Thread: Luggage recommendations please!

I have been a frequent flyer for many years and am currently suffering a long haul flight on average once a month.

In the late 1990s I bought myself an expensive Samsonite holdall as I was sick of the usual cheap holdalls falling apart after a few months. This Samsonite holdall has kept going for around 20 years and I have just retired it. It has been fantastic and paid for itself many times over by removing the need of regular replacements. Here is a pic of my old friend and travelling companion.



Last Christmas when visiting the UK I decided to treat myself and replace the old Samsonite bag. As it had been so reliable and durable I went for another Samsonite and was pleased to find their latest Paradiver Duffle model on sale, from £146 to £104. A ridiculous price for a holdall maybe, but my reasoning was it should see out my career which I am very much hoping will not be another 20 years. This new model was much fancier than the old, and has wheels. I've always resisted wheels as looking a bit gay but as I'm getting older I thought they would save my shoulder a bit. Anyway, the new expensive, fancy model was thus:



After only two work trips the main handle is almost falling off and the edging and trim is split and scuffed. I generally travel light with just a few packs of cheese and maybe a tin or two of corned beef making up the bulk of the weight coming home. I'm not going to risk a third trip with this bag in case the handle comes completely off or it falls apart at the airport. I am obviously extremely disappointed with this very expensive holdall which is no better than the disposable sports bags you can pick up for a fraction of the price. Samsonite seem to have gone cheap and nasty.





My old bag is coming out of retirement for my next work trip. But does anyone have any personal recommendations of a make of holdall that will last for ever? I don't mind paying the premium if it's durable and reliable. I think I'll give wheels a miss this time and it needs to be a soft holdall, not a hard suitcase (for ease of travelling offshore). Also, backpacks are out as the Norwegians have a strange superstition about allowing them on vessels (and God forbid I should get mistaken for a mature backpacker). Availability in Thailand (including online) would be a bonus.

Maybe get a hardly-used secondhand duplicate of the one you've been using ? Ex ebay or gumtree or similar.
Or get a bootmaker / canvas worker / upholsterer / etc to rebuild your old one ?
They just don't make 'em like they used to.


I have a similar problem with laptop bags I fly with all the time.
Current one is a Lanza brand item. The strap anchors haven't yet torn off.

If you're going with a soft holdall, get something made out of leather, or durable pvc. North Face or Herschel (eg) do pretty hard-wearing and waterproof bags at a reasonable cost. Certainly a lot less than designer prices.

Mendip, the difference besides a reduction in quality is the old one was a nylon, looks like cordura and the new one is the same plastic shite they use on North Face shuffas. If you are going for a hold-soft luggage all type then get another nylon weave. I cannot suggest one as i don't use then per se because i carry stuff which crushes

Check out Lazada some big discounts on certain models and their delivery is A1 and free in most cases

We too use Samsonite and have taken advantage of their warranty which is global on one occasion. A new soft bag like yours had the same kind of damage after just two transpac flights. Took a month or more but got a replacement bag from them..

https://shop.samsonite.com/Warranty.html

Go to an army surplus and get a canvas holdall with nylon webbing.

Some good suggestions, many thanks.

Unfortunately I can't work this multi-quote function I've seen people using, so...

Docmartin, I've actually never used ebay but an excellent suggestion if there are some old models. This I will look into. I think my original bag is beyond fixing and after the mess a local 'upholsterer' made of re-covering my Hilux seats its not an avenue I want to risk...

Kmart, NamPikToot - I need to stick with a soft holdall design. They are much easier to manhandle onto a boat and on the rare occasion I have to use a helicopter I would get laughed at if I arrived at the heliport with a rigid suitcase. I have become a pretty good packer and when I get treats on the boat to bring back home I'm yet to have breakages. The jars of Helmans mayonnaise for example will go down my steel toe-cap boots.

I agree, and think a woven nylon fabric is the way to go. I've been looking at North Face but the new models seem to be the same 'plastic shite' that I'm having trouble with just now. I am not bothered about being waterproof - I've never had a problem with that and am yet to fly on a plane that lets in the rain. Also, North Face bags seem to have extra straps to give you the option of wearing the holdall like a backpack. I'm just too old to walk around like that, but maybe there are other models. I haven't looked at Herschel yet though.

Aging one, thanks for the link. I have approached Samsonite about the faulty bag and they've given me the option of taking it back to the shop I got it from (UK) or sending it back at my cost. Neither are feasible and I need a bag immediately. I'm not sure I want a replacement as presumably exactly the same will happen again with the new bag. I think I'm now done with Samsonite and will put this down to experience.

