Briggs and Riley luggage

Sandra,
I purchased a Briggs and Riley 22" Domestic Carry-on Expandable Spinner last fall. I haven't taken it on an overseas trip yet....so I can't say if it was worth the price. I liked how the B & R expands; evenly all around, vs just the top like on my other carry-on, which made it susceptible to toppling over. IF I expand it, it is only on the trip home.
However, I did NOT pay $500. We travel with "carry-on" size luggage, but we check our bags.
We are Costco members and therefore I purchased it from Costco Next, for much less. So if you are a Costco member, check out the Briggs and Riley luggage on Costco Next!

Since my husband purchased his (not a spinner, a carry-on size that expands) years ago, they have increased in price. He likes his and has used it for business and pleasure trips. It was packed for a week in Rio and then a week in rain forest and handled being thrown in a boat a few times.
It is rare that just about anything is made well these days (clothing, appliances, electronics), but for him (not exactly a big spender), it was worth the money. The "compactor" feature (for not expanding the bag) is nice, as is the suit bag in his model.
Watch for sales: https://www.briggs-riley.com/pages/store-locator

I'm going to answer even though I'm not a "B&R folk", lol. I've looked at their bags and they are all so HEAVY....

Is this the one that is seducing you?

https://www.briggs-riley.com/products/cabin-spinner

It weighs 7 pounds. That can be an issue if you fly an airline that goes by weight for cabin bags as well as dimensions.

I don't use a wheelie for my underseat bag but the 2 totes I'm trying to decide between are 10 oz and 1.5#.

Up to you to choose for your travel style, though!

When I was shopping for luggage I was at a luggage store with a variety of brands.

The sales rep mentioned that the folks who had B & R ( or others in that price range) were way more likely to be shopping for replacement bags due to theft than owners of other brands that are more moderately priced.

Whether the thefts were for the bags itself or the idea that someone with that kind of bag had better stuff inside to steal... who knows.

Do you want to attract the wrong kind of attention?

Have you looked at Travelpro? Very happy with ours.

I’ve loved my B&R International carry-on 2-wheel roller. I was so happy with mine that I got my husband a 4-wheel spinner, and we’ve been using them now for years.

His first impression was that it was relatively heavy. We haven’t run into weight limit problems with budget airlines (RyanAir, easyJet, or Norwegian), but packing heavy on our current trip, checking the bags and expanding them to hold extra hiking gear, has required a bit of extra effort, hauling them up stairs and lifting onto train overhead shelves.

Any extra weight is due to the exceptionally sturdy construction, from the frame to the interior and exterior fabrics, and even the zippers, which have withstood being stuffed on occcasion. Mine’s dark red and his is dark navy, as were 90% of the other suitcases on this week’s trains from Toulouse to Nice. Ours are discreet and don’t stand out visually to thieves as far as I can tell. It’s not like there’s a big designer label screaming, “Look At Me!” and no one’s stolen them (although we do keep an eye on them).

We have the Med and Large compression luggage and while we love the compression feature - the luggage is just TOO HEAVY to be practical for travel - esp if you use trains in Europe - no way could I lift it comfortably up onto a train. It is very well made luggage - but our Eagle Creek luggage is just as durable - we've had it 10+ years without issue and the wheels are just as good, if not better, than the ones on our B&R.

My husband and I bought the two wheel, carry-on size Briggs & Riley bags in 2017 for a trip we planned ourselves to Budapest, Vienna, Salzburg, Munich. We have also used them for trips to France and Scandinavia in 2019 and 2023. We intentionally travel light and we check these bags even though they are carry on size. My husband uses a backpack for carry on under the seat or above and I use a Vera Bradley duffel type bag that can go under seat as well. I have taken 40 other flights domestically with these bags over the past 7 years as well as road trips. I am 5' 1" and weigh 116, 71 years old and I have not had any issues with weight, either hauling them all over or with weight restrictions by airline, I have never been over 45 lbs. at weigh in when checking the bag. What I like about the bag is the section for hanging clothes that folds up and the extension option for the whole bag. Since I have used the bag so much, I thought that the pull was getting a little lose and beat up and I took it to a luggage store that carries Briggs & Riley and they repaired it for me, free of course. It took a couple of weeks. So I have been happy with the customer service too. I have used it in all 4 seasons which is a factor since clothes for colder seasons do take up more room. I pack smart and simple. I imagine some people who like to take a lot of shoes, more variety of clothing for dressing up, etc. might need something larger. This has worked out very well since we have used many trains, ferries, had to walk from train stations to hotels for a few blocks, etc. We just booked our first trip that we won't be doing all of our own planning and constantly switching hotels; a Viking Cruise. I am so excited to unpack once and this will be a 3 week trip but we can do laundry so I am sticking with my same luggage!

