The Ideal Carry On: Samsonite xSpace Spinner Giveaway
Packing your bags for a trip is a complete nightmare. Almost all the major airlines in the US charge passengers to check luggage, and those fees keep going up — most of these carriers upped fees again just last month. Airlines are cracking down on their carry on policies more than ever, too, and you’ll be hit with more fees if you try to sneak an oversized carry on bag, or an extra carry on, onto your flight.
The best way to avoid extra fees when you fly is to pack all of your things in a carry-on. Keep in mind, though, that you’ll have to remove certain items at the security checkpoint, like laptops and liquids, and you’ll also have to tote that bag with you everywhere you go. You need a piece of luggage that meets size requirements, is easy to transport, and provides easy access for the things you’ll need to remove and replace at security.
The new Samsonite xSpace Spinner might just be the perfect carry on. It’s compact enough for a standard overhead bin, but large enough to fit up to a week’s worth of clothing. It comes with a TSA-friendly quart-sized clear toiletry bag that you’ll need for your liquids at security and plenty of pockets to separate things like your clothes, toiletries, and portable electronics. Seriously, this thing has so many pockets, I keep finding new ones on mine. It’s great — makes it very easy to stow my laptop in its own pocket for easy removal and replacement at security. The spinner also comes with a removable toiletry kit and a day pack/laundry bag.
The fabric of the bag is a stain-resistant poly/nylon blend that will be able to handle a bumpy ride like a champ. It’s got four wheels, so it smoothly rolls upright. You won’t have to drag it along through airport after airport. I love this suitcase, and I’d recommend it to any traveler — and I’m going to give one away!
Here’s how you can enter to win a free Samsonite xSpace Spinner:
Leave a comment on this post and tell me a story about a luggage nightmare you’ve experienced while traveling, or just tell me where you’ll go on your first trip with a new Spinner. Interesting stories will earn brownie points, but I’m going to select the winner at random from the valid entries. You may only enter the contest one time. Multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified. You must provide a valid email address so I can contact you if you win. Your email address will only be visible to me. I will close the contest to new entries on 2/28/2010 at 11:59pm PST, and select a winner on 3/1/2010. You will be notified by email if you win. Good luck!
February 4th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
I think I’d use my new Spinner to travel to Reno, and then Salt Lake City, Lyon, France, and then Gatlinburg, and then Vegas, and then Salt Lake City again, and then Beulah, and then New Orleans, and then Los Angeles, and then Philadelphia.
February 4th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
I have two stories, the first is when I went to Spain. I checked my luggage since I had packed for a week. When I arrived in Spain, my bag did not. Even though I speak some Spanish, I did not think it would help me find my bag. When I talked to the attendant and I described my bag, all he said was, ‘Don’t worry, it happens all the time, we will get your bag to your hotel by morning.’ I am not sure why this comforted me, I would be in the same clothes for another 24 hrs, but sure enough, the next morning there was my bag! Don’t worry!
As for where my next trip is planned, I plan on heading to Portland to visit my sister and brother-in-law. See ya then Grute!
February 4th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
Oh, jeez. Okay, last year, when I flew to Chicago, I borrowed an old garment bag-style suitcase — you know, so I could hang things. I stuffed that thing SO VERY FULL on the way home, and it didn’t have rollers, and it was ever so heavy. But, you know, I’m strong. Whatever.
My ticket said I was on United, so I went to United, lugging my super heavy suitcase. No, they said, we don’t have a flight to Orlando. You must be on US Airways (even though that’s NOT what my ticket said). And NO, we do NOT have transportation there. You’ll have to walk. Outside. In the sun.
So, I hitched my suitcase up, using the shoulder strap, only, GUESS WHAT. It BROKE. And then my suitcase tore. And I think someone yelled at me. So I stole a luggage cart and cried my way over to US Airways, where I gave them my bag and prayed all my stuff would make it home. It did, but the bag went in the trash the minute I walked in the door.
So, yeah, I could use an awesome suitcase. Thanks for the giveaway!
