Best carry-on rollaboard?
 

I've tried a couple that were supposed to be good but there must be something better; any suggestions?

Had a Delsey, but the facric tore pretty easily.
Then tried a regular Travelpro, but the handle came out after not much use.

Then a Briggs & Riley, but the didn't like that you had to press a button at the base of the handle to lower the handle and the design with the frame on the outside seems to waste space.

Then thought I found the perfect one in a Travelpro Platinum II: easy handle button on the top, strong ballistic fabric and seemed very sturdy; but again, after not a lot of use, the screws securing the carry handle and the wheels came loose and stripped.

A friend suggested a new line with the swiss army logo on it (who knows who makes it, but that is what it is marketed under). Any one try these out?

I am interested in what people have to suggest, as well. I need a rollaboard that has a place to hang a suit and fold it up in the lid. I recently bought a Samsonite, hard side on the base and sides, fabric on the top. I am relatively pleased with it, but don't like the two straps that bisect the outside pocket area. It's fiddly to have to snap the straps, and I lose some storage space. Also, none of the three outside pockets are large enough to hold files.

A colleague has a very expensive Hartman (>$400)with which he is extremely happy. I'd prefer to find something <$200. (My Samsonite was $180.)

I'm real happy with my Kirkland Signature from Costco. Lifetime satisfaction guarantee.
About $110.00

I've had a Samsonite 735 series rollaboard and have found it to be great. We had a small problem with a larger suitcase of the same series and Samsonite replaced it on the spot. They have a ten year warranty.

We have a Samsonite factory outlet here in Denver. Right next to there plant. The rollaboard was $189 plus tax there.

I have had a travel pro for 7 years, treated it with lots of abuse, and it has been a great bag. Given how many crews use them, I think you either got a bad bag or maybe a non standard one. When and if this one ever dies, I will certainly buy another one.

EBags (www.ebags.com) is where I bought my Atlantic carry-on. What is nice about the site are the customer reviews and ratings of the product.

I really love my Samsonite rollaboard that I picked up near Dam Square in Amsterdam last year. The outside pocket easily holds several (not too thick) files etc. The wheels roll quite nicely and can be replaced really easily. Plus, the handle is long enough for me to comfortably pull (I'm kind of tall).

I looked at the Samsonite with the hard bottom, but in this age of sizing templates a soft-sided bag provides just a touch of extra flexibility that could mean the difference between carrying-on and checking-in the bag.

I also have had a 'suiter' bag in which I could hang nicer clothes, but I really found that it stole too much space. I would really recommend buying Fodor's 'How to Pack' or 'The Packing Book' written by Wendy Perrin (I think) who also writes for Condé Nast Traveller. These books both have good suggestions on buying luggage and paking write. Now, I can pack a week of clothes (including a suit) into one rollaboard without hardly a wrinkle! Any frequent traveller should read either of these books.

My 200 flights a year has one word for you...
TUMI
It cost a fortune... but you'll spend the same buying those OTHER bags. Travel Pro is a joke. Great marketting, all the flight crews use them yada yada yada. Hey gues what? flight crews make less money and are too poor to afford TUMI.

Cigarman, do you have a specific Tumi model you recommend? And why are you so happy with Tumi?

I also have had bad experience with TravelPro. My rollaboard tore parallel to the zipper, and was unrepairable.

I bought a Samsonite in 1994 and the wheels broken after one trip. Then bought a TravelPro that then lasted me for around 6 years or around 750k miles, now the piece has been put into retirement although the wheels and bag itself was still in good condition - it was just looking very old! it was sad to see it go.

Just bought another TravelPro but not very happy with it, I think they've been focusing on markeitng and not in making good bags.

Tumi warinig (and I love Tumi bags) - If you buy at one of the factory outlets and it's not a first quality bag at a first quality price, you won't get their lifetime warantee. Make sure know what you are getting if shopping at the outlets (where there are some absoultley incredible deals on them from time to time).

I have the tan Hartman roller board and spent a little over $500.00 and so far its been worth every penny. Since I made my purchase, I've flown around 300,000 miles and it is still holding up.

The feature I like the most is the expandabilty of it....It fits in the overhead as is, but I can unzip a zipper and basicly have alarger suit case(although in the expanded mode I have to check it) but I love the flexability. It works great...when I leave home I carry it on, when I return home with purchases I check it.

One feature that I don't have that I've only seen once was a roller board with dual wheels. When you get on the plane you're able to roll you board on a set of wheels that are on the side...this way it goes down the aisle of the plane easier.

[This message has been edited by INDPremExec (edited 03-16-2001).]

I'm very fond of Eagle Creek bags. A little more casual, but with a lifetime warranty and very well manufactured. I have one that I bought in 1989 and it's still rolling along.

another vote for tumi here. incredible quality and pockets and zippers and doodads in just the places you want them.

re: the outlets... cordelli is absolutley right... if you buy a discounted bag, it does not come with the lifetime warranty. however, they often feature1st quality bags in discontinued colors. i bought two bags for my girlfriend last year; she prefered the green - which was just fine with me - as it saved me a lot of money.

i chose identical bags in black for me and they were several hundred dollars more. the carry-on is particularly expensive at almost $400! (compared to only $100 or so more for a much larger bag.)

Another vote for Samsonite. I have a bag with the wheels on the side, can zip right down the aisle. I gave away my previous (blue tweed fabric) Samsonite bag which had worked well for several years and was still in great shape; I just wanted one with wheels, and in black. I've actually gotten compliments on it!