Luggage

[houston]

I recently bought this from Victorinox. It has a cool feel and is quite nice. bag

 

[Horace]

I have to praise my Patagonia luggage. Â Everytime I travel I realize what a well made product it is. Â I have two pieces by them. Â A garment bag, the Burrito Suitor(?) which isn't made anymore. Â The other is the MLC (maximum legal carryon) which fits perfectly in the overhead and can hold enough clothes and shoes for 3-7 days. Both are made from Ballistic nylon. Â Toughest material around. Â If you have ever bought Patagonia products you know they are probably the best customer service based company around. Â I lost a hook for the garment bag about a year ago. Â I called them up and asked for a new one. Â The model was discontinued but i thought it was a shot in the dark. Â About a week later I received it in the mail. Â Also, one internal zipper broke in an inside pocket. Â Just a small repair at most. When I brought it into the store in Boston, they looked at it, said they had it in stock. Â Would I like the same thing? Â Walked out two minutes later with a brand new bag. Â I would have been happy them repairing the bag for free. Â Here's the bag on the website: Patagonia luggage

I've had the worst experience with Patagonia luggage. Â The stuff I've used they no longer sell (and with good reason probably) -- I busted through it using it on a year long trek (twice.). Â Zippers, fabric, design -- were all poor for the alleged true uses of these particular bags: Â I had the porter and the porter 2. I found Filson to be much better quality I've also used the Patagonia MLC -- but never liked its balance. That being said, I've had a few friends who've sworn by the "Burrito" Suiter (sp?) by Patagonia. I've also had a Hartmann garment bag for ages -- had it repaired once. Have Globetrotter luggage, which I like. And old LL Bean canvas bags (when they came in blue or olive drab -- pre-"Sportsman" line), and newer Eddie Bauer canvas bags. Have a Ghurka No.2 when they first came out that was horribly constructed. What I miss is the availability of porters -- because then you could travel in real style, with trunks, train cases, and whatnot. Now it's all so much of a pain to travel, shuffling around with bags. That being said -- there's nothing like travelling light.

 

[FIHTies]

What I miss is the availability of porters -- because then you could travel in real style, with trunks, train cases, and whatnot.
...
That being said -- there's nothing like travelling light.

So here we were in Bologna for business, heading to Milan by Train. The stop over is about 3 minutes, and at the last minute they changed the track that we were waiting on as a train hadnt yet rolled out and they didnt tell us which one until the Milan bound train actually came into the station.

What fun to figure out which track, drag down to the underpass 3 suitcases and assorted carry on bags, then to drag them back up and on to the train in under 3 minutes.

Yes, certainly travel light. And buy all your luggage (even the carry one) with wheels. There is no reason that you should do the shlepping when you can just pull it.

JJF

 

[globetrotter]

Travelpro Platinum series luggage is top notch.  Looks like all the others on the luggage carrousel, but well made and thoughful engineering.  It costs a bit more, but I've used it for years and everyone I recommend it to thanks me.  Great prices on the web and on eBay.

I myself have had bad experiences withe travel pro, but I have a few friends that swear by them.

 

[FIHTies]

Quote:

(mano @ 28 Dec. 2004, 3:25) Travelpro Platinum series luggage is top notch. Â Looks like all the others on the luggage carrousel, but well made and thoughful engineering. Â It costs a bit more, but I've used it for years and everyone I recommend it to thanks me. Â Great prices on the web and on eBay.
I myself have had bad experiences withe travel pro, but I have a few friends that swear by them.
When I was checking out travelpro I asked the owner of the store that carried them how their repair and warrantee was vis a vis brigs and Rileys complete coverage, and he said "Briggs has to offer that Lifetime any type of damage warrantee cause the product is bad, TP's product is so good they don't have to offer that." Kinda lame if you ask me. JJF

 

[globetrotter]

Quote:

(globetrotter @ 29 Dec. 2004, 08:36)

Originally Posted by mano,28 Dec. 2004, 3:25

Travelpro Platinum series luggage is top notch. Â Looks like all the others on the luggage carrousel, but well made and thoughful engineering. Â It costs a bit more, but I've used it for years and everyone I recommend it to thanks me. Â Great prices on the web and on eBay.
I myself have had bad experiences withe travel pro, but I have a few friends that swear by them.
When I was checking out travelpro I asked the owner of the store that carried them how their repair and warrantee was vis a vis brigs and Rileys complete coverage, and he said "Briggs has to offer that Lifetime any type of damage warrantee cause the product is bad, TP's product is so good they don't have to offer that." Kinda lame if you ask me. JJF
I travel a lot. luggage is very important to me, but I also am very demanding. I have 3 pieces of travel pro, a computer bag and a garment bag. the computer bag pretty much disintegrated after 6 months use. I could have replaced it for free, or had it fixed, but I was just disgusted with the extent of the damage that my bag had in, what to me, is day to day wear. I have a briggs and riley messanger bag, with is the toughest bag on the plannet, simply unbelievable. but it is very ugly. and I have a tumi catalogue case (bought to replace the travel pro computer bag). I love the layout, the size and the look, but the handle snapped. after I emailed tumi, within about 10 days I had my bag fixed and back to me. they gave me the option of walking into a store and getting a new, similar bag, but I wanted the same model which was discontinued. In the coming months I will buy a tumi garment bag to replace the Travel Pro.

