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Success on the Two-Wheeled Bag Front!

Reporting my shopping success in case there's someone else on the forum desperately looking for the same type of bag I prefer.

For two years I've had my eyes out for a lightweight, two-wheeled bag a bit larger than carry-on size, but I've found nothing on my intermittent trips to Marshalls and TJ Maxx. A recent post reminded me this is the time of year when styles change and bags go on clearance, so I stopped at the downtown-DC locations of those chains after the RS meet-up yesterday. There were more bags than usual at both stores, so it's a good time to shop. In addition, Macy's had a lot on offer at (per signage) 50% off; I have no idea whether one could do better than the Macy's prices online.

At TJ Maxx I found an IT (itluggage.com) bag that looks like it came out of a dusty corner of a warehouse somewhere. It seems to pre-date the 4-wheeled IT bag I bought in 2015, the 4-double-wheeled IT bags I saw in 2017 and 2018, and the hard-shell IT bags now on the market.

Rogue 11-1924-02
Exterior 25" x 16.7" x 10" (incl. wheels and handle)
Interior 23.6 x 16.1" x 9.1"
Packing Capacity 3457 cu. in.
Weight 6.3 lb.
Price (TJ Maxx) $30

The bag is not expandable, and the outer pocket is very small. The bag's a bit larger (I'd guess around 1 inch longer) and definitely heavier than my super-lightweight 2015 IT bag, but the latter had single spinner wheels that turned out to be a point of failure (albeit after 90 days of heavy use). I don't need the excess packing capacity; I guess I may put a layer or two of bubble wrap in the bottom of the bag. Yes, I'd happily have paid more for a smaller, lighter bag, but this was what TJ Maxx had with two wheels in a usable size for me.

At Macy's the signage for the TravelPro Walkabout 5 indicated that line includes a 23-inch (expandable) bag, but none was on display, so I couldn't subject that one to my tape measure. If--as I suspect--the 23-inch measurement excludes wheels and handle, that would be a good size for me. But I do a lot of rolling over less-than-pristine surfaces and hate spinner wheels. The 23-incher size is on sale (if you can find it) at Macy's for $150. There's also a supposedly-22-inch expandable spinner for $140, a 23-inch "expandable rollerboard" for the same price [just reporting what I saw on the sign--I know the name and size don't make any sense], and several other sizes.

Posted by
136 posts

Acraven,

The Walkabout 5 TravelPro bag that spinner is 23 inches including the wheels. Macy's has the Walkabout 4 spinner in closeout, with all the discounts it was about 88.00 (sale ends Feb 17). They also had two wheeled models as well. You may want to check those out.

Posted by
28246 posts

Thanks. In that case the 23" bag wouldn't be quite large enough for me.

Everything I saw at Macy's was a spinner, I think. It's potentially a big problem when a bag fails in the middle of a trip.

Posted by
10280 posts

Congrats acraven — your persistence has paid off!! (I, like you, MUCH prefer two-wheeled bags to spinners and rue how relatively difficult they are to find - especially at the discount stores - these days!)

Posted by
1662 posts

Hi acraven,

I love my TravelPro 22" Walkabout 4 - closeout. Although, lol, it has been on closeout for about two years now; maybe more. I bought my first piece back in early 2017. I did not use it that year to Italy. (I bought another one for a spare.)

Subsequent trips abroad and around the US, I have used it. I check it most of the time though. No issues. Has held up very well.

It did fit in BA's overhead one time I took it on board.

I love the luggage as it has the bigger, more rugged (two) wheels. Lightweight with deep front pockets. Got them at Macy's on sale, a bonus coupon and other % coupons - mine came out to about $55 for the first one and about $70 for the second one.

Posted by
1258 posts

(a bit) Off Topic: I was just in the market for a new, updated, two-ball roller bag for my hobby of bowling. I ended up with an expensive bag because I needed a heavy duty locking extension handle (that would not break like my others have) and large diameter soft wheels (that will roll up and over anything). And it had to be fluorescent orange because ORANGE and I want to identify my bag in the stacks of rollers at league and I do not want anyone tripping over it in the dimly lit parts of the bowling center.

Posted by
28246 posts

Bogiesan, it sounds as if your requirements were even pickier than mine! I do love having a bag of a color that stands out, but that has to take a backseat to my other requirements. My new bags are black, alas.