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Rick Steves convertible zipper problem

(A note from our Product Manager — Thanks to all who have taken time to become part of this conversation. Of the tens of thousands of travel items purchased from us each year, it is true that some items have a hidden defect when they are sold. It is the nature of manufacturing...no matter where in the world it is done or by whom. That is why we have our product warranty in place. Our no-nonsense policy is simple enough...if there is a defect, we'll repair or replace the product. On average, across our entire product line the incidence of defect is consistently at or below 2% of items sold. Of the two products specifically mentioned here, the rate of defect is 1.5% for our Convertible Carry-On and far less than 1% for our Moneybelt. In addressing the redesign of our bag last year, it is true that some material changes were made. These changes were made because newer materials became available in the years since the previous version of the products was first introduced. These newer materials were seen as being in keeping with our mission to provide low cost, durable, and light weight bags and were hand-selected by highly qualified sourcing professionals. We stand behind all of our products.)

Has anyone had problems with their RS bag zipper breaking? My husband was very disappointed when on the first trip, his brand new RS bag's zipper broke. He called the bag a "piece of junk" and vowed to never invest in another.

The remainder of the bags were from Ebags and I must say, the construction of these bags (much cheaper than Rick's) is definitely better. Thanks to the people who recommended Ebags weekender.

I will be writing RS to complain and also about his moneybelt. Another waste of time as hubby calls it. The belt broke. I think someone else had mentioned this about hers. Rick obviously needs to change the company he's dealing with or maybe invest in better material?

Posted by
54 posts

I've used the convertible bag on many trips and I've used the Rick Steves money belts many times with no problems. Maybe you got a couple of defective ones, I'm sure if you contact the RICK STEVES store they will be helpful in resolving the problem.

Posted by
82 posts

This has been discussed here a few times. The older bags seem to last forever, that's obvious. But I've read comments from Onebag.com, the travel editor at the S.F. Chronicle and others that there were changes to the material and especially the zippers when the new models came out in '07.

The older bags were advertised as being 1000 denier ballistic, but the current models are listed as polyester. I've seen older ads which mentioned YKK zips, but I've seen an '08 bag and it didn't have the YKK mark.

I'm not saying that these things necessarily mean the quality is lower, but I do know it has been commented on on several forums.

Just my .02 worth.

Posted by
32363 posts

Eli, I'd suggest contacting the RS group and tell them about the problems you're having both with the convertible Pack and the Money Belt. I've always found them to be very receptive and helpful in dealing with these situations.

I found that the RS Silk Money Belt wasn't very robust, as the corner of my credit card wore a hole in the belt after only a short period of use (one trip!). The Money Belt was replaced at no charge, however I find that my Eagle Creek Belt stands up to wear much better.

Good luck!

Posted by
16413 posts

Eli....I was one of the many who recommended the Ebags Weekender to you.

I like that bag, and I stick with Eagle Creek for money belts, folders, cubes, etc. (I've not tried the Ebags cubes but hear they're good.)

I have an old RS bag from about 16 years ago that was good but its somewhere in storage and I can't find it. It is interseting, however, that Rick himself, still travels with the old style bag and hasn't "upgraded" to the new ones. Maybe he knows something we don't.

Posted by
1895 posts

Rick's bags are made by Kavu. IMO, they are not the best bag makers. Eagle creek is now owned by Jansport, and Jansport's quality has gone down hill since they took the factory to China.

For travel accessories I still like Eagle Creek. Not had a problem with their stuff, we'll see now that JanSport is in control.

Instead of a "money belt". Check out this item from EC. I think it's easier to use, and more comfortable to wear! http://eaglecreek.com/accessories/security_id/UnderCover-Hidden-Pocket-40024/

High Sierra also has some highly rated travel cases...look for them on ebags.com. For a convertible bag look at this one:
http://www.ebags.com/high_sierra/transport/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=62988

Sorry you had an issue! Remember, you are paying for Kavu to put Rick's name on their bags...it doesn't make it better, it just adds $$.

Posted by
16413 posts

Kiva not Kavu

and I've always said you pay a premiun for the "Rick Steves' name. Eighteen years ago, all the bag had was a little tag that said "Europe Through The Back Door." Now, "Rick Steves" is emobroidered on the bag itself.

He's become a brand.

Posted by
82 posts

All valid points about the RS line. Maybe why other sites have commented on his latest designs/materials. I'm not sure about that, though...only an observation.

