Suitcases have a max 2 trip usage limit!

My case from 2004 is still going strong, pretty well used

Never hand a suitcase break. What are you doing with them? 😂 I still have suitcases from when I travelled and lived abroad in my early/mid 20s (so they are at least 20 years old now). Dh and I did an international move with them in early 30s, so packed up all my earthly possessions in them, including my wedding dress (we got married 3 months after moving). They’ve been used in 4 house moves since and one of them is currently storage for unused linens.

They’ve aren’t any fancy brand, just whatever big cheap suitcase I could get from whatever department store 20 years ago.

I mostly use a big rucksack now for travel (Osprey) and that has also gone all over with me, done a Camino, many trekking holidays and 10 years later, still going strong for weekly use for walking or trips to the beach.

Ive had my samsonite for maybe 20 years. To be fair, these days I mainly travel with my backpack due to the restrictions.

Mines from primark and now 5 years old!!!

it’s done 3 trips a year at least! Not always by car either - we’ve done plane and train.

That is my favourite type. They work best when walking around towns - cobbled streets and up and down pavements.

The spinner type wheels work best when moving around airports and other buildings with flat surfaces.

Our American Tourister ones have been absolute shit. Broken wheels, broken handles…DO NOT recommend!

I used to think like that until I had a string of bad luck with my checked luggage. All Samsonite hardside cases that were cracked/corners broken off/wheels broken off after being checked. The bags weren't overloaded (made that mistake once) and just went from the car to the airport to another car.

I now only travel with soft side duffels now and so far so good.

You need to put in a complaint with the airline then.

Our suitcases are years old and have always survived being chucked around by the conveyor belt and handlers at the airport. One is soft and the others are hard shell.

I have only just got rid of a hard shell Samsonite one which my parents bought in 1975 just prior to my birth. It has survived all sorts - during the ten years when I was at boarding school each term's return trip from southern Africa to the UK started and ended with a 100km trip on dirt roads in the back of a pickup and almost always involved transit at both Johannesberg and Heathrow (both of which are tough on luggage). As an 11 year old I even sledged down a snow-covered hillside in northern England in it, with a friend in the other half.

Agree they don't make 'em like they used to.

Mine are fairly cheap ones, from M&S I think but I’ve had them so long I can’t remember! My large one has flown to China, Canada, Austria, Crete twice and the US three times. I am just about to pack it for another trip to the US. Maybe I’ve just been lucky with the baggage handlers!

We’ve had Samsonite cases that have lasted for 10+ years but I agree cheaper brands fall apart.

What's happening to them?

Wheels, handles, zips, or the shell itself?

Buy more expensive suitcases? Mine have lasted years.

I have a soft one that is at least 30 years old - though now only does UK hols in the car. Going strong. I bought my son one that has done one holiday to Spain, with friends family, and came back split. I think it's like fridges s and washing machines - the old one were the best. I have a 40 plus year old fridge freezer going strong in the garage (belonged to DPs mother before him) but the longest one has last since then is 10 years.

That’s good to know, my Mum has just given me one of these! They are the lightest apparently.

I have a small It hardshell one that I bought in 2008 that’s still going strong and has been checked many times over the years without issue. I also have a medium Rock hardshell that’s only been checked twice so far, but that’s also just fine and I expect it to last years.

Is your local airport particularly bad for damaging luggage? Baggage handling is done by airports rather than airlines, so it could be that you are flying through airports that are particularly rough with luggage.

We have it ones just been Amsterdam other day been 4 times in the last Yr poland last Yr we have 6 suitcases and 1 hold case

Just get a replacement wheel 😵‍💫 what else could go wrong with a hard shell? Broken zip maybe? Ours have lasted about 10 years so far, just had our first broken wheel last week. Just take it to Timpsons.

This is the case that I'm still using. Soft, as you can see. That's the handle at the corner. It pulls out and the wheels are at the opposite end. (Pic I accidentally took on holiday a couple of weeks ago.) I don't think that it was expensive back in '94.

Ours came from a neighbour decluttering and leaving them outside with a sign telling people to take them! No idea what brand they are or how old.

Our suitcases are ‘Eastpak’ and ‘Away’ and are all great. The ‘It’ ones we had got broken on separate flights after r only a couple of uses, so although some people are recommending them, I wouldn’t.

Anything bought in the past few years with the wheels that stick out don't last long you're right. I rarely have a hard suitcase last more than a few trips so I've gone back to soft case with embedded wheels.

The other posters all claiming their suitcases last 15 years - the quality is not the same anymore so not comparable.

I’ve had my cases for 20 years plus, they were expensive at the time, but still OK. They are Voyager ones.

I’ve only had one case break and it was a cabin sized John Lewis own brand ultra lite hardshell and JL replaced it without a quibble under their guarantee.

My main suitcase is a lightweight hardshell Radley from what must be about 20 years ago. It’s done thousands of air miles and is very scuffed but wheels, zip and handle all fine and I know exactly how to pack it and stay under a 20kg limit. Plus a distinctive design so I often spot it whizzing around on the luggage vans while I’m sitting on the plane.

We have Samsonite hard case ones without zips and have been on 2-3 holidays a year for 10 years with no problems at all. Bar a couple of faint scratches they look the same as when we bought them!