February 4th, 2010 at 1:45 pm
Here’s a good carry-on story, from just a couple weeks ago: I was transferring at DFW on American, having just flown from San Antonio with my bag in an overhead bin. I went to get on my connecting flight and was stopped by the gate agent, who told me I had to fit my bag into their metal bag sizing stand so they could be sure it would fit on this flight. I assured her I’d just come from a flight where this bag fit comfortably over my seat, and I’ve flown with this bag literally dozens of times before. However, the wheel wedged in the stand and she made me check the bag. Thank heavens I didn’t also have to pay for a baggage fee, but I really didn’t understand what the purpose of her power trip was. Maybe she was just having a bad day? Or maybe I just need a new bag?
February 4th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
Ok, the offer of an awesome free suitcase has convinced me to stop lurking and leave a comment. It seems that we’ve found my price.
At the Vegas nationals a couple summers ago, I arrived for 11 days of bridge. My suitcase did not join me. I stood forlornly at the baggage carousel, holding my husband’s suitcase, and willed my suitcase to appear. It did not. I hear that they sell the contents of unclaimed luggage at some warehouse in AZ, and it infuriated me to think that someone probably went in and bought my favoritest ever pair of pants and my beloved hand-knit hat for about $2.
Alaska did reimburse me for my lost luggage, so it wasn’t a complete disaster, just a major pain in the ass. And I never did replace the actual suitcase…
February 4th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
For our honeymoon, Vince and I went to Paris. The flight from Cleveland to Philadelphia was delayed and therefore we were bumped to the LAST flight from Philly to Paris. We ran like hell through the terminal to board the international flight. We just barely made it on. But you guessed it, our luggage did not.
We get to Paris and call the airline and they were all, ‘blah blah, next flight, we’ll deliver to the hotel, yadda yadda.’ BS. We had a carry-on with our toiletries, so that helped us stay clean at least.
I didn’t mention that were were wearing scrubby clothes. Like pajama bottoms and t-shirts to stay comfortable on the overnight flight. I was handwashing our underwear and socks and blowing them dry with the hair dryer.
After we got in to Paris we settled in the best we could, called my friends, and had dinner. Day 2 was spent at Giverny. Still no luggage that morning.
After we got back from Giverny, it was hot, we were sweaty, still in the scrubby clothes. AWESOME.
All I said to my husband was that our luggage better be in the lobby. It wasn’t. Wasn’t in the storage area of the hotel either. I felt my bp going up. Vince said my face could have killed the airline people alone.
He tried to calm me down and say that it was in the room. I didn’t believe him.
It was a long elevator ride up to the 5th floor. We got to the room and thankfully it was there.
No damage (at that time), but it was there.
We’ve since learned to pack ALL undergarments with us in carry on luggage.
February 4th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Way back in 1991, I flew from Washington Dulles to London Heathrow. I checked my suitcase, then got bumped from the flight to a later flight. When I arrived in London, lo and behold, my suitcase was awaiting me, sitting in an open area before customs — it had made the original flight! That would never happen in these post- 9/11 security-conscious days.
Even longer ago, on my first ever business flight, I checked in at Washington National (so long ago it wasn’t named Reagan yet!). I found “curbside check-in” and told the dude there that I was flying to Salt Lake City (SLC). Alas, my suitcase flew to St. Louis (STL) instead! Two days later, the suitcase reached my SLC hotel room.
With the fancy new Samsonite xSpace Spinner which I just might win, I’ll never have to check a bag again!
February 4th, 2010 at 5:24 pm
I once flew to ABQ on business, and my suitcase, which was supposedly in the plane, didn’t show up at baggage claim because there was a jammed cargo door. Rather than fix it and get our luggage, they flew the plane back to Atlanta where they had more “qualified” people to fix the door. *eyeroll* Really I think they just didn’t want to mess up their flight schedule. They promised we’d have our luggage by the next morning; unfortunately we were leaving for Santa Fe in the morning. They ended up having to deliver our suitcases to Santa Fe, but at least they did finally show up.
February 4th, 2010 at 6:14 pm
Oversized carry-on disaster: I was on a flight from SLC to EUG. One very determined passenger managed to jam his oversized wheelie bag into the overhead space, but not far enough to close the bin door. Rather than readjust the bag to fit, he tried to force the bin door closed, breaking it clean off its hinges.