Harry (if that's not too familiar...), that's a good idea. I know there are army surplus places in the UK. Any idea if they exist in Thailand?

I just can't help thinking it shouldn't be necessary to need ex military equipment to get a bag that doesn't fall apart after a handful of flights. The only thing a bag has to do is stay together, anything else is a bonus for me.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/Samsonite-T...Condition=3000

Originally Posted by Mendip

I just can't help thinking it shouldn't be necessary to need ex military equipment to get a bag that doesn't fall apart after a handful of flights.

Tell that to my old laptop bags ....
Discerning buyers are few and far between these days apparently so manufacturers don't bother making decent gear.

^^^, ^^, ^

Thank you very much, all options look good. I'll have to see which is the most straightforward to get hold of here. I may be able to get online orders sent to work colleagues in the UK or Scandinavia and collect it at work. I could maybe take my new Samsonite on a one way trip.

As A2 suggests Delsey are good, i has a stuffa bags of their for over 7 years and it was fine until i gave it away (stupidly), If you go Lazada or Amazon for kt bags etc avoid anything with tactical in the description as this is just Chinese shite.

Originally Posted by NamPikToot

As A2 suggests Delsey are good, i has a stuffa bags of their for over 7 years and it was fine until i gave it away (stupidly), If you go Lazada or Amazon for kt bags etc avoid anything with tactical in the description as this is just Chinese shite.

Or it means it's just about big enough to hold a packet of tic tacs.

Originally Posted by Mendip

I may be able to get online orders sent to work colleagues in the UK or Scandinavia and collect it at work.

Yep, best to avoid the mark ups and shit quality here and buy back home or at the airport.

The North Face Base Camp duffel looks suitable for your needs mate, can also be worn as a backpack.

^ ... can also be stuck in a convection oven by the looks of things...

Very good... nearly missed that!

Just been looking at the North Face website and that thumbnail bottom right doesn't come up!

The delsey bags I have are no longer available, nor any offering from them that even vaguely resembles them! these are probably ok, though redwing quality isn't what it once was. Red Wing Safety Boots - Unisex Large Offshore Bag

Airportwo, that is right on the money, thanks very much.

I'd been looking at Delsey but couldn't find anything suitable - they seem to have gone fancy for the soft bags, like Samsonite. I was starting to think maybe North Face but its that plastic material again that was putting me off. This Red Wing bag is the tough woven nylon that seems to be indestructible - got to be worth a try.

71 x 41 x 41cm by my calculations is about 120 litres? Any mathematicians? If so, its a good size and a definite possibility.

Yep.
71 cm x 41 cm x 41 cm = 119 litres.

Originally Posted by Mendip

71 x 41 x 41c

Why not get one thats 56cm × 35cm × 22cm that you can use as carry on luggage that is not gonna be booted and chucked around and rummaged through by those cunty airport baggage handlers? And save yourself all that waiting around in airports.

Or buy a fuckin suitcase

Surely if you are on an oil rig, your uniforms will be on there and you only need one pair of clothes to go there wash there and wear back?

I'd had similar problems, then about 15 years ago, got one of these. Definitely not cheap, but really robust with the fabric mixed with kevlar to make it impregnable to knife slashing (a boon when transiting through various African airports). Don't do much travelling these days, so just checked that I do still have it. Lots of different pockets, all of which lockable, with strong wheels and a retractable handle.

^ Just had a browse about, they don't seem to do anything suitable any more. Maybe durable bags are just out of fashion? Used to spend a lot of time in Angola, Congo and Gabon and had a couple of bags slashed, but the work has dried up for me now out there, hence Norway.

^^ We don't wear 'uniforms' mate! Problem is I freelance so work on different boats all the time (not rigs) and need to carry safety gear. Even if I get a regular gig and can leave stuff on a boat the liquids rule makes it very hard to travel carry-on only. How would I get my Daddies Sauce, Helmans mayonnaise and tins of Guinness back home?

Originally Posted by Mendip

We don't wear 'uniforms' mate! Problem is I freelance so work on different boats all the time (not rigs) and need to carry safety gear. Even if I get a regular gig and can leave stuff on a boat the liquids rule makes it very hard to travel carry-on only. How would I get my Daddies Sauce,

Theres some innuendos in there that I'm gonna leave be