Good timing! I am preparing to take my $$ new B&R 21 International Spinner on its inaugural trip. I traveled to Germany earlier this summer with a barely 2 lb backpack in part to meet Lufthansa's weight limits for carry-on. (I really try to avoid ever checking a bag and appreciate the packing light challenge)! I was ready to buy a Rimowa bag, about the same price and size as a gift to myself, in Germany.
Both suitcases are quite heavy, as already mentioned, almost 2 lbs more than my Away suitcase. In person the Rimowa looked more clunky and trunk-like. The B&R just looks like... a suitcase! I don't think it would stand out to thieves, but maybe I'm naive.
But- I am really happy with the smaller size combined with the awesome compression feature that actually compresses, unlike the Away and others where the zippered compartment presses down.
I wanted just one suitcase for my future travels, besides the more rugged backpack if needed.
If you would only use the B&R for under seat you might compare to others for the features? That's where I was also looking.

Short answer: not worth it. Sorry I ever bought a B&R spinner wheeled case...

Thank you very much for your comments. I should have explained that the bag does not have to fit under a seat. It would replace my LL Bean carry all tote. I would put it in the overhead bin.
I'm looking for a spinner bag that could be used as a personal item. As I get older, I'm thinking a wheeled personal item would be a good idea with my Travelpro 22" spinner.

To people in my generation Briggs and Riley sound like a buddy cop action movie, not a luggage maker.

Whenever someone brings up the no-one-makes-quality-goods-anymore comments it is time for me to again point you to JandD, which makes mostly bicycle camping gear but does have some luggage pieces, and if you really care about function over fashion, their bags are the ne plus ultra .

For instance --
https://www.jandd.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=FDUB

When they say you can put as much on this pack as you can carry, they are being modest. You could lash an aircraft carrier and its support vessels to it and the seams will still hold tight.

I have a kind of different B&R (not the traditional model you see, kind of more “sporty”) that i use for my checked bag when going back and forth to the States. I’ve been using it for years, it hasn’t been stolen yet !!!

I’ve been happy with it. But $500 sounds like a lot for an underbag roller. But as Pam pointed out, we each have our own preferences both for travel and for how much we’re willing to pay for a quality item (in any category, not just travel stuff). It might be just the thing that you end up loving and happy with !!

I have the BR International, 2 cabin bags and a tote. All fit the carryon requirements by all airlines.

I just got back from Indonesia where I had to haul gear around as well as fulfill airline weight requirements. My larger non spinner cabin bag fit into the smaller overhead bins on the propellor planes. My expandable international, which I had to check due to it being expanded, fit everything I needed into it. (Fins have their own bag). We were on the go and having 2 bags made life easier.

The warranty is fantastic. BR replaced my wheels and covered all shipping costs on my international bag. A Few years ago they had redesigned the wheels to prevent tipping, which was a previous issue, and updated my bag at no cost to the new wheel design. Their warranty is lifetime.

Also, the retractable handle does not take up space in the main compartment. The bottom of my bag is flat. The bags stack easily with a design you pull and twist to attach the bags. Bags stay securely attached and balanced while wheeling them around. The tote bag fits everything I need and will fit a purse to meet the 2 item only carryon requirement.

They are pricey, but worth it due to warranty and design. Also, you reach a point in life where it feels good to travel with something nice but doesn’t call attention like a designer luggage set.

I bought a Briggs & Riley replacement for a TravelPro that was lost by United Airlines when I was traveling frequently between France and the USA on business. Both the TravelPro and the Briggs & Riley were two wheeled roll-abords, as I dislike spinners.

It's 12 years old now. I really like it and it has gone with me all over the place yet still looks practically new. It's a high quality item. Its cost was considerably less than you're noting, I suppose because of inflation. Never had any problems with theft or anything. It's black and unobtrusive so it looks like 75 percent of the bags I see in airports.

I’m a fan. Expensive, heavy? Yes. But built to last and lifetime warranty. We have some pieces over 20 years old. We have gone to spinners as two wheels hurt my back and shoulder. If you worry about cobble stone destroying those smaller wheels, with B & R you don’t have to-they last. The biggest advantage though has been mentioned-the increase in interior space by putting the handle rails outside.

