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Not for camera gear, but for all the other stuff including tripod and gimbal head, clothes etc.

I travel two weeks of most months for photography. I've gone through different brands of roller duffles and the zips break, fabric tears, Velcro handles wont hold etc. Now thinking of a large hard case, but hate having to take up so much room in the rental SUV with a case that does not press flat. I'm ready to buy the best quality and wondered what some of you are using. As always, links really help.

Get yourself a military duffel bag and learn to pack like a Marine (joking of course) I don't think there is any bag that is forever, some just last longer than others.

I don't know if any of their bags will suit your needs but Duluth Trading Company has a line of bags/luggage. There products are top notch. Made as well if not better thank anything I know of on the market today.
As a little side note, their 7 year socks are absolutely awesome. I never knew socks could feel so good.
https://www.duluthtrading.com/store/men ... -bags.aspx

dI've used the mountainsmith and eagle creek duffel bags. Regular luggage tumi has held up well as what I'm currently using is 15 years old. Most of my duffels get wrecked when someone drags them across the tarmac which acts like sand paper. The eagle creek rolling duffel holds up better than the mountainsmith (no rollers) but weighs more. Outdoorgearlab has a review of duffels. I've always found them to be a good source for reviews.

I've always found that you need to make a tradeoff between durability and weight.  the absolutely most durable luggage tends to have a lot of weight reducing the amount that you can pack before exceeding airline limits.  The lightest stuff lets you pack a lot of stuff because the bag doesn't take up much of your weight allotment but then doesn't last more than a few trips.  So the advice would be to figure out how much weight you need to pack and then pick a bag that allows you to pack all of that without exceeding the limits.  As a result I tend towards lighter bags that might only last 3 or 4 years at the most but give me a lot of remaining weight after the weight of the bag is taken into account.

I've used Eagle Creek for years. They are expensive, but they fix them forever for the price of shipping.
Mike

I have a Briggs&Riley duffle that is extremely well made and they have a lifetime warranty on all their cases. Anything breaks they repair or replace.

mikeojohnson wrote:I've used Eagle Creek for years.  They are expensive, but they fix them forever for the price of shipping.
Mike

Have used Eagle Creek duffels for years without any problems. We upgraded to their "No Matter What" series of wheeled duffels several years ago and they are still going strong.

Mark

Red Oxx. Made in Montana

Flying every month and on average 10 legs per month, I have yet to have an Eagle Creek last more than 2 years but I do like their stuff in general...  It all depends on your usage level...  ;)

I love the British company called Osprey. Roller duffel called Shuttle. Lifetime guarantee no matter what you do to it and if they cannot fix it, you get a new bag. They will also repair all their bags that are damaged and give them to charity.
Gail

I actually know a couple of baggage handlers for major airlines and for the most part they don't try to damage your luggage and often it's the baggage handling system inside the airport that does a lot of damage - in some airports your bag travels over a mile transferring from belt to belt and sometimes even moved with mechanical claws from one to another,etc. Both however say that there is not a piece of luggage made that they can't destroy completely in seconds if careless or if so inclined...

I loved the American Tourister old TV advertisments with the gorilla baggage handlers.

Alan Murphy wrote:Not for camera gear, but for all the other stuff including tripod and gimbal head, clothes etc.

I travel two weeks of most months for photography. I've gone through different brands of roller duffles and the zips break, fabric tears, Velcro handles wont hold etc. Now thinking of a large hard case, but hate having to take up so much room in the rental SUV with a case that does not press flat. I'm ready to buy the best quality and wondered what some of you are using. As always, links really help

Alan,

I personally have never found a better bag than the wheeled loadout bags from London Bridge Trading.

http://lbtinc.com/bbpk/lob

This is the gear almost all Special Forces/Ranger/NAVY SEAL/USMC SOCOM guys use to carry ALL the gear they might 
possibly need during a deployment. Then they can select items per mission to carry in smaller packs and such.

I have been using one for 5 years and I routinely put two tripods, gimbal heads, bulky outerwear, boots... EVERYTHING in it and chuck it in the back of my SUV. Throw a lock on it and it becomes the most badass piece of checked luggage ever. And bonus, if you get it in a vaguely military color (Desert Tan, Green) most baggage counter agents will assume you are military affiliated and never weigh it. I have had 80 plus pounds of gear in mine and never heard a peep about a overweight bag claim.

If you have a bit of time, look on eBay for them. One seller in particular LGTKIT usually has a few on hand. They are pricey if bought new. The curse of having an item be paid for with Tax Dollars most of the time. But the quality is off the scale and LBT stand behind their products 100% regardless if you are packing them full of camera gear or weapons loadouts.

Thanks for all the great feedback. Alan

Filson. Expensive but has a no BS lifetime warranty.

Briggs & Riley are very durable and their warranty is hard to beat - look it up, if an airline damages your bag they will fix it. They aren't cheap but I've been happy with the performance. I purchased this bag back in 2014:

http://www.briggs-riley.com/shop/baseli ... ght-u125cx

Since then it has flown approx 40-50 flights per year so I guess about 120 flights + on this bag and it looks almost new., some slight scuffing on the corner bumpers and external handle and that's it. I also have their roller duffle, not used as much but also well made. It's not a spinner, but for me that's preferable.

I swear by the LL Bean Sportsman duffel with the drop bottom.  It is a roller and the tripod and lots of other gear go in the bottom, clothes in the top and shoes on the sides.  Very tough luggage and if a zipper breaks ll bean will replace the luggage for free.



https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/32162?f ... arge&csp=f

D. Gillham

4-wheeled hard sided rollers at walmart for under $79 - I have a few of them and they are light and durable. I have broken wheels off twice but just bought a new one!

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-Rati ... e/44782684

Ortleib duffles are amazingly tuff and totally submersible. They come in both wheeled and non-wheeled versions https://ortliebusa.com/product/duffle-rs/

North Face Base Camp Duffels are great if you do not need a totally waterproof bag.