I Hate This Cheap-*** Rollaboard
 

I purchased a rollaboard from a company that is the pre-eminent maker of stylish, allegedly very sturdy brushed-aluminum luggage, attache cases, and specialty enclosures for expensive equipment. I paid $600 for the sucker. Come to find out that, while the aluminum case itself is almost indestructible, the handle is really flimsy -- within a month after my internet purchase, it came apart one day while walking through the airport, littering tiny pieces of -clear plastic- across the terminal floor. The manufacturer honored the lifetime warranty and replaced the entire case (after a delay of about a month or so). But the new case has the same poorly-designed handle, it might as well be made of balsa wood. Not only is the handle so fragile I have to treat it like eggshells lest it break again, it extends and retracts only with great difficulty.

The moral of the story: Don't buy a case over the internet based on the manufacturer's reputation -- especially Famous Brushed-Aluminum Case Co. Find a store and eyeball it.

Eek, I didn't know it was possible to pay that much for one!

I do sorta feel your pain, though, as I find I reject the majority of the ones I look at on the basis of poor construction to the handle mechanism. If it looks like it can't stand a knock without breaking (or breaking off), I won't buy it. Thrift stores are full of used rollaboards with either worn cheap wheels or broken handles or handle guides.

Also, if you're ever forced to check a rollaboard (such as with full bins on a jet), you stand an excellent chance of it coming back to you with something broken. RJs and gate checks seem gentler but still out of your control.

Have been happy with my latest one a $24 "American Uni" brand bought at one of those Strip luggage shops in Las Vegas.

Why don't you just say the name of the company so other people know to avoid it?

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had the same exp. running through ord with my first rollaboard a cheapie i got at some discount store about 18 years ago. Since then I've only bought used travelpro rollies.