Delsey Luggage 2010

With European flair and American ingenuity, Delsey Luggage emerges at the top of the luggage industry for its dependable quality, durable construction and luggage variety. Delsey has an expanded line of luggage ranging from elegant and high tech Delsey Helium Elite framed in "Space Age Air Flex" technology, to low priced luggage available in the original Delsey Helium Breeze or the new Delsey Helium 2.0 Breeze line which boasts a Memory Graphite Copolymer construction merged with a 1682 bullet proof ballistic nylon exterior.  Both Elite and Helium 2.0 luggage are coated with a water resistant finish and are available in carry-on, 26" and 29" expandable suiter trolley, trolley tote, trolley duffel bag, trolley garment bag, and various rolling luggage styles. If lightweight and truly functional luggage is your priority, you should consider Delsey Helium Hyperlite luggage which is 30-40% lighter than average luggage. Want to make your check-in faster and cheaper? Then Delsey Helium Pilot, featuring an ultra air, lite composite frame, is the answer. Delsey Meridian Plus luggage and Delsey Heium Zip are both lines of hardside luggage which feature tremendous impact resistance. Meridian Plus has a polycarbonate outer shell and four unique wheels which provide 360 degree rotation for outstanding maneuverability. Zip features a Polycarbonate ABS blend exterior. Both collections are scratch resistant, lightweight and durable. Perhaps long lasting, super strong luggage is what you are looking for. Delsey Helium Pro luggage designed with a lightweight polypropylene frame and protected, velocity ball bearing wheels is incredibly strong, hard-wearing and constructed for long lasting service. Delsey Helium Fusion uses the same lightweight fiberglass graphite material in its frame that is used in the construction of golf clubs and tennis rackets. A molded polypropylene kickplate eliminates wear and tear as a result of abrasion. Delsey Helium Pilot luggage is fashionable and functional, light and durable – a serious contender in the luggage arena. Delsey luggage is available in various collections and styles including: rolling luggage, duffels, totes, wheeled luggage, garment bags, tote bags, carry on luggage, expandable luggage, lightweight luggage, checked luggage, softside luggage, and hardside luggage, and includes either a 10 year limited warranty or a lifetime limited warranty.

Take a Closer Look at Hardside Luggage

    For a high school graduation gift, a long, long time ago - Not saying how long - my parents gave me my first set of luggage. Was that a hint? Two baby blue Samsonite hardside suitcases with one gigantic cosmetic case, which could hold a whole drugstore's worth. Each piece was hand held; each piece weighed more than I did. Ahhh, memories!

    Enter the ring -the latest hardside cases-  the leading edge of our contemporary, new millennium, luggage industry. Comparative featherweights, their endurance, durability, strength, versatility, wheeled convenience, and all-round design and superior engineering, pulverize the old hardside heavyweights. A first-round knockout!

    Let's talk about the new-wave, hardside luggage from the masters, Heys, Delsey, Victorinox, Tumi, and, yes, tried and true Samsonite. Sleek, modern, lightweight and built for protection, they are fresh and decidedly innovative. What stands out about Heys USA hardside cases is the wealth of options. Choose from 19 colors/prints, over 12 styles, and hundreds of options. Heys USA is all about hardside luggage. The artist in me loves the Britto collection with its vivid colors and standout design - definitely not for the shy. The solid design of the Athena Collection belies its remarkable ability to withstand forces up to 400lbs. The Armitech line of Heys luggage is made even more practical through its offering of basic black or silver to, easy-to-identify on the baggage carousel, color. The Armitech also withstands the 400lb impact test and is designed to protect the contents at all costs. One of the downsides is that it is heavier than other hardsides. But, if security is foremost - what the heck! it rolls! The interior of Heys USA hardside luggage is tidy, attractive and practical, offering tie down straps, zippered panels, and zippered mesh compartments. Heys offers the World's lightest luggage in it XCase line - Imagine, hardside luggage which is lighter than its woven counterparts - brilliant!

    Delsey, long a competitor in the luggage arena, has entered the hardside ring with its Meridian Plus and Helium Zip lines. Always tasteful (it is a French company after all), the Helium Zip has a very hi-tech appearance and features a recessed, "One-Button" aluminum, locking handle system and protected, recessed Velocity in-line skate wheels.Not a lot of color options (only 3), but definitely, a classic. I really like the four 360 degree rotation wheels of the Delsey Meridian Plus. Why, you ask? Consider a shopping cart which only goes forward and backward. Being able to pull/push your luggage in any direction lets you maneuver down the airplane aisle better, negotiate the security lines, etc.