Fun airplane safety fact: you can’t take off with a broken overhead bin. And even better, it can only be repaired with special safety duct tape imprinted with “inoperable.” And the men authorized to apply the special safety duct tape had to come from the other side of the airport, delaying our take off. So moral of the story? Don’t be like that jerk, use a carry-on designed for air travel
February 4th, 2010 at 6:17 pm
My best contents-of-luggage story: Was flying back from Charlottesville to Boston the morning after the 2008 election, operating on about 6 hours’ sleep over the prior two nights. Hadn’t had time to eat breakfast before leaving my parents’ house, so I brought a baked sweet potato for a snack on the plane. CHO security confiscated it, classifying it as a liquid or gel. (Admittedly it was a little overcooked.)
Best luggage story (and a good reason always to travel with only carry-on): On my first visit to Brian’s, we got me back to the Orange County airport a teeny bit later than we meant to, and I missed the cut-off for checking bags by about 3 minutes. Local host to the rescue! We quick quick quick unpacked all the crap I’d brought along, sorted out which stuff absolutely had to come back to Boston and which could be left in CA, and the gallant Brian headed back to his casa with a duffelbag full of my crapola. At least this meant that my snowshoes were there waiting for me on my next visit.
February 4th, 2010 at 7:36 pm
Prizes for reading Meg! So exciting.
I’m up for a few fellowships that would require international travel. I could use a new suitcase to make this travel easier on my way to Prague, or Venice, or Paris. That would be helpful and delightful.
Part II: My airline lost my baggage on a flight home from VA for Christmas. lost my bag, didn’t find it for a WEEK. I spent a lot of time in pajamas that week.
February 4th, 2010 at 8:06 pm
I have dreams of flying into Bermuda one day with a shiny new wonderful Samsonite xSpace Spinner. I have never been to Bermuda, but have always wished to go. The postings that you have done on this blog, Meg, have made the location seem even more desirable. I want to win!
February 4th, 2010 at 9:20 pm
Prior to the Nashville tournament, Valio Kovachev, Vladi Isporski and I got a reminder from Delta why international players should try to show up a day or two early for tournaments. Valio arrived from Sofia on Wednesday, and stayed overnight. We checked our luggage and met Vladi on a cloudy Thursday at JFK, then proceeded to endure two hour-long delays and a cancellation blamed on ‘Atlanta weather’. After spending the night at Honors with no luggage, we proceeded to Nashville the next morning. The luggage would be MIA for the next five days (eventually discovered at JFK). Worse, Valio had to argue for hours with incompetent and powerless Delta “customer service” agents for the $125 reimbursement on the terms of carriage. I got off somewhat easier with the top half of four outfits that ‘overflowed’ to my carry-on and a new understanding of the Bulgarian concept ‘Karuck’.
February 5th, 2010 at 12:14 am
I recently flew with my wife, 4 month old daughter, and 21 month old son to a tournament in Omaha, Nebraska. We decided to splurge and used miles to upgrade to first class. I don’t think kids under two are often rubbing elbows with the first class crowd. My son was upset and my wife tried to calm him down by giving him a wet wipe to “clean” his seat. Being angry he threw it and it landed on the laptop of the man two rows in front of us. The look of disgust on his face was powerful criticism of our location in first class. He picked it up with a two finger pincer and passed it back to me as I tried to explain it wasn’t full of poop or anything.
I promise not to try and use this bag to “carry on” my children.
February 5th, 2010 at 7:04 am
I went to Milwaukee in December. I parked my car at the airport and went and got my bag (big duffel thing with two wheels to roll) out of the trunk. It was heavy so I kinda plopped it to the ground rather than being gentle. Well, that plopping made one of the wheels collapse into its housing. (It was a $35 bag, clearly not stellar construction.) There was no way to resolve it. So I spent a lovely long walk to the check in desk dragging this heavy bag behind me limping on one wheel and a prayer. It was too heavy to pick up and carry a sustained distance. It was quite annoying and I had the lovely privelege of repeating this fun when I got to Milwaukee, and when I left Milwaukee (twice, due to weather cancelling our first flight out and delaying a day) and when I got back to CT. Hate that bag. Need a new one.
And where I’d go with it? Out to St. Louis in June to see my friend Bill!
February 5th, 2010 at 7:11 pm
Let’s seee….since I have never flown anywhere (on a big plane), I have no luggage horror stories. Except when we were 4.5 hours into the 6 hour drive the NE PA and I realized my bag did not contain snacks.
