The Lightest Luggage With the Highest Quality

I have been to several luggage stores around town, talked to the knowledgeable sales people, read reviews online and have come up with some great light suitcases for every travelers needs.

Just to give you a scale of what you are looking at, Tumi’s LXT 28” upright weighs in at 22lbs empty.  Rimowa weighs 6 lbs.  Now that there are weight restrictions, our luggage needs are different.  Airlines will allow you up to a 50lbs bag and 51 lbs they will start charging.  Why would you want 22lbs of an empty suitcase?  Here are some great lightweight, yet high quality options.

Rimowa Salsa Air
I think hands down everyone said that the lightest suitcases on the market are the Rimowa Salsa Air.   They are the leaders in this lightweight Polycarbonate material suitcase and apparently also the best of that kind.  The suitcase is not only light as a feather (weighing in at 6 lbs) but is available in a great array of sizes to suit just about anyone’s needs.  The 26” ($475) and the 28” ($495) seemed to make the most sense for what my travel needs are.

They also have a great travel size.  They come in bright colors so that they are easy to spot at the airport and apparently the lock is very secure and hard to break into.   They are available at Amazon as well as luggage stores.  I have not seen them in Department stores yet.  Other manufactures are coming out with lines similar to this, but most sales people have told me, not as successfully.  I am sure others will improve with time.

Eagle Creek HC2 Hovercraft Luggage
Another brand that was suggested to me was Eagle Creek.
The construction is light yet extremely durable.  The largest Bag is 28” and weighs in at 10lbs.  The 25” bag weighs 8 lbs 8oz.  Suggested retail is $275.  It was available on Amazon for $193.78.  It comes with a life time warranty.


Victorinox Swiss Army Werks Traveler
Victorinox not only makes great watches but also apparently great suitcases.  They are incredibly durable and should last you a very long time.  The 24” expandable bag offers great room inside.  I was told that part of the reason this bag has more room is because there is one pole for the handle which ends up taking up less of your inside luggage space.
It weighs in at 11lbs and prices at around $349.00.  It is available on Amazon and at most major department stores.

T-Tech by Tumi  (Exclusively for Crate and Barrel)
Tumi just came out with a line for Crate and Barrel.  The largest bag is 27” and weighs in at 10.56 lbs and will cost about $345.  Tumi makes excellent bags so I’m sure these are no exception.  It is too soon however to get real reviews on them since the line just came out but it is certainly one to watch.

Al in all, if you are going with a bag larger than a carry on, I tend to think that the bags between the 24” and the 26” are you best bets.  If you have more space you will generally use it, and it is so much easier to travel lighter!