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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 120 Comments · by

Coffee Break

Accessories· Coffee Break· Fashion | ·

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Samsonite - xSpace 21.5" Exp. Spinner One of the smartest things I did unwittingly a few years ago was to buy a blue carry-on — and now I always know exactly which one is mine when I have to gate check it or really check it. eBags has a number of great bags on sale right now, and I like the look of this dark purple carry-on from Samsonite — was $360, now $161 (with free shipping and guaranteed delivery by December 25!). Samsonite Luggage xSpace 21.5 Exp. Spinner Solar Rose Readers, which is your favorite carry-on? Any fun travel tales to tell?

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Comments

  1. Janie

    Anyone have experience with this line? I’m going on a long trip soon and would like to get a suitcase big enough to be checked, and I’ve been eying the 26″ version of this one…

    • nonA

      I have had terrible luck with Samsonite in general, although I’ve never had anything from this line. I know they are supposed to be a great brand, but everything I’ve ever had has broken in a ridiculously short time period, and usually in some way that isn’t easily fixed.

    • Eponine

      I haven’t had great experience with Samsonite. My Delsey suitcase, OTOH, is fantastic (it’s from their Helium line). Ebags seems to be having a great sale on Delsey right now.

      I also have a small suitcase by Atlantic that’s been surprisingly durable. Not as great as the Delsey, but it’s normally at a lower price point.

    • somewherecold

      Be careful about weight, because, when you’re checking, you will have to stay under the airline’s weight restriction, so better to have a lighter bag to begin with. The smaller one in the link is over 10 lbs. I’ve had the carry on and check size rolling duffels from Eastern Mountain Sports for about 4 years, and I really like them. I am pretty sure my larger one is under 10 pounds.

    • cda

      I have the featured suitcase and adore it. Nice and light, but still roomy. Very, very maneuverable – Great for crowded spaces, and I have had people stop me in the airport and ask what it is because they were so impressed with how easy it seemed to move around. I’ve had it for three (almost four) years and travel about once a month (including dragging it around metro and cobblestone sidewalks) and have had no problems; it’s still in great shape.

    • Nellie

      I have the smaller one and I love it! It’s perfect for short trips – has a padded compartment for your computer, outside pockets for easy access to your boarding pass and liquids, etc., and has a small toiletry bag that makes organizing everything easy. Rolls easily and smoothly. I’ve had no problems with it. People always ask me about it when they see it. I purchased the 21″ carry-on just last night. Includes a laundry bag and separate compartments for different types of clothing. Definitely designed keeping in mind how people actually travel.

    • houda

      I have this one in purple. It is very practical; I have checked it on a few flight including transatlantic and within Africa. So far it is holding very well. I have to add that the 4 wheels make it very easy to move in the airport as you don’t have to drag it (it rolls by your side).
      I hope this helps

  2. Ellen

    Since college I have been using an Eva Villeteri carry-on. It has LOTS of pockets, which are VERY useful, but I cannot put any liquids in there anymore, now that the ICE peeple are now looking at EVERYTHING.

    My cold cream now has to be PACKED sepereately, and there are other things that I cannot write about that have to be PACKED very carfeully so that the ICE man cannot handle them.

    When I went on a trip to DC to see Alan’s parents for THANKSGIVING, the ICE guy kept looking at me, even though I had put everything into the plastic container. Alan thought the guy was interested in me, but I would not go out with someone who I never met.

      • Rachel

        Oooh, good call, Bonnie! Ellen, you might start tucking a mirror in your pocket before you meet with ICE.

  3. Mac

    All of my luggage is brown Briggs and Riley that I’ve had for years (similar to their current Amber color http://www.briggs-riley.com/category/productDetail.aspx?id=Explore-19-Upright-Luggage_BU119&sec=travel). I love it because it is conservative and professional, but still relatively uncommon so I can always pick out my bags from a distance. I’ve had my bags for years (some are over 10 years old and belonged to my mom first) and put them through a lot of hard travel and they still look great. Briggs and Riley also has a lifetime warranty for repairs. I don’t think I’ll ever buy another company.

