I used to swear by Tumi, due to it's ballistic nylon and good customer service if any problems arose. The cost was high, but it also was a form of signalling status to others that you were cool and sophisticated. Then I started to swear at them, as the customer service reduced, the price kept climbing and then a sea-change in thinking ensued to the point that these days I just get 'cheap' hard suitcases sold by/through reputable stores and chains (Clas Ohlsen for example). The quality is pretty impressive all said and it does the job. However if you're a real road warrior then it would be best to stick to Samsonite or Rimova as the quality and suppliers the world over make it a no brainer. When you're more worried about the suitcase getting hammered by the baggage handlers than the contents inside, something is out of balance ;-) If you fly private, then get the Louis Vuitton set out!