Looking for good checked bag for safari travels

[xbr897]

Any recommendations on some good checked bag luggage that can meet these criteria?

Main Criteria:
1 - Durable, want this to last for many trips over next 10-15 years.
2 - Must be within airline size limits, adding up all LxWxD must be 62" or under
3 - Must be waterproof itself or have a easily packable rain cover for it
4 - Prefer it to have wheels
5- Looking for more soft sided, not after a 4 wheel spinner hard case

I had a duffel that worked great in most ways on the last trip. Its already showing a bunch of wear after LHR & JNB baggage handling so not sure if it has more than 2 more trips in it before coming apart. I also regretted it not having any sort of rain cover or waterproof exterior when our drive back to PLZ was in the rain with all luggage in back of pickup.

Looked at something like the Eberlestock Hercules though it's too big at 76" all up. Their Atlas is just within size limits but looking for other options to consider as well.

 

[sierraone]

1. L.L.Bean
2. Bags & Travel
3. Luggage & Duffle Bags
4. Duffle Bags
5. Item # TA515110

This is mine except it is solid green. One flat side, two wheels on one end and collapsible handle.

 

[BeeMaa]

My wife has a Pelican 1560 and I use a 1510. Although they are hard sided and therefore don't meet your criteria, we have found them to be very durable through several trips.

 

[Fabnosh]

Take a look at:

https://briggs-riley.co.uk/ I'm sure they'll be available on the US

I've had one of their small bags and it's survived baggage handlers the world over. Still going strong after a decade.

FN

 

[Philip Glass]

Any recommendations on some good checked bag luggage that can meet these criteria?

Main Criteria:
1 - Durable, want this to last for many trips over next 10-15 years.
2 - Must be within airline size limits, adding up all LxWxD must be 62" or under
3 - Must be waterproof itself or have a easily packable rain cover for it
4 - Prefer it to have wheels
5- Looking for more soft sided, not after a 4 wheel spinner hard case

I had a duffel that worked great in most ways on the last trip. Its already showing a bunch of wear after LHR & JNB baggage handling so not sure if it has more than 2 more trips in it before coming apart. I also regretted it not having any sort of rain cover or waterproof exterior when our drive back to PLZ was in the rain with all luggage in back of pickup.

Looked at something like the Eberlestock Hercules though it's too big at 76" all up. Their Atlas is just within size limits but looking for other options to consider as well.

For what you are asking to do I am not sure there is anything that can beat the Pelican Air suitcase. I dont know of any normal luggage thst is truky waterproof. It is waterproof, lockable, and being a Pelican will last basically forever.
My travel plans in the past have been to just buy a cheap hard side suitcase and get 2-3 trips out of it and throw it away. Last year I decided to invest in the Pelican Air suitcase.
Regards,
Philip

 

[BeeMaa]

For what you are asking to do I am not sure there is anything that can beat the Pelican Air suitcase. I dont know of any normal luggage thst is truky waterproof. It is waterproof, lockable, and being a Pelican will last basically forever.
My travel plans in the past have been to just buy a cheap hard side suitcase and get 2-3 trips out of it and throw it away. Last year I decided to invest in the Pelican Air suitcase.
Regards,
Philip

I've had friends with the Pelican Air cases who have had them cracked open at the corners. They are lighter in weight but at the cost of durability. It's a toss up with which you prefer, but there is no free lunch.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

1. L.L.Bean
2. Bags & Travel
3. Luggage & Duffle Bags
4. Duffle Bags
5. Item # TA515110

This is mine except it is solid green. One flat side, two wheels on one end and collapsible handle.

Will second the vote for the LL Bean roller duffle bags. My wife bought 2 of them when we were about to move from Houston to Lagos, Nigeria. We spent 6 years there and took numerous trips every year and they are still going strong. When not in use, they don't take up very much room and can store under a bed. For rain cover, bring your own heavy duty trash bag. (Rain usually isn't a problem where and when I've hunted in Africa. Dust is a bigger problem).

I also have a couple duffle bags that are rubberized canvas dry bags. If I am going on a remote, fly-in hunt or a pack in on horses, I use these. However, without wheels they are a pain to haul through airports.

 

[TSIBINDI]

...Expensive, but have a look at the Orvis Battenkill roller bags. I've made a dozen trips to Zim using an Orvis roller bag, and except for some minor smudges, and abrasions it has held up to the (mis) handling of airline baggage handlers.

 

[Nomadx2]

Check out Nargear. I have the Body Bag with wheels -122L size. I also have the smaller Carry-on with wheels - 45L.

Have traveled extensively with it on airlines & cargo truck and it has held up very well. It also has backpack straps if you need to shoulder it.