    • AIMS

      Briggs & Riley is great.
      Very similar to Tumi in quality, but a bit more original, I think (much better for spotting your bag on the carousel).
      Love Delsey also. Same with TravelPro.

    • SF Bay Associate

      ITA @Mac. I also have a Briggs & Riley carry-on, which I used on more than two dozen round trips this past year. I did get a black one, but I have a hot pink luggage tag from Target that sticks out nicely. The bag is indestructible, lightweight (I got the lightweight line), totally stable (it *never* tips over), and I adore the flat bottom (the rolling poles are on the outside!). B&R’s newest style is a wide body carry-on suiter and I am eyeing that longingly, though I have absolutely no reason to get another piece of luggage.

      • mamabear

        Maybe Briggs & Riley has improved. I bought my first about 15 years ago, when I was traveling every week, and I had to keep taking it back to the luggage store because the wheels kept breaking. Or rather, the axles that held the wheels in. Anyway, the repairs were free, which was great, but of course I couldn’t handle being without my suitcase for a week, so I had to buy the Hartman (mentioned below in another comment.) And that bag has never once broken.

  4. Bunkster

    My roller suitcase is orange (Swiss Army). It is extremely easy to locate anywhere.

    • Corporate Tool

      I’ve got deep purple, and while it likely isn’t as easy to spot, it’s certainly distinctive.

    • KH

      Yes to the distinctive color! Mine is gold/yellow.

      Once I gate checked my bag on a tiny commuter plane. I was to pick it up plane side and carry it on to my final destination. It wasn’t on the tarmac and the agent (correctly guessed) that the gate-check tag had come off so that it was in the DFW conveyor belt maze with NO tag indicating it’s final destination. They assured me it would spit out at belt 4 and it did! Since it was yellow, it was easy to spot. Yay!!! Then I realized that by going to belt 4, I’d left security and had no ID because in my hurry I’d left my purse with my husband! Fortunately, he saw me jumping up and down and waving at him.

      Thanks to my yellow bag (and no thanks to me) I made my connection!

    • Yay for Distinctive Bags!

      I don’t travel nearly as often as I’m sure many Corporettes do, but I’d say I travel more than a lot of people (about 10x/year) on personal trips (I’m close with my family, but they live in another state, so I travel back for all of their big events). And I absolutely love my Roxy luggage. I purchased it over five years ago and it’s still in excellent shape. It’s black with large pink and white hibiscus flowers and it is extremely easy to spot on the baggage carousel. While it’s obviously not professional, I love it for my personal travel!

      For my rare professional trips, I don’t check bags anyway, so I use a plain old boring black Atlantic brand carry-on suitcase. I haven’t had it that long, but I do like it so far.

  5. E

    My boyfriend and I have been using a large garment bag for our primary checked bag when we travel. It’s been great for weddings and cruises and other events where we need to bring formalwear, but as we discovered on a recent outdoorsy trip where we were constantly between hotels, its capacity isn’t great and it’s a pain to open and close. So… we are in the market for a more traditional suitcase with good capacity (we each have a good carry-on size suitcase for business needs) for personal travel.

    There was a black friday sale on JCPenney’s website with a set of 4 or 5 pieces including a large suitcase for something like $34. So now we’re sort of anchored to that price point and would really like to find a decent piece for under $50. Any leads?

      • AIMS

        I would avoid the cheap to begin with & look for something on sale or at a discount place — Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Century 21, etc. all have lots of very good but discounted bags.
        Just avoid the “fashion” lines they carry, e.g., Nicole Miller, DvF, etc. — the quality on those can be hit or miss, at best.

        • E

          We’ve been very lucky with our smaller cheap pieces. His mother picked them out of a catalog of crap as a gift for being with her company for 20 years and passed them along to us. They’re generic, but roll great, zip easily, are very sturdy, etc. But I can definitely see how a different version of cheap could bite us in the @$$, so I was less comfortable with just picking something without reading any reviews from a C21 type place. I work right near one though, so maybe I should just do that and hope for the best!

