Will Cheap Luggage Suffice?

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Packing for our holiday trip this year, I realized: we have some cheap luggage!

It seems we usually buy 1 or 2 pieces in our favorite shapes & styles... every couple of years.

loads-of-luggage.jpg

I recently found these fun facts about cheap luggage...


Will Cheap Luggage Suffice?

According to Consumer Reports (August 2005), cheaper priced luggage fails in one key area: durability.

Of those tested, "none could likely withstand the rigors of airline travel."

Consumer Reports evaluated rolling upright bags (25" to 28" tall) with retractable handles, each packed with 35 pounds of towels.

Then they put the bags through their paces by sending them through the CR luggage tumbler, which simulates rough baggage handling.

In sum, cheaper luggage...

    ...is inexpensive

    ...looks good

    ...handles well in general

    ...is not waterproof

    ...is not durable

    ...is not likely to last long


Final Recommendations

Of the luggage CR tested, following are the ratings, from highest to lowest:

  • E-Bags Optima Rolling Set (fair durability, very good features)
  • Sears Pierre Cardin Expandable (fair durability, very good features)
  • Kohl's Sonoma Express (poor durability, very good features)
  • Target Ridgecrest Worldbound (poor durability, good features)
  • WalMart American Tourister (poor durability, good features)
  • WalMart Skyline Venetian (poor durability, poor features)
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1 Comments

Rhea said:

When you see what your luggage looks like after the airline handlers are done with it, you're never inspired to spend a lot on it.

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Photos

  • A hundred dollar bill.
  • Moving checklist... done!
  • Jim feeling right at home in his new ThermoSpas hot tub!
  • The price you have to pay for fun... but in the end it was worth it.
  • The water was icy cold -- straight out of the garden hose. And this was only moments after it had been filled up.
  • Jim couldn't wait the recommended 4 hours the ThermoSpas delivery guy recommended we wait before getting into the hot tub the first time.
  • Jim checking the levels of the water -- prior to adding any pool chemicals.
  • The hour-long process of watching the water rise in our new hot tub while using a garden hose to fill it up.
  • How many men does it take to fill up a hot tub? Two! Jim is looking a little over-anxious to get out his rubber ducky and play in the hot tub!
  • A moving truck ready for loading on moving day. Photo by garann.
  • The ThermoSpas delivery guy explaining the location and functionality of the filters, plus when to change them, how to clean them, etc.
  • The ThermoSpas delivery guy is pointing out all the different types of jets we got in our hot tub. Each type serves a different purpose.

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