Luggage

We have a Da Kine split roller trolley and have had it for the last 12 years and its still going strong.

It gets used for about 6 weeks of international trips a year, and has done many 4week stints through Asia, South and North America and Europe.

Bought it originally for going skiing, but I'm too old for all that now. 1 half has 2 compartments so can split items and the bottom is one large section both have zipped mesh to secure cloths etc.

Great bags, and well worth the money.
 
I have 2 of these, a small one for hand luggage and a large one for the hold - http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9139068.htm

Good value for money, the small one I've had for 4 years now and has been on 10-15 trips and is used most weeks when I go to/from Kent and it's never had an issue, also still looks brand new, crazily light as well.

I was so impressed with the small one, I bought the big one. After like you, getting through yet another large suitcase. I've gone through 2 in 18 months :/ it grows annoying/tiresome.
 
I always get mine from TK Maxx, don't really care for brand, I just want 4 wheels, fabric in the right size. It survived a trip to Prague and Hong Kong so far, can't complain for £60.
 
Check if House of Fraser still have sales on luggage. Picked up a 70/80L unbranded one for around £36 a month ago! It was down 70%.

It has lasted 2no. 10h journeys to Italy across taxi, train, plane and ferry, as well as 2no. 12h journeys to Mauritius on plane.
 
Briggs and Riley. Like tumi but without the bling/price. Still not cheap. I've got 2 torq cases and the excursion backpack. All great stuff and compatible. The smaller torq case and backpack I can't rate highly enough. As per other I travel internationally a lot.
 
Search for some of the Samsonite Holdalls.

Cannot remember the exact name of mine, bought it in 2000 for going to the Italian gprix and its been everywhere with me ever since.

And I fly a lot working for a large holiday company supporting their IT in resorts :)
 
North face duffel...

Reasonably expensive but they are built to last... They are designed for hard travel and flights are easy peasy. I've had mine for about two years now. Its been dragged through Australia, southern Africa, the phillipines and a number of shorter trips in cars, buses, trucks and on my back. It's also been loaded into planes a couple of dozen times. The other benefit is they come in multiple colours so stand out on the carousel.

Mountain Equipment and Helly Hansen also do duffels of similar style which are very hard wearing as well. The NF and HH bags have shoulder straps rather than a single duffel strap which makes them much better to carry. I've carried my NF one for hours at a time on my back.

EDIT:

North Face Duffel 90L - £110

Helly Hansen Duffel 90L - £40

Mountain Equipment Duffel - 70L - £90

All come in different sizes and colours. I think NF also do a wheelie version which is probably just as tough.
 
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Briggs and Riley. Like tumi but without the bling/price. Still not cheap. I've got 2 torq cases and the excursion backpack. All great stuff and compatible. The smaller torq case and backpack I can't rate highly enough. As per other I travel internationally a lot.
I've been thrilled to bits with this B&R carry-on:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Briggs-Riley-Luggage-International-U121SPW-4/dp/B008M6ZCP2

Lifetime guarantee, even if the airline breaks it. Aside from that, a genuinely nice suitcase which is surprisingly roomy considering it is a carry-on.

I think Tumi lost its focus on making the best made luggage and seems only interested in becoming more fashioable. For that reason I chose B&R over Tumi for the carry-on and don't regret it.
 
The Dakine split luggage is probably what you are describing. They are often on offer at surfdome.co.uk every now and again.

I remember their backpacks being reduced to £5 once recently.
 
I got a timberland suitcase with an extendable handle. Seems pretty decently made and has done a few holidays now and is still like new. I got it very cheaply (cant remember the exact price) out of TK Maxx. It worth keeping an eye out in there as occasionally they get good suitcases in. The other thing worth looking at is if you shop in Tesco they are doing those stickers you get with your shopping and collect up and get large discounts of suitcases. Not sure what the quality of them is like though.
 
I had been using the same bag for my holidays and work trips for close to 6 years before it finally gave up in Vegas last year. Spent some time doing research and found one which I thought would do the job - I've been using it for about 5 months now and I can see this outlasting my previous by a long mile.

The quality is superb, the castor wheels are high end, the canvas material is extremely solid, the zipper too. It's compartmentalised which makes things much easier, and it's a breeze to wheel about. The handle is solid too, I hook my two laptops to it and carry it up and down stairs with it extended and have had no problems, it's very solid and it is behind an internal velcro backing so easily replaced if issues. It has plenty of other grab handles to which makes moving it about an absolute breeze.

It's a Dakine Duffle Roller, I paid £75 but it appears to have jumped up a bit since. The design (green/grey/blue, so easy to ID on a carrousel) I purchased is no longer on amazon but this is the same bag in a different pattern: clicky

I highly recommend this if it is a style you like.

Me and my wife each have one of these - they are fantastic. Good build, probably not invincible but good. I really like the organisation of the comparments. Rolls well, hard base helps protect more fragile thing, soft top means it doesn't take up too much space if half packed.
useful pcokets everywhere.


If mine got damaged I would replace like with like.
 
We have various Samsonite cases that have been in the family since 1990s and are still used today.

I wouldn't entertain anything that isn't Samsonite.
 
Another vote for Dakine. I only have a Helipack but it's about 7 years old and shows no signs of giving up. Totally bulletproof.
 
I can't help with the actual request, but just to point out about Dakine: I had one of their Campus backpacks once and it sustained years of abuse, so I can only side with those saying good things about them.
 
Should buy rubbish luggage that will just barely make the trip & back, Posh cases get targeted by thieves/Luggage sorters.
 
Should buy rubbish luggage that will just barely make the trip & back, Posh cases get targeted by thieves/Luggage sorters.

As I alluded to my in my post I'm considering that as well - if it's very inexpensive the fact it goes in the bin after the trip isn't a hardship. Just not sure which the right approach is.
 
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