NARGEAR Body Bag

Bodybag WHEELS-122L – NARGEAR® | Best wildland fire packs

 

[chashardy]

It was a bit pricey, but I bought a Tumi roller duffle bag that works great for safari packing. It's soft sided but has a rigid steel frame and wheels. It has been on three trips to Africa with me and I'm packing it for a fourth trip, leaving Friday.

 

[Rick HOlbert]

Any recommendations on some good checked bag luggage that can meet these criteria?

Main Criteria:
1 - Durable, want this to last for many trips over next 10-15 years.
2 - Must be within airline size limits, adding up all LxWxD must be 62" or under
3 - Must be waterproof itself or have a easily packable rain cover for it
4 - Prefer it to have wheels
5- Looking for more soft sided, not after a 4 wheel spinner hard case

I had a duffel that worked great in most ways on the last trip. Its already showing a bunch of wear after LHR & JNB baggage handling so not sure if it has more than 2 more trips in it before coming apart. I also regretted it not having any sort of rain cover or waterproof exterior when our drive back to PLZ was in the rain with all luggage in back of pickup.

Looked at something like the Eberlestock Hercules though it's too big at 76" all up. Their Atlas is just within size limits but looking for other options to consider as well.

Hello there. My recommendation and what I use is the Orris Battenkill travel duffle. Meets airline size requirements, plenty of room to pack your gear and tough as an old Dagga boy!! I've had this duffle for quite a while and use it for all my traveling and still looks almost brand new, Not cheap but worth every penny. Hope this helps you.

 

[Nevada Mike]

For many years I have relied on my Filson Large Duffel. Tough as hell.

When my PH visited me here in AZ, he strongly recommended a soft bag for packability in charter plane and vehicles. I will simply use bungees to strap my duffel to my wheeled Pelican case. Everything breakable (scopes, binos, etc.) will go in the gun case or my carry on bag.

 

[mdwest]

the 5.11 CAMS (carry all my stuff) and SOMS (some of my stuff) bags are about the most durable roller duffles I've ever seen..

They are pretty spendy for a soft side duffle type bag.. but pretty indestructible and should last a very long time..

CAMS™ 3.0 186L

CAMS 3.0

www.511tactical.com

SOMS™ 3.0 126L

SOMS 3.0

www.511tactical.com

We (my firm) bought probably 50 of the CAMS bags back around 2009 for moving stuff in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan from the US.. those bags took a serious beating with the airport handlers in Baghdad, Kabul, and other interim stop locations (like Amman, etc)... and always performed..

If I were in the market for a durable, soft sided bag.. I'd be trying to make a decision between one of those two (CAMS or SOMS)..

FWIW, the CAMS exceeds your dimensions requirements.. but we never had any airline give us any grief about the bag in any way.. TO INCLUDE using them to ship gear to South Africa a few times (as well as Nigeria, Costa Rica, Pakistan, and Haiti, and a few other garden spots).. The SOMS bag would land inside your dimensions requirements as long as you didn't pack it to its max capacity..

 

[Tanks]

One big test for zipped duffel bags is surviving baggage handlers/thieves in OR Tambo. I went to the Pelican air cases for that reason. At least, I can tell if someone was successful in cutting all the locks.

 

[CJW]

One big test for zipped duffel bags is surviving baggage handlers/thieves in OR Tambo. I went to the Pelican air cases for that reason. At least, I can tell if someone was successful in cutting all the locks.

My bag was ransacked both ways through ORT. Next time I'm using a Pelican.

 

[CJW]

One big test for zipped duffel bags is surviving baggage handlers/thieves in OR Tambo. I went to the Pelican air cases for that reason. At least, I can tell if someone was successful in cutting all the locks.

My bag was ransacked both ways through ORT. Next time I'm using a Pelican.

 

[BryceM]

I use a Pelican for the reasons stated above. It's been to Africa 6 times, Alaska 3 times, and all over the lower 48 in between. I put my ammo and a bunch of other stuff in it when I fly with firearms. The handle is convenient and the wheels don't take up much room.

 

[autofire]

If you use a soft sided zippered bag you should not be surprised if eventually you have items stolen from your bag. I have multiple friends who had items stolen from soft sided zippered bags when transiting O.R. Tambo.

 

[Cowboy]

Try Red Oxx out of Billings, MT. Craig Boddington swears by them and so do I.

https://www.redoxx.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwlK-WBhDjARIsAO2sErTRKmtWjRRLvPlwa22YSLMazae6FiZtrvCOIMB2hifFjSc2F7nJXF4aAsG7EALw_wcB

 

[JimP]

It doesn't matter if it is hard sided or soft sided, if they are going to get into it they will get into it. Plus if it is hard sided where only you have the key to the lock it may miss your trip out of OR Tambo one way or another.