Suitcase brands
All suitcase brands claim to be durable. Three factors really matter: the warranty length, the ability to replace a wheel, and the empty weight with the same capacity.
A luggage brand should be compared on verifiable elements before purchase: the duration and extent of the warranty, the availability of wear parts, and the advertised empty weight for the same capacity. The rest, the appearance and the name, says nothing about the lifespan.
What separates two luggage brands in use
Luggage brands look similar in store but differ in use. Searching for the best luggage brands in absolute terms doesn’t make much sense: a luggage from a reputable brand that is poorly maintained lasts less than a simple model whose wheels are replaced.
The breaking point of a suitcase is almost never the shell: it’s the wheels, the telescopic handle, and the zipper. A brand that sells these three parts separately extends the luggage's life by several years. A brand that doesn’t sell them turns a broken wheel into a suitcase that needs to be thrown away.
Warranty and spare parts of luggage brands
Read what the warranty covers rather than its duration. Many exclude normal wear and damage caused by the airline, which are the two most common causes. A ten-year warranty that excludes the wheels is worth less than a two-year warranty that covers them. It's on this point that the luggage brands really differentiate themselves.
Choosing a luggage brand according to travel frequency
Two trips a year and twenty trips a year require different considerations. For occasional use, empty weight and volume take priority. For intensive use, the durability of the wheels and access to parts take precedence, justifying a price difference that may seem excessive at first glance.
The luggage brands in our category
