Looking for new luggage. I'm certain there are lots of suggestions?

Soft vs hard shell.

Not sure what your needs are or how often you travel, but I work for an airline and use Briggs and Riley and love it.

I had a travel pro and when it broke basically had the customer service laugh when I asked how long for a replacement. Mine gets beat all to hell and it's held up well. I have the 4 wheel, collapsible and it fits into all overhead bins on our aircraft's.

If you don't travel that much you won't need to spend that much.

I switched over to hard shell about 2 years ago, wish I had done so sooner. Mine are american touister that I got at Walmart and they've held up just fine. Amazon.com has them as well.

It may be overpriced but I've enjoyed my Away bags.

My wife got a Briggs and Riley roller 15 years ago. 500k miles and going strong. The warranty is great-replaced a wheel and a zipper pull with little issue.

We just ordered new Briggs & Riley Luggage!

Curious what backpack you guys recommend for flights and travel? Anyone using the $300 Briggs and Riley backpack?

I've had a TravelPro bag that I've had for the last 17 years. It's held up very well. I also have a garment bag that we never use. If anyone is interested, I'd be willing to part with it for a decent price.

My suggestion is to go to Marshalls or home goods or tj maxx or similar and buy a decent cheap one. The luggage will get beat up by the airlines and by you. Then you are out $80 and can buy another.

Roller hard shell is what I use.

Should you travel a lot I would invest a little money in something that will last (e.g., Samsonite). You can find great deals on Amazon or Costco, or visit an outlet or stores like Marshalls, Ross, et al.

Just remember that the first thing that will likely break are the wheels and the corners of the hard shell. Usually from being mishandled by baggage handlers. That's why investing in a solid piece of luggage is worth it in the long run.

Danger Mouse said:

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Just remember that the first thing that will likely break are the wheels and the corners of the hard shell. Usually from being mishandled by baggage handlers. That's why investing in a solid piece of luggage is worth it in the long run.

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And this is precisely why if you travel a lot, your best bet is a soft shelled 2 wheel roller made of ballistic nylon. My Victorinox NXT has been bulletproof for more than 15 years.

HeightsAg said:

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Danger Mouse said:

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Just remember that the first thing that will likely break are the wheels and the corners of the hard shell. Usually from being mishandled by baggage handlers. That's why investing in a solid piece of luggage is worth it in the long run.

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And this is precisely why if you travel a lot, your best bet is a soft shelled 2 wheel roller made of ballistic nylon. My Victorinox NXT has been bulletproof for more than 15 years.

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Why I don't use soft shells anymore. At least for my needs. Every one has different needs, so it isn't a one-size fit all proposition.

1. Soft shells do not protect the contents of the luggage in the same manner as hard shells. Baggage handlers mistreat luggage when loading/unloading them on the aircraft. So a hard shell does a more effective job of protecting contents when the luggage is being tossed around (generally haphazardly).

2. Soft shells do not protect the contents from rain/moisture.

3. The lack of 4 wheels that rotate 360 degrees makes it more difficult to handle.

Fair enough, my counter is that ballistic nylon is super durable and won't crack or get scuffed up like hard shells when tossed around. Soft shells are also expandable unlike most hard shells.

Further, the wheels on 2 wheeled suitcases are recessed so it much less likely to get damaged. They also don't roll away by themselves when on inclines and tend to roll much easier over uneven surfaces such as cobblestone.

Finally, most importantly for me - since the wheels don't stick out, a 22" suitcase with 2 wheels will have about 2" more in interior space than one with 4 wheels.

Matsui said:

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My suggestion is to go to Marshalls or home goods or tj maxx or similar and buy a decent cheap one. The luggage will get beat up by the airlines and by you. Then you are out $80 and can buy another.

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This. Unless you are traveling very often, just buy something hardshell and cheap.

We bought these in 2019 (we paid $139.. yikes inflation)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q1G9ZPG/

They have gone to mexico a few times, florida a few times, california a few times as well as several road trips getting tossed around the bed of my truck.

Still holding up great.

Fair warning; tons of bags look just like this, with just slight color variations. We have started to put a few stickers on ours of places we go so they are easy to pick out.