Luggageworks Stealth Series Improvements
 

Note: Hey Mods I put this in the Majors section to expose it to the right people. Those people being legacy and major pilots. If at all possible please leave it here.


A little over a year ago I started a business that works with Luggageworks directly to support the Southeast with warranty and repairs. For the past 6 months I have been developing a modified Stealth series rollerbag. For all you old timers it's a new version of the Purdy Neat Things bag you currently use. I wanted to get some feedback from the guys at the majors and legacies on their likes / dislikes on the bag that they use (Luggageworks and PNT).

Unfortunately there really is no hope of improving the bag for the regional lifestyle given the nature of how often a bag goes in and out of an overhead or a closet designed for a purse.

Luggageworks does not currently provide a "premium" rollerbag for people that desire high quality, practicality and most importantly reliability. Their bags are geared towards a generic client. If you think $300-$400 is too much for a bag you need to see what the rest of the world is charging.

My design is almost done and a few of the things that I have improved greatly are: Super durable zippers, Ultra-lightweight to strength characteristics, upgraded handle grip that doesn't fall apart, and an improved trigger pin system to hold up the handle that doesn't wear as fast.

Given the current price of the larger international bag with all of these improvements how much more would you spend? I'm trying to get an idea of what some might pay for a MUCH better bag. Improvements cost money so the price must go up.

Anyone have any other suggestions while I'm at it?

My biggest complaint has been the crappy zippers and foam handle pad that falls apart after about one week. The back kick plate has also given me some issues as far as durability. Other than that, I've had mine for 6 years and have had no other issues. It is extemely heavy, but I don't mind that if it makes it more durable. I'm not sure I would pay over $300 for the bag even if it had better zippers and a handle. I think I got my stealth 22' for around $250 and better zippers and a handle shouldn't cost alot of extra $$$.

There is no way I would pay $400 for a bag unless it came with a sherpa to haul it around for me.

my bag is just starting to show signs of wear after 8 years.

Zipppers are my only complaint. Let me know if you need a product tester!

Its an OK bag. I really think everyone uses it because everyone uses it. Here's my list of gripes:

Nylon is weaksauce. It shreds easilly on high wear areas and edges.
Zippers are good but not great (sounds like you are addressing that).
Kick plate works great, unless its actually kicked. Then it bends forever.
Frame bends permantantly and fairly easilly.
Screws back out constantly. There is no excuse for this. A quarter drop of locktite would prevent this and should NOT have to be done by the customer.
Foam handle is a POS. Enough said.
Main handle lugs wear and break leaving you with a hot mess for the rest of your trip unless you baby it going over curbs and on and off busses. Yes that's "abuse" but its part of the job and customers shouldn't have to baby a premium bag in their everyday environment. A premium "crew" bag should be able to handle that abuse.
Threading on back pocket is POS. If you actually use it the back pocket separates constantly and you have to "field repair" it. Stitch it at least 3 times as good as it is or leave it off to save weight and thickness.
Make the main strap cinch-able for those of us that pack like Imelda Marcos on a 12 day trip everywhere we go (don't h8).
The bag is a bit too heavy for its size and durability.
The current bag is too expensive relative to its quality.
I don't really care about side pockets. Even when empty they add width. I'd rather eliminate them as is or use that width and material to slightly widen the bag over all and add thicker (or BETTER) nylon.
Consider slightly recessing the handle when stowed. There are numerous AC bins where it juuuuuuuust won't fit wheels first, especially if you get the part of the bin near the latch. A half an inch extra is all you need. That's what she said.

Fix all those issues and upgrade the warranty (at least 2 year unlimited warranty with customer paying round trip shipping for 3 more years) of a 5 year warranty and I'd pay 100 or so, maybe 150 more than current price for it. Most of all it needs to be backed longer than current warranty.

It goes against my nature to buy anything POS and I hate hate hate taking things back so I really don't want to do the Cosco trick. But I will before I buy another PNS bag unless and until its made into the premium choice for the profession that it was always marketed to be but never seemed to be able to live up to. When mine falls apart (again) I'm probably going with a Strongbag.

$250 is pretty good for a Stealth. They sell for $300 now. That's with tax and all.

I wouldn't pay anymore than $100 for a watch but I have seen quite a few capitanos strolling around with $10K on their wrists. It's all about value.

