suitcase vs duffel bag

Looking at large suitcases (somewhere around 26"), wondering if a
wheeled duffel bag might be more useful. Anyone have experience with
duffel bags in checked luggage? Any recommendations?


--

When we ask for advice, we are usually looking for an accomplice.

....Marquis de la Grange

Cal wrote:
Looking at large suitcases (somewhere around 26"), wondering if a
wheeled duffel bag might be more useful. Anyone have experience with
duffel bags in checked luggage? Any recommendations?


I did a duffle one year and was unimpressed. Everything shifts
around inside the duffel and gets messed up. There's plenty of 26 in
"soft sided" suitcases around that do much better. There is one
from Samsonite that is a combo of the two. It rolls and has handles,
and the bottom section is a separate compartment that is semi-rigid
and zips shut leaving an upper chamber. It also has side pockets as
well.

Cal wrote:
Looking at large suitcases (somewhere around 26"), wondering if a
wheeled duffel bag might be more useful. Anyone have experience with
duffel bags in checked luggage? Any recommendations?


My only experience with duffels was when taking a temporary move to
Saudi Arabia. I needed, or so I thought, a lot of stuff. Air France had
overnight to make the transfer in Paris but missed. I concluded that
airlines don't give duffel bags much respect.

Two smaller bags would be better in any case. I use a wheeled 20" plus
a shoulder bag. Have a look at my luggage suggestions at
http://www.enjoy-europe.com/hte/chap07/luggage.htm

John Bermont
http://www.enjoy-europe.com/

I have been travelling to Ireland from the U.S. annually, 3 to 4 weeks
per trip, for the last 15 years. I always travel with two large
wheeled duffels. If they are firmly packed, there won't be much
shifting of the contents when pulling them along. I load each one to
50 to 55 pounds (a big camera tripod, 3 umbrellas [I've learned 2 is
not enuf in Ireland], lots of books, maps, printed reference material,
even a thermoelectric cooler/heater to plug into the lighter place in
the car), and have had no problems. Most people seem to travel with
less, the more they travel. I've travelled overseas all of my life,
and I seem to work in the other direction.

Try the duffel (or two). You'll like it.

















John Bermont wrote:
Cal wrote:
Looking at large suitcases (somewhere around 26"), wondering if a
wheeled duffel bag might be more useful. Anyone have experience with
duffel bags in checked luggage? Any recommendations?


My only experience with duffels was when taking a temporary move to
Saudi Arabia. I needed, or so I thought, a lot of stuff. Air France had
overnight to make the transfer in Paris but missed. I concluded that
airlines don't give duffel bags much respect.

Two smaller bags would be better in any case. I use a wheeled 20" plus
a shoulder bag. Have a look at my luggage suggestions at
http://www.enjoy-europe.com/hte/chap07/luggage.htm

John Bermont
http://www.enjoy-europe.com/

I bought a large duffel, about 30 inches long, on an impulse sale. I
used to travel for longer trips with two carry-on size wheeled bags
(which I checked), and then carried on a wheeled computer bag. Not
enough hands to even get them all down an airport hallway.

Plus, the duffel has a volume 2.5 times that of each former wheeled
carry-on flat bag. Oh goodie! Enough for a two-week trip. First
trip, I discovered, the duffel, maybe 3/4 filled, just tipped over the
50-pound airline weight limit. They go by weight of each bag -- agent
confirmed I could have checked two bags at 49 pounds each with no extra
charge. (Then she nicely didn't charge me the extra $25).

Next, public transportation to the airport -- 50 pounds in one bag was
a chore getting down the stairs to the subway, but the only time I had
to lift it.

But I still like it and use it. Easier to pack loosely, whether you
roll or fold. I take mostly casual clothes, so they either don't
wrinkle or doesn't matter.

Now I remember you asked about bag, not size I think I prefer the
wheeled duffel over the wheeled rectangular (even tho still "soft"
sided). The rounded shape gives me leeway in packing without having to
be exact. Plus, any bag expect to get crushed in the baggage handling.
The duffel will take crushing, while the constructed rectangle bag may
eventually have its rigid sides bent and not spring back, and the
zippers at the edges then don't slide easily.

Am Mon, 11 Sep 2006 11:12:25 -0700 schrieb Cal:

Looking at large suitcases (somewhere around 26"), wondering if a
wheeled duffel bag might be more useful. Anyone have experience with
duffel bags in checked luggage? Any recommendations?

Depends where you travel. With a bag you stand the riskt of your stuff
getting wet when it is parked on the runway in a rainshower. Not all
airports have the luggage in containers, especially an smaller airports
(like on islands in the mediterrenean) they often use open trolleys.

A suitcase (like Samsonite) keeps off most of the rain, a bag won't.

Regards,

Frank

I've had a basic wheeled duffle for years and use it eveyr year and still
like it. I'm amazed it has survived, but it has. I'm about to buy it a
friend, actually. It has no pull-out handle, you just grab the handle on the
side. It works, very well.


--
ant
Don't try to email me;
I'm borrowing the spammer du jour's addy

Per Pete:
3 umbrellas [I've learned 2 is
not enuf in Ireland]

?
--
PeteCresswell

(PeteCresswell) wrote:

Per Pete:

3 umbrellas [I've learned 2 is
not enuf in Ireland]


?

Why isn't 1 enough?

mrtravel wrote:
(PeteCresswell) wrote:

Per Pete:

3 umbrellas [I've learned 2 is
not enuf in Ireland]

Why isn't 1 enough?

Pete Cresswell (to separate the two Pete's),

I visit and photograph more than 200 sites on each trip - and I have
been known to forget an umbrella at a site and - on the odd sunny day -
have gone many miles before I realize I've forgotten it....somewhere.
And some coastal, mountainous areas can have ridiculous winds. Even
extra stitching and binding of the various umbrella parts is sometimes
not enough to save it from being inverted and ripped. It's happened
several times. So I now take 3 umbrellas, just to be sure. When I'm
in Ireland, I'm rarely near a location which would have a replacement
umbrella for sale. And I really need a reliable umbrella - mostly to
protect the camera and keep the lens free of raindrops when
photographing. Guess that's about it. I hope I don't have to go to 4
in the future !!