Thursday, August 6, 2009

The luggage dilemma..

Samsonite's freeminder

Semi-retired: the Osprey Crescent 75

Three more weeks to go before we hit the road and there's a slight problem with
my luggage.I found out that my trusty old Osprey Crescent 75 backpack has fallen apart. Humidity and fungus had taken over nearly the entire pack and the bad news is --
the pack's support frame for the waistbelt had also disentigrated.The waterproofing membrane on the pack's removable quiver pocket had also
broken down.In short, this pack is now 65% serviceable. So, there is a 35% risk that it will
completely break down on the trail.Now that most of the places that we are going in the US are urban areas, the only
logical thing to do, is to get a roll-on luggage.There are few choices on hand and one of the brands that I have been closely
watching is Samsonite.Some years ago, I bought a set for my wife and it served her well.The funny thing is this; there are a few outlets and the ones that gave the best
discount are the agent's showroom.Dealers cut about 15% and the Malaysian agent can go as low as 50% off their
retail prices.That said, very few models in Samsonite's range met my criteria.I need something lightweight, durable and rugged. The only choices are from the 'Outlab' series, but they looked like shit.So, after spending some time researching the bags, I finally narrowed it down to
Samsonite's 'Freeminder' series.These bags are built solid and commands a retail price of RM1k per piece.And since the showroom is throwing 50% + 10% discount for credit card holder, I
found something I like and decided to procure it for my Vegas trip.I find that there's enough space in this luggage to pack in 14 days worth of clothing
and personal essentials.The rest will be hand-carried with my Kifaru E&E or Scout.

No comments: