suitcases

[mizzy]

my suitcases are looking a litle worse for wear so i'm looking to replace them and i was wondering if anyone can recommend a particular brand

at the moment mine are constellation ones and have seen some use and lasted well for the amount i paid for them

asking about i have been advised to use large holdalls rather then actual suitcases

any advice/ recommendations?

Mizzy

[Genie]

I have had to buy two such items to bring my extra purchases home the last two trips and found Walmarts offer a great selection, if I have to keep buying an extra one each time I go I'll end up with more than them !![msnwink]

[caroline]

The large holdalls are great, they're so lightweight - I've bought them from Walmart but the zips weren't very good - the best one we got was from Nike - it must be 5 years old now and is still going strong.

[anorak]

If you are going to buy them in UK I bought my big suitcases in Matalan about 5 years ago and they have stood up to at least 40 round trips now without doing more than losing one wheel. They are the max size airlines allow and cost me about £30 each, probably cheaper now or if on sale price, I haven't looked recently as they are still going strong.
They weigh about 6 kgs each empty, just remember that the empty weight is important as if its too much then you can't put much in and still be under the 20kg limit many charter airlines impose.
Having said that we flew back Mytravel from Sanford last week and yet again they didn't care at checkin what our cases weighed. It seems more of a problem going out from Gatwick, but most of you will have nearly empty cases going out and really full ones coming back if I know anything about your Fl retail therapy.

[blott]

We've had Samsonite cases which have survived intact after being stuffed over full on many transatlantic journeys. Used to have soft suitcases but they only used to last one or two trips before getting ripped up by other peoples' suitcase wheels in the hold but the Samsonite ones seem to be practically indestructible.

[Pegasus928]

We bought ours from Matalan before our first trip - but we have added to our collection whilst in Florida for obvious reasons.

I would probably suggest when buying that you buuy a set where the smaller ones can fit inside the bigger ones - that way you you can go out prepared as opposed to having to rush to Walmart an hour before you are due to leave the villa to get another case [msnembarrased]

Kenny

[Cruella DeVilla]

Mizzy I would look at Samsonite or Delsey for good quality luggage. I used to travel to the US with a large Delsey hold all large enough to hold a body ...........literaly[msneek]

I have tons of bags and cases but I am a Samsonite girl at heart when it comes to large luggage. The Samsonite cases I have are not conventional cases as such they are upright and widish and have a dectractable t shaped handle and you push it infront of you like a pram (great if you have a bad back etc). It has a large top so you can place a bag or small case on top and inside it has two wet packs in what woud be the door as it is like a mini wardrobe. It has three shelves in the main section and is briliant for keeping things in order it also has a suiter and then two large pockets on the outside. The sheves do come out to make a deep convntional type suitcase but I don't bother as I like the shelves. Its also light when it is empty.

I bought them in the actual Samsonite shop but it was in Atlanta about 7 years ago and they are still going strong and I love it. It's my wardrobe on wheels, it is also affectionately nown as the caravan and everyone coments on it, especially the cab drivers who have to pick it up!!!!


(Samsonite used to make Marks and Spencers luggage I am not sure if this is still the case, I say this as the key to my old hard Samsonite case fitted into a case I bought in M & S whch was idetical in all but the name Samsonite stamped onto it. It might be worth while checking out what hold alls they have at the minute).

When I was flying as crew I had a Delsy that went around the world and then some for 8 years and I still have it today and its still going strong, I also have a large Samsonite that I have had since 1990 I got it in Sydney on a trip when my old one got smashed by the Aussie baggage handlers and it did not cost me a penny[clap][clap][clap]

[Katys Grandad]

Travelpro for the hold but Tumi for the First Class cabin!![msnwink]

[ShirleyD]

Wal Mart for me..... A set of 5 for around $17 One case,one holdall one small handbaggage size case, all with wheels. Then a small handbaggage bag and toiletry bag. OK, so I don't expect them to last for years, but they are light. I would recommend a rigid sided case as well as a holdall, because they are less squashable for delicate shopping