The Luggage Blog

The Rough and Tumbler test, which entailed filling carry-on suitcases until they weighed 20-25 lbs and tumbling them up to 1,000 times, is among one of the tests done by Consumer Reports. The tests determined which of 12 brand suitcases were the toughest of travelers.  The report was quite interesting and you can see the chart to the left of what was found in terms of durability, capacity and convenience. 

The bottom line is, Tumi was rated best overall with more room than most brands! Highest in quality and price, the Tumi Alpha 22″ Carry-On costs $595.  It was also determined that there are other brands that cost less and are still good quality but didn’t perform as well in every test category.  It comes down to your preference and price range as to what bag is perfect for your needs. So don’t overlook the Victorinox NXT, Hartmann Stratum and Briggs & Riley Baseline or any of the other top carry-ons!

With all the fees that airlines are charging and beginning to charge today.  Why pay for overweight fees too?  This article has some good advice on why you might just want to purchase lighter weight luggage to begin with.  You might agree once you see how much overweight fees can be!  There are many brands that are meeting the needs of travelers and going to lightweight, lightweight, lightweight! The article mentions a few, such as Eagle Creek, Victorinox and Briggs & Riley.  Don’t worry these lightweight bags are just as great quality as those heavy bags that you’re carrying now.  Good Housekeeping Research Institute tested the bags and you can read more about their findings by reading the full article.

You might even want to get your own travel luggage scale.  I use mine before I go on every trip and I even bring it with me in my carry-on, because I always tend to bring back extra things on the trip home.  If you use a scale when you’re done packing, you will know whether or not your bag is overweight and you can take things out or rearrange your bag.  This way you won’t be surprised with any extra fees when you get to the airport and we all know that we don’t want any more fees than need be!!!

See here an example of a luggage scale for purchase at luggageonline.com: 

Travelon Luggage Scale