So I would use my suitcase to go to Las Vegas, maybe Jamaica…preferably on my honeymoon.
February 6th, 2010 at 9:19 am
This is short and crazy, but with a Samsonite Spinner, I’ll be able to navigate airport bathroom stalls much easier. The majority of these bathroom stalls were not built with luggage in mind. I often leave my bag outside the stall door, which places it at risk. With a Spinner, it’ll be much easier to roll the bag in sideways and then roll it into place right inside the door. It’ll still be a tight fit, but at least my bag will be with me at all times.
February 6th, 2010 at 10:22 pm
No luggage horror stories! Unless you count dragging a carry-on, diaper bag, stroller, snack bag, 6 year old, and an 8 month old all the way across the Dallas airport a horror story! This was before I knew luggage could have wheels (1986)! Thankfully, there was a college football team traveling on the same flight, and they helped schlep my luggage and my children to the connection!
I would use this bag, should I be fortunate enough to receive it, to visit my new grandson in Mississippi. For presents, of course!!!
February 6th, 2010 at 11:53 pm
I work at a school for the Blind in Vancouver, WA. Every Friday, I take about ten students to the airport so they can fly home for the weekend. You would think that by having to fly back and forth every week, these students would be pros at air travel. Yeah…not so much.
I had a twelve-year-old student last week come with his carry on bag and a large paper grocery sack full of random stuff he had accumulated over the past few months at school. Being visually impaired, he also had his white cane. After we got through security(which was no picnic, believe me) he asked if I would carry his paper bag for him. Ah-ha! Teaching moment! I told him that if he needed to take the bag home, he needed to figure out a way to do it himself. So, here I am walking down the terminal, getting dirty looks from people as I watch this blind kid fumbling with a roller bag, his cane and a clumsy paper sack. It was definitely a learning experience for him and a lesson to me to always make sure you can take care of your own luggage!
February 7th, 2010 at 10:00 am
I have gone through multiple crappy bags due to being too poor to put money into a good one, and wish I had the kind of money to afford that awesome Samsonite (especially since it comes in red, and is that a different pic or does it also come in PURPLE?!)! The last time I tried to fly and check a bag, the bag failed to survive the trip, and arrived both searched and covered in packing tape to hold it together, which was a privilege that i PAID FOR to check the bag in the first place. Since then I have gone to great lengths to avoid checking a bag.
I would love to take this bag to Ireland, where I am hoping to go to celebrate after I get my PhD. It would probably only be a week-long trip, and I’d love to see if I could do it without checking a bag. I would also LOVE this bag for all the professional conferences I have to go to, with that perfect sleeve for the laptop and the bag for toiletries!!
February 7th, 2010 at 10:31 am
Duct tape keepin luggage closed is not a very good fashion statement! A new Spinner would be perfect for our upcoming trip to Paris – where fashion is very important! After too many trips on airport conveyor belts my luggage is the worst for wear. Of course, if I win this new carry on, I’ll probably have to buy another for my husband. We’ve learned the hard way how importnat it is to carry extra clothes and underwear on board with you. Same outfit two days in Rome while my suitcase had its own site seeing trip! Meg, good info about traveling and interesting, too!
February 7th, 2010 at 11:01 am
My worst flying experience happened many years ago. I was flying into Midland, TX, and we came in during a major thunderstorm. What a ride! The gal sitting in the adjacent seat had put a death grip on my forearm, and I thought my arm was going numb. We landed safely, and there was no problem with luggage, but I could still see the fingernail marks on my arm two days later.
If I am the lucky winner, I will take this bag on my trip to AZ next spring where I go with a few friends to watch Spring Training baseball.
February 7th, 2010 at 11:28 am
While trying to get home from Montana to Pennsylvania for Christmas once a few years ago, I was trying to out run a predicted blizzard. Was able to change flights, make the 2 1/2 drive to the airport and get headed on home. What I could not do was grab my luggage at the baggage stand at the end of my flight. Some less then cpmpetent handler had tossed it on and sprung one of the braces… Down the track came various pieces of my clothing and a popped open suitcase. Ended up having to gather clothing, put in plastic bag and pack thru airport and rental car lot. Needless to say a new suitcase would have been appreciated then… or now
February 7th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
I used to fly to SF every Christmas, then from SF to Reno for the end of the year bridge tournament. The airline lost my luggage to Reno three years in a row. The most amusing!?! was when they grabbed to wrong tag and sent it to Rio. I was without my luggage for 5 days till they got it back to me. Now I carry on or fly Southwest – there’s a facebook group “I won’t pay fees for checked luggage” (or something like that), of which I am a member.
