Sympatico Hardside Domestic Spinner Luggage, Plum, 22-Inch Carry-On

After recently encountering bed bugs while traveling (pro tip: don’t use Airbnb, they’ll do absolutely nothing to help you if you get bitten by bed bugs since they’re not regulated like hotels - trust me I learned the hard way), I decided to take the precautionary step of throwing away all of my luggage. I now needed new luggage, and having used Samsonite in the past I decided to see what they had. I was less than impressed with their newest gear. I came across Briggs & Riley and was initially taken back by the cost difference at first, but realized through my research they command the added cost because of the quality, durability and of course - the lifetime warranty.

Ive always wanted a Briggs and Riley suitcase, but couldnt justify it. But our fold over for suits and nice dresses suitcase was crumbling; and we had a cruise coming up with a lot of confusion on the post-Covid logistics. Were not light packers so I thought we really need a BIG BIG suitcase so we can get by with only two. But weve always taken one rolling fold over suitcase because my husband likes to wear suits and cruises often have formal nights.

Looked at Rimowa and picked this due to 70/30 split compartment unavailable in both Rimowas and Tumi.. no regrets.. well made smooth wheels good use of interior space.

I like the superior quality of Briggs luggage. Very roomy and glides smoothing no matter how full you pack it.

Its zipper broke after one round trip. Also, when its CX compression system makes weird noises like its springs are rusted. Also, Manoeuvrability on full load is not that great, it doesnt remain in straight line when moving.

Almost everything about this case feels exceptional quality, something you notice the moment you open the box and see that it’s delivered in its own soft-touch drawstring bag to keep it pristine when not in use. Nice touch.

This is an excellent carryon luggage bag.

Let’s face it. It better be way above average to warrant this price right? You could buy several cheap models for one of these. But I’ve had this brand luggage for 30 years and more than 3 million actual air miles. I’m a fan. Mostly bc of their warranty, which I have used many times. Also the frame on the outside is a game changer for those who need to be a professional packer for work. Vaca only use? Maybe not necessary, so get something cheaper.

B&Rs reputation precedes them and this is in part why I bought the bag. I also purchased another less expensive but very highly rated bag. It was a hardside like this one But it opened in the middle which I am not used to and dont like. The B&R opens like a conventional suitcase which I like alot. The collapsable expansion feature is very cool. The exterior of the bag is very plain and unassuming; the interior has a classy, well-made, tasteful look and feel which I really like. One peculiar problem that I ran across is that the only way to unlock the bag when the zipper tabs are inserted into the TSA lock mechanism is to Press Down on the Zipper right where the tabs connect to the zipper And move the unlock button on the TSA lock. There is no mention of this in the literature/manual and I called B&R and they are unaware of this. It may just be my bag/an anomaly (although I saw a post where a guy couldnt open the bag and Ill bet it was because of this; I had to figure it out on my own). As long as you unlock it before TSA gets a hold of it AND use it as a carryon bag everything will be okay although I printed a small PRESS DOWN label and used clear tape to put it on the plastic below the zipper where you need to press, just in case. It feels a little on the heavy side although probably only at most a lb. heavier than similar bags. Another thing is the zipper is not as smooth as another bag I have. Anyway this thing has a lifetime warranty and I am learning to love it (possibly related to reducing the cognitive dissonance that comes with spending this much money for a carryon).

My first reaction when taking my new carry-on out of the box was wow! It looks so sleek. My wows kept going; I couldnt help lifting the handle and walking across the room. The handle has so many choices for height (My other only has 2). There is also a side handle that makes picking it up to stow away easier. My biggest wow is how smooth it glides across the floor. The lack of sound coming from the wheels is a thrill. Its very light, too.