        • KH again

          Tuesday Morning has great bags. Except for the very, very, bottom, Target suitcases aren’t as inexpensive as you’d think – certainly Tuesday AM is no more expensive.

          • Anon

            I was in line behind a European man at Century 21 recently. He was buying a small wheeled bag and it was $150. I didn’t look at the luggage section myself but the options might not be rock bottom cheap.

    • Eponine

      Try Target or Walmart. You get what you pay for, though – don’t expect a suitcase at that price point to last more than a few trips. They throw checked baggage all over the place and you’ll probably lose a wheel or have a busted zipper within the first three trips.

      • K

        On the other hand, my Swiss Army luggage from Target has lasted me about four years now, and nothing’s broken so far.

      • Janie

        I have Eddie Bauer luggage from Target, it was about $60 for a carry on suitcase and it’s been on three continents, traveling with me, my husband and my sister, and still looks new. I haven’t seen anything similar there recently though when I went to look for something larger to check.

      • anon 3l

        It is not always true that you get what you pay for. I paid around $30 for a 3 piece set that I got over 5 years ago. I fly multiple times a year with it on long trip that usually include switching planes. The only damage that I have is a small hole in the fabric, which could have happened to a more expensive piece of luggage. My suggestion would be to read reviews online before you buy. You can also ask the sales people at the store. I have worked in retail for many years while in school, and will always tell customers which brands are returned more than others.

  6. Lola

    What are people’s experiences with 4 wheels instead of 2 wheels? I have a roll-aboard with two wheels (inline skate wheels maybe?), and I love it. The 4-wheeled ones, like the one pictured, seem a little awkward to pull behind you.

    • lawyerette

      you don’t pull them behind you, rather you just wheel them at your side. I just converted my carry-on and larger suit case to 4 wheels and I love it on the carry on (though have yet to try lugging BOTH around yet)

    • Eponine

      They’re so great. You roll them next to you and don’t have to pull or tug on them at all, unlike two-wheel bags where you’re pulling the weight of the bag along (and in my case, often causing shoulder pain and dropping whatever bag I’m trying to balance on top of the suitcase). You can set a bag on top of them without worrying that it’ll slide off if you angle the suitcase wrong, and they maneuver much more easily around corners.

    • MM

      I also love the 4 wheels 100x more than the two wheels. You can pull it behind if you want, but as lawyerette and Eponine mention, you can also wheel them upright next to you. You can make turns much easier, and switch directions, rather than swinging a wide arc to try to keep your 2-wheels upright. Far more versatile. I particularly like being able to push it in front of me — sideways! (i.e., so it is long and skinny rather than short and wide) — when leaving an airplane. I used to regularly bump my carry on into the seats when pulling it behind me, causing my suitcase to tip over and the disembarkation to be delayed. No more! I am a complete 4-wheel proselytizer now.

    • Jen L

      I’ve been debating a switch to the 4-wheel ones myself, but I’m concerned about taking it on the subway. I’ve seen people struggle a bit with them rolling around on the train. I almost always take the subway to the airport. Does anyone have experience with this?

      • cda

        sorry, posted too soon –
        I take my 4-wheeled suitcase (the featured one) on the metro/subway and have no problems. If you have even a pinky on it, it isn’t going to move, and if you don’t have a pinky on it, it is probably just waiting to get stolen.

    • coco

      For many years, I was firmly against 4-wheeled bags. Then I had to buy a new suitcase, fast, for a trip and ended up with a 4-wheeled bag. I am a convert. It can do everything my two-wheeled one can (I find I can move faster if I pull it behind me like a two-wheeled) but more. Much easier to navigate in cramped spaces.

    • Louise

      I’m in the market for a new carry on bag, and this thread has convinced me to get a four-wheeler. Thanks, ladies! Keeping my eye out at TJMaxx and Ross, since they always have tons of luggage at all price points.

    • Rachel

      It depends on the 4 wheels. I test them all in the store and make sure they glide as easily resting on all 4 wheels – pivot and swivel in all directions – as they do tilted up on two.

