In this post I will detail my favorite short haul, long haul, and business travel bags, along with a great way to maximize space when packing.
Short Haul Travel Bag - Lapault Bag 20″ 2-Wheeled Foldable Duffle Carry-On
I recently shared my favorite short haul bag review in a guest post, go to this link MilesQuest and check it out. Plus see who won Continental currency in my guest post over at MilesQuest.
Long Haul Travel Bag -Â Samsonite Bag
This has been our go to bag for long haul trips for the last 7 years. It can fit a lot of clothes and still remain flexible to jam into any over head bin. We left one on the field when a hole was torn through the side. So now we are down to this last one and can’t find anything like it. The wheels are slightly inside the bag making it easier to fit in the over head bins.
- It is a cloth fabric that is durable but showing signs of wear after 7 years
- It is a 22″ long bag – but it feels like a black hole
The best benefit is this bag’s durability. It has logged more miles than a Delta Silver Medallion 4x over. We can take this thing anywhere and jam it full of clothes. Like the time we took it to Seychelles, Mauritius and Paris in March. During this trip, Paris was about 35 degrees while the Seychelles was about 90 degrees, so having enough clothes for both climates was important.
Business Travel Bag – Briggs & Riley 21 Inch One Touch Carry On Expandable Upright
This is my go to business travel bag. It is expandable so can be small when I need it or expandable to carry extra for those reverse travel weeks.
- Fabric is Ballistic Nylon
- 21 Inch
- The dimensions are 14″ x 8.5″ x 21.5″ / 35.6 x 21.6 x 54.6 cm
- Weight is 11.4 lbs
- One touch to the handle and it completely collapses back into the bag, you have to try it out
- Zippered, gusseted lid pocket holds garment sleeve and tie panel. Garment sleeve can be removed and pocket used for laundry or more packing space.
- Snap – in mesh pocket is perfect for toiletries, makeup, etc.
- Removable garment sleeve can fit 1-3 suits in this rolling carry-on
- Outsider® handle for wrinkle-free flat packing
- Variable locking handle made from 100% aircraft grade aluminum
- Outsider® pocket is perfect for quick access items like an umbrella and features an elastic hide-away ID card to conceal personal information
- SpeedThruâ„¢ pocket for hassle-free airport security luggage checks. Orange lining alerts when pocket is open
This bag is not inexpensive, but is worth it. It comes with a life time warranty for repairs or replacement if it gets damaged. So you can rest easy if you ever have to check this bag. You can pick up one of these up for $379 and get 20% off orders over $99 and free shipping.
Collapsed
Expanded
Rick Steve’s travel cubes have been the secret behind us never having to check a bag. These little guys can hold a tremendous amount of clothes. Sometimes we feel like we can always fit one more thing in them. The cube set can be picked up at Rick’s website for a reduced price of $14.35. We picked up two sets about 5 years ago and haven’t looked back. For those of you still checking bags, check out these cubes and you may just carry on for your next flight.
Travel Cubes
Bottom Line
The Samsonite bag has provided us tremendous value over the last 7 years. The Briggs & Riley bag is a versatile bag that comes with a great service warranty. Travel cubes are a must for any smart traveler.
About The Weekly Flyer
The Weekly Flyer writes about travel from a business traveler perspective. He travels the world every week accumulating points and miles along the way.
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Love our Briggs and Riley 22″ carryons, but since last weekend, when Swiss insisted on checking that bag, which has flown on every other European airline (and Swiss on the way over too!) due to both weight and size on our connecting flight from Barcelona to Geneva (not even a full flight), I now have to find a much lighter wheeled carryon… like around 4 pounds. Have been looking online and in stores – any recommendations?
How about the Samsonite Cordoba Duo 22″? I’ve been looking for something which definitely fits the sizers and is super-light and I’m about to pull the trigger on this. It’s about $250 but seems to fit the requirements.
@NB – Duffle bag or rolling bag?
Rolling bag
Really enjoyed this post, I’m a big luggage geek!
@NB – Macy’s has a $50 Samsonite rebate for spending $300 or more on Samsonite luggage, which may be useful to you if you’re still considering some of their other bags.
You may be able to find a “Long Haul Travel -Samsonite Type Bag” at Costco. I bought a similar one (Ecko)in October from Costco Canada (Quebec). On Costco.com I found the following (type bag in the search engine):
Samsonite Model 42265-1041 and fūl Model 11604438.
By the way, Costco Canada offers Aeroplan (Air Canada) miles (good also for United flights) when you get a membership card. Not sure again in the USA.
Good luck !
Sturdy bag, perfect size. Comfortable to wear, even when full.
I also love B&R bags – but my one issue with this is its weight…if you do have to check it, 11+ pounds is significant, when most US airlines have a max bag weight of 50 pounds.