pitchtrim

My first metal frame LW bag lasted over 10 hard years of commuting. 2nd one, and non metal, has been going strong for a couple years, although it doesn't experience the commute like the 1st bag did. I went through some wheels over the years but after we went paperless charts and manuals, I never had another wheel go bad.

brocklee9000

Get the strongbags. I got one back in my passenger days, and used it for a few years before airline flying. I've put it in every single bin except for the E135/145 and turboprops (but based on what I've read, it'll fit in those no problem). It's fit in every overhead bin and galley closet I've come across, as well as every mainline jumpseat. I saw a captain put his 22" LW in the CRJ chart case bin, so I'm guessing it even literally fits in the CRJ cockpit. Anyway. Out of those two options, definitely get the SB.

Imapylot

The only reason I care about it being bent is because it’s starting to get to the point where the corner pieces aren’t going to stay attached for much longer and the whole frame will just collapse on itself. Rampers have destroyed most of the zippers to the point they don’t work at all. The j hook is almost ripped off. There’s some random sharp piece of metal sticking out of the padded part of the handle. I’m not talking about squeaky bearings. I don’t have bearings at all. They have completely ripped themselves apart about half a dozen times since I’ve owned the bag and I can not ever get the bolts out without cracking the bottom casting so I either drag it around without bearings (which is awful) or I send it in for repairs. I’ve probably paid for this bag about 3.5 times between the original purchase price and the cost of repairs.

FlyyGuyy

My last year at psa I dropped the coin on the briggs and Riley. It's been perfect. It fit in the overheads of the 200 no problem. Just recently the top handle broke... It was frozen and snapped. I called and they overnighted the parts. Took 20 minutes to fix. Only required a phillips.

It was worth the investment. I loved my lw but rj life destroyed them in a hurry and they were heavy as hell.

Imapylot

I know the Briggs and Riley warranty is supposed to be awesome. Does anyone have any experience with Eagle Creek bags? Their warranty looks almost as awesome as the B&R but they are way cheaper.

Imapylot

Which B&R did you get? If their warranty is as awesome as they claim, I’m just trying to figure out why I would ever get their $550 bag instead of the $350 one. Even if the cheaper one doesn’t last as long, who cares? It’s the same warranty so they’ll fix the $350 one for free just like they’ll fix the $550 one for free, right?

Imapylot

So I’m still undecided and confusing myself. Does anyone know if the eagle creek tarmac domestic carry on with 2 wheels will fit in the crj 200 overhead bin?

FlyyGuyy

The standard domestic carry on. I think it's the same warranty. They offer a discount to airline crew as well.

njd1

I have the B&R domestic spinner. Got the spinner primarily because I wanted the weight of that bag plus my flight bag and cooler to go where it belongs -- the ground -- as opposed to my shoulder. Put that much weight on your shoulders or back for even a fraction of an airline career -- no matter how young or old you are -- and you're going to have medical issues eventually.

I have had to replace the wheels once a year. The initial wheels I got with the bag were garbage. They replaced them free of charge (I installed them) with much improved versions that glide so smoothly I have to keep an eye on the bag because on even the slightest inclines it will roll away.

I also had to have the telescoping handle replaced at about the 18 month mark but that's because the design is obsessed with light weight as opposed to durability. Had to send the entire unit back to them because they wouldn't sell me the part to replace it on my own. Cost me $20 to UPS it to their NYC facility (I live in NJ). They returned it earlier than planned. Truth be told, for the first 4 months of the bag's life I ran it in two wheel mode because my carrier was the last to get EFBs and I was dragging my old flight case with 30+ pounds of paper in front of the bag like many people do with two wheel arrangements and my flight bag and cooler, perched on top of the bag, put a lot of bending stress on the handle.

The B&R bag doesn't really have a bag hook in the tradition of LW, etc. but rather a plastic clip-type strap that has the upside of never dropping your bag but it takes a few more seconds to open and close the clip. It attaches to the bag via a plastic clip that has broken once on me. I resorted to keeping an extra strap / clip in the bag as a backup, though I no longer use it in that mode. Everything sits on top of the bag slipped down over the telescoping handle. When the clip / harness failed, I called B&R and they replaced and sent an extra for free.

The bag is collapsible, which means you can pack it for 6 days, possibly longer in summer months (less bulky clothes) and then when you need to cram it down to fit in the overhead you just set it on the ground and step on each side. The downside to collapsing it for extensive travel is it tends to fall over if it is top heavy (i.e. you put lots of bags on top of it). If the bag is not collapsed, the wheels are spread farther apart and it serves as a more stable base. Moving the bag is a bit more difficult in 4 wheel mode vs. 2 wheel when on even thin-pile / commercial carpet as some of the terminals have, but I still prefer a 4 wheel bag when I have to huff it through the terminal since again, the weight is largely on the floor as opposed to my shoulder or back.

I have a 2 wheel strongbags 21" and it's a fine bag -- certainly better than the other variants because the structure of the bag is far stronger as it is not just an open frame with fabric cover, but solid aluminum panels that significantly strengthen the overall frame of the bag. The strongbags is my backup to the B&R and I've only used it for a single trip when I had to send the B&R in for the handle swap.

brocklee9000

Just get the strongbags and don't look back. For regional and a lot of mainline life, the LW and SB bag is the way to go. Crew bags have all the space you need, are overengineered, have the hook that balances the bag with a cooler or other bag hanging there, and they roll so smooth and easy when you're lugging it around.

If you're doing locals, standups, the occasional 2 day trip, or fly an airbus with as much space as a Manhattan studio apartment, you can go with a B&R or literally any other bag. Otherwise, a SB or LW is the only way to go. A strongbags isn't going to bend like a LW will, nor will it ever get overstuffed or have to worry about side pockets. It's a bit cheaper than a LW which is a plus.