      I would never get a bag that didn’t have the 4 wheel spinner feature. It’s 100000x times easier.

  7. Two cents

    I have a carry on from the Kirkland brand at Costco. I have had it for nearly 10 years now and it’s still going strong. I don’t understand the draw of designer luggage unless it’s exceptional quality.

    • AnotherMel

      Agreed. Mine saw 3+ years of weekly travel and is still in great shape. Only nit is the leather on the handles is starting to wear. I believe they now make them in unflashy shades of red and blue too, for those looking for a not-black option.

    • j

      Third the Kirkland luggage. I’ve been using mine for years and they have held up through extraordinary abuse. I made a large strap with a buckle that goes around the body of the case from bright pink and green fabric so it’s easy to spot in a sea of black suitcases on the conveyor belt.

  8. the full cleveland

    I have the 22″ version of the Sampsonite spinner bag featured and while I’ve only taken it a couple of places, it is 100% better than the previous non-spinner bag I had before. So I can’t speak to longevity but it’s definitely the right size and the right, um, spinniness.

    • Rachel

      I have this bag as well and it’s been all over the U.S. and occasional trip to Asia. It’s held up well (although looking a bit scuffed). The wheels are still super-spinny. Love it dearly.

  10. MC

    I have a question about luggage for business trips. What do you all think of carrying a backpack? I find that this is often the most comfortable way to carry my things when I’m taking my laptop –it’s often much easier than a rolling bag, especially when I’m taking public transit to/from airports. But it always makes me feel like I’m in school.

    • lawyerette

      If you’re going on a business trip, why are you taking public transit? I take public transit when I travel for myself (to save $) but on business, I always cab it. In that case I take a laptop bag or my current fave: the Samsonite “Boston Bag” which slips right over the carry-on suitcase and fits under the seat (and also fits so much more than a laptop).

      In general though, I don’t see anything that wrong with a high quality black nondescript (not too many pockets/chains/etc) backpack.

    • Ru

      While it isn’t the most fashionable, it’s definitely one of the more practical and comfortable ways to go. I’d suggest really taking the time to find a nice-looking backpack that looks more adult than one of the Northface-type that evokes school days. I’m on the hunt for a simple leather schoolbag myself, or even a pleather one if the leather is too heavy.

      • Eponine

        How much can you spend? I saw a great site with handmade leather bags and will dig up the link if it’s at your price point – I think their bags were at least $300 with a lifetime guarantee.

    • Mac

      I use the “cabin bag” that matches my rolling carry-on. It has a slot in the back so it slides over the handle of the rolling bag, so you get the best of both worlds (carry by itself or roll it along). I use that as my “purse” when I’m going through airport security. I use a laptop sleeve for extra protection. Briggs and Riley also offers traditional business cases with the travel slot, so I’d consider getting one of those (or something similar) if I was traveling a lot for business. Having something designed to anchor it to the carry-on’s handle makes a world of difference.

    • nonA

      You could always try one of the messenger bags with shoulder straps that convert it to a backpack if necessary. Great for the subway/trek accross the airport, but you can make it look like a more traditional bag when in the business meeting portion of your trip.

      I have a great black one from LL Bean that I’ve used for years . Unfortunately, I can’ t find it on their website so I don’t know if they make it anymore, but it looks similar to this one: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/64440?feat=506074-GN2

    • Eponine

      I don’t think it looks very professional or grown up. I prefer to use a large, sturdy tote for my personal item – I like LeSportsac. I realize a backpack feels lighter, but my LeSportsac has wide straps and I can comfortably carry my laptop, a file or two and other necessities in it while traveling.

      If you mean that you want a carry on to hold your clothes, toiletries, etc, I think a carry-on rolling bag is the way to go. I always just check my bag, so this isn’t an issue for me, but I can’t imagine trying to pack for a few days in a tote bag.

    • nonA

      Also, I was once meeting a very senior exec of a client for a business trip . He showed up with a backpack – it was plain and black, relatively professional. He was a guy in his 50s, and was otherwise dressed sharply in business clothes. He had no problems carrying it into business meetings and pulling out his laptop or files from it.

