the company was still Tumi Holdings, Inc. My oldest Tumi pieces are an attache and leather duffel from 1982, when the company still made pieces in Peru. All the pieces in my personal collection I attempt to take care of to the best of my ability.

Quality is always subject to each person's preference. I have found the quality is still great for being manufactured overseas, but I cannot justify purchasing those items knowing more than 50% of the cost is straight profit for Samsonite. I always wait until clearance or bargain finds at the Tumi-outlet locations. I purchased the cabin trolley, Tumi Latitude, from the outlet store at 60% off MSRP. Same for the 1975 pieces, I own.

Warranty is your standard five-year for both RIMOWA and Tumi. Remember, five (5) years is a product's typical lifecycle. From a retail and manufacturing standpoint, the maximum utility of your item should be reached within this timeframe and mean time before failure. The few times I have required warranty assistance, I have been able to go to the RIMOWA flagship store in Koln, Germany, where they have an in-shop repair facility for minor maintenance issues. All my maintenance requests were able to be completed in-store, same day. From that standpoint, i'm satisfied with their warranty process, to-date. Tumi's warranty has been positive, as well. Products purchased within two-years that needed maintenance were taken care of, with no issues. The only downside is the requirement to pay for shipping in-store to have the retail location ship to their repair facility in Georgia, United States. For my pieces that were past their five-year warranty, I was always offered a reasonable discount on a replacement item, which is what is expected from their current warranty policy and guidelines. In knowing how each companies warranty policy works, I am satisfied with the outcomes I have received.

Everything is always a case-by-case basis, as each incident has its own separate details, unique to each event.

Best wishes with your purchase! So long as you know what you are buying, are informed and find value in your purchase, you can't go wrong.

NYTA

I have had two Tumi Super Legere Internationals and have been disappointed. Second one is because the first zipper broke and they gave me another one. Handle broke on the second and took Tumi 6 weeks to repair. If weight/money aren't issues, go with a Briggs & Riley as they have a lifetime warranty. Personally, low weight and two wheels are important to me so I'll probably end up buying something from the Lufthansa Worldshop next time I connect through Germany.

SXB

I have both Tumi (which I didn't buy myself) and Rimowa. Personally I don't think Tumi offer good value, they are good to look at but the quality of things like zips, handles etc is not outstanding. They are not bad cases but I don't think they are worth the premium that's charged for them. I do like them though and if you can pick up a heavily discounted model it may be a good deal.

Rimowa is a different league though but I would only buy the aluminium models, I believe these are all made in Germany and the plastic models are not. Rimowa aluminium is not for everyone though, they can be heavy and have hard sided aluminium edges which carry other disadvantages when travelling. You don't often (if ever) see heavily discounted Rimowa aluminium.

Alohashirt

Can't comment on Rimowa, but I do have a Tumi ballistic nylon briefcase. It's the Sawyer from last year's "Arrive" collection. It's a step up from the Alpha Bravo collection that you see more frequently. Before that, I carried an Alpha Bravo briefcase all over the world for about 15 years.

Like a lot of what Tumi sells, my Sawyer is aesthetically nice with plenty of clever features. It's not very rugged however. The nylon itself looks good, especially with the leather accents. But it shows marks easily and I'd be hesitant to shove it in an overhead bin or under a seat in front of me. I also would not pay a premium for luggage made of the same material: It's nice, but I doubt it could take a beating. If you're looking for durability, Tumi would not be my first choice.

aztimm

Anyone have feedback on Tumi Tactics, especially the 22" , "International Carry-On?" I found it for $299, which seems like a decent price.

hornillas1

What kind of feedback are you looking for?

This item was part of the T-Tech line (budget-friendly, end of the spectrum of Tumi products).

Typical polycarbonate case with dual slide-fastener enclosure, nothing unique about the product when it launched.

Common find in the Tumi outlets.

Climb14er

Tumi used to have a lot of useful panache and business class reputation for the hard traveler, to many it still does. I have their ballistic expandable briefcase... has been excellent all these years. Unfortunately, the model I bought was the one issued right after they went from lifetime guarantee to five year. Luckily nothing has gone wrong but the zippers appear to be the weak part of the Ballistic manufacturing and I would be concerned about this aspect on their larger bags that get a lot more abuse. Tumi is still an excellent company but I think their shine has rubbed off some. YMMV.

gengar

IIRC Tumi Latitude is produced in Samsonite's Szekszárd plant (Hungary), which is Samsonite's specialist polycarb production facility.

I picked up the Latitude short trip packing case to replace my aging Tumi TegraLite check-in (the lock was destroyed - blame BA/AA/TSA, I don't know). I've only done one trip with the Latitude so far, but it's obvious the Latitude is an immensely superior product.

The biggest improvement is the wheels. That's one area I always thought Rimowa was superior to Tumi, but the Latitude glides so easily and effortlessly and without drag that I think it's actually better than the Salsa I've used in the past. The lock has been completely redesigned and should be much sturdier as none of the mechanism is exposed externally (as it was on the Tegra-Lite). The zippers are noticeably easier to use. The handle extension is smoother and feels sturdier as it doesn't give/flex as much. It's also much lighter than my Tegra-Lite (about 1/3 less weight).

I know Tumi gets a bad rap for whatever reason on these forums, but I've been happy with all the products I've bought from them.

marctbb

I have been travelling with both brands for some time and have done some 30 checkins with the latitude L, and it still looks like Id have just bought it

As one here said, its moves even better than a Rimowa, which is the second brand I use, Topas L and a carryon

The carryon I have to admit is doing really well, with about 4 flights a week and usually packed with more than youre supposed to

That said, the Rimowa interior is in my opinion useless, the lining of Tumi and especially the one of the latest latitudes is far superior by keeping things in place

I have just checked the Rimowa website because I was consindering to replace the Topas with the same one, but considering that I bought my one for 729 and it retails now for 1099 I definetely do not recommedn this brand to anyone, considering that the Rimowa made 300 flights and is now pretty much done, just ridicolous

Go for the Tumi, their customer service is great, even if you want to know something about a product, their social media team replies usually within a day to whatever question you may have

Tracy1217