Like them? Do they hold up?

I am looking at the expandable laptop briefcase and the organizer briefcase. Both in the Alpha 3 line. Not so much for laptops but for carrying files. I may choose either leather or nylon.

I know Saddleback is popular but I hate slow buckles. Too much trouble to get in and out of quickly

This won’t be much help to you but I have a Tumi leather briefcase bag that I bought 20 years ago. I used it off and on during the first 5 or so years. It is one of the finest pieces of leather I have owned. Buttery soft but tough and well constructed. I keep it even though I don’t need a briefcase because it is so nice I can’t consider getting rid of it. But times have changed. Mine was made in China as I think all have been since around 2001. But at least back then it was still high quality.

Edit: I corrected the above. I thought it was more than 20 years old but I just went into my storage and pulled it out and found some of my old business cards in it as well as the original hang tag. Fun fact it sold for $395 back in 2001. Equal to about $600 in 2020 pre COVID inflation dollars.

Yes they hold up well.
I moved to their backpack bag when travelling as it holds more and has the thing where you can unzip and fold out the laptop compartment for TSA scanning

I love my Tumi brief. It has held up extremely well in my travels.

I have a nylon tumi laptop/briefcase that I’ve used for the past 20 years or so. All the enclosures still work as new and the fabric has held up great.

It was a gift from my very generous mother and I hope to pass it on.

Silent

I had a Tumi nylon briefcase for 20 years; used every work day. Toward the end, parts were starting to fray and give up. It had a good run.

My Goodwill excursions include the eternal search for a well-used leather Tumi camera satchel. For more Tumi indulgences, visit the Rolex crū.

I was a Tumi fan. Had several "briefcases." They were office shoulder bags. Mine was the Expandable Organizer Laptop Brief. I had the larger and smaller versions. But, afterwards, they dropped their lifetime warranty and I heard their quality as gone down. (Makes sense why they would drop the lifetime warranty then.

After that, I bought a couple of Briggs and Riley. They still have a lifetime warranty. I have since given them away since I no longer work.

If you can get your hands on an original Tumi before they got bought by Samsonite jump on them. Since the buy-out, their quality isn't the same and they've watered-down the brand.

Personally, I prefer Briggs & Riley, while more reserved/conservative in styling, their warranty is iron clad and their workmanship is top-notch.

I've used the same Tumi brief for the last 15 years, it's held up great over many miles of air travel as well as daily office use.

I’ve had a Tumi for 20+ years. They’re expensive but hold up well and are incredibly well made.


They have a lifetime warranty. When I had a zipper problem they sent a loaner case, I returned mine, and they replaced the entire case.

The old Tumi was great. The Samsonite owned Tumi not so much.

They significantly cheapened the Alpha line with the Alpha 2 and it was not nearly as durable as the original Alphas. The Alpha 3 is newer within the last couple years (2019 I think) and they claim it's been improved, but the cost has gone up even more. The middle range stuff in any Tumi store is clearly re-branded Samsonite for 2x (or more) the price. The guaranty is only 5 years now and no loaners.

Other than the design of the Alpha line, I am leary of dropping that much on a bag. Tumi has become more of a status symbol for well paid business travelers, but I do see a lot of the older original ones that are beat up but still good.

And that's the whole story - startup company builds a better mousetrap that meets a need and becomes a leader, then is bought out by a big company that cheapens the product and banks on the brand name even though the product no longer lives up to the reputation.

quote:

Originally posted by Lefty Sig:
And that's the whole story - startup company builds a better mousetrap that meets a need and becomes a leader, then is bought out by a big company that cheapens the product and banks on the brand name even though the product no longer lives up to the reputation.

Yup, that's about the sum of it.

Luggage industry has taken a massive hit over the last 5-years and that was before the pandemic and all its misguided policies that resulted. From Tumi getting bought-out and watered-down by Samsonite, to VF mismanaging Eagle Creek and ultimately closing its doors, all that's left is Briggs & Riley and a handful of tiny, niche brands.