    • houda

      Depends on whether your backpack looks like something a high schooler would wear. My managers (male) always have a black backpack which the company gives us for our laptops. I usually tuck my laptop in the outside compartment of my carry on (the featured samsonite) and carry the rest in a Longchamp shopper bag – which is big enough in case you want to put your laptop in it but foldable so you can put it away if not needed.
      This is personal and might be different for you but I personally have stopped wearing backpacks because I already look very young and never botehred to update my passport to show that I am no more a student. The backpack look does not help.

  11. mamabear

    I use a Hartmann carry-on, the classic brown tweed with brown leather accents variety. When I bought it over 10 years ago, I thought I’d have it forever, so it was worth the money. However, I think the maximum allowable carry-on size has gotten a bit smaller over the last few years. While I haven’t had any problems getting it into overhead bins (at all) I don’t think it would actually fit into one of those “your carry-on must fit in here” measuring devices at the gate.

  12. Help!

    Any ideas on what present to get for a 2.5 year old boy? I want to get something educational, not just a toy. I usually buy books but am wondering if anyone has other ideas.

    • SF Bay Associate

      Does he read a little yet? I just got my niece a subscription to Ladybug magazine, which is targeted at 3-6 year olds. I received a subscription to Ladybug’s older sibling Cricket for years when I was a child and always enjoyed the ad-free, well written stories, poems, and art. I’m pleased to be able to pass on the tradition with her. Kids LOVE getting mail, so a quality magazine subscription is a year-long present that helps foster their love of reading.

      http://www.cricketmag.com/ProductList.aspx?type=M

      For others looking for presents, the company who does Ladybug has multiple magazines for a range of reading abilities, from babies to teenagers.

      • Help!

        What a great idea! My nephew doesn’t quite read I don’t think, but he enjoys looking at books and being read to. He’ll be 3 in April so he might be a tad on the younger side for the Ladybug magazine, but I think I will probably buy it anyway, as it’s something that he can grow into. Thanks so much!

        • Anon

          I hope that person didn’t mean to suggest he was ACTUALLY reading, himself. More like listening to others read. He’s two and a half!

          • Eponine

            It’s hardly unusual for a 2 1/2 year old to be able to read easy books for toddlers. It’s definitely the right age to start them trying to read on their own.

          • Huh?

            Actually, it is very unusual for a 2.5-year-old to read. Maybe you’ve always been around really adavanced kids!

          • From the American Academy of Pediatrics

            “Most children learn to read by 6 or 7 years of age. Some children learn at 4 or 5 years of age.” By the way, it then goes on to recommend pushing reading at ages 4 and 5, because other kids usually catch up by second grade anyway.

          • Eponine

            @Anon – I really don’t think my family is that exceptional, at least not among my peer group. I’m not the kind of person who thinks her kids and family are little geniuses, but they did read at that age.

          • LA

            My mom started me reading at 2, so on one hand I want to back up Eponine and think that I was normal. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t bored out of my mind in elementary school because my classmates were so behind in reading (among other things). Even so, I think it would be absurd to hold a kid back because of his peers can’t keep up. No offense, but that reeks of “everybody gets a trophy” mentality–instead of letting the runner win the race and try for a record, let’s make him slow down so everybody can cross the finish line together holding hands.

          • Anonymous

            I started “reading” at 3 and at that time my parents were told I was in a small fraction of a percentage of children who could do that. My son is 4 and can read a few words, and that is pretty advanced compared to the rest of his preschool class. What may pass for “reading” in a 2 1/2 year-old may be memorization of something they’ve heard over and over and over (in the case of their favorite book that Mom/Dad has read to them a thousand times – small children are actually very good mimics and can also memorize things like songs and poems that have a cadence, the same way we memorize our favorite song after hearing it several times), interpretations of the pictures in the book that happen to match the text but are not intentional reading, or in some cases, sight reading – recognizing the individual word as “X” but not truly “reading,” it, i.e., interpreting the letters and putting them together into a word with a meaning. There’s some question as to whether or not children really even have the physiological brain structure to truly read until they are at least 5, the same way children don’t really have the brain anatomy to recall long-term memories until they are at least 3. In all likelihood, my “reading” at three was more sight reading and memorization than anything (I have an eidetic memory and it probably kicked in to some degree at that age, I wasn’t really “reading,” I had just memorized a lot). So sorry, Eponine, but your small relatives were not really “reading,” at least the way reading is defined by educators. They were interacting with their books and that’s great your family put a priority on that, but real “reading” basically cannot happen at 2 1/2, any more than an 11-month-old infant could form a permanent, recallable memory of something that happened to them.

