<p>I’ve never spent more than $50 on a large pullman suitcase. TJ Maxx and Marshalls and Kohls have good buys on luggage. Kohls has sales every so often on name brands.</p>
<p>I buy mine on remainder at Office Depot or at one of the closeout outlets. Never spend more than $25, and that way I can get a new one whenever I want (or the airline loses it).</p>
<p>I’m a Berra fan - I’m also realistic about what happens when one travels.</p>
<p>I’d recommend against the ‘two large suitcases’ given that you say she plans to travel extensively once over there. She’d be better off carrying just one smaller carry-on for her frequent travels so she can more easily handle it and if possible, carry it on so it doesn’t get misplaced during her travels. So maybe a carry-on wheeled suitcase and then a larger case or duffel that’d need to be checked. Of course, mayber her carry-on backpack would be adequate for her frequent trips.</p>
<p>My family of girls can travel for several weeks internationally with one carry-on size suitcase each. I carry an even smaller one but I’m a male. Most people way overpack and bring too much.</p>
<p>I also purchased luggage at eBags. The price, selection, and service was very good. We purchased ‘Ricardo’ which seem well constructed and aren’t too expensive. I’d refrain from buying expensive luggage regardless of the quality and guarantees since it’s probably more likely to ‘disappear’ at some point in time.</p>
<p>Dad, I understand what you are saying but she’s not going to be doing her short trips with the two big bags. When she went to Peru for 5 weeks she took her backpack and a duffel. She can figure out light packing for trips from China. I’m sure she can even buy a cheapo smaller rolling duffel there.</p>
<p>Think about it, if you were going to live in a foreign country for a year that has all four seasons, would you be able to put everything in just a suitcase and a backpack? Your second suggestion is exactly what I was looking for help on. She has one largish wheeled bag and I was looking for suggestions on a second one.</p>
<p>My problem is I tend to overthink things. I was at Kohls yesterday and had my hands on a nice Samsonite suitcase ( on sale) and was going to buy it but then when I looked more closely I saw that it was defective - two of the inner snaps were broken right off and the fabric was torn. So I thought, I’ll just order it on-line - they have a 99 cent shipping price with this weeks sale. I got home and that was it, once I got on-line I went to epinions and amazon and ebags for ratings, the Samsonite didn’t look like such a good deal… and THEN I came here. Back to ebags… </p>
<p>What do you mean disappear? We’ve had luggage misplaced at airports but it’s always been found within a week. Or do you mean lost to a child? Which would be the reason I want another suitcase for daughter - her brothers wouldn’t dare take her suitcase. Especially if it’s out of the country.</p>
<p>Yes, I could go to a different country with four seasons with one large suitcase and one carry on size bag (you know…the size the flight attendants use). And I would use the smaller one for any trips I was making. Also, for ease of carrying, very often those smaller carryon size bags strap onto a larger pullman and you just pull the one through the airport with the other strapped to it. Very easy. </p>
<p>And I also have had luggage disappear forever. It was not one of my best travel moments. And it’s another reason I always carry as much on the plane as I can.</p>
<p>I guess we lucked out. My husband has traveled everywhere from Beijing to Quito to Moscow to London and in between, most of his 25 year career in the oil and gas industry…and has never permanently lost a bag. As far as price/quality/benefit, each person has a different threshold for what makes a bag worth the cost. In our house, good wheels and tight turning radius are it…lol! We’ll pay the big bucks for good wheels and bag that doesn’t flip over when being pulled at a good clip through the airport.</p>
<p>kathiep:</p>
<p>I’m probably not the best person to ask the question of packing light since I’m a guy, don’t wear a suit unless I absolutely have to (and I haven’t worn one in years), and I pack lighter than anyone I know. I’d much rather wash clothes every now and then than lug several weeks worth around. The more I’ve traveled the less I’ve enjoyed lugging excess baggage with me so I really think through what I need.</p>
<p>For moving for a year, yes, she’ll need more clothing and since she’s female, I’m sure she’d need much more than me (I know there are some males who break this generality). I guess the only options are to carry with in luggage, ship it, or purchase at the destination.</p>
<p>I’ve traveled extensively all over the world and will admit that I’ve never had luggage disappear forever although I have had the airlines misplace it for a day or two but this experience is skewed since I rarely check luggage - again, I can easily go on 3-4 week trips with just a single carry-on bag. I have however, known people who have had their luggage disappear as well as have it broken into. I would just expect that more expensive luggage, assuming it’s obviously more expensive, would be more likely to be stolen.</p>
<p>ucdad - the worst is when you are traveling to several places and your luggage seems to be lagging about 48 hours behind you. My husband and an associate just returned from 3 days in Bogota. My husband’s luggage made it to Bogota with him, his associate’s did not. So they shared shirts for the duration, and on their way home as they were waiting in the Bogota airport, his associate noticed his bag behind a counter with a tag for delivery to the hotel where they had just checked out. He grabbed the bag and checked it for Houston…and held his breath. And that suitcase full of clean clothes did make it home with him.</p>