Thanks for the info.

Daymn! I bet that thing tells time like a M0$#@% 7V<#@$!!!!!

I'd pay $300 if the zippers, handle, and kickplate were fixed, but nothing more. I think that LW should fix them anyways because those are obvious defects in the current bag. You will never see a LW bag older than 2 years that doesn't have zippers that are broken and electrical tape wrapped around the handle.

can't see spending more than $300 for a bag. With that being said I reverted to TJ Maxx and started buying the $50 dollar name brands. The latest bag has lasted me three years with no problems so why spend the extra money? It breaks or I see something as nice I just buy a new one without worry of a warranty or waiting on the phone for customer service. Sorry, LW just lost a lot of quality in my opinion and that foam handle is ridiculous for the price they charge.

Lol @ Sherpa

I have many of the same issues/concerns gloopy has. The exception being I like the outside pockets. I would have just put the big pocket on the other side. I would like to see a smaller interior front pocket to keep/organize things.. nothing major, just dont need all my stuff going to the bottom of the big pocket.

I would also have a better way to lock the handle in the down position (and maybe a more intuitive way to unlock/stow the handle). When you work for a company where you DH a lot OAL, the handle tends to get worked pretty bad. The TSA and baggage handlers are just smart enough to know how to extend the handle, but not smart enough to know how to stow it. The result is many times seeing your bag come onto the carousel with the handle extended. Once it was even bent so bad the handle wouldnt retract.

Because it cant be mentioned enough... zippers, zippers, zippers.

I dont know if I would pay any more for this bag.. these improvements are the minimum required to make the bag a viable choice.

Ok so aparently we have a few pilots acting like passengers lol;). They want a safe, comfortable, full of food and on time flight for less than it costs to do it. And won't pay a penny more. Fortunately there enough people out there willing to pay for the price of quality to make up for it.

The point here is that the complaints on zippers, bendable frame, crappy foam grip and issues with the skid plate are a product of keeping with in your price range. So those issues will never be addressed unless people want to pay more. There is a reason that not much has changed in almost 30 years with this bag. That's where I stand.

I do know for a fact that many are willing to pay for a much improved product. I was hoping some of them were part of the community here and wanted to chime in.

Don't worry, the $300 Stealth bag that is out will always be available. Some will now have the option of having one with out as many issues and it will have some significant design benefits. Then again, pilots love to complain so that might be a bad idea:D.

Thanks for the feedback, keep it coming.

On another quick note. For those that won't pay any more for a bag but feel as if the Luggageworks bag does not perform well, what are you comparing this to?

I'm asking this as an honest question since I have yet to find another bag that has the customer service, availability, warranty etc. that compares to the Luggageworks products. At least in my research that is. This isn't necessarily a biased view and I apologize if it comes across as such. I really haven't found anything that holds up as well to the beating. This all for $300.

I have even looked international. I have found that the prices in Europe are insanely high. Some flight crews over there pay upwards of a grand for a good bag.

The LugggeWorks bag I bought about a year ago when my Purdyneatstuff FINALLY wore out after 11 years is good. But the nylon on the newer bag definitely isn't the same thick/durable material they used years ago. But the kick plate on the newer one is a better design than the former. My PNS bag lasted a little over 10 years. Pretty sure back then it was $200 or $225 and it was the metal frame bag.

I know it sucks to have to spend MORE money. But I bought the nylon velcro handle cover with my first bag as the foam seemed like an obvious weak spot. Still going strong on my second bag.

I've never used the plastic frame PNS/LW bag. Guys seem to say it's nice because it's lightweight. I've heard that if you commute or deadhead a lot the plastic resin frame won't last long. As well as the mounts for the handle can be a weak spot and wear quickly.

Heyas Afterburn,

The irony of your post is that the Purdy Neat, as it WAS, was the premium product.

I bought mine in 1998, replaced one handle, two sets of wheels and had the main zipper resewn once. In 14 years, that's pretty good. The PNs older than mine are even sturdier.

The problem with the current LW units are, actually, that they're the current LW units. 14 years of trimming material has left you with a bag that seems no different than the other roller bags that fall apart after 3 years. I tap on the frame, and I can't tell if it's metal or plastic.

