Hi All,
Sorry for the lack of nonEurope topic- and hope you don't think this is a waste of bandwidth-- but you all have great advice! I need help deciding.
Older son is going away to college, and needs a big suitcase- 25, 26 inches for the infrequent trips home on planes. I've found a modern, fairly lightweight 25" Samsonite with 4 wheels for the same price as a Kipling two wheeled ( but sturdy looking wheels) 26" suitcase. He thinks the big zippers on the Kipling is girly... but the Kipling is a "better deal", about 75 or 80 % reduced as opposed to the Samsonite 50% off. One question is the viability of 4 wheels as opposed to 2 when the bag is checked. Another is the Samsonite is a typical box and seems larger, but the crinkly Kipling fabric seems more "stuffable"; neither has a cubic inches measurement like backpacks do. The price is the same. Opinions please?
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
Are you talking about an old style Samsonite suitcase with four wheels on the side opposite the handle? (I didn't know they even made those anymore.) Or is it more vertical? If it's the old style I would never consider it - they tipped over way too easily.
But be aware of weight. That size of bag is bound to be heavy even empty (why does he need such a large bag, anyway?) and airlines are becoming increasingly strict about weight limits. If he's just coming home for Thanksgiving and Christmas break and maybe the occasional weekend, he could probably get by a lot easier with a smaller bag. If they cost the same, though, why not let him choose?
Posted by
OP
Austin
976 posts
Thanks, you're right; he's the one packing and hauling, so I will let him decide. The Samsonite is a vertical 4 wheeled spinner, seems very sturdy but not heavy. The newer 4 wheelers are a wee bit larger(one inch wedgier)at the bottom.
But perhaps I should have titled this 2 wheels versus 4. Anyone have any expericence with the airlines' treatment of 2 larger wheels versus 4 smaller ones? In the 80's when wheels became commonplace, if an airline broke one wheel off it was often not worth fixing. Thanks again!
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
I have traveled all over the world with the same suitcase (2-wheeled) which has, by now, made at least 25 flights. It's been on big airlines and small, in all sorts of conditions. I have never had a problem with a wheel getting broken. (I did have the collapsible handle malfunction but the local shoe/luggage repair place fixed it cheaply). If his trips will be infrequent I really wouldn't worry about it.
Posted by
Boston
4 posts
While I am a big fan of most things Kipling, the suitcases just don't look that sturdy. Ricardo makes a line of luggage that is, as you phrase it, fairly lightweight, but hardwearing. Costco carries the Ricardo line, as does Kohl's, and Kohl's regularly has sales of 50%-65% off luggage. NOw for a politically incorrect moment: I'm kind of with your son on this one - Kipling bags ARE girly.