30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely fabulous world traveler suitcase, January 2, 2010
This review is from: Eagle Creek Travel Gear Tarmac 25 Wheeled Travel Bag (Apparel)
One UPDATED note about this review: It appears that since I bought my Tarmac 25 bag in 2007, Eagle Creek has tweaked this bag - and seriously redesigned it in 2011. This review was written before the 2011 changes. The newer ones (pre-2011) have an easier to use add-a-bag strap connection, a built-in shoe compartment, and perhaps a slightly different kind of fabric in some parts. However, I believe that this review of the earlier version of this bag is valid and useful, because the bag I saw in stores up till the 2011 change, seemed to be nearly the same as the bag I own.
I've had my Eagle Creek Tarmac 25 bag, in the Palm Green color, since March 2007. I gulped a bit at the prices of the Eagle Creek luggage, but I was heading out for a month-long tour in foreign countries. The itinerary included ten commercial flights, meaning ten opportunities for my one allowed checked bag to be bounced, jounced, dropped and smashed while out of my sight. I just didn't want to risk having a cheap suitcase fall apart while I was on tour on the other side of the world. As noted, the tour company allowed us one checked bag (with strict size and weight limits) and one carry-on which because we'd be on small planes and buses, couldn't be the typical wheeled 22-inch US domestic carry-on type. So I got this bag and the
Eagle Creek Travel Gear Small 08 Tarmac Flight Bag (or the 2007 version thereof, not sure if the "08" designation makes any difference except type of nylon).
This bag not only took the big Down Under tour in stride, it's since been to S. America (where an aircraft cargo hatch door was slammed down on it, broke the TSA lock but the bag is unscathed except for a zipper pull tag that was easy to replace, didn't hurt the zipper itself), Asia, the UK, and various places in the USA. it still looks great, and the gray and green colors make it a little easier to spot on the baggage claim carousels than the universal black. Someone said this line of luggage looks too "backpack-like" for them, but I like it.
At the time I was shopping for it, there weren't as many lightweight luggage choices as there are now that US airlines are more aggressive in enforcing their luggage weight limits. But if I had it to do over again, I'd still buy this bag. It's a quality item in all respects. It's lightweight but very sturdy.
I like the inner compartment organization. I've packed using packing cubes (the Eagle Creek and eBags brands), and sometimes a packing folder - and sometimes without those aids. But the inner compartments and the snug-down straps in the main compartment allow for packing my stuff securely. The bag when empty and when properly packed is very stable and easy to maneuver on its wheels.
The wheels: they are not the cheap-looking little smooth plastic wheels I see on so many bags. These are large rubber wheels, with treads. They are well-placed, at the sides of the bag, and the whole area is reinforced with hard plastic so that you can wheel this thing up and down stairs without ripping the fabric. I've gotten used to wheeling my Eagle Creek bag smoothly along at a good pace, while people around me with other kinds of rolling bags, are fighting to keep theirs from tipping over or getting stuck. The flight bag I mentioned above, slips over the handle of this bag and together they make a nice single unit that's easy to roll along. I'm not sure I'd want to take the London Underground between the airport and my hotel, with less stable and easy to manage rolling luggage. But I've done it with this bag and its matching flight bag, no worries.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Super Suitcase, October 2, 2009
This review is from: Eagle Creek Travel Gear Tarmac 25 Wheeled Travel Bag (Apparel)
This is a great bag. I have one I've used for a year. I actually ordered it for my husband, but I started using it. Now I'm ordering another one for him.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great piece of luggage, November 9, 2009
I took this bag on an 8 day trip and was able to fit all my stuff in there pretty handily. The pockets on the inside flap allow you to open the bag without everything falling everywhere each time you open it. If you haven't bought new luggage recently, you'll be surprised how light this one is. Get one of the colored bags, it definitely stands out on the luggage carousel.
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