For myself, I've been impressed with the several bags I've seen from MEI. I've played around with both the Voyageur and the new Executive Overnighter. Everything they sell is still hand made from 1000 denier Cordura and all YKK zips. I will admit the Voyageur costs a bit more then the current RS convertable ($136 vs $99), but IMO, having seen both, the overall construction is a bit better, and the straps and waistbelt are AWESOME!!

Posted by
712 posts

My husband has the "Moneybelt" that Ellen recommended. It attaches to his regular belt. He really likes it and uses it on all our trips since he was pickpockted on a train from Zurich airport in 2001. I did purchase a Rick Steves' Rolling bag for our trip last Sept. It was great except the pull on a Zipper was missing after our flight to Italy. It was the first time I used the bag, but I guess it came off from rough handling by the baggage people of Air France.

Posted by
32363 posts

Any brand of luggage can suffer damage under extreme circumstances. One of the zippers on my venerable EC Continental Journey was damaged on a trip last year (the pull was broken off, making it hard to close without damaging fingers). EC repaired this under warranty at no cost.

I wasn't aware EC products were now being made in China. The "head office" in California had outsourced the manufacturing to Vietnam several years ago. I'm sorry to hear they've been bought by Jansport, as they'll possibly just become another "cheapened down, run of the mill" line of products. I've noticed in the last few years that many Backpacks are using some sort of polyester for construction, rather than the 1000 Denier Nylon that was previously used. I'm not convinced the switch to a different material was a good idea.

Interesting topic!

Posted by
82 posts

I'm afraid that the outsourcing trend is becoming more and more widespread. When I looked at the '08 RS convertable, I noticed the "made in Vietnam" tag on it.

for anyone who might be interested: There is a great section on just this topic, materials and the differences between them, at www.onebag.com. There is a lot of information on "denier", weight, cordura vs. ballistic vs. polyester. And then some great information on zippers. The zipper information is really pretty germain to this topic, as that is often the "weak link" for wear or breakage on most carry-on bags.

Posted by
1170 posts

Frank, yes it was you who recommended Ebags and I can't thank you enough. In fact, my husband is wanting to send his Rick bag back and get one from Ebags. Their zipper and material really seem superior to Rick's Convertible.

I have every confidence that they will stand by their guarantee, but was disappointed because of the rave reviews here.

Posted by
331 posts

I am travelling at the end of the month for 5 weeks with my husband and 2 daughters. We have the RS convertibles and the RS moneybelts. I really hope they last, I most definately Do Not want to be carrying my kids junk because the bags cant take it : (

Posted by
70 posts

Haven't had a problem with mine. I bought mine in March of this year. 12 days in Italy, 6 days in North Carolina, 8 days in Atlantic City and Philly, 11 days in New York, and counting.

Posted by
588 posts

I have used the RS money belt several times. They have been through the washing machine and dryer and never a problem. The long elastic band does stretch out and I had to borrow scissors from an inn keeper to cut it off.

I have three RS bags and love my new lightweight rolling one as well as my daypack. At first I had a problem with the handle on the rolling bag as it wouldn't come out all the way. I called the company and the woman worked with me on the phone. She wanted to make sure I was 100% satisfied. It worked . . . just needed to yank a little harder and it needed to be "broken in".

Never had any zipper problems. I love the zipper pulls and use colored ones to help distinguish which zipper I'm pulling. There are so many zippers on everything.

Extra note: Baggalini. Several of my friends have these bags and several have had problems with the metal clip coming undone. I have not experienced this but have seen it in action! Very disheartening as the handbag was over $40.

Posted by
2092 posts

What a shame that the zipper broke and that you had problems with the money belt too. I feel badly that I recommended Rick's bags so highly but we have never had a problem with any of his things....and we own a lot of them as do many of our friends. A travel partner had a Jansport zipper break in 2005 but that's the only difficulty we've ever had....She over-packed so that was probably the cause of her zipper breaking.

Posted by
1170 posts

Darcy, don't feel badly. This could just be a fluke. I had read of someone having probs with the money belt too.

I wrote to RS customer service but haven't heard back from them yet.

The bag was not even overstuffed which is why we were so shocked. I had not tested the zippers when we got the bag, so there is no telling whether the problem was waiting to happen even before we left. Sometimes these things happen with dresses and pants...a faulty zipper. Still, if you look at the material, zippers and construction of the Ebags "weekender" you will see the difference. Those are some tough bags, and we did not handle them with care!

Posted by
82 posts

Eli,

I saw that you mentioned in another post that your sewing kit came in handy for your RS bag. I am just curious, was that for the zipper or did some other aspect of the RS bag fail during your trip? What did you need to sewing kit to fix??

Posted by
2 posts

I'm also curious about an answer to Skip's question below: What is the best way to repair zippers or other types of damage to bags?

