Hard-sided Suitcases

[RLL]

Take a look at Nanuk. I’ve had a carry on the the last 5 years that’s become about all I use. Good wheels, handle/frame, and the latch system is foolproof and won’t open accidentally.

 

[Russ16]

I haven’t used their hard sided versions but I have about a million miles on my Briggs & Riley roll aboard. Had one warranty issue about 5 years ago and they fixed it immediately. The lifetime warranty is real.

 

[SETH RINGER]

GUESS I'M THE ONLY DUMMY THAT BUYS AMAZON BASICS FOR $95 USES THEM FOR A TRIP OR THREE, GIVES THEM AWAY AND GETS NEW ONES. NO PROBLEMS YET.

 

[BeeMaa]

GUESS I'M THE ONLY DUMMY THAT BUYS AMAZON BASICS FOR $95 USES THEM FOR A TRIP OR THREE, GIVES THEM AWAY AND GETS NEW ONES. NO PROBLEMS YET.

Buy one Pelican and you would be set for the next 40 trips if not a lifetime. Buy once, cry once.

 

[sureshot375]

I am also using the pelican air. I really like it in combo with packing cubes.

The only drawback back is you never know if it’s coming out with the suitcases or at oversized baggage.

I have also noticed pelican has a new luggage line.

Pelican ATX

I’d be curious if anyone has laid eyes on the ATX line. I’m not sure the spinner wheels are worth the extra weight.

 

[Tanks]

I have both the aluminum Rimowa and Pelican Air. I use Rimowa for regular travel and Pelican Air with cubes for African hunting or adventure trips.

After about 15 international trips my Rimowa did need to be serviced as after all the airline abuse it was getting difficult to close. $75 took care of it and they also got rid of all the dings.

 

[Rimbaud]

Rimowa is the way to go. Used Tumi for years, but the quality has declined since the Samsonite acquisition. Lufthansa also makes its own line of luggage that is v good. I bought one of the aluminum carry-on rollers at Munich Airport and it was 1/3 the price of Rimowa, and likely has an edge on Rimowa because it is well thought out.

 

[ryno111]

Rimowa is hard to beat...but also check out Sterling Pacific.

 

[miket1]

I bought a Pelican Air specifically for my first safari a couple of weeks ago. It arrived in Namibia with one of the lock holes destroyed and my ammo case and camera gone. Kinda pissed me off.

 

[BeeMaa]

I bought a Pelican Air specifically for my first safari a couple of weeks ago. It arrived in Namibia with one of the lock holes destroyed and my ammo case and camera gone. Kinda pissed me off.

I'm sorry for the loss of your ammo and camera, but locks only exist to keep honest people honest. It doesn't matter what kind of case you have or locks you put on it, if they want in...they will get in. Or they will just take the bag and do it at their leisure. We are all at risk of this anytime we travel, not just with firearms. Having insurance helps but it won't replace the sentimental value that we sometimes put on items that could end up being stolen.

 

[Travis2282]

Red oxx skytrain soft side carryon and pelican air 1615 checked bag for me.

 

[GuttormG]

GUESS I'M THE ONLY DUMMY THAT BUYS AMAZON BASICS FOR $95 USES THEM FOR A TRIP OR THREE, GIVES THEM AWAY AND GETS NEW ONES. NO PROBLEMS YET.

Not so nice when one them fails on trip no2 and your stuff come out on 2-3 meters of the conveyor

 

[Nyati]

Old Samsonite, or Delsey, before the zipper craze.

 

[steve white]

I am also using the pelican air. I really like it in combo with packing cubes.

The only drawback back is you never know if it’s coming out with the suitcases or at oversized baggage.

I have also noticed pelican has a new luggage line.

Pelican ATX

I’d be curious if anyone has laid eyes on the ATX line. I’m not sure the spinner wheels are worth the extra weight.

My petite wife demands easy to push spinner wheels. They seem to get harder to push with age, and then we buy new. Would be interested to know if the wheels on the Pelican ATX can easily be replaced WHEN they go out, otherwise, it will soon become my clunker.

 

[Franco]

I’ve had Rimowa Aluminum for over 25 years. It’s been all over the planet with me. And it’s repairable. That is the old style Rimowa made in Germany. It was the standard issue to to pilots and flight crews. IBM used them for hard drives, hasseblad made camera cases. But then LVMH bought them and they are now a style not a tool. I am leary of the new stuff, made in Canada. There is a large secondary market for the old stuff.

Today I’d go pelican as @BeeMaa suggests. I miss the old Rimowa and Haliburton Zero. Best stuff ever in its day.

I know what you mean about the old Halibuton Zeros. I still have some from the 70's. I worked for a company flying Rock bands and those aluminum cases were everywhere. Much heavier construction than the new ones, and you could send them in for repair.

In 30 plus years with the airline I had 1 carry-on, 1 kitbag, and 1 briefcase - all Halibuton. I still use them, it's the checked bags which suffer the most abuse. It seems the external locks sustain the most damage, and where the old ones could take a punch - the new ones are down for the count.

Hopefully my new Rimowa will be up to the task.

 

[Russ16]

I’ve had a Zero Haliburton for nearly 30 years that’s my breakdown shotgun flying case. It’s been all over the world. I regularly scour eBay looking for another one. Best case ever with combo and key locks built in.

 

[rookhawk]

I'm not a pelican guy per se, I don't use them for international travel because I don't think they wear very well for rifle use over the long-haul. Perhaps for checked luggage or roll-aboard they'll be better. My biggest complaint about pelicans is the hinge pins are actually just nails and they do wear out and fall out with heavy use. However...

For domestic use, I have two pelicans from their Vault line. The vault lineup is about half the price and identical quality to the other lines except for two details: 1.) Made in Mexico, Not USA, 2.) One year warranty, not a lifetime warranty. I have one of their double shotgun cases I use for a bow, and I have a roll-aboard I keep all my household emergency preparedness items inside. A good value for $99-$150.