I’m a road warrior, which means I travel a lot for business and I bought the Briggs and Riley domestic carry on. I’ve never been stopped carrying it internationally, but it is technically the domestic one

no regrets. Their cool compression feature actually works much better than just about anything else, I’ve tried. Their warranty is amazing. It doesn’t weigh that much more than the luggage I was using before but I’ve never been overly upset about weight. I’ve checked it a couple times it’s come through just fine. I also have a Briggs and Riley laptop bag backpack that I also really like

now I don’t know if it’s not worth it if you’re not going to like really put a lot of miles on your luggage but if you do the warranty, makes it worth it to me. It’s one piece of luggage that will probably last you the rest your life vs every few years by another piece. my last piece before this was a travel pro and I’m sorry they’ve gotten so cheap that they don’t hold up. Yes, I know the airline crews use them, I also know that they are not using the same luggage that you are buying. It’s very different luggage that they sell to airline employees then they sell to the general public. If you can find somebody to buy you the airline employee version go travel pro

A couple of hints for getting it cheaper, Costco next often has good deals and if you go on Amazon and look at the Amazon warehouse, you can get returned pieces. That’s actually how I got mine I saved about $150 because it was returned, it came in the box. It still has the warranty. It looks fine, no complaints

I've had B+R luggage for nearly 20-years now. Most of what I have is from their first generation BRX line, which was a collection they were trying to sell to outdoor specialty shops. Today that line doesn't exist as it fizzled-out for them but, their most popular collection remains Baseline. What really attracted me to B+R is the attention to detail and quality of materials used, compare them to most other brands and there's a noticeable difference in fit & finish. Their warranty is second to none, you chat up the employees of any luggage/travel store and they will immediately tell you about B+R's No Questions Asked Warrant and the quality of products.

While some people will point-out that B+R is 'heavy' the differences aren't dramatic compared to most comparable soft-sides and certainly not as heavy as Luggage Works, which is made for aircrew usage. Weight issues you're trying to balance durability with lightweight functionality; most luggage failures happen because the materials weren't robust enough and used inferior components. All it takes is one catastrophic failure at the worst moment to commit to spending a bit more for quality luggage.

Consider luggage purchases an investment, how much will you use it to justify the price? Will you use it outside of airline travel...overnights? sleepovers? domestic vacations?

BRX ! That is the version I have. I have had it maybe 8-10 years. And was disappointed recently - I thought I would like to buy the carry-on size, and started looking and that is when I realized they don't have that line any more.

BRX ! That is the version I have. I have had it maybe 8-10 years. And was disappointed recently - I thought I would like to buy the carry-on size, and started looking and that is when I realized they don't have that line any more.

Here's a little inside-baseball knowledge, when B+R's BRX line came out, it was modeled after Eagle Creek's Tarmac line. The outside pocketing and features were near identical, main differences was in materials, zippers and contrasting details...along with B+R handles were on the outside, whereas everyone else's is on the inside of the bag. Eagle Creek has since changed also, their current Tarmac-line isn't like it was, a bit too modern and sleek compared to its former iteration. :-(

Very interesting, zcorsair - that explains why Eagle Creek Tarmac came up as a top result when I googled B&R BRX last evening after reading your post ! It's too bad Eagle Creek too has moved away from its original design. When I read the first couple of sentences of your response, I thought aha there I have found a solution !! And I did notice the expandable feature on the Eagle Creek looks exactly like my BRX.

Thanks for the info .

Thanks for the suggestions and comments. I wasn't aware that Amazon Warehouse carried luggage. I found the cabin spinner on there for $281--quite different from $500!

Regarding TravelPro--I've heard negative things about their recent products. I bought my spinner bag in 2016 and I'm happy to say I've had no issues with it at all.

I wonder why it is so difficult to find a small spinner bag that has a trolley sleeve and a water bottle holder. At least, I've had trouble finding good alternatives to the B&R.

Yes, Briggs & Riley does sound like a cop show!

I wonder why it is so difficult to find a small spinner bag that has a trolley sleeve and a water bottle holder. At least, I've had trouble finding good alternatives to the B&R.

Generally, such an item is going to be apart of a larger collection. Most luggage brands are focused on putting out 3-4 different sizes of roller-boards and maybe a few totes, pouches and toiletry kit; the vast majority of business is in those roller-boards. Larger brands, particularly further up the price-point is where you're going to find assortments that will have unique items like what your'e looking for.

LOVE our B&R Baseline 22" carry-on bags! The compression without expansion works very well. The wheels (not spinners) are heavy duty and the fact that they're guaranteed (send them back for repairs, no fees, no worries) was the clincher for us. The workmanship is second to none and we've had no problems with them.

I've had a B&R carry on for more than 20 years. It's an old 2-wheel style that has a non-removable clothing/hanging bag. Times have changed for me, and in the world, such that the hanging bag is no longer necessary. Anyway, I was prepping for a RS trip and decided to upgrade to a new, light-weight spinner. The spinner arrived and it just didn't have the room I was expecting., but it was much lighter than the B&R.

Pulled out the (recently repaired under the lifetime warranty) B&R. Cut out the hanging bag and the hangar mechanism. Shaved about 3-4 pounds total. Bag is perfectly adequate for me now. Not sure I'd buy another one at current prices (they were MUCH cheaper back then, even adjusting for inflation), but it's been a great piece of luggage.