Briggs & Riley Torq Hardside Luggage, Stealth, Checked-X-Large Trunk 32-Inch

I have had a set of Briggs and Riley luggage for over a decade. Every time it tears or breaks I drive a half hour to a local store and they fix it. The last time they offered to replace it for a discount on a new suitcase. My husband didn't want that suitcase replaced and got the free fix instead. I looked online and found this carryon bag. I was tired of my old one with only 2 wheels and too small to fit my laptop or printer, which I take with me when I'm on writing sabbaticals. This had ALL that! It was rather pricey and you won't find them discounted anywhere. Briggs & Riley has sales but not on this. I actually ordered this first direct from the manufacturer but received one that had a defective lock. They accepted the return and refunded it. I was running out of time before my next writing trip so I ordered through Amazon with my prime shipping. The package got lost! I ordered it again and got a new fully-working luggage before my trip. The lost bag was still lost weeks later but I couldn't do a quick return on my own. I already dread having to contact Amazon returns because it's so hard to get a human being, but I did (rather quickly) and she was able to verify it was lost and issued a refund. It took a couple weeks for all the refunds from both places to show up but I was on the beach editing my book, which I'd typed and printed using what I brought in the carryon. Oh, and this is the international size, which is smaller than domestic and my 15" laptop and portable printer both fit! I LOVE BRIGGS & RILEY! Just wish they were less expensive...but hey, if you only have to buy one and it last a lifetime it's worth it. Before B&R I went through luggage every other trip!

This is my second Briggs & Riley Torq. The first was a now discontinued model in a more traditional shape. This is only my second 'trunk' style case. The last one was a different brand and it absolutely sucked.What sets the Torq apart is you get almost all the convenience of a soft side case, in that the bulk of the content is stored in one side of the suitcase. But you get all the protection and firmness of a hard side bag. A combination that isn't easy to find.Most traditional hard side cases annoy me because they suck at standing on a luggage rack in a hotel, and don't pack and unpack as easily. The 80/20 split here is SO much better. I don't have to fully unpack it and it will behave itself appropriately in a hotel room setting, even on a flimsy luggage stand.It seems well made. I've found Briggs & Riley wheels to be better than say Tumi, which can be a bit small.You get a great warranty. So I know that if this ever gets trashed by a baggage handler, I can drop this off at my local dealer for free repair, and use my other older Torq in the meantime.I've been a professional traveller for almost 15 years now. I have always checked a bag. And I have owned more than a dozen suitcases. This is by far and unequivocally my favorite. But I also like the Baseline by this company too.I've taken it on at least ten flights so far, and it's held up great. I chose the hunter green because it is way easier to spot a non-black suitcase from across a room.I have concluded that I like my backpacks Tumi and my suitcases Brigs & Riley. I can't see that changing any time soon.I might make different choices if I didn't check a bag, but since I do, this is my favorite setup.

I fly about 180 flights a year and use my luggage frequently. This medium size B&R hard shell is one of the worst pieces of luggage I’ve owned- and that’s a remarkable achievement for the high price and number of suitcases I’ve owned. After about eight flights the shell cracked. The suitcase itself feels flimsy due to weird thick zipper- it wobbles awkwardly. Otherwise the build demonstrates expected quality from B&R with smooth wheels and good handle. I have three other B&R suitcases (fabric) and they are solid. This one is a piece of junk. My ‘Regular brand’ hard shell suitcases usually last about 200 flights and are a third the price of this one. I suggest passing on this piece of luggage if you travel frequently.

I just came back from 21 days in Europe. The luggage endured 6 flights, 5 trains and a bus, as well as wheeling it across many blocks of cobblestones all without even the slightest wear. I love the trunk-like style, and got many compliments on it. It's very spacious and I was able to fit a mad amount of clothes, shoes, boots, toiletries and souvenirs; and due to it being about 3 pounds lighter than other luggage this size, it still came in underweight with the various airlines. I was a little concerned that it might be considered over-sized, but all international flights I used never even questioned the size... well LOT airline at first said it was oversized but then relented and just passed it through.The other thing that makes this piece stand out above the rest is the 80/20 easy open lid...this is a must have... the 50/50 suitcases are very cumbersome to open.The only thing I wish it had were more color options... Yellow, Aqua, Pink? Let's face it, women need more space than men, some feminine colors would go a long way!