Suitcases have a max 2 trip usage limit!

Also we have to walk quite long distances over cobbled streets in Italy and Spain during our trips so that isnt good for cases

Sorry OP.it is definitely you 😂

One of my sets of suitcases is at least 30 years old... from Costco.
I hate the new ones that you have to open them up in the middle and have to pack each 'half' them carefully flip them closed. Imagine that the centre zips don't fare well with those long term...

Just reading this on a trip away after having had to repack yesterday because one on the cases was badly broken (a crack more than 10cm in the hard shell). It can only have happened on the last trip, as it's been stored empty in a spare room since. However it's more than 15 years old, so that's fair enough. I'd also recommend a Kipling duffle as mine must be almost 20 years old and is still in great condition.

We use IT luggage and have had some breakages and dents

I don’t agree.
We had Tripp cases before the current Antler ones, and were heavy duty users. The Tripp material cases lasted an excellent amount of time & endured quite a bit of abuse. My Antler case is 6yrs old and still as good as new minus the odd scratches - but that’s why I chose hard shell this time.

User error

What on earth sort of suitcases are they, and are you overloading them somehow?

You must have done something to anger the air travel gods then, it's the only explanation

I have a Primark suitcase bought for £25 in 2007, when they opened their London Oxford Street shop.

Has been international and still going.
Had two and the other broke after 15 years.

Something going on with yours OP.

Edit: all hard case.

Tripp suitcase / luggage are fab
I’ve had mine 7 or 8 years and only just beginning to die a bit and they have been used 2-3 times a year minimum

my sister had a Tripp one that broke at the airport and she managed to fix it ( broken wheel ) it was around 2 years old
she messaged them with photos / and they actually sent her a suitcase to her hotel in Spain to replace the one that was broken

They have a 5 year guarantee

I bought two of the soft shell IT ones two years ago. First use one had lost half the zip pull/tags and one had lost a wheel. My previous Tripp one lasted 10 years. I’ve bought another Tripp as a replacement.

seems to be contradicted by most of the comments on this thread, but okay.

I've got a cabin sized suitcase I bought from the range 10 years ago for less than £30 - I've used it at least 30 times, abroad, long railway journeys, etc. Still holding up okay, just looking a little worn. A lot of the time paying more just goes on a branded name or particular design rather than better materials.

I bought my first suitcase at age 16 for a trip to the US. 20 years later, it's a bit battered but perfectly functional and has been around the world with me !

My current was a cheapo from a dodgy bag stand and it’s been going about 15 years!

Our antler ones are about 20 years old, I was just thinking they are looking a bit tatty as we got them off the carousel 10mins ago

my cheapie from Argos is 20 years old and fine

I’ve just got back from holiday and used my suitcase I’ve had since I was 18 (I’m 35!) I’ve never found this problem and I’ve traveled a lot!!

For those recommending Eastpak do you have the soft ones (transverz, transit) or something different and is a medium one big enough for a 2 week holiday?

A lot of the newer ones are less sturdy because they are designed to be lighter, to fit in with ever reducing cabin and hold allowances. The more modern fabrics may be tough, but they are built on quite flimsy frames which twist easily, even on expensive brands.

I, like many PPs , have some much travelled old cases which are still going strong but they are heavier and constructed differently to those of very recent purchase.

It’s telling that those who are still using older cases don’t have this problem! Mine are M&S and over 20 years old, still great. Nothing is made to the same quality now unless expensive.

Check whether you can easily pull off the castors - last year one broke on my SIL’s case during transit and we were advised in future to remove them when checking cases in and re-fix for use at our destination.

I must have had mine for a good 15+ years and they’re still going strong. Can’t remember where I got them from but they won’t have been expensive ones (wouldn’t have been able to afford it) and they’ve been on multiple trips each year in that time.

We have the cheapest suitcases. Bought in a supermarket 20 years ago. We were expats for years and travelled every holiday and now we travel at least two or three times a year and our cases are still going strong. Not sure why you are having such bad luck. TK Maxx have a few great suitcases - have bought the kids cases from there and they are hard wearing. I would suggest you get soft cases rather than the hard shell cases

The only actual suitcase one we ever had broken, was when Pan Am (remember them?) managed to run over it.

Recently, though, I bought a very pretty wheelie cabin-sized case as a present for a Gdd. It was very far from cheap, but the very first time it was used (dd had borrowed it) the handle broke, and that was only a train journey, not rough airline handling.

It just wasn’t fit for purpose, so I wrote a scathing one-star review to that effect. John Lewis did refund me the money without any argument.

It

We have ultra light IT ones and they are over 10 years old. One has had to go because it got mouldy and the others are on their last legs for airline travel but will cope with car trips for a fair bit longer.