For example, The striker plate on the bottom of my PN finally wore through. After 13 years of getting pulled over curbs, I thought it that it had performed well. I got it replaced with the the current part, which was a complete joke. The old part was at least 1/8 thick, and it's no wonder it lasted that long. It was clearly designed to take a beating.

The new part was so thin I can't believe it was meant to do anything other than be decorative. I told the guy who fixed it that it won't last a year, and he agreed. We were both wrong...only made it 8 months. Since there's no way I'd trade my current bag for a new unit, I got ANOTHER new striker plate, and bolted on some thick L channel on the corner.

If you want to go back to building a "premium product", go back to building them the way they USED to be built. The dang things were tough, which is why people bought them.

BTW, I never saw the point of making them light weight. It's a ROLLER bag. If you can't heave up a bag that weighs a pound or two more than a bag with a plastic frame, you have other issues.

By the way, I spent $200 on mine in 1998. That was a lot of money for a suitcase in 1998.

Nu

They main reason I needed a heavy-duty roller bag was for the hook that would hold my flight kit. No more flight kit; no more need for a heavy duty bag.

TravelPro. Nothing looks better than a TravelPro with a chain for your flight bag and some diamond plate on the corners. If you go to Home Depot you can make a TravelPro last well over 5 years for under $20 in parts! :)

When it comes down to it, if you had a LW bag with zippers that wouldn't break, a handle solution to the current mess, and a thicker kickplate, I think most of us would drop $400 on one. If you included a loaner bag shipped to the customer while theirs was in for repair, you would probably even get more guys to drop that kind of $$$. The issues discussed on this thread would be a MINIMUM to have fixed before I would think of going to $400 though.

Just curious why you asked for feedback if, when it's given, you get so defensive.

I recommend Strongbags.

StrongBags - Flight Crew Luggage: Homepage

I've had both. Never looked back since switching.

I'm currently using the Costco Kirkland brand bag priced at $99 and it's outlasted each of my (3) PNT bags and still looks brand new. As far as the warranty goes on the Costco bag, that's easy. If not satisfied, take it back for a full refund, no questions.

I have 3 PNT bags (one 27" International Bag, and 2 of the Stealth Bags), all three of them fell apart within 24 months of regular crew use. The cost of shipping and repair was about equal to buying a new bag.

PNT was marketed as a premium bag although it didn't live up to the hype in terms of materials or durability. The list of gripes voiced by others mirrors my experience with the bag(s) and I couldn't imagine paying more for one. My understanding is that PNT and Luggageworks bags are the same, but in all fairness, I did not buy from Luggageworks so I can't say if that would have a made a difference in quality or customer service.

The strongbag vortex seemed like a nice bag until I realized that it has a plain interior, no straps or dividers.

people WILL pay more for quality. I think what people are trying to say is that some of us had not received the quality that we expected for an LW bag. Like I said, now I have a 50 dollar bag from TJ Maxx that has lasted me longer and for 1/6th the price of a LW bag so who wouldn't stick with that if it was working for them? Try out TJ Maxx, you would be surprised the quality name brands they carry and for much cheaper.

+1 for Costco bags. I'm on bag number 3, having only paid for the first one (in fact, I was refunded money last time, as the price had gone down!). Bring it in if something is broken and exchange it right then and there.

Wow, I almost bought one of those a couple months ago. Guess it's a good thing I didn't since I'm a lowly commuter pilot.

+1 on on Sherpas.

http://freedompasspensionista.files....8/sherpa-3.jpg

Although this picture might be a senior flight attendant who packed for a two day, can't tell.

The first thing I do when i get a new Luggage Works bag is to go straight to the skate board shop and buy some slide rails. I alter the slide rails and I install them just above the wheels in 6 inch strips. I also install another right in the center of the kick plate. That part of my bag has always looked brand new. I just sent mine in to get refurbished because the side rails were bent in, the handle only locked up on one side, and the seams were coming apart. There were also holes in the bottom of the pockets. All of the cardboard inserts that make up the majority of the interior were all falling apart. My zippers were all fine.

Skateboard rails and locktite go a long way. But Luggage works is VERY MUCH living on the name of a great product that they once built.

