Carryon Luggage recommendations?

[netmouse]

I will be traveling in March and need to buy a new carry-on bag. My old one was too worn out, so I got rid of it. I've done a little shopping, but so far haven't seen what I want - something relatively small, that can fit a laptop and a few days' clothes, maybe with a pocket large enough to accept some folders and/or a book on the front.

My old bag was too long to fit front-to-back in some airlines' overhead compartments, so I want one shorter than that. I value a sturdy, easy-to-use collapsable long handle to drag it around by, and I want the wheelbase to be sturdy as well. It should also be well ballanced on the wheel base - my previous bag had a tendency to fall over forward when standing, which got annoying quickly.

Color doesn't really matter, though something other than black might be refreshing - otherwise I'll decorate it.

Comments

[tammylc.livejournal.com]

I got an amazing bag at TJ Maxx. It's from the Samsonite Aspire line. Very light, and the absolutely coolest thing about it is that the wheels have 360 degree movement. Sounds goofy, but it means that you can pull it in every direction, spin it around in place, and - most cool - you can actually push it along next to you while it's standing completely upright. Not having to pull a bag behind your body is so much better ergonomically - it made all that traveling I had to do last year so much better. I could walk down the aisle on the plane, pushing my bag sideways ahead of me. So awesome.

I can show you mine sometime, or you can just go look at TJ Maxx. It cost around $60, I think.

[laurel]

Wow, you got a great deal.

I have a Samsonite spinner and love it to death, the wheels are a revelation! I got mine when they first came out and so it was more expensive. I don't remember the model I have, but it's designed specifically to fit in the overhead compartments from front to back. And even has a convenient way to get stuff out of the bag while it's up in the bin.

[tammylc.livejournal.com]

I expect that it's a second. The zippers handles are a little weird - if they're not quite in the right orientation, they get stuck and have to wiggled around. But it's a very minor flaw, and I love, love, love the bag. As you say - those wheels are a revelation.