Tag: luggage

Is there any good luggage out there?

ssegraves

I have been searching for a new carry-on bag for a while. Unfortunately, I have not had much luck finding a good replacement for my Rimowa.

Last week I finally purchased “The Carry-on” from Carl Friedrik. I didn’t care that it had been featured on Succession and White Lotus, I liked the interior with a single compression panel on one side and the option to purchase another compression panel on the other side, the handle with infinite stops (so you can pull it up exactly as high as you want it), and really nice wheels.

When the suitcase showed up, I knew I had to return it. The size in comparison with my Rimowa is obvious. Now, I probably wouldn’t get hassled on a US airline, but I could easily see an international carrier giving me a hard time if I tried to carry this on (ignore the dust, I haven’t used the Rimowa in over a year because it’s broken).

So, the Carl Friedrik was returned. But what do I do now? There is very little hard-sided luggage out there that has compression panels on both sides. Almost all of it has at least one zippered compartment on one side and a lot of the options have those zippered compartments on both sides.

The luggage market seems to have three options these days: Suitcases that are super cheap but show well on social media, completely marketed to people who only use packing cubes, and the expensive stuff that doesn’t necessarily have the features but carries cachet.

One carry-on that has caught my eye is the Bellroy Transit Carry-on. It’s not perfect, it has the zippered compartment on one side and a set of packing cubes on the other (they can be left empty) but it might be the best middle ground. I just can’t figure out if it’s actually good or if it is being pushed hard by influencers.

I’ve asked this before, but any recommendations for a good carry-on?

Time for a new suitcase?

ssegraves

My Rimowa suitcase, basically an older version of the Essential Cabin model, experienced a bit of an issue during my return from London and the seam around part of the zipper gave out. I have taken it to a repair shop but they seemed pessimistic about being able to fully repair the break. The Rimowa had a good 11-year run. As such, I have started the search for a replacement.

I tend to prefer the clamshell style suitcases where when opened, there are two sides where items can be stored and not just a lid opening into a single storage area. My preference comes from having the ability to separate my clothes out so if I have a long connection somewhere (like Singapore on a recent San Francisco-Singapore-Bangalore trip) I can have items readily available rather than digging through the entire suitcase. I do like Rimowa and with their recent change to include a lifetime guarantee for all suitcases purchased after July 25, 2022, they are an even more compelling option. However, I am open to suggestions; So here’s a quick list of things I am looking for:

  1. Four-wheel spinner. It’s nice to have a suitcase I can walk beside or manipulate in tight spaces.
  2. Nice wheels. High quality wheels that are smooth and don’t need to be replaced often.
  3. Clamshell design, for reasons stated earlier.
  4. Quality. I know there are cheap suitcases out there, but I’d rather have one for a long time.
  5. I lean toward hard-sided suitcases, but I’m open to soft-sided as well.

So, what recommendations do you have? Anything I should definitely avoid?