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Aluminum luggage.

LabelKing

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Hello,

What does everyone think about aluminum luggage?

They seem practical, and aesthetically pleasing although the only gripe about them is that they tend to dent easily.

I was having in mind Rimowa or Zero Halliburton. Perhaps a welcome change to designer luggage, i.e. Vuitton, Prada, Gucci?
 

mr. magoo

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I have Zero Halliburton luggage.

Plusses -- it looks awesome and actually makes a bit of a statement. It's basically industructible -- mine don't dent at all and I think any scuff marks on them make them considerably more attractive. I think if you run over it, it'll dent, but daily airline use is not a problem.

Minusses -- it's actually quite heavy and kind of cumbersome. I'd look into the rolling bags because it doesn't travel easily. Airport security always wants to look inside. People think "bomb" or "gun" when they see it -- no free rides with aluminum luggage. No room to expand in the luggage. Want to fit something else in? Nope.
 

FIHTies

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Dont have aluminum luggage but as with all hard case luggage aside from not being able to fit anything extra into the luggage you will probably have to have them fit into the car exactly and not be able to squeeze anything else in. (try slamming a trunk closed with that extra valise there...)

Also the dents and scuffs would drive me crazy.

Personally I think that architectural adage of "form follows function" is nowhere more applicable than in travel gear.

JJF
 

Kai

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As others have said, the biggest problem with any hard sided luggage is that it can't be over stuffed, and can't be squished into odd spaces, (like the overhead luggage space when it's already pretty full.)

I am a big fan of leather luggage. I travel between 50 to 100 thousand miles a year, in the US, Europe, and Asia. I have two leather garment bags (one 2-3 suit large model by Atlas, one 1-2 suit model by Ghurka) and a Gurka overnight bag. Some combination of these three bags will work for everything from an overnight trip to a trip of several weeks. In my experience, garment bags tend to wrinkle suits less than other types of luggage (provided you don't over-stuff them too much.)

Good leather luggage looks better with age. A little cleaning with Lexol every 6 months or so is all it needs, and it doesn't dent.
 

AskAndyAboutClothes

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LabelKing:

Just wondering if aluminum would be more prone to theft?

Same concern might steer one away from "name-brand" luggage also.

Andy
 

FIHTies

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He always commented that the serious business traveller has a large soft attache/briefcase and a garment bag with many pockets.  Later, he also purchased one of those rolling bags that are so popular for when he took longer trips.
And on that note...

I have almost indestructable, company guaranateed (against all damage) Briggs-Riley luggage, which I love.

I have a B-R Garment bag that has enough pockets for anything I need and when I travel on business , usually between 8-12 days at a shot, I can get ALL my needs into the think and it comes out looking OK too.

Big Deal for me...But here is the clincher......When i travel with my WIFE on those few and far between vacations we can also get Her stuff in there as well. Now thats amazing as any married man can tell you...

So like CTGuy's dad. On business trips its the Garment bag, the Overnighter with the wheels (Airline compliant, albeit just barely and not on the puddle jumper commuters in Europe) and to clip onto that my BR, small Attache with the laptop.

Works all the time.

JJF
 

FIHTies

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LabelKing:

Just wondering if aluminum would be more prone to theft?

Same concern might steer one away from "name-brand" luggage also.

Andy
I would actually think that the stand out unique nature of Aluminum Luggage while catching the eye would also be easily more identifiable in a crowd and hence deter a liffter.

Try blending into a crowd with one of those.

Brand name on the other hand is a different story. I know people that wont carry their laptops in Brand bags marked Dell or IBM simply cause crooks realize that its not lunch in there.

JJF
 

LA Guy

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I carry a messenger bag for documents and either a non-descript garment bag or a roll on (I find that you can actually pack a suit into them without much wrinkling provided you do it right.  For weekend trips, I'll just break out the bigger messenger bag -a completely beat up corduroy one from Rafe NY from a few ears ago.  It's enough for toiletries, a change of clothes, and a couple of extra pairs of underwear and socks.  IMO, that's all you need unless you are going on business.  

I would never buy brand name luggage - especially none with any branding.  An LV suitcase is just asking to be stolen.  And a guy carrying a Hermes carryon into coach is just plain sad.
 

jrh

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I own a Zero Halliburton P5 attache.  Along-side  my very nice Ghurka and I'Bisonte leather shoulder bags and handled bussiness bags the ZH is just as nice, just different.

ZH is very nice stuff.  Inside, my P5 is leather finished.  Yea, I get the stupid comments about the hand cuff and do you have a weapon inside.  Idiots be gone, I say.
 

LabelKing

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I don't know if it's more prone to theft but aluminum luggage is quite striking.

It looks best paired with something from Helmut Lang, Prada, etc.

As for the brand name luggage I still maintain that Vuitton produces a high quality hard suitcase, and luggage in general. It's just become very ubiquitous.
 

armscye

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I'm surprised that no one has mentioned that while durable, it definitely shows wear/knocks-- the surface is actually an anodize, which is a thin skin of easily abraded aluminum oxide. If your briefcase falls over in a paved parking lot, the scuffs are there for life.

In my opinion, aluminum luggage is great for photographers, videographers, scientists, and other people carrying specifically compartmented, easily damaged articles (lenses, camera bodies, spectrometers, etc.) that need crush protection. For carrying clothes, it's a rather poor choice.
 

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