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Luggage recommendation?
Thanks to the airport baggage monkeys, I'm in the market for a new suitcase.
I know this can be a personal preference thing, but looking for recommendations/experiences, both positive and negative.
Also, would be interested in size recommendations for a single guy for the typical Tauck 2 week (+/-) trip. I've done fine with a 25 inch rolling duffel style bag, but would like to hear opinions on that, as well. Thanks.
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I like hard shell bags. The modern ones, made with polycarbonate (the stuff they make football helmets from - look for that word) are comparable in weight to cloth bags (maybe a pound more) and (imho) protect your stuff better. I find that a 25" or 26" bag is fine for Tauck trips and more (depending on your ability to travel light). If you try, you can pack one of these to the 50lb. airline limit, so a bigger bag won't get you much (other than packing looser). The hard shell bags open like a clamshell (stuff on both sides), so it can be easier to sort through your stuff than with a duffel. I also find that using packing cubes speeds up the packing and unpacking on trips with short hotel stays like Tauck tours. When we were in Scandinavia, we found the packing cubes invaluable, since many of the hotel did not give you drawers to put clothes in.
Other features I like: Built in TSA locks, expansion zippers (lets you add an inch or two to the thickness of the bag), and spinner wheels (4 wheels on the corners). The spinner wheels make the bag easier to maneuver, you just have to be sure to put your bag on its side if you park it on an incline.
For where to buy, I find ebags.com to be a good source (I have no association with them, just a customer). If you create an account on their website, the will regularly send you e-mails with discounts on their luggage (20% or more). Be sure to check the weight of the bag when shopping.
Hope this helps. Happy travels!
We have been using the same two standard 25"(X 18" X 8.5(?)") "Easy Lift" ultra-lightweight, expandable, rolling Samsonite suitcases for years. With clothes, shoes, and toiletries for a 12 - 14 day trip, they pack out at about 45 lb. without using the expanding feature. We never use carry-ons (rolling or otherwise). My wife carries a tote with magazines/or book, knitting, iPad, and two sets of emergency underwear and socks for each of us. I carry my cameras (DSLR + GoPro), iPad, headphones, and a few other minor items in my man-purse. My wife also carries a small purse.
Back to the luggage.
I guess the closest in today's models to what we have is the "Samsonite Leverage LTE" or the "Solyte DLX" (the Samsonite website https://shop.samsonite.com/samsonite-lift-2-25-spinner/58746XXXX.html?dwvar_58746XXXX_color=Black&cgidmaster=clearance has the "Lift 2," a newer version or our suitcase on clearance for a really good price.) The exterior covering is a durable (ballistic?) heavy weave nylon which I will wash/scrub before our next trip. I have done this once or twice before- it works well. The soft, fabric handles (top, bottom, 1 side) are integral to the bag, so very low profile and extremely durable, not like the cheap soft handles on some suitcases that are held on with rivets only. You can see the integral handles at the link. The extendable towing handle/mechanism is great, we have never had a problem with it. Despite their best efforts, the luggage monkeys have done little damage- they ripped off a Samsonite label and one zipper dongle. I will be replacing the wheels however, they have some mileage on them and are worn, one is especially bad and has started leaving streaks. I'm replacing the wheels because I really like the luggage and don't want to replace it.
We have considered the hard-sided luggage but see no benefit since we never put breakable or expensive items in our luggage and thieves can split the zipper and get into to them just as easily as soft-sided luggage.
Now here are the issues trying to buy luggage- First, Samsonite International S.A owns Samsonite, Samsonite Red, American Tourister, Hartman, High Sierra, Tumi, etc.and their bags are made in China- I would bet in the same factory as many other name and no-name brands. Samsonite also owns the online retailer eBags! Second, Samsonite is sold at most major retailers but like mattresses, each retailer has their own versions and models of Samsonite!!! That makes it hard to comparison shop and prices are all over the place. Third, most retailers, including Amazon, may be selling nearly identical models from different years all with different model names.