February 7th, 2010 at 3:26 pm
It is a beautiful suitcase and I am not accustomed to beauty for myself. It also appears to be functional and would probably go in the direction you wanted it to go instead of whatever random direction so many suitcases do when being pulled. So if I won I would give it to my daughter for Christmas or her birthday. She travels frequently for work and would enjoy it so much and would make me feel great doing something nice for her since she is a good daughter.
February 7th, 2010 at 4:39 pm
During one of the 15 moves we had while my husband was active duty Army involved I-10, New Mexico, a thunderstorm and cheap rope. We were driving on I-10 across New Mexico around midnight and a crazy thunderstorm came up. Our luggage was tied onto the luggage rack on the roof of the car. We kept on thru the storm arriving at our home outside Ft Huachuca, Az around 3 am. After carrying our 5 year old into his bed. We went back to the car for our luggage. It was gone. Only thing left was a bit of tattered rope. Our luggage disappeared during the thunderstorm, spread across southern New Mexico…helped by the 40 mile winds accompanying the storm! When we retraced our drive the next day all we found was a busted-up etch-a-sketch and one of my husband’s dress shirts caught on a barb wire fence.
February 8th, 2010 at 10:37 am
What a neat-looking suitcase! I would personally love all the pockets, and in particular, the laundry bag – since i always steal the plastic laundry bag from the hotel closet because i forget to pack my own dirty-clothes bag. The first trip i have planned this year is to New Orleans this summer for the NABC. If i could fit clothes for the week in it, that would be perfect!
February 9th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Luggage horror stories are common amongst those of us who carry the stereotype black bag. They all look the same, and unless you do something to distinquish yours from the rest of the pack, you’re very likely to lose it…as I did following a cruise. I thought I was smart, using the black and yellow crime scene tape to identify mine, but someone else had the same idea! Imagine their surprise. when after the cruise, they drove to Chicago before discovering they had pilfered someone else’s luggage AND DIRTY LAUNDRY!! Fortunately, I had my name on a luggage tag and inside the bag. I had already filed a claim with the cruise line, and was dreaming of all the new things I’d be buying, when my phone rang, and I heard a most apologetic woman explain how my bag had made it into the trunk of her car, thanks to her traveling companion who was told to get the black bag with the yellow tape on the handle! The luggage was returned, complete with dirty laundry. You’d have thought that the least she could have done was wash it first! Phew!!
February 10th, 2010 at 8:26 pm
This bag looks fabulous! I’d love to take it on my next trip. Nothing booked yet, but would love to go to Padukah for the biggest quilt show in the country! I’ve never had luggage get lost, but arriving home from Paris, my giant suitcase had the handle completely broken off! Thank goodness it was on this end, not on the Paris end.
February 11th, 2010 at 1:11 am
I would use the Spinner to go to Mexico for my daughter’s wedding next November. It would be great since I don’t even have a suitcase.
February 11th, 2010 at 10:36 am
I would take my new Samsonite to Minnesota in July, where I’ll be getting married to the love of my life!
All of my suitcases are cracked and fall apart into shabby plastic pieces, so a beautiful new Spinner would be the perfect wedding gift! 
February 11th, 2010 at 10:40 am
Since my current suitcase requires the use of a Flathead screwdriver to open (since the nifty combination lock is broken), a new suitcase would rock.
I suppose we’d use it on our next trip to visit family in California. Traveling with a 2.5-year-old can be hectic and having a no-nonsense suitcase like the Spinner would likely help a ton.
February 11th, 2010 at 5:05 pm
All I want is a piece of luggage that I can clip a laptop bag to. The one I have has a clip that falls off easily, particularly in the Westchester County Airport arrival at one point. I asked the baggage person to at least peek in the hold of the tiny airplane. No dice!
