Suitcases/Trolley Bags (4 wheels)

Forums › Travel (planes, train, cruise) › Suitcases/Trolley Bags (4 wheels) - suggestions

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Geektastic

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#1823506 16-Jul-2017 22:09

ockel:

Briggs & Riley

I've done my dough so many times on cheap luggage, expensive luggage, luggage with 5 year warranty, luggage with 10 year warranty.

9 times out 10 it gets trashed during airside handling - which is a battle with the airlines as the luggage manufacturer doesnt cover damage in transit.

So I stumped up for Briggs and Riley. Best. choice. ever.

Are there any NZ dealers?

Geektastic

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#1823507 16-Jul-2017 22:15

I abandoned wheeled bags for most of my travel.

They are fine in airports but I found that if your travel goes beyond taxi-airport-flight-taxi-hotel travel, the wheeled bags can rapidly become a PITA.

My wife likes them and for the kid of travel I mentioned above, they are fine.

However if your travel is more like taxi-flight-tuktuk-riverboat-camel cart- porter's head-hotel-bus-Shanks' Pony-train-Jeepney-cyclo-ferry-bus-airport then wheeled bags are a burden.

nzkiwiman

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#1823953 17-Jul-2017 17:49

After another good look around, I think I have decided on a 60cm, hard case with an expandable middle - approx $215 from Strandbags

I think the brand was American Luggage (or American Apparel)

I decided against getting another 70cm or larger case after knowing that I am prone to trying to pack as much as I can into the suitcase and ending up with one that is about 15kg going over, and 23kg coming back - that extra 7/8kg makes it a real PITA to handle on trains/buses etc etc

eracode

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#1823959 17-Jul-2017 17:58

Twozie or fourzie?

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

nzkiwiman

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#1824348 18-Jul-2017 12:57

eracode:

Twozie or fourzie?

Four wheels

Found the model - American Tourister Bon Air Deluxe

Martynnz

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#1824403 18-Jul-2017 14:19

Difficulties with recommendations is that the long lasting, good ones aren't on sale anymore. We have a couple of Kathmandu hybrid trolleys (hard back, soft front). These are two wheeled cases. Bought them over 10 years ago. They have been all over south east asia without a problem and are still our go to bag. Have transported liquid in them (most recently Japanese whiskey). Pack them carefully with the bottle against the hardside and never had a breakage.

They seem to take my fair amount of abuse including lifting the whole case up a step using the drag along handle without complaint. Wheels still work fine and are large enough to go "off road" with etc. As with most Kathmandu stuff they're often cheap on sale.

Bon voyage

Martyn

MikeAqua

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#1824456 18-Jul-2017 15:10

I have a Samsonite spin that i am really happy with. Purchased from strands bags.

If flying regionally within NZ be aware not all the Samsonite cabin bags fit in overhead lockers on AirNZ's ATR and Q300 aircraft.

There are two widths and the wider ones don't fit, because the lockers aren't deep enough.

Mike

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Linuxluver

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#1824463 18-Jul-2017 15:19

eracode:

IMO you may want to think twice about the four-wheel design. They work well when you're wheeling your bag on marble floors in a posh airport - but not so good on rougher surfaces. Also, the bag needs to be pretty much upright all the time due to the small wheels. Two-wheel bags usually have much larger-diameter wheels and thus ride more smoothly. It's much easier to trail a tilted two-wheel bag behind you over longer distances and/or rougher ground than pushing a small-wheel, upright 4W bag.

Finally, the four-wheeler won't stay still on sloping ground like a two-wheeler will. If you lift your four-wheeler, say, out of a taxi on sloping ground and let it go while you pay the driver or whatever, it'll run away on you.

Two wheels good - four not so much.

2nded.

I've seen women struggling with larger 4-wheel bags and it places enormous strain on often 'delicate' wrists. Especially navigating larger cracks in pavement...and forget about gravel.....

...and one of those 4 wheels gets busted off often enough the wrists find themselves even further challenged.

I'm 6' 4" and strong as an ox....and I've found 4-wheel bags are more difficult to handle and maneuver compared to the two-wheel drag-ables....especially when down a wheel. If it's for an overhead bag, definitely avoid the 4-wheelers.....those wheels take up a lot of space and I've seen them prevent others from getting their bags in the overhead because people have put a couple of 4-wheelers up there.....effectively wasting a lot of the space.

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Linuxluver

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#1824467 18-Jul-2017 15:23

Martynnz:

Difficulties with recommendations is that the long lasting, good ones aren't on sale anymore. We have a couple of Kathmandu hybrid trolleys (hard back, soft front). These are two wheeled cases. Bought them over 10 years ago. They have been all over south east asia without a problem and are still our go to bag. Have transported liquid in them (most recently Japanese whiskey). Pack them carefully with the bottle against the hardside and never had a breakage.

They seem to take my fair amount of abuse including lifting the whole case up a step using the drag along handle without complaint. Wheels still work fine and are large enough to go "off road" with etc. As with most Kathmandu stuff they're often cheap on sale.

Bon voyage

Martyn

Strand Bags sell a 110L version of that. I bought one last year for my spouse. She could squash an enormous amount into it.....and it could also be used as a backpack in a pinch. That would be my job. No way is she putting a fully-laden 110L backpack on her shoulders. She'd die.

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MikeAqua

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#1824497 18-Jul-2017 15:46

eracode:

IMO you may want to think twice about the four-wheel design. They work well when you're wheeling your bag on marble floors in a posh airport - but not so good on rougher surfaces.

I find myself generally pulling my bag behind on an angle so it's running on two wheels. It's fine on tarmac, cobble stones, concrete whatever.

When I was hotel commuting I wheeled it all round Welly CBD. Dozens of km per week. It also withstood one cyclist collision

If I get to a rough surface like gravel or grass or whatever whatever I just drag it. Sand is problem, but it can be carried.

People who struggle with their bags should pack light or pay a porter.

Mike

MikeAqua

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#1824499 18-Jul-2017 15:49

Linuxluver:

... could also be used as a backpack in a pinch. That would be my job. No way is she putting a fully-laden 110L backpack on her shoulders. She'd die.

I've noticed feminism hasn't yet extended to women carrying their own over-packed bags ..

We can but live in hope.

Mike

nzkiwiman

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#1825970 20-Jul-2017 15:52

Ended up purchasing a mid size Voyager Protector suitcase from Farmers - they had a 50% off sale for club members so I saved $110

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