Luggage Advice

Get the B&R. It will outlast Tumi.

For the laptop carryon...I was given one of these Timbuk2 bags by my current employer:
http://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/products/...le/commute-2.0 (in medium):
It has a fold out laptop compartment so you just flop it down on the conveyor and don't have to pull your stuff out to go through security. Unfortunately it doesn't look like it is fully customizable like their other offerings (didn't they used to let you customize *every* product?). It also has a handy slot where the handle of your rolling case can slide so that it stays on top of your baggage while you wander the airport (but you can just grab the top handle and pull it off...nothing to unclip).

Having owned several of their other bags, I can attest to their quality. I have one from ~2001 that had near daily use until a year or two ago (when I was given the new one). I still use it occasionally and it shows no signs of giving out.

It looks like they now make a roller suitcase...but to me it looks kinda ugly and maybe not the most protective if you end up having to check it or something.

Originally Posted by globetrotter

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not to be elitest, but there is a huge difference between flying once a month - 2 legs, and flying 4 or 5 times a week - 12- 20 legs a month. I have a storeroom full of damaged tumi bags, the new stuff simply isn't tough enough to survive serious traveling, and the warantee is ****.
Yeah I fly about once a week, 4 legs, so not a massive flyer. I had the B&R but like I said, so ******* heavy. The vapor is quite tough as far as I can see, it hasn't been damaged yet and it's going on a year. Bed bugs can very easily penetrate and infest the material of something like a B&R, and since hotels are where they often spread, I like that I now have carbon fiber. A lot of bed bug experts say that it's the way to go. They can't get inside. Another nice thing is that the Tumi stands out a lot.. I can spot it on a turnstile very quickly, far quicker than when I had my big B&R. Also for my international carryon, having a case that is much lighter is very nice. The B&R are so heavy that you can only put like one pair or two pairs of shoes and you'll be overweight.

Tumi has a 5 year warranty. Definitely something to think about.....also I heard their newer stuff isn't near as nice as past years.

I have an Eagle Creek international carry on that I love, I and I got it for like $80 as an open box item from Amazon. Talk about a frickin deal.......so I picked up another one for my girl as well ; ) It retailed for like $300 and DOES have a lifetime warranty so I couldn't pass them up.

I also have friends who have had Eagle Creek stuff as well and they said the warranty is also 'no questions asked' for anything. A lot of people overlook that EC has a lifetime warranty as the price isn't as high as B&R. The quality is pretty far up there IMO though. I guess B&R probably edges them in some things...but the price difference (if you find a great deal like I did) is just way too much to justify.

Rimowa aluminum stuff I got used is the best I've had. Yeah it's expensive and it dents - buy used, and it's cheap and pre- dented. It's never failed and in a pinch I can fix it using a rock as a hammer.

Originally Posted by SField

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Yeah I fly about once a week, 4 legs, so not a massive flyer.

I had the B&R but like I said, so ******* heavy. The vapor is quite tough as far as I can see, it hasn't been damaged yet and it's going on a year. Bed bugs can very easily penetrate and infest the material of something like a B&R, and since hotels are where they often spread, I like that I now have carbon fiber. A lot of bed bug experts say that it's the way to go. They can't get inside.

Another nice thing is that the Tumi stands out a lot.. I can spot it on a turnstile very quickly, far quicker than when I had my big B&R. Also for my international carryon, having a case that is much lighter is very nice. The B&R are so heavy that you can only put like one pair or two pairs of shoes and you'll be overweight.

that's a good point about the carbon fiber - I am really scared of bedbugs, too. I just am sick of having stuff get damaged and having to deal with ******* tumi customer service.

Originally Posted by globetrotter

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that's a good point about the carbon fiber - I am really scared of bedbugs, too. I just am sick of having stuff get damaged and having to deal with ******* tumi customer service.

Get an old chest freezer in your basement or garage and throw your luggage in it when you get back (you can keep stuff inside of it too if you aren't going to wash right away). You either need to get it below normal food freezer temps or freeze it fully for several days at normal temps but it will take care of them. You come and go a lot so it might be less practical...maybe switch between two sets of luggage if you are somewhere sketchy.

I'm still waiting for someone to PM me and say they know a dude with a cooled-warehouse...then I can start my specialty furniture delivery business with bedbug free guarantees (as I mentioned in sfield's mattress thread). Set it up in new york and get involved with some vintage shops/auctioneers/interior designers who frequent thrifts and watch the cash roll in.

If you're looking for a good cheap alternative to the B&R bags, the new 22" from Costco is supposed to be excellent. Can't beat $99 and a more or less lifetime guarantee.

Screw bed bugs ticks and mosquitoes.

Repel and Sawyer make s a product that's applied to clothing and gear including soft sided luggage that is death to the little bastards. The product contains permethrin and binds to the fabric. I've watched ticks walk up the leg of treated pants and die.

Before a trip I'll treat the luggage and gear bags I'll be dragging around along with any clothing I plan on using for hiking or knocking about in. The stuff works extremely well. You can wash clothing like normal and it will remain active for about a month before you have to retreat.

Originally Posted by Rambo

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If you're looking for a good cheap alternative to the B&R bags, the new 22" from Costco is supposed to be excellent. Can't beat $99 and a more or less lifetime guarantee.

if you are talking about hte cheap costco tumi bag, I bought one. first, not very tough, second, limited warantee. good value for 99 bucks, but not great.

Originally Posted by Sazerac

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There's an SF-approved way of doing this...
But remember ... SF approval isn't what it used to be.

Originally Posted by pocketsquareguy

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Get the B&R. It will outlast Tumi.
Over the years I've collected a fair amount of luggage. For a trip via commercial air transportation that requires a more utilitarian approach, more often than not I reach for the Briggs & Riley.

costco bags have had issues with being larger. i have one, can never use it since it won't fit into all sizers.

I have a similar problem, travelling 1-2 times a week some months, 1-2 times a month others. I most often bring two suits, a pair of formal shoes, travelling in chinos/jeans and a pair of less formal shoes...

Is it any way at all avoiding having to iron everything when I get there? So far I have just planned my trips so I have a 1-2 hour ironing session at the hotel when i get there.

Originally Posted by Lucifer

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Is it any way at all avoiding having to iron everything when I get there? So far I have just planned my trips so I have a 1-2 hour ironing session at the hotel when i get there.
How much do you suck at ironing? If it is taking you 2 hours to iron the packing folds out of 3-4 shirts, you are doing something wrong. How many shirts do you have if you are going 1-2 trips a week? Also if you are careful, you shouldn't really have to iron a shirt after traveling (especially since you are wearing a suit).