I just bought this carry-on, the 22" Essential expandable, from Briggs and Riley based solely on their lifetime warranty and the feature-set I was looking for in a bag.
I’ve suffered too many times with loose or damaged castors, wonky expandable handles, straps that break when cinched, and ZIPPERS - like, the one part of the entire bag that really, really needs to work!
I will be using it for the first time next month so I’ll be able to offer my opinion on the bag then.
Anyone else already have one and care to share their experiences?
ETA: I forgot about their sustainability efforts: check out https://www.briggs-riley.com/pages/our-sustainability-efforts.
Again, not offering an opinion on use of the bag just yet, just passing along their information.
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I’ve been using a Briggs and Riley (checked bag)since 2006 for quarterly business trips (including overseas: it’s been to England, Ireland, India, France, Norway, Russia). Still going strong, nothing’s ever broken.
I think it was ~$350 when I bought it. I just looked, and the equivalent model now goes for $750. God-damn, inflation’s a bitch.
I’ve only ever heard good things about Briggs and Riley bags, but here’s my take on it:
They’re a low key fashion brand. A $700 piece of luggage is a splurge, no matter how nice it is. If it gets replaced 2 or 3 times under warranty, it’s probably the last bag you’ll ever buy – but a nice Travelpro should last equally as long, you’ll just be buying replacements instead of getting warranty replacements.
This is all dependent on how often you use it, of course. This community isn’t about buying the cheapest thing or the most economical thing, so B&R fits the bill, especially if you travel often.
But to reiterate, I’ve only ever heard good things. They are good bags, and having a good bag is super important if you travel often.
I also want to point out how ridiculous this picture is. Nobody is hand stitching these bags… C’mon!
- Used almost monthly for mostly carry-on. Only two issues - the expansion is a little wonky like it got pushed from the side while expanded so one side is stronger/ tighter than the other - one zipper pull is bent and I’m waiting for that to break to take it in.
Bought one of these in 2014, used it for a few years until it got stolen by airport staff. Bought the same model again. It’s a reliable bag.
I use my B&R bags aaalot and they’re awesome. Money well spent
Sounds like what you really need is a Peli case. Lifetime warranty, tough to survive the apocalypse, and half the price.
I use those for my ham radios and other equipment. Great for that stuff, but a bit heavy for the carry-on I would think. Maybe I’m wrong.
The empty Peli is about the same weight as Samsonite and Briggs-Riley hardshell bags of the same size. 9-12lbs depending on internals.
I bought mine back in 2017 and i’ve taken it on several international trips with no issues. I take good care of my things though.