<p>When my daughter went to Africa last year I got her a wonderful bag from REI catalogue. It’s a sturdy duffle w/a lightweight frame and wheels, as well as a retractable handle. It was so sturdy, but since this place specializes in camping type gear, it was very light, sturdy and waterproof. It also stowed easily under her bed because it flattened. It took the wear and tear quite well. Well worth the money!</p>
<p>KathieP,
Before you make decisions check on the weight limits. For Asian travel I think that you can take 70 lbs/bag. That said, she might also have to be able to manage the luggage by herself without much help, so 70 pounds might be unrealistic. The LLBean rolling duffels have served us very well and hold up through rough international travel.</p>
<p>LL Bean or Lands End. Well testing and last a long time. One of the Land’s End fabrics is particularly lightweight and durable. There’s lots of detailed info. about the construction, capacity, weight etc. on their websites.</p>
<p>We often give as gifts, and try to give something other than black so they can be easily spotted among the unending parade of black bags.</p>
<p>Thanks for your suggestions everyone. I’m going to run them by daughter and let her decide. We have an LL Bean store about 10 minutes from my house so that would be easy enough to look at. And the Kohl’s sale ends Sunday!</p>
<p>Anitaw- She’s actually flying to and staying in Los Angeles for a few days before China so she’s going to have to go by US 50 pound limit.</p>
<p>Our D used an LLB rolling duffle for her 6 month trip to SE Asia and Australia.
Only used the large duffle in places where she was stationary, and for excursions, used a soft-side carry on duffle OR a backpack that was 50 kilos (I think). She tends to overpack, but was able to manage, plus buy souvenirs. She also used the strategy of elimination and dumped things along the way. Additionally, she waited til arrival in her longest term location to purchase cheap bedding/towels, etc which were ultimately discarded. </p>
<p>The LL Bean rolling duffle wasn’t the most expensive one out there but for her purposes, was great. If you were on a trip requiring constant travel with a rolling duffle, it would be better to have one that can stand on its own, however. This one didn’t do that so well when fully loaded.</p>
<p>I like the luggagebase.com website because it allows you to shop by “durability.” I also click by luggageonline.com because the site has a lot of comments by actual users on it.</p>
<p>From a mum who has had two sons go to China for three month stints three times:</p>
<p>One good sized backpack and one massive rolling duffle. Personally, I like the hockey bags from Sports Authority. They are super cheap, super durable and super recognizable on the baggage carousels in Asia ;). Other posters found some that were just as inexpensive.</p>
<p>Good backpack with hip straps and easy loading for weekend trips. The backpack will be too big to carry on. The airlines have a 7k/small briefcase limit now–and they are strict. Daypack with her valuables is a better carryon.</p>
<p>Actually, her backpack has traveled to two continents and a few places within the US within the last year. It’s an internal frame one, made for small women and she got it from the REI store. She hiked 40 miles in the Andes mountains with it so I think it’s pretty comfortable. ;)</p>
<p>Sounds great.</p>
<p>I ‘lost’ a duffle bag full of Christmas gifts in 2003. Luggage that travels around on it’s own for a few days is relatively common.</p>
<p>Look on the Lush (expat bar for students) website for advice on what to bring to China. <a href=“http://www.lushbeijing.com/guide/index.htm[/url]”>http://www.lushbeijing.com/guide/index.htm</a></p>
<p>I’d send toiletries but not linens. One rolling duffle and one backpack can go on the subways with one girl. Three pieces of luggage gets to be a lot to manage.</p>
<p>OK Fellow Luggage seekers. My son will be attending college in a big city in Europe next year. Most travel in Europe will be limited to 2…mabe 3 nights as he is truly living in the big city most of the time. If he takes something like a rolling duffel…he owns the Mother Lode jr, and leaves it and most of his belongings in his apt most of the time…anyone got a good recommendation on a good frameless backpack or small duffel with shoulder straps (won’t be hiking…will be hosteling)…for clothes and gear for a weekend trip? This backpack should be easy to stow on a plane or train under or over seats and small enough to be left on his back while walking in cities? </p>
<p>thanks…and hope kathie doesn’t think this is a hijack…she is looking for the ideal durable functional rolling duffel for China…</p>
<p>I did some flying on Chinese airlines this March. Be advised that the rules for luggage weights are different on internal flights than on international flights. I believe it is 40 lbs. One nice thing, however, is that they still feed you on Chinese airlines…(Love Chinese food but after 3 weeks of nothing but…)</p>
<p>I’ve been looking for a good rolling duffle for my daughter so this thread is great!</p>
<p>Thanks for the link Cheers! Hijack away Faline. I ordered the motherlode jr. a little bit ago. Now I’m worried about Novelisto’s mention of 40 lbs because I’m pretty sure she is flying Air China from LAX to Bejing. Never occured to me that they would ask for less then 50 lbs. :(</p>