Good, inexpensive luggage?

[Bratface]

Waterproofing - that's a great idea! We got caught in a downpour doing the bag drag once and I had water inside my bag. I think it just got in through the zippers. I have a can of that waterproofing spray - I'm going to use it. Thanks!

You’re welcome. It also protects the bag lining if your gear is still damp. I carry a big plastic trash bag to put anything damp inside at the end of a dive trip.

 

[primitivepaddler]

I have Osprey bags. They have a very good warranty and the 30” bag can fit all of my gear with room to spare. It has lots of pockets and good wheels. I believe the newest ones are even lighter in weight. I apply waterproofing spray to the inside and outside of the bag. Ever since my bag broke on the tarmac years ago spilling everything in it, I gave up on cheap luggage.

Question for you. I was considering getting an Osprey bag but I saw some reviews on Osprey's website saying that airport conveyer belts can melt the exterior fabric. Have you noticed this to be an issue with yours? It seems to be primarily an aesthetic issue but if I am spending a lot on a bag I'm not trying to have it look terrible after only a few uses.

 

[Janie88]

You’re welcome. It also protects the bag lining if your gear is still damp. I carry a big plastic trash bag to put anything damp inside at the end of a dive trip.

Where do you purchase the waterproofing spray? I'll do a google search, but that's a great idea. Plus bringing a trash bag for possible damp wetsuit.

I will not buy checked luggage that is bigger that 25-26" (I forget the size of my Stahlsac) so that way I don't run much risk of being overweighted. However, I am very good at packing light and have also packed for an 8-day cruise in just a 21" carry on and tote. For Caribbean weather it is easy.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I do have the garbage bag for return trip and all sorts of other uses that may come up whilst I am away. My trips are often longer than a couple of weeks.

I do not care if my bags look scruffy as long as their integrity remains. In fact, a handful of years back, I cut up some 8"11" neon glitter pages into large triangle shapes and stuck them on my hard side checked luggage.

I did this because unbeknownst to me at the time, I was losing some of my eye sight due to cataracts. I'd been having a terrible time identifying my luggage, especially under neon airport lights.

My eyes are fixed now but I still get a chuckle when I see my bag slide onto the carousel. No one is going to try to nonchalantly walk off with that bag. Ha

 

[Bratface]

Question for you. I was considering getting an Osprey bag but I saw some reviews on Osprey's website saying that airport conveyer belts can melt the exterior fabric. Have you noticed this to be an issue with yours? It seems to be primarily an aesthetic issue but if I am spending a lot on a bag I'm not trying to have it look terrible after only a few uses.

I’ve never had that happen. I’ve had my Osprey bags around seven years.

 

[Bratface]

Where do you purchase the waterproofing spray? I'll do a google search, but that's a great idea. Plus bringing a trash bag for possible damp wetsuit.

I will not buy checked luggage that is bigger that 25-26" (I forget the size of my Stahlsac) so that way I don't run much risk of being overweighted. However, I am very good at packing light and have also packed for an 8-day cruise in just a 21" carry on and tote. For Caribbean weather it is easy.

I buy waterproofing spray at sporting stores. It’s usually in the camping section. The one used for tents is good. I don’t remember the name. I spray bags are narrow compared to standard luggage and you can over pack if you don’t stick to your list.

 

[Bratface]

Supposed to say Osprey bags. Auto correct wins again.

 

[Blues Runner]

A second vote for a Samsonite 30" non-expandable hard side. These protect your gear well without advertising the contents. The non-expandable hard side is more rigid and doesn't flex to the degree many of the hard sides do. The airlines have had a difficult time destroying mine. The inside is plastic except for the divider. If the divider is damp, I allow it to dry before placing in storage.

My current model is no longer produced. This one is very similar.

https://shop.samsonite.com/luggage/...4XXXX_color=1112641012&cgidmaster=lugaz-lu050

 

[tarponchik]

Where do you purchase the waterproofing spray?

Last time I bought it I found it in Dick's. Some footwear shops also sell it.

 

[tarponchik]

I do not ad garbage bags because this is extra weight and I do not care if the clothes get wet on the way back because they go straight into the washer anyway. Same with packing cubes. It is nice to have everything organized but this is extra weight too. If I have to, I use either large sandwich bags or small thin-walled garbage bags for packing.