I have an Eagle Creek suitcase which I bought a lot for the “No Matter What” warranty. Well the tread came off a wheel recently and the Taiwan distributer has told me that the case only has year warranty on it and I must pay $800 to replace the wheels (considering the price and the states warranty for this bag I refuse to pay them to repair it). I have called the US office and they told me that it is covered and I should not pay. Find another brand to buy here and boycott Eagle Creek!!
Samsonite here is crap as well. Made in India and likes to break down frequently. Two travels with my Cosmopolite Spinner or however that is called, the one with the ultra-thin ultra-strong plastic. One repair pre-travel after buying it and one repair post-travel (never use the handle on the broad side, it will come off!).
Charged 200NT by the shop for 2nd repair for mine.
2nd suitcase of same type of wife (she does not put much in it): one repair pre-travel, 2xtravel okay.
Did you ever see what they do with suitcases at airports, I have, 10 foot drops straight on tarmac. I have two MIT no name cases that are still going strong after a few years of punishment,
Yep, I’ve seen them literally hurled out of a plane. Personally I just use cheap, soft bags and simply put anything breakable in my hand luggage.
Yes. but both Samsonites had problems before even seeing an airplane. Yet I still use them because they weigh so few and I can bring more candy home… 
Some airlines cover the Samsonites with an extra tape and mark them as “fragile”.
I don’t know if Samonsite’s issue is because you got it in Taiwan. My husband sliced his toe open on the one he got in the US. The sharp metal edging came away from the case first time he used it.
I had a wheel pop off my Rimowa and they fixed it free here in a jiffy. I still think cheap bags are best, though.
I won’t buy a name brand bag for a long haul flight. Cheap or expensive, they don’t last long. Lots of times, I’ve had bags torn up after just one flight. For a shorter trip with a lighter bag, spending more is worth it for less weight and easier carrying. 
I have a 70L travel backpack that I bought in Australia in 1996 for about AUD$300. It’s been in and out of planes, buses and trains across Asia and Aust, it’s been tied to the roof of a bus for 20+ hours in India and quite a few 12-15 hour journeys. Other than being a bit dirty and dusty, it’s still as good as the day I bought it.
never had any trouble to make the airlines pay for this kind of stuff.
never had to use my own insurrance for it.
its some paperwork though.
Suspicious that you didn’t mention the brand. No doubt it’s a Macpac (i.e. Made in New Zealand) and you didn’t mention it because it would have been praise for a Kiwi product. I know how obsessed you Australians are with all things NZ. Oh yes.
Anyway, the relationship with your bag has lasted longer than many marriages. Well done. I love having old friends along with me on my travels, weather it’s an old hat, knife, compass or whatever. Craig, have you thought of taking a pic of your Macpac and sending it in to the company?
Actually it’s not a Macpac. I think it’s by Adventure Designs but they merged with or were bought out by another company a few years ago. I don’t know their current trading name though.
Suspicious that you didn’t mention the brand. No doubt it’s a Macpac (i.e. Made in New Zealand) and you didn’t mention it because it would have been praise for a Kiwi product. I know how obsessed you Australians are with all things NZ. Oh yes.
Anyway, the relationship with your bag has lasted longer than many marriages. Well done. I love having old friends along with me on my travels, weather it’s an old hat, knife, compass or whatever. Craig, have you thought of taking a pic of your Macpac and sending it in to the company?[/quote]
I bought my MacPac 2nd hand on Cuba Street 12 years ago. Still going strong. That stuff is legend.
I’m surprised a backpack’s lasted that long in Taiwan. Mine seem to last five years or so, then the climate here makes the inner linings (whatever the vaguely plastic stuff is on the underside of the canvas) start to peel off and get all over everything in the bag. Nothing ever goes wrong with the integrity of the backpack - and some of them have been through a lot! - but Taiwan’s climate does them in. My most recent big backpack is a budget one without that inner lining material, so I hope it’ll last longer.
Not a Macpac! You have hurt the feelings of 4 million New Zealanders. Never heard of Adventure Designs. Perhaps they went out of business because their product was too good. [quote=“the bear”][quote=“almas john”][quote=“cfimages”]I have a 70L travel backpack that I bought in Australia in 1996 for about AUD$300. It’s been in and out of planes, buses and trains across Asia and Aust, it’s been tied to the roof of a bus for 20+ hours in India and quite a few 12-15 hour journeys. Other than being a bit dirty and dusty, it’s still as good as the day I bought it.[/quote]
Suspicious that you didn’t mention the brand. No doubt it’s a Macpac (i.e. Made in New Zealand) and you didn’t mention it because it would have been praise for a Kiwi product. I know how obsessed you Australians are with all things NZ. Oh yes.
Anyway, the relationship with your bag has lasted longer than many marriages. Well done. I love having old friends along with me on my travels, weather it’s an old hat, knife, compass or whatever. Craig, have you thought of taking a pic of your Macpac and sending it in to the company?[/quote]
I bought my MacPac 2nd hand on Cuba Street 12 years ago. Still going strong. That stuff is legend.[/quote]
Ah, weather/whether,
one of my pet peeves. Damn! Darn! Mothers’ and Grandmothers’ Thingees! And that’s Free Cuba Street unless you’re some kind of pinko. Actually, I planted that typo there on purpose. I knew that it would draw you out and force you to write in proper capitals. Ha ha ha. Such evil genius.
Now, where’s the bottle… um… I mean where was I?
Oh yeah. Me old Pa was involved in loading aircraft for 40-odd years (responsible for weight and balance of aircraft). One tip I could pass on is that you don’t want to hand in heavy baggage. Hernias are an occupational risk for loaders and they take personal insult to anything weighing more than 22-25kg. Such luggage tends to get dropped a lot and vigorously booted.