I bought a 22 in Pelican case. It works great, if you dont have to carry a brain bag. If you carry a brain bag the extended handle is springy. I am considering making a new handle out of billet aluminum. With that scenario, the Pelican might be the perfect crew bag. Water tight, air tight, lifetime guarantee all for $150. Amazon.com: Pelican Black Case 1510NF w/out Foam 1510-001-110: Camera & Photo

X

I need a like button for that one

Think you missed my point. I too have been blessed with a regional position. Knew someone would find a way to get offended. Just read a little further into where I was going with the whole thing.

Pretty **** attitude, to be honest. Gone are the days of needing to pay through the nose for good quality branded luggage.

Zippers, bendable frame, crappy foam grip are absolutely not the product of keeping the product within $300. They are a product of a crap quality, badly manufactured bag, which (by a long chalk) doesn't warrant half it's current price tag. Who in gods name tries to justify that if you're not paying $300+, the grip will disintegrate and the bag will bend? Don't make me laugh.

As others have said, you can buy ones which will last just as long for under $100, with exchange/repair services, etc. TJ Maxx, even less. I've had a LW, and it was outlasted by a generic Delsey freebie from my company. In my view, given that you can go cheap ($100) and acquire a good, long lasting bag with service to boot, one will either take that option, or go proper premium, like Tumi or Rimowa, and spend far more. I use a Tumi document bag, and Rimowa suitcase. Expensive? absolutely, but to try and compare the LW product or service with either is hysterical. They also don't look embarrassingly tacky and cheap.

Blue collar rubbish, if you ask me.

ETA- my experience comes from being an extensive traveller in my past life, being in the Military, and now a long haul pilot.

Might I clarify that I really don't care if you hate on LW or not. It doesn't matter to me actually. I'm only trying to get some info on some realistic problems. Some people tend to beat around the bush and or comment on things that might be somewhat not well thought up. That's all.

Some are commenting on the older PNT bags being premium and such. That's not the premium that I'm talking about though. When I mention premium I'm talking about a bag that performs exactly the way you want. No problems, and some fancy schmancy stuff too. A custom more practical design geared towards the user instead of a generic design. All this of course will be at a premium price. If you went to a luggage store and asked about their premium bag selection they would start you off in the $1000 range. $300 for a bag is actually pretty cheap. If you are into Costco and lower end things that rely on warranty only and sell the product at a loss just to get you as a loyal customer well this discussion really doesn't apply. Nothing personal but it's just not your style.

At the moment I handle over 150 LW bags a month from pilots all over the east cost. I repair an refurbish these bags. Some people think these bags are junk, some see them as nothing else compares. I find it interesting though how two pilots working for the same company can have the same exact bag for the same amount of time yet they come to me in completely different states of condition. It's all in how you take care of it. Doesn't matter who makes the bag.

I have had my LW NG for 6 years now and have never had to fix a zipper or repair anything on the fabric. I'm mean honestly all I have done is replace the wheels, foam grip and the j-hook. And it's still in great condition. I work for a regional and put it to the test. But I also treat it like a $300 bag. Not a $700 that was designed 100% to take the abuse.

There is nothing that can withstand constant abrasion and impact. Nothing economical that is. And there is no reason to expose your bag to that kind of abuse. If that is what you intend to do then yes I totally agree the cheaper low-end product is a better route. Especially if it has a life-time warranty.

Seriously man? Thanks for your post. Pretty weak but thanks anyways. Sweet! We have another one that rather than come up with something constructive and intelligent to add, had to go the cynical and personal route.

About 15 people before you have already commented on the flawed zippers, frame, handle etc. I get it. If you read a little more into the thread instead of the instant criticism you would see that the whole point was to get a little feedback on if these problems were addressed, eliminated and then some would the bag be somewhat more desirable. And other than those issues what OTHER things might work better two suit you as a regular user.

Simple. Directions and picking up on sarcasm (that's what those little smiley faces mean) were never your strong point I see.

+2 for the Costco bag. The zippers are almost indestructible, the bag is light and it puts up with major abuse. I've had my current bag for almost five years. I thought about the PNT bag but its quality is poor for the money. Same complaints as everybody else... Bad handle design, kick plate, and horrible zippers. I'm in shape, but weight is still important to me. The PNT is just way too heavy.

does anyone even know if they make the pretty neats still or is that the LW?

