Luggage

jdflight

Well-Known Member
What kind of rollaboards do you all use? I need to get something and I'm trying to find the right piece, especially since I'm broke!
 
When the time comes, I'm going to get the Kirkland ballistic nylon one at Costco. Lifetime warranty. Anything breaks, you take it back, they give you a new one. Cost: <$100.

Everybody else is going to tell you to get a Purdy Neat Stuff bag, but they're all well over $200.
 
With the Purdy Neats, you get what you pay for. I've never heard of anyone ever having to replace theirs.

Now TravelPros on the otherhand...........P-O-S! I destroyed two at Eagle, finally replacing it with a hard-side Samsonite. Which I love and still have. (Though the rollerblade wheel conversion is a necessity.) When I went to AA new-hire school and they gave me a standard company-issue TravelPro, I gave it to Bill. He's not quite as rough on luggage as I am. But still he's destroyed two previous TravelPros (okay, one he ran over with his car, but that's another story) and even this new one has had to be in twice for service.

TravelPros suck.
Samsonites (hardside) are better.
Purdy Neats are top-of-the-line.
 
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When the time comes, I'm going to get the Kirkland ballistic nylon one at Costco. Lifetime warranty. Anything breaks, you take it back, they give you a new one. Cost: <$100.

Everybody else is going to tell you to get a Purdy Neat Stuff bag, but they're all well over $200.

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I have met so many crew that have busted and taken back that Costco bag! One Capt did it 5 times! I paid $220 for my Timberland, but it has a rotating handle and some pretty tough wheels, so I think it was worth it.

Travel Pro? Crap. Any crew that I have flown with that had a broken bag, it was a Travel Pro. The retractable handles seem to be their weak link- they get stuck.
 
Yup, TravelPro... mmm... not so good. In the last five years I've gone through two Kirkland, one Sam's Samsonite, and two TravelPros! My second is about on its last leg (or should I say wheel?)- good thing I got in while they were still available with the uniform allotment.

Still not willing to fork out the $280 for the Purdy Neat bag. ..
 
One bag per year costing at least $100 per bag?! Why doesn't it seem worth it to dish out the cash for the Purdy Neat?

Chris, is there any way for me to get on the SW website before class so I can look at the things I'm supposed to choose from on the first day?
 
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One bag per year costing at least $100 per bag?! Why doesn't it seem worth it to dish out the cash for the Purdy Neat?

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With the Costco bag, it's a one-time expense; "lifetime warranty" means you break it, they replace it for free. At that point, who cares if you go through one every year? You're still only out the original $100.
 
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One bag per year costing at least $100 per bag?! Why doesn't it seem worth it to dish out the cash for the Purdy Neat?

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With the Costco bag, it's a one-time expense; "lifetime warranty" means you break it, they replace it for free. At that point, who cares if you go through one every year? You're still only out the original $100.

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They have different warranties for crew members, at least Travel Pro does. And that warranty thing is bull, luggage warranty is different. It is only for defective material, not wear and tear.

Shell out the extra money for the Purdy Neat Stuff.
 
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One bag per year costing at least $100 per bag?! Why doesn't it seem worth it to dish out the cash for the Purdy Neat?

Chris, is there any way for me to get on the SW website before class so I can look at the things I'm supposed to choose from on the first day?

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None of the bags I bought were more than $30! The TravelPro bags came from the company store. We've since changed uniform vendors and they don't carry luggage.

Until you're entered into the Skywestonline system, there's no way to access the information on there. When you come to class they'll let you know everything you need plus the order forms to get them.
 
That's just it. They've already sent the forms, so I know what I need. I just can't access it to look at options on things like luggage.

And hey, I'm sure we'd all love to buy a Purdy Neat. But I'm a starving CFI who isn't going to get paid for five weeks during training. I still have rent to pay. I still have loans in repayment, and I still have credit card and cellphone bills. I'm already going to be out $500 for the bare minimum required purchases. That doesn't take into account extras or upgrades. Another $300 for a bag just isn't feasible.
 
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But I'm a starving CFI who isn't going to get paid for five weeks during training. I still have rent to pay. I still have loans in repayment, and I still have credit card and cellphone bills. I'm already going to be out $500 for the bare minimum required purchases. That doesn't take into account extras or upgrades. Another $300 for a bag just isn't feasible.

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Is this much different than a 1st year FO? Let the starving continue!!!!
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That's just it. They've already sent the forms, so I know what I need. I just can't access it to look at options on things like luggage.

And hey, I'm sure we'd all love to buy a Purdy Neat. But I'm a starving CFI who isn't going to get paid for five weeks during training. I still have rent to pay. I still have loans in repayment, and I still have credit card and cellphone bills. I'm already going to be out $500 for the bare minimum required purchases. That doesn't take into account extras or upgrades. Another $300 for a bag just isn't feasible.

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Delivering pizzas a couple nights a week for the next 8 to 10 weeks ought to cover it.

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I dunno, I've had two TravelPros and both are holding up well. My first has three zippers broke, that's it. The second is fine minus a little bit sticky handle. Just gotta push it down, not let it drop nicely.

I should also make it clear that I live out of my rollaboards.
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Purdy Neat Stuff bags are very solid bags. So solid in fact that I have learned to loathe them while getting them on and off the plane. After cracking yourself in the shins and knees a few times, that solid metal frame is just a bit too solid. It doesn't budge a bit. As the ol' saying goes, "that's going to leave a mark ".
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What's the deal with everyone having problems with the TravelPro?? I bought one in 1999 and it's still in great condition - the only thing wrong with it is the frabic is starting to fray on one of the corners and exposing the metal wire. It's been thru regional hell on the Dash and CRJ, then an easier corporate life for 2 years then back to the CRJ. I've never broken any zippers, handles, wheels, or anything else - the Purdy Neat is an awesome suitcase but why spend all of that money - I'd buy another Travel Pro anytime.

Jason
 
TravelPros have notorious handle problems. They get stuck all the way in, or, worse, they get stuck all the way out! The locks fail to hold the handle in OR out.

The wheels get sticky and don't want to turn, the rollerblade wheel conversion helps somewhat, but doesn't completely eliminate the problem.

The fabric wears & frays, especially with repeated tosses in & out of cargo 1 on the ATR.

The zipper pulls come off, sometimes breaking the O-part that holds them on so you can't even put a key ring on it to make the zipper useful.

Sorry, but Bill and I have gone through 5 TravelPros between us, and we'll never pay money for another one.
 
The guy at the Stopover Store in IAH was talking about the TravelPro handle problem yesterday, he thinks it is a design problem. He does repairs and is quite busy.

The Purdy Neat is the best bag I've used, and I highly recommend it.
 
I'm with Aloft on this one-- a inexpensive bag with a decent warranty will get you through. It's true that most warranties only cover defects, but most rollaboard problems ARE defects. The wheel broke? Hey man, it's a defect. Handle dosen't open/close? Defect. Zipper? Defectnizzle. Fo shizzle. 90% of the time a talk with a customer service rep will end in either a replacement bag or a free repair. How do they know you're an airline pilot unless you tell them? Why give them an excuse to refuse a repair?

I got my bag for under $40. Even if I have to buy a new one every year, which I doubt, I'll go for 7 years before I hit the cost of a PurdyNeat bag.

In then end, folks are divided into two camps on this one: One telling you to get the best, most expensive bag you can, and the other telling you to get cheap crap that'll get the job done. If you've got the money, go for the expensive crap. If you're a broke-ass 1st year FO or a CFI, consider Ross or TJMaxx as an alternative.
 
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