          • RR

            I have almost 3 year old twins who are read to constantly. While they can recognize their name and many letters and can recite large portions of books while “pretending” to read, they cannot read. Nor can any of the many, many 3 year olds in my group of friends and in their classes. I’m sure it happens, but it is very definitely unusual for a 2 1/2 year old to be able to read even basic books.

    • Fiona

      I have a nephew that age, and I’ve had great success with the Melissa & Doug line of toys. They seem to bridge the gap between educational and toys pretty well. I’ve gotten him things like big floor puzzles, wooden alphabet stamps, toy musical instruments, art and paint sets, a big easel, etc. They’re available on Amazon and at most toy stores.

    • KateL

      I second the recommendation for Cricket/Ladybug.

      I like to give high quality toys and have had great success with Automoblox – rated for 3 years and up but we gave to BF’s nephew at 2.5 Y.O. One other idea is the cardboard brick blocks – my now 9 Y.O. nephews loved them at that age.

    • Anon

      My second is now 2.5, so I’ve been through this twice. Getting the *perfect* gift does depend on the kid, but lots of kids that age like Duplo-sized legos, musical instruments (I just bought these fabulous multicolored handbells in different pitches for my godson for $20 on amazon), and peg-type puzzles (second the Melissa and Doug suggestion for that).

    • B

      My nephew is about to turn 3, and have gotten him a tricycle that has a detachable handle for parents to push. Not strictly educational but at that age I think some fun outdoor/active toys are great.

      http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=red+flyer+tricycle&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=18026879178237200007&ei=yh0RTeGwFYmPnwe6k_DNDg&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=image&resnum=5&ved=0CEwQ8gIwBA#

      Also, for Christmas I bought an indoor/outdoor TeePee. Good for imagination type games and fun year-round. This brand is expensive but I found it majorly on sale. I believe there are other less expensive options too.

      http://teepeeforme.com/shop-our-products/#ecwid:category=464086&mode=product&product=1710725

    • SuzyQ

      My favorite thing for this age is an art easel with chalk board on one side, white board or paper on the other. Melissa and Doug make one that’s discounted heavily on Amazon.com (I don’t work for them – I’m just a happy customer).

    • MHM

      My son is one year ahead of your nephew, and I am thinking about what was a hit last year. My kids loved (simple) jigsaw puzzles at that age, which are great developmental tools. The company “Melissa & Doug” makes terrific puzzles with giant, easy-to-handle pieces — 24 piece puzzles that are 3×5 feet when put together. Themes such as bugs; dinosaurs; ocean animals; construction trucks — all very colorful and cute.

    • Help!

      Thank you all for the wonderful recommendations! I ended up buying him a subscription to the Ladybug magazine. And I didn’t mean to set off a controversy about whether 2.5 year olds read. :) My nephew certainly does not read yet, but he loves looking at books and being read to, and I think he will enjoy this gift. Happy holidays all!

      • Divaliscious11

        Not sure if you’ll see this but Leapster makes some great toys for that age group, although I will second the Melissa & Doug easel…

  13. Heys Bags?

    Has anyone tried Heys bags, particularly the XCase XL? It’s supposed to be super lightweight and I prefer hard-sided suitcases. I’ve heard good things about the brand in general, but I’m having trouble finding a lot of online reviews about this particular line.