Afterburner, no I don't think a bag, any bag is more desirable in the 400 dollar range. I dont know many cheap airline dudes that are running about asking if they can blow 400 bucks to fix a zipper and foam handles. Its all about price point and value. Not sarcastic by the way just telling you the way I see it.

Luggageworks is the new PNT. They bought it sometime in the late 90's from what I remember.

People are spending close to $400 right now for a LW bag. The 27" computer front bag is $388 with tax. And I see a bunch of them. Even at the regional level (not taking a personal shot at regional guys, just stating this because the pay scales are dramatically less).

Just FYI the improvements I'm taking about consist of far more than zippers and a better grip. One of the major improvements is that the new bag is about 70% lighter with no strength compromises.

Thank you for the feedback Herk.

I've had my LW 22" bag for somewhere around 5 years and the only thing I've had to replace was 1 set of wheels/ bearings and some of the cheap plastic clips. Not sure why everyone is *****ing about the quality....I've treated mine with care and it's been great to me. Yeah, the foam is not going to last long unless you cover it.....DUH!!! Doesn't take a genius to figure that one out. So, right after buying the bag, I covered it in athletic tape. No need to buy the nylon cover, when a couple cents worth of tape will do the job.

It sounds like you're heading in the right direction with your improvements.

Here's one that would be a tremendous benefit to me....and I realize it would present a huge challenge to create....BUT, you asked what would be a good improvement....so here it is:

On top of all the other improvements you've already mentioned, what I'd like to see is a bag that telescopes from say 22" to 26"-27"....you know, depending on the trip, or time of year, my rollerbag needs change. Would be nice to have my bag adjustable to my needs instead of requiring multiple bags to cover different scenarios.

Thank you for a most excellent post. That's some good info.

no problem, wish I could be more assistance. Sounds like you are the right track though.

Afterburn,

Thanks for working on improving a great bag. As you can see, you can't please everyone! I had 6 pilots working for me years ago and most of them would complain about the wheel burro full of gold you just gave them because it's too heavy!

I'm glad to know I can send my bag in for overhaul when it needs it, had it for 5 years and still going strong. Of course I take care of it. It always amazes me watching people and how they treat their things, not only suitcases! How in the world do you bend the frame?

Input:

* replaceable rub strips on frame above wheels.
* tougher fabric.
* some type of cover for foam handle.

PM me the details on how to send in for overhaul, might be awhile but I'd like the info.

Thanks,

Flint

then I guess you'll not be in the market for a Rimowa Stealth series bag at $1480.... but then that would likely be the last bag you ever bought until age 65...

you DO get what you pay for in this world... a $400 made in the USA bag by this guy is going to last you a bit longer than that $99 bag from Target.... and look better as part of your uniform as an added bonus.

This right here is the key! This is one of the most significant reasons I decided to sink a substantial amount of cash into R&D with this bag. So many pilots are quick to judge guys about the appearance of their uniform, and other things such as back packs and headphones. Which is understandable. It would seem as if appearance is important at some level.

So why not judge a guy walking around puling the worlds cheapest bag with one wheel dragging, the skid plate just waiting to give someone tetanus and stuff hanging out of the pockets that are duck tapped shut? Granted a guy with a bag like that has pretty much put himself in that situation since these bags really don't just fall apart. Trust me, if there is anyone that has seen it all when it comes to the crap people do to their bags it's me.

It truly makes me cringe when I see a senior captain driving around a 3 year old bag that has clearly seen a war or two.

When people send their bags to me or drop them off at Crewoutfitters, they get a loaner bag. Sometimes they run out of LW bags so all they have left is Travelpro. From the moment they drop off their bag people are calling me asking me when it will be done and if I can hurry up so that they can get their LW bag back. Most guys really hate those Travelpro things. At least that has been my experience. From the sounds of this thread you would thing otherwise though.

This industry has gone down so far in the last 25 years, you can only tell people they are "professional" so long before they get tired of hearing it and see that there is no commitment to back up the catch phrase. I don't think highly of people with degraded clothes and equipment that look like they just rolled out of bed, yet I have to think that these are the exact people that management is actively trying to attract these days.

That's not a bag though......it's a cabin trolley! :)

And I wouldn't pay that if it included a sherpa, it would need an Asiana FA to lug it around for that price.