February 11th, 2010 at 9:31 pm
Once, I was traveling from San Pedro Sula to La Ceiba, Honduras. Though I generally prefer to keep my backpack with me, they insisted I put it underneath the bus in the luggage compartment. After a four-hour bus ride that included two rest stops, we arrive at the station… without my bag. I asked the people working and they made a few calls, and then one comes up to me and says it’s on a bus that’s right behind us and will be there any minute. Doubtful, but I have no other option but to wait. And wait. And wait. At this point, I’m already making a list in the notebook I had in my purse of the things I’ll be needing to replace. A full hour later, a bus pulls up and, lo and behold, there’s my bag underneath, just like nothing had happened.
February 12th, 2010 at 7:31 am
I would use my new Spinner to travel to Virginia. I live in WA state but have friends and family in VA whom I do not visit enough. With all that is going on in today’s world it is nice to know I have friends and family who care as much about me as they do. I would like to visit back to see them so I could let them know in person how much they mean to me.
February 12th, 2010 at 9:17 am
This story is about a poor choice of luggage. When I graduated from college many moons ago, my best friend and I went backpacking in Europe for the summer. I decided that ‘backpacking’ sounded like too much work, so I went to the store and bought a rolling duffle bag. I thought I was a genius. Why hump your luggage around when you can just wisk a roller though Europe?? This seemed like a great idea as my friend and I went though the airport and boarded our plane to Brussels. We unboarded the plane, collected our luggage and off we went.
I soon realized that part of the charm of historic European cities are the old cobblestone streets, dirt roads and charming stairs. Guess what? They’re not real big on elevators either. My rolling duffle bag soon became my albatross and the wheels broke off by our third week while we arrived in Heidelberg. Another realization: There are no superstores, no luggage stores, nowhere to purchase the coveted ‘backpack’ that my friend was so smugly hoisting around. Her backpack was like a big nylon bully, laughing at me from behind as I dragged my mangled duffle bag from the train station in Vienna.
I ended up finding a metal luggage roller cart that I bungeed my duffle bag to, to make it through the rest of the trip. I went through two of them. By the time we got to Venice…I thought I was going to die.
Sooo…I think I should win a Samsonite xSpace Spinner to celebrate lessons learned on selecting appropriate luggage when traveling!
February 17th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
After a charter flight to Cancun, everyone but us had retrieved their luggage and boarded the hotel bus. The bus was parked within view of the baggage carousel, and the impatient passengers all glared at us as we waited. When our bag finally appeared, it had two large gashes and was practically empty. A few minutes later, the carousel coughed up a tube of toothpaste and a pair of my underwear. The rest of our belongings followed, tossed on the conveyor belt one by one. No longer annoyed, our fellow passengers had broken out into gales of laughter, and eventually, we did, too.
Our next trip will be ten days in Alaska. It will be the first time we’ve taken a non-Southwest flight since the other airlines started charging for checked baggage fees. The Samsonite xSpace Spinner looks like a great solution for avoiding those greedy fees.
February 18th, 2010 at 7:05 am
Can I add that in addition to a trip with lost luggage, I also did a trip with 2 carryons to Vegas? One was a small wheeled carryon and the other? A breast pump.
The look I got as it went through the x-ray converted by the man running it was AWESOME. He was like, ‘what is THIS?’ I said, ‘a breast pump, do you want me to run it for you?’ He was still perplexed. It was great. (As an aside, I was able to successfully bring all of my pumped milk home with me and not be in pain for my flights).
Next trip is in August to Jamaica. Guess what I’ll be bringing as a carryon again?
February 23rd, 2010 at 6:09 pm
I rarely check luggage, so I rarely have problems, but I was in Europe when the whole gel-bomb plot was foiled. On our way back our luggage was searched at security, and we had to check it because of our toothpaste (and alcohol). Then we were searched AGAIN at the gate. Also, they wouldn’t let me bring the mini bottles I bought at duty free on the plane with me. Lame.
If I win, I’m bringing this luggage to four bridge tourneys in the next four months (at least).
February 25th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
[...] this weekend — share your travel horror stories (and read other hilarious contributions) here for your chance to win this awesome suitcase. I’ll pick a winner on [...]
February 27th, 2010 at 9:47 am
My current carry on bag is a success story waiting to turn into a disaster.
