This US Travelers Choice luggage set is a home run if you have realistic expectations. I toiled over which set to buy and went cross-eyed reading all the mixed bag reviews. After much deliberation, and thanks in part to a sale, I settled on this set (actually bought two sets ). Here is a breakdown of what all the other reviews taught me, a synopsis of our experiences with this luggage and a helpful hint to increase the look and durability of these suitcases:
First off, the luggage looks very upscale; the front side is vibrantly colored (in this case royal blue), and the tightly woven fabric has good fit & finish. There are two metal zipper pulls on each compartment which is convenient, however the zippers themselves and the pull attachments are adequate but not of superior durability. The bags are generously sized, deeper than our previous (Atlantic brand) set and this allows the bags to swallow a lot more stuff yet remain portable.
The insides are fully lined and contain straps to secure the contents. While the lining is thin and not the highest quality, it is a nice feature on a set in this price range; our previous set cost twice as much fifteen years ago and had no lining.
Each of the pull pieces have two nicely functioning wheels and an expandable handle to let you drag the bag behind; you can even attach the duffel bag onto an extended handle via a back strap. Speaking of the handles- although none of them have given out on us yet, these handles are a bit awkward to use and will possibly be the first things to act up as they are the flimsiest part of this luggage set. The farther you telescope them out, the more likely they feel as if they are going to break under the weight of the bag, especially if the bags are filled.
HINT: A good hint with which I can "pay it forward" is to Scotch-Guard Fabric them prior to using. I picked up a can and sprayed the sets prior to use and that five dollar investment is helping these bags avoid all sorts of staining and discoloring at the hands of the baggage claim and after repeated uses they still look great.
Overall, this set was a terrific buy for my family's needs and should be the same for most casual travelers as well.
Again, have realistic expectations from what a set of this price should deliver and I think you will be pleased. I posted a few pics of this luggage set so you can visualize what they look like and how they all fit or "nest" together during storage. Should there be any noteworthy experiences (good or bad) as we use them in the future, I will be sure to update. Good luck.
UPDATE: 7/2016: After several more uses, this luggage set continues to function well and look very nice. The handles I mocked in my initial write up still feel a bit flimsy but they are holding up fine. The only other minor issue we have seen is that the metal skeleton between the lining and the outer fabric that helps keep the suitcase's shape is stretching the fabric in the corners of some of the pieces...it is not yet effecting the performance but it looks a bit unsightly on the black bottom-side of some of the pieces. No big deal and I continue to be impressed with this set.
UPDATE 11/2019: 4+ years in and this luggage set is still going strong. No handles have broken, the wheels (although not 360 spinners) work great and they continue to look almost new.
My sister in law bought the exact same set for her and her family and also loves it. I've upped from four to five stars because there have been no durability issues.
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