Regardless of luggage, packing cubes are the way to go on Tauck tours. I even used them with my duffle bag on our recent Botswana tour- just transferred them from my suitcase to my duffle- easy, peasy!
Best of luck to you!
New website discovery, you can't embed a link in text like the old website, but if you paste the whole link, it appears that the software will make it active. When you click on it you are first taken to "You are leaving . . . click to proceed" step. That works for me.
We always choose the lightest weight suitcase we can find with wheels that go in any direction and that you can push along as well as pull. We recently bought a hard side type for the first time in ages but realized you can’t conveniently stuff things in the outside pockets. The other reason we realized this won’t work to have two hard sided bags is that we usually use zip ties to ‘lock’ our bags and put a small pair of nail scissors in an outside pocket to cut them off. We stopped using TSA locks on our cases because they were often gone when we collected our bags. With zip ties, we immediately know if our bags have been tampered with. We have bought expensive bags, we have bought cheap bags, It makes no difference, baggage handlers still manage to destroy them.
There is one advantage to have cheap looking looking or battered bags, hopefully potential thieves might decide that bag isn’t worth a look.
we use packing cubes these days, we love them. Thanks to people on the forum converting us to them.
A few months ago I found myself myself watching Good Morning America, I hardly ever watch that show, but they had the Deals and Steals on and they were were featuring a suitcase on there I had seen on Shark Tank. It is Biaggi brand. I bought one half price and love it. It literally starts off like a carry on size but converts to a full size suitcase. It has lots of zippered pockets and is extremely lightweight. I have used it a couple of times but not on a plane. I took it on a four night trip to Boston via train Andy pushed it along so easily when we walked from station to hotel. Love it. BUT.it is a pale denim blue and so lightweight, I am not sure it would survive a baggage handler.
Sorry, I cannot figure out how to edit when I notice mistakes in my text.
You will normally see a small gear in the upper right corner of your post. Clicking on that allows you to edit or delete, but it only appears and is only good for 1 hour, unless you know the secret handshake.
Send a PM to Tauck Tim.
Amazed you don’t use carry-ons Alan. We did a Tauck small ship cruise to Russia when BA ‘kept’ our luggage. We did a couple weeks with nothing but our carry-ons. We got by pretty well, and Ponant gave us free laundry ... but didn’t tell us until we got the bill. Actually, I’m not certain that Tauck didn’t pick up the laundry bill. Carry-ons are now our ‘primary’ luggage. The checked luggage has the nice to have stuff.
Though you have me by a few years, we are so over schlepping our own bags.
We truly enjoy not having to mess with them, other than to check at the airline desk and pulling from the carousel to give to the Tauck transfer. So far we have been lucky and have not had any bags go missing (except returning home once), knock on wood! 
Thanks to Alan for the editing tip.
Cathy, Johannesburg and Cape Town are really strict about weight in checked bags. Also, be sure you do not pack anything that might look valuable on a scanner in your checked bags. Carry electronics leads and things like binoculars in your carry on too. Watch your bags like a hawk.
Sorry, off topic.
Our first Tauck trip I had a brand new bag as our old suitcases were way to big and heavy to meet current restrictions. Air France ripped a wheel off on the flight home. Thankfully it was under warranty so I got it repaired and charged them. I have been looking at the hard shell cases but decided against them for a checked bag since they are too big to sit on hotel luggage stands when open. I might consider it for a carry-on only bag as the packing/organizing looks to be easier.
I love my Biaggi suitcases!! The big one weighs less than 5 pounds. I have the 31”, 27” expandable and the 24” one. They have been all over the world with me multiple times without a problem! And my fellow travel partner are all Biaggi devotees too! Yes, luggage for 5. We had been on Land of Rising Sun tour and then headed to Bangkok!
Hope this link works. My Biaggi bag has the typical metal expanding carry handle, it’s not like the awkward bags pictured above.
https://biaggi.com/products/lift-off-expandable-carry-on-to-check-in-1
I could choose between pale blue or purple, but this black one looks nice.
Thanks for all the comments, gang. It's nice to see all the recent forum activity. Seems everyone has discovered its return in the last few days.