Why Investing in Quality Luggage is Worth Every Penny

The trap of cheap luggage is a tempting one. I know because I fell into it-more than once. I’ve traveled with cheap luggage. I’ve had suitcases with flimsy handles that bent after just a few trips. Have you ever tried to pull out your telescopic handle and it doesn’t do the one thing it’s supposed to do? It’ll put a damper on your trip real fast. I’ve used those cheap plastic-y duffle bags they give out as a free gift when you sign up for a credit card. I even used trash bags to keep my things together during a cross-country road trip, and I’ll never go back to any of that. But quality luggage doesn't mean expensive. We'll go over all of that here in this article.

You may not be an avid traveler and that only makes the allure of, let’s call it “budget luggage,” even more appealing. The problem with budget luggage is it comes with budget materials and features. My wife and I bought one of those three-piece sets quite a while ago and none of those suitcases are with us any longer. The wear on the thin, soft case material was noticeable after just a few uses. It felt like only a matter of time before something was going to rub against it and tear a hole. The wheels may have been worse than the case material. They wouldn’t roll smoothly even if you were on a freshly cleaned ice rink. It’s hard to put it into perspective until you’ve used luggage that rolls effortlessly. What was even worse than that was the telescopic handle. The button hardly wanted to work even before it completely broke. You could feel how floppy and flimsy the metal was when it did extend, which didn’t last long. We lent the largest checked bag to some family and by the time we got it back after their trip the handle was bent and would no longer extend. Brutal.

Once you’re frustrated with your luggage the only thing you can do is replace it. We made the mistake of replacing it with more budget luggage. A couple of carry-ons that were very cost effective made their way into our collection. One has held up a bit longer than the other, but I still wouldn’t recommend either one. The problem with this ends up being only realizing you need new luggage a few days before you’re set to leave. Finding yourself a good set of suitcases isn’t always easy, especially when you don’t know what you really need. Travel can be stressful enough without your luggage getting in the way. Bad luggage really can ruin your trip. A crooked wheel or a broken handle make dragging it through the airport a nightmare.

Let’s add up everything we spent on getting us to where we are now. One budget luggage set of let’s say $80 (it may have even been more than that), followed by a $40 carry-on and a $50, carry-on.  That’s $170 worth of luggage that we no longer even use after just a couple of years. $170 is a bit less than half of what our Bugatti Wellington 3-piece set cost us, so on the surface it looks like we’re ahead, right? Wrong. That’s $170 plus $430, which puts us at $600 already. We thought we were saving money, but in reality, we spent $600. We could have spent $430 upfront on quality luggage and been set for years. Our Wellington set has gone on two or three times as many trips in just a few years compared to that cheap, budget luggage we had purchased. Spending $170 to get us by for a few years before we upgraded and spent more caused more headaches and cost us more than just spending the money upfront would have.

After all this frustration I finally put in my order for my Bugatti Wellington set. I wish I did an unboxing video of our Wellington luggage set all those years ago now. Once I opened it I knew I was never going back. The quality difference was noticeable from the very start. The Wellington luggage is so light it almost doesn’t make sense. Then when you really look at and put your hands on the ABS outer shell you really feel how much more durable it is than that cheap, thin fabric. I popped the TSA lock open and those hefty metal zipper pulls clinked free and I undid the robust zipper. Wow, these things aren’t breaking, I can remember myself thinking. Then I set it on the ground and pull up on that telescoping handle. Oh wow, was it smooth and sturdy. There was no way this one was breaking after two trips. Naturally I roll it across the ground. It’s like it’s gliding on ice, I can’t make this up. I was like a kid on Christmas morning rolling it around. It was so smooth! And the 360-degree spinner functionality, chefs kiss.

I began this business because I knew Bugatti was a brand that me and my family could trust. There is a reason we don’t offer “cheap” luggage here at Stiles Supply Co. We don’t want you to struggle with luggage the way we did. We want to bring you nothing but quality luggage for your trips. Let me be the first to tell you that you don’t need to spend $2500 on an aluminum carry-on either. Trust me, look at one that’s been on a few trips and it’s not so nice and shiny anymore. Stiles Supply may only be in our third year, but Bugatti is on year 85 of offering you affordable luxury travel bags. Take it from me when I say you’re getting luggage that could easily cost you twice as much. Find out for yourself today and see everything we have to offer. Traveling should be about the journey, not fighting with your luggage. Busted zippers and broken wheels aren’t what should be on your mind when you’re finally on that trip of a lifetime. Invest in luggage that works with you, not against you. Save yourself time, money, and frustration with Bugatti and Stiles Supply Co. where you’re always in good hands.