Looking for Sturdy Hardshell Luggage under $200

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  87percent on 17/05/2019 - 16:23

  +1

  Do you have a TK-Maxx near you? That's where I would recommend to go

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    quietsarcasm on 17/05/2019 - 16:32

    I've seen one around. Do they generally have good prices? What brands do they stock?

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      87percent on 17/05/2019 - 16:53

      They sell all brands, you might go today and it'll stock Samsonite and then you go tomorrow, it'll have some no name brand. And the prices vary too. I've seen one at IKEA the last time I was there and quite a few people were buying it

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        quietsarcasm on 17/05/2019 - 16:56

        Seems like a strange business strategy but thanks for the suggestion. Might try to get there on the weekend

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          crentist on 17/05/2019 - 19:24

          @quietsarcasm: We went to one in USA a few years ago and got a Samsonite for something like $80, not bad. It did break after a while though

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            quietsarcasm on 17/05/2019 - 20:28

            @crentist: Ah ok, handy to know. Did your bag go through a lot of wear and tear before it broke?

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  p1 ama on 17/05/2019 - 21:33

  I don't have those bags specifically, but I travel for work and am a bit of a luggage nerd (along with some of my colleagues who I travel with).

  Basically we've tried all brands of luggage - Antler, Samsonite, American Tourister…etc. and they're all practically the same in terms of durability and longevity. For check-in luggage, I find that how long your luggage lasts tends to be a function (mostly) of how well it's treated by baggage staff. What I've also found is that weight is a huge factor in how your luggage is treated.

  If your suitcase is mostly just clothes, then you'll usually find your suitcases last far longer. Of course, a lighter weight puts less strain on the places that are most likely to break - the wheels and zippers. I think how you pack is much more of a determinant as to how long suitcases last than the actual quality.

  I've never had an issue with carry-on luggage because it's never thrown around. For carry-on luggage, I really recommend against getting a hard case - they're heavier, they tend to slide around in the overhead cabins and I like having the front pockets on my carry-on so I can put my documents in there. For check-in luggage, I think you might want to think about whether hard shell is good for you. If you carry fragile items, maybe it's better (I don't have much experience with this) and hard shell tends to age more gracefully, but I've heard stories of cracking.

  For my last trip, I got a $35 carry-on from BigW (it's called Swiss Alps or something like that) and it's good - it should last a few years easily. You definitely do pay for the brand name a bit with these more expensive luggage brands.

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    quietsarcasm on 17/05/2019 - 23:20

    That's a fair point in terms of weight effecting how long it lasts. Agree with you about carry on. I stick to backpacks

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      p1 ama on 18/05/2019 - 01:51

      That's a fair point in terms of weight effecting how long it lasts.

      Basically if you're loading up your suitcases to the brim at 30 kg each, and having to sit on them to close them, they're not going to last. At that stage, you're better off splitting it up into two loads or thinking about whether you really need to bring that much stuff.

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  altomic on 17/05/2019 - 23:11

  I bought my large hard case check in suitcase from the ladies market in HK in 2013.

  dude wanted $150. I got it down to $48.

  anyway, it's been great. except one wheel died. (so i swapped it out with an old rollerblade wheel).

  my other check-in bag is a Tosca suitcase (slightly smaller than the HK one) that was near new that I found during hard rubbish. it wasn't locking due to a bent clasp. unbent it and voila!.

  personally, I go for inexpensive. they work.

  check ebay, gumtree and facebook marketplace for used. it's just a suitcase. why throw buckets of money at it?

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    quietsarcasm on 17/05/2019 - 23:23

    Thanks for the reply. Whilst I am all for reusing and reducing waste, I don't really like the idea of a second hand one when my clothes are going into it.

    I guess the reason I'm considering spending a little more is to get something that will hopefully last for a while and one I won't have to replace any time soon

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  Stewardo on 17/05/2019 - 23:33

  I’d go for the samsonite, long warranty, if money wasn’t an issue I’d go for the lite-locked, is it for air travel?

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    quietsarcasm on 18/05/2019 - 00:57

    Exclusions of the warranty like damage caused by the airline concern me. Yeah, it would be for air travel.

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      p1 ama on 18/05/2019 - 01:50

      Exclusions of the warranty like damage caused by the airline concern me.

      Airline will pay for that.

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  crozza on 19/05/2019 - 11:00

  choice reviews, more $$ not necessarily better.

  https://www.choice.com.au/travel/on-holidays/luggage/review-…

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  EB85 on 21/05/2019 - 21:56

  I have The American Tourister Bon Air case, no problems with it, have had it 2 years now and spent about 10 weeks travelling with it all up, multiple checked flights, packed to the brim. Wheels well, lock has lasted fine. I got the blue, stands out on the luggage carousels.

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  George Washington on 19/06/2019 - 17:42

  Just purchased the American Tourister for 125 dollars. 10 year warranty. From experience i like the long warranty. It somehow never makes it past 3 years. got two American ones as well both had new wheels done to them free of charge too because the rubber fell off!

  I travel about 3-4 times a year

  https://www.strandbags.com.au/luggage/americantourister-skyc…