    • Mac

      I’ve never tried them but I see them on the online sample sale sites (Gilt, Ruelala, etc) all the time. I still haven’t decided whether that’s a good thing or not…

      • Heys Bags?

        Good point…I’ve seen them on there, too. I know at least a few of the times I’ve seen them, it’s been the “stylish prints” that are on sale. Now I’m trying to think about if I’ve ever seen the basic colors on sale, which I’m not sure would be the best sign. The prints or even “fashion colors” would be more understandable IMO.

    • Nonny

      I have a set of Heys bags which a friend had gotten for free and was giving away (lucky me!). They are pretty lightweight and at first I was quite skeptical about the larger suitcases in the set lasting more than a few trips. But I have now used them on multiple long-haul flights, stuffed absolutely full, over about a 5-year period, and they seem to be holding up just fine. The zippers are sturdy enough and the suitcases are pretty maneuverable. Best of all, the suitcases are bright red so easy to spot! Not sure I would buy them if I was in the market for new bags – I would be inclined to buy something sturdier – but having said that, I’ve had no complaints so far.

      • Nonny

        PS – but looking at the OP’s comments again, my set is not hard-sided, so I can’t comment on that aspect of it….

    • PermFedClerk

      I have a 4-wheeled hard-side Heys bag that I bought at TJ Maxx for about $50, but it’s not the xcase line. I absolutely love my bag. It’s extremely lightweight, but very strong and durable. I just looked at the Xcases online, and they look nicer than my bag (the handles are definitely better than mine).

    • Heys Bags?

      Thanks for all of the responses, ladies! I may try to see if I can find the bags at a brick and mortar so I can see them in person. I have found them online a few places with good return policies, so that’s always a possibility, too.

    • Divaliscious11

      bought my husband a set of the hard side, and we pretty much hate them. The handle broke first and then the zipper… we know only use as a last resort for driving trip, so we don’t have to worry that it may split open completely. Christmas gift two years ago. Planning to get him new luggage, so thanks for the discussion…

  14. anon

    Does anyone know about the French brand Lipault? I saw it on ebags.com, but it is fairly new to the U.S. so there isn’t a lot of information out there.

  16. Anon2

    Anyone had to rebook flights through Heathrow in the past couple of days? Decided to rebook a trip to Asia because it was through London and the airport looks like a refugee camp…

    • Anon here

      OH man. Yes. I have been bawling my eyes out all day. I was also going to Asia (Singapore) for a long awaited reunion. My husband grew up in Singapore and his friends have not been back together since 99. Our flight from London through Heathrow was cancelled. All his friends can still go b/c they are flying out of the West Coast. No one seems to be able to help us. Not our travel insurance, not the airlines, not the travel agent… The earliest they said they could get us out was the 26th. We just took a full refund and rebooked on another airline for the 24th. This airline is a direct flight but still stops to refuel in Frankfort. They are predicting snow for the 26th in Frankfort too so I’m still freaking out. I just can’t believe we might miss out on the whole thing. I just don’t understand why there are no options – why they couldn’t put us on a flight out of LA going over the Pacific, etc. and whether we are going to be in the same boat come the 24th. Ugh.

      • Anon here

        Oops, I met Frankfurt. And, I guess we shouldn’t say we are rebooked yet, still on hold!!!!

      • Anon2

        I’m so sorry to hear this. My husband and I have rebooked our flights for next year (not during winter). They were not flexible with us at all in terms of re-routing us through a different city in the US or another airport in Europe. I hope you can still enjoy the holiday season even if you don’t make it there.

        • Anon here

          Thanks! I caught yet another typo in my post above. Our original flight was NY to Heathrow to Singapore. Heathrow to Singapore is still leaving, NY to Heathrow is not and they couldn’t find another way to get us to Heathrow or to Singapore. On the bright side, we are still home and not stuck in Heathrow. We are still holding out hope that our new bookings going from NY to Singapore w/ a refuel in Frankfurt will go. I hope you enjoy your trip when you do end up taking it!!

