Good, inexpensive luggage?

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Not all lifetime warranty's are the same. Read the fine print. Do they cover wear & tear? If not then the warranty just means "we will fix it if we made it wrong in the factory".

Correct. Lifetime is not your life, it is the life of the product, which is based on frequency of use and how you use it. As with insurance, read the fine print so there are no surprises and you understand what you are purchasing.
 
There's an expression along the lines of "if it doesn't bend, it breaks." Applies to many things, including IMO hard luggage.

When we started traveling to dive we used some existing Samsonite hard luggage we had, but it did not do well with heavy gear in it and soon cracked, along with being heavy, hard to store, and yucky inside from damp gear. Ever since we've used rolling duffels. First cheap ones which we used until they started wearing out. Then Eagle Creek - we've been using the same ones ever since so they may be at least 20 years old. Lifetime warranty, which we've used exactly once to replace a pullout handle that was broken/stuck somehow. No issues getting them to take care of it.

Except for special situations I disagree that the extra protection of hardcases is needed. It's all about how you pack. We've never had BCs or any gear damaged in soft luggage
 
These are some great options. The only things I'm putting in my checked bag that I might worry about would be my BC - and I think I could protect that well enough if I place things strategically. My husband's Samsonite didn't bend - it broke this last trip. I think the testing they do involves having luggage packed to capacity, and my husband's bag is rarely that full. If it was that full it would be well over 50 pounds. So when the bag gets hit there's no resistance on the inside - so it cracks. This has happened before. Looking at the Eagle Creek more seriously now. Thanks everyone!
 
I typically roll my regulators and mask into my BC and put a couple of compression straps around it to secure all the dangly bits. Its been to Mexico a dozen times, Malaysia and will be on its way to Saudi Arabia in a couple of weeks. Never had a problem. They're made pretty sturdy and there's really nothing crushable on there. Even the inflator is pretty robust.
 
These are some great options. The only things I'm putting in my checked bag that I might worry about would be my BC - and I think I could protect that well enough if I place things strategically. My husband's Samsonite didn't bend - it broke this last trip. I think the testing they do involves having luggage packed to capacity, and my husband's bag is rarely that full. If it was that full it would be well over 50 pounds. So when the bag gets hit there's no resistance on the inside - so it cracks. This has happened before. Looking at the Eagle Creek more seriously now. Thanks everyone!

I put my Scubapro Ladyhawk and Aqua Lung Legend LX in my checked bag (not hard sided - Rolling Thunder) all the time. I pad it with my wetsuit, boots, toiletry bag, and AO cooler that I use for my camera rinse/transport when I arrive. It works very well. :) I used to hand carry my regs but the last 2 years has me into underwater photography so I have a dedicated roller for that now along with my personal items in a backpack. All dive gear with the exception of my primary mask, dive computers, and PLB as well as electronics goes with me in carry on and everything else gets checked.
 

I've been happy with my Samsonite too. It's been through some wars and still going strong. I know that it probably won't stand an ultimate test of time as my old wheeled duffle did, 40+ years, no name brand from Army and Navy store way back when. I bought my Samsonites when on sale. Excellent deal for both sizes not that I use the intermediate size much.
 
It's just too difficult for me to trust an expensive bag. Despite a guarantee, I don't want the inconvenience and even not needing a fix or replacement, watching an expensive bag getting travel marks on it will make me too sad. I'm going to continue with my Samsonite on sale plan when it comes time for replacement.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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