Are more expensive suitcases better?

[Rimowa]

I need to buy my first suitcase set and was wondering if should i get cheap Primark/tkmaxx ones or splurge on Samsonite or something?

Do your expensive suitcases actually last better and longer?

Def dont have the budget for rimowa but is it even worth it.

Also hard vs soft shells?

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/product-reviews/house-garden/g33645463/best-suitcases/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=mgu_ga_ghkuk_md_pmx_hybd_org_uk_21209719135&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtsy1BhD7ARIsAHOi4xaEsndGRFmO9FFSCc6AH-YXTcuOeSiEyyJa75uAwrg-3kYegSX_TZoaAgpvEALw_wcB

The things which go are the wheels or zips.
We have found soft to be better as hard cases are liable to cracking when being chucked about. If wanting hardcase then the more expensive is harder wearing material.

We have found IT softcases to be very good and our 4 wheel expandable software has been going for 10 years and still going!

The big ones from primark are good
I regularly see rich Arabs purchasing them from the primark in Marble Arch so if it’s good for them it’s good for me
I spent ££££ on a juicy couture one ( never again ) and the zip broke after 2 years - I never over filled it
The best suitcase, I purchased was from Argos years ago - lost it 😭
I wouldn’t buy them from markets or anything cheap like that though, but I would say you definitely don’t need to spend £300 on one suitcase either
as someone else said IT ones are good too

After so many accidents with suitcases (broken zips, all my clothes, toiletries etc all over the belt several times) , we have now had our Samsonite case for about 10 years and they are fab, bit battered but we do travel loads.

We've only ever had cheap suitcases and I don't see the need to spend a lot of money. Maybe avoid very cheap ones but basic high street (It, Tripp or similarly priced case from TK Maxx etc are more than adequate).

The ones we've had have survived dozens of trips, including in the hold and have never broken. It's the sort of thing that after 20-30 years, you start to wish that it would fall apart so you could justify buying a new one

If you like the look of the American Tourister ones in the link above, they're much cheaper in Costco. The cabin one is about £40 and the big one is under £100. They have 4 wheels so are really easy to move along. We also have an It one that is a better design but starting to look a bit scruffy after about 15 years.

Yes, we inherited Rimowa from the in laws, hard shells still going strong and must be 25 years old now.

We also have the IT worlds lightest suitcases and they seem to last well

Our cheap suitcase wheels broke on holiday after a moderate to low amount of use. Had fun dragging that one home.

Invested in some Tripp suitcases (around £60-£70) and been very pleased with them. They feel well made and strong, and I love that the wheels spin 360- our cheap one only wheeled in a straight line.

In my experience yes it's better to spend a bit more because they will last longer, although the super expensive ones aren't worth it. Tripp are good as a mid priced option.
Personally I prefer soft ones because they are a bit more flexible and I have seen a few hard ones getting cracked going through the airport

Some of the survival of your suitcase is just luck of the draw, did they get murdered by baggage handlers, wheels jammed on an edge etc.

I've done ok with antler suitcases, I used to do a lot of UK travel for work, so they were forever being dragged around in train stations. The wheels basically wore through in the end after about 15 years (my husband still has his from 1996 but it got a bit less hammer). I've now got another antler suitcase and it's doing alright, had it for about 7 years, though I do a lot less travel than I used to, thanks to covid.

My mam always wants hardshell cases that don't have zips. Her last ones failed as the lamination peeled off the case.