Suitcase Recommendations

I thought 20-25kg (most airlines have a standard checked luggage weight somewhere in that range in my experience) was pretty standard for a checked luggage?

I came back from a couple of weeks in Mexico yesterday, 19.9kg. I thought that was pretty normal, maybe I'm wrong. Stuff lugging that about in a duffle bag, but in a suitcase it's a breeze.
 
Reuben klang said:
Not that anyone will care. I nipped into a local outdoor gear retailer today and picked up this. It was only £20. I’ll test it on my next trip. Hopefully it’s a painless as I think it’s going to be. Can just stick the phone, watch and wallet in the bag while queuing up at security and keep everything else in it all the time.

Depending on how well it works, I maybe converted into carrying it around when traveling through cities give me a bit more room in the pockets and could start carrying a charger and cable when out and about in a unknown city/town.

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Is that your misses feet in the pic?
 
I have three Samsonite Oysters and one F’lite which have all travelled around the world through multiple airports without any failure. I’ve carried delicate stuff in them (bottles of scotch) and everything has come out unscathed, every time. They look a bit ratty but that’s all part of the character IMO.
 
Reuben klang said:
This. Funnily enough I just seen the women who was launching suitcases down stairs who worked for cathy pacific (i think). It’s no wonder wheels get bashed and broken. I’d put a strap around those cases if I was to use them as well, be nothing worse than all your stuff just spewed all over the place.
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The silly little sticking out wheels for 4 wheel roller type suitcases that pretty much every suitcase has these days are particularly vulnerable. Give me 2 nice big heavy duty wheels that last forever and can easily navigate cobbles and tiles any day. Difficult to find now though.
 
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IMO having had many cases its less the case and more the baggage staff.

I find certain airports we have regularly had issues, others never seem to get an issue.
The best are rarely the ones you think would be best and vice versa.

The wheels are without doubt a weak point, but they make travelling with 20kgs a darn sight easier than when you had to carry them.
Especially if your travelling heavier, such as with more than one case per person, or sports equipment etc.

I tend to agree with b2sk8 here. Having seen the lengths some handlers would seem to go to to cause damage makes me think its deliberate.

The airports simply don't care. Try complaining, my other half did once, and their response was "oh sure we can cover that replacement cost if you can prove it was our handlers and not the handlers at the other end"
Which is basically impossible.

For me cases are there to protect your stuff. We use hard cases and add luggage straps, the cross type so you get a top to bottom and a side to side strap.
Doesn't stop a corner getting mashed to hell, but it does stop them potentially exploding.
Problem then is the handlers treat it as you have given them a nice handle as opposed to using the proper case ones. Have had one of the cases come round the carousel more than once with one of the straps hanging off (they clip together) which simply can't happen without someone yanking on it.

For how little they are actually handled its frankly amazing the amount of damage the handlers mange to do. No way on earth its accidental.
 
I was going to swear by Ebags (have 2x Motherlodes and a backpack bought in 2016), but I see they were bought out by Samsonite in 2017, and seem to have been discontinued now, which is a shame.
 
b0rn2sk8 said:
20 or 22kg usually.

Don’t duffle bags designed to be used as travel luggage also have wheels but 2 and a handle?
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Not the ones I have. They excell when you need to go off the beaten track i,e Everest.

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koolpc said:
Is that your misses feet in the pic?
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Yes, the love of my life.

dlockers said:
He posted a bum bag mate. No man with a bum bag has a misses.

:o :D :p
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I’ve still not even used the bloody thing!
 
American Tourister or Samsonite but still be prepared to have them scuffed and damaged by the baggage handlers. If one holiday abroad every 12 months just get something affordable that you like.
 
I’ve got a couple of those North Face duffel bags and they are excellent.
No mountaineering for me though, I use them in the car because I don’t want suitcases scratching my seats. You can carry them on your back as well which is handy and they do hold a colossal amount - we’ve had them years and were about £50 each. A decent suitcase is much better through airports due to them being easy to handle and having good protection.
 
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