    Samsonite no longer offers the old hardside that I had at 18.

    Elite brands of hardside luggage, such as Tumi or Victorinox Swiss Army, offer 21st century technology and design features that accompany the state-of-the-art features inherent in their complete luggage lines. Vapor, Tumi's hardside champion, is a futuristic, spinner-styled, polycarbonate shelled case which features the interior nuances of Tumi's other soft-sided collections such as divider panels, and tie-down straps. I like the fact that the telescoping handles retreat to protective interior braces to create a sleek rear view. An easily visible Tumi brand is tastefully set into the back panel of the luggage - if you don't want people to know this is Tumi luggage, this would be a problem. But most people are proud to carry the Tumi brand.

    Whatever Victorinox luggage does, it is creative, well-engineered, durable and reliable, and uniquely fashion forward without being gawdy. Much like Swiss Army's centuries-old line of watches or essential hardware, the Officer's Trunk and Werks hardside luggage lines appeal to the inventive personality and the classicists. Rich legacy and military-inspired design offered in the Officers Trunks speak of Swiss Army's years of success. Personally I love the looks (smooth glossy finish, silver hardware-like detail) of this sturdy, yet unique luggage. Although it's not for everyone - it definitely stands apart.The wheels are fashioned in durable urethane and rotate 360 degrees to provide the maneuverability of a spinner. The Werks hardside luggage follows the extremely popular Werks woven line with features like spacious main compartments, but includes the 360 degree rolling feature. That, combined with the extra protection hardside offers, is a winning tag team.

    Think about looking at the new hardsides next time you're considering purchasing luggage. This is not your grandmother's luggage. Speaking of which, I wonder where my old baby blue luggage is now?

Briggs & Riley expandable Wide-Body Carry-On Luggage

    Here's a true story. It begins as I try to squeeze my 22" carry on luggage into an airplane's teeny-weeny overhead compartment. Anxiety-ridden, perspiration-beaded, I hoist my bag and muscle it - Success!  Close the door ... close the door.... &*#%... close the door. "I'm sorry," the flight attendant leans over, "The door must close; your bag will have to be checked."  Aaaargh!

    Here's a happy ending. After reading many blogs and after frequent luggage searches, I have found 4 luggage manufacturers who have caught on and caught up. Kudos to Hartmann, Tumi, Eagle Creek and Briggs & Riley for being ahead of the curve with their new wide-body, carry-on upright luggage. Briggs and Riley has a "Simple as That" lifetime warranty which fixes damaged luggage, regardless of how it got damaged. Eagle Creek and Victorinox have similar warrantees).

    O.K., so I travel a lot and don't have piles of money. But experience has made me willing to spend a little more to get luggage that fits both domestic and international air travel carry on requirements and lasts a lifetime.  I'm impressed with the Briggs & Riley 20" carry-on Expandable Wide-body Upright. It measures 20" x 16" x 8" - two inches shorter than the typical 22" carry on but is 1-2 inches wider. Briggs & Riley has more packing capacity than a standard 21" or 22" wheeled carry-on. Really! Better yet. This  rolling carry on has an expansion feature which offers a 24% increase in capacity. Briggs and Riley's telescoping handle is on the outside of the bag leaving even more interior packing space, and the rolling carry-on luggage includes a built-in tri-fold garment sleeve. I like garment sleeves; they help prevent longer or more wrinkle-vulnerable clothes from creasing, and I just take remove them if I don't need them.

    Let's face it. Air travel is an exercise in suppressed anxiety. Whether it's the quart-sized, clear, zip-lock bag squeeze; the public "items in bins" strip-show; the straddle, body-wand search; or the frantic moving-belt and bin retrieval, - squish feet into shoes, belts in loopholes, sweaters, jackets, handbags, wallets, watches, keys, bags, scanned infants and pace-makers (just kidding), computers, cell phones, ...go, go, go.

    If I was looking for this, I would have signed up as a paratrooper.

    Hallelujah for redemption!  - the "fits in the overhead" Briggs & Riley 20" Carry-On Expandable Wide-Body Upright.