 

[globetrotter]

Quote:

(Horace @ 29 Dec. 2004, 01:47) What I miss is the availability of porters -- because then you could travel in real style, with trunks, train cases, and whatnot. ... That being said -- there's nothing like travelling light.
So here we were in Bologna for business, heading to Milan by Train. Â The stop over is about 3 minutes, and at the last minute they changed the track that we were waiting on as a train hadnt yet rolled out and they didnt tell us which one until the Milan bound train actually came into the station. What fun to figure out which track, drag down to the underpass 3 suitcases and assorted carry on bags, then to drag them back up and on to the train in under 3 minutes. Yes, certainly travel light. And buy all your luggage (even the carry one) with wheels. Â There is no reason that you should do the shlepping when you can just pull it. JJF
I once was on my way from one trade show to another, and I had a portable trade show booth with me, aside from my normal luggage. My train stops, in the middle of the night, at a small station in the middle of france, and I have to change trains. the other train is 3 tracks over, which means going down stair, across, and up stairs again, with these bags in about 7 minutes. one of those times when I was not a happy puppy.

 

[FIHTies]

In the coming months I will buy a tumi garment bag to replace the Travel Pro.

I have This garment bag from Briggs and it carries comfortably everything I need for a 10-12 day trip to Italy.

 

[globetrotter]

Quote:

(globetrotter @ 29 Dec. 2004, 09:07) In the coming months I will buy a tumi garment bag to replace the Travel Pro.
I have This garment bag from Briggs and it carries comfortably everything I need for a 10-12 day trip to Italy.
I travel really light, what I want is a carry on bag with a garment sleeve. I usually do laundry when I travel, so that I can take a very small bag. What I have now is a tri-fold garment bag, and I want to go a little smaller. I have my eye on another tumi bag that has been discountinued - I am tring to get one from a guy who sells their discountinued bags.

 

[Horace]

Quote:

(globetrotter @ 29 Dec. 2004, 08:36)

Originally Posted by mano,28 Dec. 2004, 3:25

Travelpro Platinum series luggage is top notch. Â Looks like all the others on the luggage carrousel, but well made and thoughful engineering. Â It costs a bit more, but I've used it for years and everyone I recommend it to thanks me. Â Great prices on the web and on eBay.
I myself have had bad experiences withe travel pro, but I have a few friends that swear by them.
When I was checking out travelpro I asked the owner of the store that carried them how their repair and warrantee was vis a vis brigs and Rileys complete coverage, and he said "Briggs has to offer that Lifetime any type of damage warrantee cause the product is bad, TP's product is so good they don't have to offer that." Kinda lame if you ask me. JJF
But then again, re: Briggs wouldn't just be cheaper to make the product right in the first place? As for TP, what's the hurt then, if they were to offer a lifetime warranty, esp. if there's no need for it.

 

[mano]

For you folks who are less than satisfied with Travelpro, are you talking about the Platinum series?  As far as I know, that line has a lifetime warranty, but I may be wrong.  I can't speak about the lesser Travelpro lines, and I only travel several times a year.  It's interesting to hear about luggage that holds up for those who travel extensively.

 

[globetrotter]

For you folks who are less than satisfied with Travelpro, are you talking about the Platinum series?  As far as I know, that line has a lifetime warranty, but I may be wront.  I can't speak about the lesser Travelpro lines, and I only travel several times a year.  It's interesting to hear about luggage that holds up for those who travel extensively.

I have travelpro platinum, a rolling computer case and a garment bag. the camputer case basically fell apart. I know that I could have (and probrably still can) replace it, but I was so pissed off about it that I didn't bother. the garment bag, by the way, aside from having one or two design issues that I don't care for, has held up great.

 

[TCN]

Five years ago, when my wife and I left on our honeymoon, I used a leather Gladstone bag (J. Peterman), and an old Hartmann case (no wheels). My wife used one of those telescoping handle jobbies. I think I told her I wouldn't succomb to those wheeled devils. Now I find myself looking for "roller-blade" wheels on the bottoms of nylon luggage . . . how things change.

 

[ViroBono]

I seem to have so much luggage I could open a shop. For short trips in the car or train I currently use a Royal Navy suitcase, bought new and unissued on Ebay for £10. It's incredibly solidly made and has an attractive retro look, with good leather handles and corners. I also have a Mulberry suit carrier, which is an ingenious device that folds away into a cabin-baggage size roll-along. Mulberry luggage is high quality - I have a briefcase and a soft 'clipper' bag too. Probably my favourite stuff are my various Billingham bags. Originally made for cameras, and used by many pro photographers, they are also great for travel (they now do specific travel range) - Michael Palin uses them on all his treks. Very flexible and very well made. They are available worldwide. Billingham

 

[jasonpraxis]

Excellent discussion; I appreciate the range of brands mentioned and the stories that go along with them. I'll spend some time next week examining Briggs and Riley, French Luggage, and one or two other brands, perhaps also with an eye on eBay. Thanks again.