New Luggage Question

[mamamary]

It's finally time to buy new luggage. We're going away in two weeks so I'm looking to get some in the next few days. I was just at Kohls looking at the luggage with the hard shell case. It seems so much more expensive than the regular material luggage. Is it worth it? Does the hard shell casing ever crack? If it matters we would only use it a handful of times a year. I'm just looking to replace our two big pieces of luggage. All our smaller suitcases and carry ons are in great shape so not looking for a set. Just two large pieces. Thx

 

[disneyeveryyear]

I have never owned the hard shell, but I ended up looking a ton of places and went with soft side because I could get a very light weight product. I have enough trouble staying under 50 lbs in my largest suitcase, I don't need a heavy suitcase to start.

I think my final purchase was from T.J. Maxx. They had some great prices.

 

[mamamary]

Thanks!

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I just bought a really nice Lilly Bloom hard cased suitcase at Marshall's. They, like T.J. Maxx, have good prices.

 

[HeatherC]

We just recently bought a medium size hard case at Walmart for my daughter to use in a school trip. So far so good. It was $59. We have also gotten them in the past from Marshall’s and TJ Max. As well as Sears.

 

[DisneyHardin]

We bought hard shell luggage last time and have really liked it better than soft side. I ordered ours from eBags. I got a nice set with 3 suitcases for $199.

 

[figment52]

If you have a TJ Maxx near you check out their luggage. They have great prices on one of a kind pieces (since you said you are looking to replace only one size) many are name brand. I had to go to a couple locations but I got a great price on a Travel Pro set a few years ago.

OK, made the mistake of answering before I read all the replies. sorry.

 

[mamamary]

If you have a TJ Maxx near you check out their luggage. They have great prices on one of a kind pieces (since you said you are looking to replace only one size) many are name brand. I had to go to a couple locations but I got a great price on a Travel Pro set a few years ago.

I have one close by. Will check them out. Thx

 

[wvjules]

The only problem I have with my hard-sided luggage is that it has to be laid flat. It's not like a soft side where you just up zip and leave the top propped open. It needs more room than a soft sided. But it is lighter than my soft sided and holds more so it's what I use.

 

[mousefan73]

I once bought a cheap hardshell set on Amazon. Standard China crap. Was soooo bad. When I opened the box I almost passed out from the fumes. It reeked like toxic plastic. no exaggaration. I googled tips. I spent weeks airing these pieces in the sun. That was one tip formthe plastic. Smell did kinda go away. But since handles have broken off etc. should have returned from the start. But sometimes you get what you pay for. Now my mom has a Rimowa hardshell. A fortune but you see the quality and never smelled

 

[loves to dive]

We have a set of hardside that we love. It is great if you have things that you don't want broken, we used to use them for our scuba gear. We don't use them anymore since they changed the weight limits and it's hard enough to keep the gear under 50 lbs. with soft side.

 

[georgina]

I've been happy with the hard shell luggage we have gotten from Costco. Some is Kirkland branded (the biggest ones) and I have some of the Ricardo bags in smaller sizes. Quite lightweight and good wheels so far.

 

[tvguy]

Are you into luggage that makes a fashion statement or value for the money?

We are into value and durability. We bought Delsey hardsided luggage 36 years ago and still look almost new. It is clear they will be around a lot longer than we will be.

 

[Lynne M]

I got a Delsey hardsided carryon last year that's significantly lighter than my softsided bag (same size). One thing that made me hesitant about hardsides is the lack of compartments like you have in a fabric suitcase, so if you need to get at a laptop or sweater or toiletries or documents, you'd have to open the whole suitcase. This Delsey has a foldout compartment in front with pockets and a laptop sleeve. I really like it.

Delsey Helium Titanium International Carry-On

 

[mamamary]

I’m having my husband come with me this weekend to look for luggage. I hadn’t thought about weight of the luggage. Thx everyone for your input.

 

[mousefan73]

I’m having my husband come with me this weekend to look for luggage. I hadn’t thought about weight of the luggage. Thx everyone for your input.

Oh everyone definately needs to think about weight.. this is why package cubes can be dangerous. When people claim how much they get in a suitcase with those, are they adding then the weight of more compact/dense things? This is why always check the weight of the suitcase too! there can be a 2 to 4 pound difference.

 

[Disney Doll]

Watch the weight. The heavier the luggage, the lighter your belongings need to be in order to still meet the airplane weight requirements.

We have LLBean duffles and they’ve been great.

 

[maxiesmom]

Hard side is also good if you worry about any liquids spilling onto your luggage. If your luggage is left out in the rain, which sometimes happens, it is less likely everything you own will be soaked. If someone packs a bunch of water in their checked bag and some bottles break, with hard side luggage it is less likely your stuff will get wet.

I have soft side that I love (hello Mickey American Tourister!) but my sister loves her hard side.

 

[mamamary]

Hard side is also good if you worry about any liquids spilling onto your luggage. If your luggage is left out in the rain, which sometimes happens, it is less likely everything you own will be soaked. If someone packs a bunch of water in their checked bag and some bottles break, with hard side luggage it is less likely your stuff will get wet.

I have soft side that I love (hello Mickey American Tourister!) but my sister loves her hard side.

A few years ago we happened to be on the same flight as some neighbors coming back from Disney. There was a huge storm at MCO and our flight was delayed. The next day my friend called to see about our luggage. I wasn't sure what she meant. She told me all of her luggage and belongings were completely soaked. Guess we were lucky.

 

[DLgal]

Our hardside luggage is much more lightweight than our fabric luggage. We are slowly replacing all the fabric with hardside. Costco has the best deals and their return policy is great if the suitcase breaks sooner than it should. I also like how the hardside luggage is broken up into compartments and usually has more built in zipper pouches and pockets. I don't like my suitcase to just be one big rectangular space, because it is harder to organize.

As mentioned, the hardside luggage is impermeable to spills or rain, which is a huge plus.