<p>I have a Nautica carryon. I like it…but it is much larger than my Travelpro, one of the reasons I got a new one. Also the Nautica weighs quite a bit more than the Travelpro.</p>
<p>I paid $50 at the travelpro outlet. I wish i could ship to everyone on CC. </p>
<p>“Nautica makes some really quality luggage sets for a reasonable price!”</p>
<p>Alas, D’s Nautica’s bag did not survive its first and only trip - to Asia. This one lasted for more than just a few trips, and this was the lightest bag I have ever bought:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.itluggage.com/products/Worlds-Lightest-1”>http://www.itluggage.com/products/Worlds-Lightest-1</a></p>
<p>I would highly recommend buying just one rolling piece of carry on luggage, preferably from Costco, where you can easily return if you don’t want it for any reason or it breaks for ANY reason. Buying sets of luggage is not so practical and in our family we only travel with wheeled carry ons. We travel about 25,000 or more miles a year, S travels about 100,000 or more miles per year. </p>
<p>The best thing any person can learn is how to travel light with a small wheeled carry on that could be checked and a small personal piece (like a small backpack or soft briefcase). It is great to be able to get up and go and always have your luggage fit any vehicle. We have never had use for multiple pieces of luggage. </p>
<p>It is h a rd to put too much weight on the small rollaboards, so you don’t have to worry about going over the 50 pound weight limit of many airlines. S loves not having to worry about lost luggage or if he opts to catch an earlier flight. </p>
<p>It is so sweet of you to gift this young person. </p>
<p>Best use of the 5+ piece luggage sets my brother and I have are for hauling our stuff back and forth from our dorm and home. I’ve been able to bring three weeks worth of laundry in the large suitcase. Who knew they could fit so many clothes?! </p>
<p>D1’s Nautica made it through several long trips. I think you look at size based on need. If she goes off to study abroad for a semester, you may not worry about excess weight charges (though they seem to keep going up, depending.) You’d want big enough for 3 months, with room to bring some purchases home. Maybe she’ll need a coat or boots. It helps to see these in person, so you visually anticipate (reasonably, of course.) </p>
<p>D1 had a large, a medium small (shorter trips), then the backpack (shortest trips and carry on.) You want a light enough construction to move luggage around, but sturdy. If it’s a gift, she may like to see them in person- and the colors. My D’s and I also have wheelie totes in a color that makes identifying them in baggage a breeze.</p>
<p>If you and she want this to be something for much later, eg, future job interviews, then go for a weekender and garment bag, something special. Agree not all have to match, but there are times in life when it’s nice if the main two pieces do. </p>
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<p>Many non-US-based airlines have carry-on weight limits of 7kg or so in economy class. A wheeled rollaboard can consume a significant portion of such a weight limit even when empty.</p>
<p>You need to determine what you will be using the luggage for. My kids each received a large (25 inch) lightweight bag and a roll-aboard (20 inch) for graduation. Both of them live quite a distance from home (we live in UK) so use the larger one for visits home. My S has found that it is a great dirty laundry bag for trips home! The smaller one is fine for weekend/shorter trips in the US. </p>
<p>That being said, S also has a larger suitcase (28 inch) - lovingly called “the trunk”. He is a singer and frequently goes on trips for 3-4 weeks and it holds all clothes and has room for 1 or 2 suits. And, traveling in Europe, we’ve discovered that we need a smaller carry-on for Easyjet (50 cm). So, you really need to figure out requirements before you buy anything. </p>
<p>We like soft-sided, spinner types. Some of the newer ones are quite lightweight. </p>
<p>DH used to have a Costco carry-on. It was well made BUT as just a smidge too big for many of teh overhead compartments, and too often had to get gate checked. We returned it. I think IIRC it claimed to be 22 inches but was 23. <a href=“Kirkland 22" Carry On (new design) - FlyerTalk Forums”>http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-products/1134813-kirkland-22-carry-new-design.html</a></p>
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<p>It looks like they are coming back! We’ll see if the new suitcases are as good as old ones. If they are I’ll be the first in line to get one.</p>
<p>Re study abroad…my kid did it. They had laundry facilities. He didn’t take THREE months worth of clothing with him. My daughter was in the Peace Corps for two years. She did NOT take two years worth of clothing with her. She took two weeks worth…and washed them.</p>
