A great investment for the frequent traveler
Written: Feb 09 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Extremely durable, well-made. Conservative, functional styling.
Cons: Expensive
The Bottom Line: First-class quality and construction, and superb durability make this luggage a great long-term investment for the frequent traveler.
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| technofan's Full Review: Tumi Luggage Napa Leather 42" Deluxe Garment Bag |
A serious purchase decision
As I recall, deciding to spend almost $400 on a garment bag about five years was not a decision I took lightly. I had been using an old, medium-priced American Tourister nylon garment bag on my frequent business trips and was finding that it wasn’t wearing well. I had heard that Tumi luggage was well made, and I admired its classic, understated black styling.
I had somehow learned that a local luggage retailer was having a sale on last year’s models of Tumi luggage and decided this would be the time to replace the old garment bag.
Product Overview
The Tumi 42” Classic Garment (Style 231) bag is approximately 42” long, 24” wide, and 3.5” thick when empty. It is constructed of a very heavy weight black ballistic nylon. The zippers are large with metal pull-tabs.
The outside surface of the garment bag (the two major sides that you can see when the bag is folded together and clasped) features two large zippered pockets on the bottom half. The zippered opening on each of these pockets are U-shaped, which is a signature Tumi styling feature. These pockets are great for a full toiletries kit, a pair of shoes, or a few folded items.
The top half of the outside features a large pocket with two separate zippered openings. This pocket is great for larger, more bulky items. The top half also includes two generous triangular pockets that are accessed from the sides. These are useful for small toiletry items or rolled up clothing, but are not quite large enough for a shoe.
The other major side of the bag (the cover for the suit compartment – Tumi calls it the curtain) features three thin zippered pockets of various sizes. These are good for a few t-shirts, underwear, or other similar garments. They do not have a lot of volume, and can’t be overstuffed, as this is the side of the garment bag that folds over on itself.
The curtain unzips to reveal the suit compartment. Tumi has provided an excellent metal clothes-hanger clasp that can be locked down. The clasp features rubber grips on the inside to better grip and hold clothes hangers. There is also an adjustable hold-down strap in the middle of the bag that can be placed over the suits and shirts you lay in the bag.
Since its difficult to describe all the details and features of this bag in my review, I recommend you visit the Tumi website for detailed photographs.
Useful features and attention to detail
The bag features heavy plastic buckles on the top and bottom ends and on either side that can be connected together to keep the bag folded while in transit.
An exterior zippered pouch contains a metal hook and chain for hanging the bag from a clothing rod in a closet. I’ve used this hook many times when the bag is full and it has held up well.
The carrying handle on the outside of the bag is sturdy and padded. There is also a simple nylon strap handle at the base of the garment bag for convenience. A detachable nylon shoulder strap with metal clasps is also included. The connection points for this strap are sturdy, metal hooks mounted on the “spine” of the bag.
The bag includes two black luggage locks with keys. These locks have held up well over the past four years of heavy use.
Tumi also thoughtfully included a large black nylon laundry bag with a red Tumi logo and a nylon drawstring.
Incredibly durable
My garment bag has seen over four years of heavy domestic airline travel and has endured beautifully. All the zippers still function smoothly and there are no punctures or tears in the heavy ballistic nylon. The only failure I experienced a few years ago was that one of the plastic buckles at the end of the bag broke during baggage handling.
I was told by a Tumi retailer I can get this buckle fixed for free by having them ship it to Tumi for me for a small fee. I haven’t yet taken them up on this offer. Technically, I suspect I would have to pay something for the repair, as Tumi’s limited lifetime guarantee doesn’t actually cover normal wear and tear.
Lost & Found Luggage – sort of
Some time after I purchased this bag, Tumi introduced a new feature on their luggage called Tumi Tracer. They began to mount a small metal ID tag inside their luggage. The tag contained a unique 20-digit ID number and barcode that, when registered by the owner, could be used to help Tumi reunite the owner with the bag.
Tumi was nice enough to offer a variation of this ID tag to its existing customers at no charge. If I sent my name, address, and luggage information, they would send a plastic ID card that could be placed in the bag’s leather luggage tag. The ID card would contain only my name and ID number and would ask anyone that found the bag to call a toll-free Tumi number.
While I think this is a clever addition to their luggage, I’m not sure how well it would really work. Specifically, if you buy a new piece of Tumi luggage, the ID tag will be mounted INSIDE the bag. Consequently, it will not be seen by anyone until the bag is opened and thoroughly examined.
Recommendation
I have no regrets making the investment in my Tumi luggage. It is very durable and well designed. I would highly recommend their products to any frequent traveler that is comfortable in making a long-term luggage investment.
Tumi makes design improvements to its line every few years, so it’s possible to buy a soon-to-be-replaced product at an attractive discount.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
technofan
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Reviews written: 8
Trusted by: 0 members
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