a rough course in luggage, part 1

my old pal karpov, asked me a question about buying luggage ... this is something i've considered writing/selling an article on in the future, so i'm catching it here now.

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let me start by saying that i think luggage is an extremely valuable asset. it's only the mildest of exaggerations to say that a great piece of luggage can keep you from losing money (like by missing a business meeting because a wheel is gone, or from a delay in theft), or death (cheap strap gets under the wheel of your landrover in the sahara, and VOOMP).

only buy luggage with a lifetime guarantee. (and then if it breaks, *use* the guarantee.) these are the brands i'm familiar with and trust:

* boyt
i have a black ballistic nylon duffel bag of theirs that i use for my juggling equipment. it's taken abuse at a level that's hard to fully grasp (sitting in the sun for hours on end, getting white gas spilled on it, sitting in a car trunk for half a year, being moved every week for a decade straight). it's great.

* hartmann
i have a khaki hanging suit bag from these guys made from their pack cloth that i bought on a recommendation from "the airline passengers' guerilla handbook." i've used it a medium amount and it's been good. an airport carousel in germany chewed a zipper off the bag and one of their official repair centers (a shoe repair shop in my neighborhood) fixed it for free along with a whole bunch of tiny other things i pointed out to them (by their request).

* eagle creek
you know how i feel about these guys. they have the two pieces of luggage i use the absolute most -- my black nylon travel pack (it's a "transport 2," and had been discontinued when i bought it) and that large khaki-green-checked rolling duffel. these pieces are interesting not only in the raw amount of abuse they've taken (i don't know of anyone that has come even close to putting a piece of luggage through the rigors of that travel pack), but also in the fact that they are both modular -- both have day packs that zip off.

* briggs and riley
i don't own any of their stuff, but everything i've seen is of the highest of quality.

* travelpro
i bought my mom a blue nylon rollaway of theirs and thought it was amazing. (she actually was voluntarily complimented on it by a baggage handler the first time she used it.) i consider travelpro to be the sleeper of the luggage world. always overlooked, rarely talked about, but of the highest quality. no one actually uses this stuff, so your bag never gets taken by accident.

* tumi
again, i don't own any pieces, but everything i've ever seen has been first rate. i like their styling better than any other luggage manufacturer.

* coach
only if you're interested in leather. but if you are, you may want to consider hartmann. coach is more classy whereas hartmann is more utilitarian (and durable).

* others a bit more off the beaten path
l.l. bean, orvis, land's end and cabela's all make spectacular luggage. my ex-wife had a l.e. travel pack that was great. i use a cabela's day pack that's significantly better than any other i've ever seen.


brands to be avoided:

* victorinox
"swiss army" to you and me, danny. lifetime guarantee, but i've always watched their luggage very closely in the stores and it's crap. they make knives for the love of god. and they're swiss. or whatever. no.

* samsonite
that these people are even in business pains me. they are the ford escort of the luggage industry. no. no no no.


(click here for part 2)