          I know that life could be so much worse and I have so much to be thankful for but it is hard to see a long awaiting trip ruined. The worst is my husband is the one who organized this whole trip and now he is the one who may not make it there. Fingers crossed we get confirmed on the new airline, leaving the 24th and make it all the way to Singapore.

          • Anon2

            My heart goes out to the folks stuck in the airports with little ones and the elderly. I hope they are being taken care of in some capacity in terms of medication, baby formula, etc. I agree – we are so lucky to not have been held up for the last 3-4 days and to be able to travel at all this year. Thank god for last minute road trips and family happy to host us under the circumstances.

    • kz

      My best friend from high school has had to rebook a flight to get home–she’s now flying out of manchester on christmas day. I’m not sure where she was coming from originally, but I imagine one of the London airports. Snow is so annoying.

      • Another Anon

        Agree with Eddie Bauer.

        FWIW I’ve never owned a wheeled duffel bag that lasted more than six months before the seam near the wheel split.

    • Anon

      It’s awful. But skidding off the runway would be worse.

      I’m truly sorry for your situation, and hopefully you’ll live a long and happy life telling the story of how you were stranded at the airport, rather than perishing a in preventable accident so close to the holidays.

  17. Diane Danielson

    I got a TUMI expandable carryon in bright orange from RueLaLa for less than 1/2 the price. Great color. Love the lightness and the durability. Don’t know if I’d love it for $500 but for $200 … LOVE it.

  18. meme

    Is anyone still around tonight? I have a question I know the Corporettes can answer. My sister wants an e-reader for Christmas, but she doesn’t know which one. She reads a lot of library books. She wants to be able to borrow e-books from the library and also download free books available online. She has no money to buy books. Which reader would be the best? Thanks in advance for all of your insights and suggestions.

    • Anon

      Do you know the name of her local library system? I’d check their website first and see if their e-book offerings are geared toward a particular reader (ie, if they only offer books compatible with the nook, don’t get her a Kindle).

      • Whitney

        My beloved gave me a Kindle for Christmas, and I love it. All of the classics are available for free, and you can also download free books from the web (i.e. Project Gutenberg).

    • kz

      Nook. You can’t borrow library books on Kindles because they don’t support the epub format, which is what most libraries use. I picked nook over kindle for this reason, and I like mine. Double check because recent kindle editions may have added support for epub, but when I bought mine back in May, they definitely didn’t.

      • Janie

        They haven’t. If she does a lot of library books, go for the Nook. One of my friends has one and she loves it. I have a kindle and lot it too, but I use it for travel and books that I can’t get in hard copy at my library.

    • Eponine

      Not a Kindle. I love my Kindle, but libraries don’t lend books in the Kindle format. As far as I know all the other e-readers are compatible with the majority of e-books available via libraries, so you should read reviews and pick amongst them.

      • meme

        Thanks for the clarification. I will talk to her further about her intentions re: library e-books. Are there many free books available for Kindle from other sources?

    • rg

      My MIL is a librarian and after researching she asked for a Nook this year. The Nook allows for borrowing, and my understanding is that Amazon is in the process of making its e-books available on other readers (I think maybe already possible, I have a Kindle so do not worry about it). I think for library e-books, Nook is the way to go though.

  19. Liz

    My favorite carry-on is still a backpack because it is hand-free and it fits underneath my seat so I don’t have to fight with other passengers for space in the overhead bins.

    • L from Oz

      Particularly true if you fly on budget airlines a lot – the thought of trying to take a suitcase as hand luggage on Ryanair makes me cringe (and at my local hub, they weigh your hand luggage). A small backpack makes life much easier.

      However, it’s true that carry-on under the seat works best if you have extremely short legs. Only time that’s ever been an advantage for me!

      • LawyrChk

        You can’t do this for take-off or landing, but there’s usually enough room to put your bag under your own seat (just behind your calves) so that you can use the space below the seat in front of you to stretch out a bit.

  20. Sharon

    I have a Hartmann tweed rollerboard (in the beige tweed) which I really like for business. The Hartmann tweed is classic and timeless and always appropriate, and yet these days it’s uncommon enough that it’s easy to spot.

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