I'm taking duct tape, my husband's default recommendation, but what else works well on RB back packs?

Thanks,
Ana

Posted by
82 posts

Repairs, what a depressing but really necessary topic. I've had a lot of luck over the years with duct tape and heavy dental floss. Dental floss is AWESOME to have along! You can sew a torn bag or strap if need be, so I carry a needle large enough to handle it...the same goes for repairs to shoes or a rainjacket...emergency shoelaces...one time luggage locks...in a pinch, does great cutting cheese or hard butter....AND if you ever have a drippy faucet in your bathroom, tie a piece of floss around the mouth of the faucet and let the floss hang down into the sink, the water will run silently down all night!

Posted by
990 posts

I have one of the older RS convertable bags, and when I was at the RS store in Edmonds, it seemed to me that the newer ones are a bit flimsier in construction.

If you are looking for great travel bags in a variety of sizes (no wheels, if that matters to you) check out Tom Bihn. His bags are unbelievable well made and cleverly designed, and they're made in Seattle. (The factory is right there along with the shop!) He treats his workstaff well and is environmentally conscious, which are all plusses for me. But the bottom line is, his bags are great. I'm off to New Zealand tomorrow with his Western Flyer as my carry-on.

Posted by
44 posts

I think I'll have to agree with JER's thoughts on the bag. I've used an RS bag that was 8 or 10 years old, and a good friend bought one of the "new style" bags this spring. The newer bags are lighter, but the material and (especially to me) the zippers were, for lack of a better word, "flimsier"...assuming that even IS a word! ;))))

As far as a money belt I've had good luck with my EC belts. I have one that loops to my belt and hangs inside my slacks (very comfortable) and a traditional across the tummy style. Both very well made and have held up well. As a side note, be careful of the money belts with a thin metal cable in the waist strap. They are very safe, but I had one from "easygoing" and everytime I wore it I set off the metal detectors at the airport!!

Posted by
1170 posts

Heard back from Rick's people, and they're going to send another back. They said that the new "Slate" bag has had more problems than the others. Hoping that the Blue will be better.

Posted by
82 posts

Eli, did they happen to say why or how that could be? When this post first went up I contacted Kiva, and they told me that all of Rick's bags are made in the same plant in Vietnam. I'm just curious how the color of the bag could possibly affect the zippers? In most manufacturing situations all of the zippers would be purchased and received in one lot, and zippers from the same box would be installed in all of the bags, reagardless of their color.

sign me "confused" on this one.......

Posted by
21 posts

Since Eli's post has folks discussing luggage I thought I'd add my two cents too. For my week in Rome this past April, I purchased a Safari-Beanos Bag PR5 from Red Oxx (www.redoxx.com). It's roomy, rugged, I didn't have any problems carrying it onboard the airplanes and stuffing it into the overhead bins, and hey I even received a compliment from a TSA employee (whatever THAT'S worth!). Sure it's a little pricey at $185 but I imagine it's the last piece of luggage that I'll buy for quite a while.

Posted by
441 posts

When they outsourced the sewing of bags to the Orient, they also started buying the cloth there. It's cost prohibitive to send cloth to Vietnam and then send it back as a finished bag. BTW, Onebag says that using something other than YKK zippers is the first sign of diminished quality. Sorry.

Posted by
16413 posts

In general, on bags under $100, the zippers are the first thing to go. And yes, you rarely find YKK zippers on them.

Of course, if you pack your bag to the gills and put pressure on the zipper, you are more likely to have a problem.

It's rarely the material that gives way.

Posted by
3 posts

I was thinking of buying the RS 21" rollaboard. However, I notice that there are two different kinds - one is described as having a honeycomb structure and another one is described as having a lexan shell structure..... Does anyone know which would be the better structure to buy?

Posted by
588 posts

Darlene, I only see one 21 inch roll aboard in the travel store. I have it & it is great! It is so much lighter than most rolling suitcases. I have another one I bought at Costco and it weighs more than some airlines allow even though it meets measurements. RS has another rolling suitcase but it is the smaller Avanti model.

Posted by
3 posts

Some of the other luggage companies are selling Rick Steves' 21" roll a board that they say has a honeycomb construction. The one on Rick Steves' site is selling a lexan constructed roll a board. I thought that there might be a difference in quality between the two or maybe the lexan is a newer model. I wanted to get some input about the above.
Thanks, Audrey!

Posted by
1170 posts

Skip, all they said was that there were more complaints on the Slate bags. I have no idea why this should be.

We did not over pack the bag, which was why we were shocked. We went over pretty light.