<p>I think the biggest issue with luggage is being able to handle it without assistance. The Oeace Corps, for example, did a good job of explaining that the volunteers needed to move their own “stuff” around. My kid chose two 24 inch suitcases, and an internal farm backpack that fit carry on specs. That backpack was her carryon. She was able to wear the backpack, and pull each 24 inch bag with one hand. </p>
<p>She had friends who wished they had done this. Some had large duffles, and one smaller bag. The unevenness of dragging these made it difficult to do. Plus, the duffle ended up being over packed, and cost some of them $200 for excess weight charges (international).</p>
<p>I think the gift of luggage is really a nice one. Any chance the gift giver could schedule a nice date with the graduate…lunch perhaps, and shopping for luggage? That way, the student would have some ability to try different bags.</p>
<p>My daughter and I spent a full day going from place to place to find lightweight, manageable luggage. We looked at Macys, Kohls, TJMaxx, Marshall’s, and online. After all of the looking, we purchased at Macys. They always seem to be having some kind of sale. We got High Sierra Suitcases that weighed 3 pounds. Very durable, and very nice in terms of pockets. I don’t think the 24 inch is made any longer. Too bad. </p>
<p>DD picked out a burnt orange color. Another consideration IS the color. Some folks actually like black. Some like purple, red, blue or green. It would be nice if the recipient got to have a hand in the color choice too.</p>
<p>So…I vote for a “suitcase outing”.</p>
<p>Ha, I purposely left “big enough for 3 months” up to anyone’s discretion. D1 took a 26 and a 28 for 10 months, but needed winter clothes. (No heat in her house or where she worked.) I tend to travel light, myself. </p>
<p>I think many of us are describing luggage that is light, takes wear and tear. My girls’ general luggage was gifts from Grandma, who bought on some deep sale, the sort that is much more utilitarian than special. I think, if we’re talking a hs grad gift, I’d steer mine to a nice weekender and garment bag, something she could use into her working years. Whether it’s LL Bean or something else, I’d be thinking about the longer term.</p>
<p>Note also that US legacy airlines are reducing the maximum allowed size carry-ons to 22x14x9. Some bags are 15" wide and won’t be allowed. International flights are somewhat smaller. </p>
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<p>You mean it has dishonest stated measurements, like this?</p>
<p><a href=“SFGATE: San Francisco Bay Area News, Sports, Culture, Travel, Food and Drink”>SFGATE: San Francisco Bay Area News, Sports, Culture, Travel, Food and Drink;
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<p>For checked baggage, a color other than black can be more easily identified in and less easily taken by mistake from a sea of black suitcases.</p>
<p>Anecdote. My husband and I had identical luggage we got as high school graduation gifts. Sears brand hard plastic…vintage 1970 ish. His was grey and mine was blue. Given to us by our parents. We each had one large suitcase, one small suitcase, and a carryon. Mine was a tote. I forget what DH had.</p>
<p>My husband used his whole “set” one time…and that was to move from another country to this one for college.</p>
<p>I should add…husband traveled very extensively from place to place on his first job. He bought himself a duffle with a shoulder strap. (No wheeled stuff back then)</p>
<p>I never used anything in my set but the tote. </p>
<p>Both large suitcases resided in our attic for years until I got a dumpster and we tossed them in with no regrets.</p>
<p>Neither of us liked the luggage, and both of us would have loved hand in deciding what we needed.</p>
<p>I’m sure our parents spent a pretty penny for our “sets” of luggage. </p>
<p>Point being…I think the recipient should have a hand in choosing this very generous gift. Thus the suggestion for a suitcase buying outing.</p>
<p>I agree @thumper1. I’m not sure if dear friend will have the time or patience for such a trip. She is more of a credit card over the phone type of person. I will mention a luggage shopping trip. She may be open to it.</p>
<p>In that case, I would take daughter out shopping. She could e-mail the friend her favorite choices, and let friend make final decision.</p>
<p>Even if you have a black bag, you can always adorn it with distinguishable ribbons or the like. </p>
<p>For my trip, although my bag was mainly black, the bright university colors set my bag apart. </p>
<p>NewHaveCTmom, this is the exact same situation I’m in. As I mentioned upthread, a dear relative has made this offer for all my kids and my last one just graduated high school. I take them shopping and help them think through what they want and will work best for their needs and, in our case, I actually buy and pay for it and dear relative sends me a check. I suggest you and your d look around together and let her decide. The $$ range is so wide, though, that it’s helpful to have a sense of the budget.</p>