Not a very popular area, but I see some informative older threads, mostly about carry-ons. And I've read these and appreciate the insight. This info may come in handy soon, too.
However, I am looking to replace a large (29") bag that I had to send to the permanent baggage check in the sky. I see lots of bags that look great. Reviews are always mixed; some claim the bag is too big and requires "oversized" fees, zippers or wheels breaking after first use, etc. My wife likes the new spinner wheels, and while nice, I wouldn't mind the classic 2-wheel system. I'm open to either, as long as total height remains reasonable and doesn't impact space inside.
Recommendations?
Ah, one other thing (perhaps a subject all on its own). My previous bag had a strap/clicky thing bolted right on that allowed me to easily piggy-back my carry on to it. THIS was a lifesaver, but it doesn't seem to be all that common. This would be a plus, but I'm also researching aftermarket gizmo solutions and would welcome recommendations here as well.
I checked. In 2006 I bought my previous bag for, at that time, our longest and biggest trip to date - 2 weeks in Alaska (cruise and car). It was my largest bag by Swiss Air and not really cheap, but not that expensive, either (it looked expensive, tho ). I used it on various trips, but not every one, only the longer ones. So it saw some use, but not 9 years of non-stop travel. I did, however, expect it to last longer than it did. The main zipper was slighly difficult when I left in April for a 25 day South America trip. Of course it decided to really become difficult on our first night in Lima. It didn't help that the Galapagos Island bag handlers had to zip-tie the zipper tightly shut, forcing it into the area I had been avoiding. Oh well, the zipper could be made to work throughout the trip, but it sometimes took me 5-10 minutes to get it opened. However, leaving the Galapagos, the main handle busted on one side. And before we got home, another zipper was destroyed. It WAS a nice looking and previously dependable bag.
Funny, the cheap, junker bag I had long before the SwissAir and used more often is a bit bent at the backbone but still intact and functional. It is, however, a tad smaller than I want at times.
Thanks in advance.
However, I am looking to replace a large (29") bag that I had to send to the permanent baggage check in the sky. I see lots of bags that look great. Reviews are always mixed; some claim the bag is too big and requires "oversized" fees, zippers or wheels breaking after first use, etc. My wife likes the new spinner wheels, and while nice, I wouldn't mind the classic 2-wheel system. I'm open to either, as long as total height remains reasonable and doesn't impact space inside.
Recommendations?
Ah, one other thing (perhaps a subject all on its own). My previous bag had a strap/clicky thing bolted right on that allowed me to easily piggy-back my carry on to it. THIS was a lifesaver, but it doesn't seem to be all that common. This would be a plus, but I'm also researching aftermarket gizmo solutions and would welcome recommendations here as well.
I checked. In 2006 I bought my previous bag for, at that time, our longest and biggest trip to date - 2 weeks in Alaska (cruise and car). It was my largest bag by Swiss Air and not really cheap, but not that expensive, either (it looked expensive, tho ). I used it on various trips, but not every one, only the longer ones. So it saw some use, but not 9 years of non-stop travel. I did, however, expect it to last longer than it did. The main zipper was slighly difficult when I left in April for a 25 day South America trip. Of course it decided to really become difficult on our first night in Lima. It didn't help that the Galapagos Island bag handlers had to zip-tie the zipper tightly shut, forcing it into the area I had been avoiding. Oh well, the zipper could be made to work throughout the trip, but it sometimes took me 5-10 minutes to get it opened. However, leaving the Galapagos, the main handle busted on one side. And before we got home, another zipper was destroyed. It WAS a nice looking and previously dependable bag.
Funny, the cheap, junker bag I had long before the SwissAir and used more often is a bit bent at the backbone but still intact and functional. It is, however, a tad smaller than I want at times.
Thanks in advance.