Flight Bags

I loved my sea to summit dry bag backpack for what I was doing on the Lear, but it’s not the right bag for the 121 thing I think.
 
Ok, so I've been noticing a never-ending stream of FOs who show up with Briggs & Riley bags. My metal-framed LuggageWorks has been getting progressively more ragged over the last thirteen years, and I thought I'd give it a try.

Mine arrived Friday, and I'm on my first trip with it.
What am I missing?????
It feels flimsy. Like, really, really flimsy. The handle flexes and flops all over the place and feels plastic.
The wheels don't roll as smoothly as the LW roller wheels with roller bearings. In fact, they make a horrible humming noise and start to add a ton of drag as I get "on the step."
There is no kickplate, so mounting curbs feels like the whole thing is going to fall apart.
It doesn't maneuver well. My LuggageWorks is way heavier, but maneuvers incredibly nimbly by comparison. In fact, putting my "spicy bag" on it makes it feel like a dump truck.
It doesn't fit more than my LW. The compression thing is gimmicky, relative to the LW's ability to just stretch out to take whatever I stuff in it.
It feels very "luxury"—that is, made with cheap components but a pretense of glamor.
Honestly, it feels like a travelpro.

Everything is plastic on it. I already have red scuffing all over the bottom of the handle holders from going up a curb.

What on earth? I could have bought three LW bags for the price of this thing after my flight crew discount. I don't really care that it has a lifetime warranty if it sucks.

Is this thing going to break in? Can I replace the wheels with roller wheels like the LW?

Why do people like this thing??
 
🦈💜 said:
Ok, so I've been noticing a never-ending stream of FOs who show up with Briggs & Riley bags. My metal-framed LuggageWorks has been getting progressively more ragged over the last thirteen years, and I thought I'd give it a try.

Mine arrived Friday, and I'm on my first trip with it.
What am I missing?????
It feels flimsy. Like, really, really flimsy. The handle flexes and flops all over the place and feels plastic.
The wheels don't roll as smoothly as the LW roller wheels with roller bearings. In fact, they make a horrible humming noise and start to add a ton of drag as I get "on the step."
There is no kickplate, so mounting curbs feels like the whole thing is going to fall apart.
It doesn't maneuver well. My LuggageWorks is way heavier, but maneuvers incredibly nimbly by comparison. In fact, putting my "spicy bag" on it makes it feel like a dump truck.
It doesn't fit more than my LW. The compression thing is gimmicky, relative to the LW's ability to just stretch out to take whatever I stuff in it.
It feels very "luxury"—that is, made with cheap components but a pretense of glamor.
Honestly, it feels like a travelpro.

Everything is plastic on it. I already have red scuffing all over the bottom of the handle holders from going up a curb.

What on earth? I could have bought three LW bags for the price of this thing after my flight crew discount. I don't really care that it has a lifetime warranty if it sucks.

Is this thing going to break in? Can I replace the wheels with roller wheels like the LW?

Why do people like this thing??
Click to expand...
Seems like a designer bag. Is it perhaps some odd thing your company offers a discount for with new hires?
 
🦈💜 said:
Honestly, it feels like a travelpro.

Everything is plastic on it. I already have red scuffing all over the bottom of the handle holders from going up a curb.

What on earth? I could have bought three LW bags for the price of this thing after my flight crew discount. I don't really care that it has a lifetime warranty if it sucks.
Click to expand...

I have one, and the LW. It's like a travelpro, but it has the lifetime warranty. Which is important, because I've needed to use that warranty every few years. Which also means that you need a second bag, because it will be gone for a few months while they fix it.

I'm using the B&R right now. Only because I'm in Europe, and they weigh cabin luggage. The LW is overweight before you put anything in it. The B&R is better for vacation luggage.
 
drunkenbeagle said:
I have one, and the LW. It's like a travelpro, but it has the lifetime warranty. Which is important, because I've needed to use that warranty every few years. Which also means that you need a second bag, because it will be gone for a few months while they fix it.

I'm using the B&R right now. Only because I'm in Europe, and they weigh cabin luggage. The LW is overweight before you put anything in it. The B&R is better for vacation luggage.
Click to expand...
That's ... definitely not the vibe I got from the people who were singing its praises.

In my case, leisure travel is a thing I literally can't do. (I do not get vacation or more than three days off at a time)

I feel like I've seen so many recommendations for this bag—are professional pilots really just recommending leisure travel luggage?
 
I carried B&R for 10 years before I did this job and after carrying LW and Paradox I’m back to B&R. I’d be using Paradox were it not for 1-2 UX issues that I wish they’d solve.

1) when I’m not in uniform, it doesn’t scream “Pilot”. I like this.

2) it’s very, very light. I huck mine on and off the NYC subways and buses regularly and the lighter weight is a godsend. Especially since I’m usually also hauling a cooler bag with it.

Other reasons:

The strap allows me to vary height. This is useful because various accessory/cooler bags have various handle lengths and the strap lets me set ideal tension/height vs a J hook.

I don’t find the compression gimicky at all.

Dunno. I like it.
 
I've had mine for 8 years, thought similar but it's still kicking. Changed the wheels once after rolling through a hotel carpet that was being cleaned and it seized the wheels overnight. If I had a jetbridge I wouldn't mind my LW. Climbing a flight of stairs with it every time is annoying.
 
My Strong Bags is starting to show its age, so I thought about pivoting to the flight attendant special, the Travel Pro, because I wanted something lighter with more storage. Over $400. No thanks.
 
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