I have had a bit of a luggage year - trying to get the right luggage. We had a LARGE triplite wheeler case and a small (might be just bigger than regulation) rollaboard. My suit bag was looking a little worse for wear so I bought a new one - nice and slim - before my first trip last year - Airport brand
. The upshot was a a main bag that was too heavy when full and a suit bag that was too small.
Just before my big rip last october I bought a new spinner case - A$110. As I landed into JFK the corner round one of the wheels got cracked and basically the bag became useless.
I now have a nice sized samsonite (black) spinner that I am very happy with. Just the right size and can hold a decent 30kgs (where appropriate). Although its black it is shiny enough that I can easily recognise it. It is a bit scratched but I am working on the principle that the average person flies say twice a year and their bags should last them 10 years - so 20 flights. On my last trip the bag went through 18 flights alone so if I can get say 50 flights a year out of it for two years I think that is enough.
I am now trying to sort hand luggage. On my short trips (single flights or multiple short flights of less than 4 hours thus not wanting to shower) I am taking my over-the-shoulder laptop bag by HIDESIGN - it forces me to travel light and fits neatly my laptop, power, comics, notebooks (work and trip reporting) and a couple of other things. For my DONE4s (or anything with multiple flights over 4 hours) I will take my rollaboard - but I am now scouting for a new one. It has to be regulation but now hold normal gear plus changes of underwear and shirts - a new quest for me (and yet more explaining at home
)