Back in 1997, my Grandpa got me and my sisters each a cheap little vinyl suitcase wheelie bag. He was on a budget, so I know my bag isn’t high quality, but I have relied on it for over 10 years of active travel. Every single trip I make, I carry this bag. 9 out of 10 flights, I carry it without checking any other bag. It has been wheeled for miles over sidewalks, through airports, into campgrounds, you name it. I’m not one to spend money on cabs, so the bag has come with me through train stations and down local streets in many cities and countries. It has been wheeled through the streets of London and Anchorage, been flown cross-country dozens of times, carried on cruise ships on 2 oceans, traveled from Philadelphia to Maine to Key West to Alaska, and stored in tents in 20 different states. At least.
But I live in fear. Any time, any place, the bag could self destruct. The zipper is becoming tempermental. The frame is bent slightly out of shape. And the wheels… the poor wheels… they are scratched and beaten and worn, and stuck with dirt and grass and gravel. They have survived more than a bag of this quality should survive.
I think my poor little bag needs to retire with dignity, before it has a breakdown when I need it most.
February 27th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
My worst nightmare was at LaGuardia when everyone else had made the transformation to wheels and I had not! I had completely overpacked with too much stuff–hanging bag, suitcase to check, carry-on, and purse all in the arms of a short middle aged woman. And to top it off, my plane was delayed and then cancelled so I had to sleep over in a dive of a place in New York. They did allow me to get ALL of my luggage which they don’t do any more. Anyway, after that trip, I knew I needed wheels. I have since purchased some cheap stuff which wears out. I have admired the Samsonite Spinner for some time, but have stuck with my falling apart cheap stuff. You do get what you pay for!
Next trip will be to the Adirondacks unless I sneak in a fun trip on the new train line that goes from Charlottesville to Washington. Wouldn’t that be fun with a new fancy suitcase?
February 27th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Worst luggage nightmare: I arrived in Bangladesh, my bags were stuck in Hong Kong. The problem is that Bangladeshi customs has a reputation (deserved or not) for, ahem, sticky fingers – so usually you want to get your hands on your bag as soon as possible. I had to leave the airport and wait until they called me, meaning that my bags would be out of my sight in the airport for hours. I don’t think anything was missing when I got them, though.
February 27th, 2010 at 7:52 pm
While traveling ALONE with my then 9 month old son my carry-on was absolutely destroyed. First, I had to get through security with multiple bottles of breast milk so that I didn’t have to attempt nursing on the plane. Actually had to open up one of the bottles and PROVE it was breast milk, then when the security gentlemen (only a Man would ask) put the bottle back he didn’t seal it correctly so leaked/spilled in the bag….so now I have a drippy bag. It gets worse…I had to change the boy at my seat because we were going through a patch of turbulence. Screaming baby is unaware of the “stay in your seat” rule…he wanted changed. Big bump, big poopy all over changing pad and onto edge of bag when I grabbed it before it fell on the floor. Thank goodness for the nice gentleman next to me who held the boy while I frantically tried to clean up him, myself and my bag. So, now I have a stinky, drippy bag (but at least a happy baby). Rest of the ride…uneventful…thank goodness. Finally, we get to our destination, the end is in sight…getting off the plane baby in one arm bag slung over the other. Shoulder strap gets looped on the arm rest as I am deplaning…about rips my shoulder off…and then rips the strap off. …So, to end the flight…1 frazzled mom, 1 happy baby and 1 strapless, stinky, drippy bag…
February 28th, 2010 at 9:03 pm
Where would I take the Samsonite xSpace Spinner first? That’s easy. To Honduras for the first project of The Global Citizen Project (http://globalcitizenproject.blogspot.com). It would get one heckuva one year workout!
February 28th, 2010 at 11:10 pm
Im think’in the beautiful xSpace Spinner wants to go to a beach not just any beach though, it wants to be at “spotters paradise.” So if I win I’ll be toting the perfect carry on with me all the way to St. Maarten. Wahoo!
March 1st, 2010 at 2:37 am
Hey Meg, I really like this carry-on… and I’ll take it to Peru on my next trip (maybe in July). Cheers!
March 6th, 2010 at 7:15 am
oops! If you see my other post I double posted by accident. In any case thanks for the info. I’ve tried to get my mind around this for a few days but haven’t had any luck ……. until your post. Now if I can figure out how not to delete my other post I’ll fill better. I’m definately a computer dufus haha