Briggs & Riley

For frequent travellers, Briggs & Riley makes a strong case. The brand is built around long-term ownership rather than disposability, headlined by a lifetime guarantee that even covers damage caused by an airline. If you want a bag you buy once and keep repairing for free instead of replacing, that's the whole pitch.

It's one of the most generous in luggage, and unusually it covers airline damage too. Briggs & Riley is known for a lifetime guarantee that takes care of functional damage even when an airline is to blame, which is rare in the category. Read it as protection for zippers, wheels and handles over the life of the bag rather than a cosmetic-wear policy.

Both sit at the premium end, but they lean different ways. Briggs & Riley is the more function-and-durability-first choice, anchored by its lifetime guarantee that covers airline damage and engineering touches like its NXpandable expansion system. Choose Briggs & Riley if longevity and the warranty matter most; Tumi if you're after its particular look and lineup.

Briggs & Riley Travelware is based in Hauppauge, New York. It's an American luggage maker, and its products are distributed through independent retailers across the United States and Canada as well as its own online store.

Briggs & Riley was founded in 1993 by Richard Costa. The luggage maker has been built around durability and its lifetime guarantee ever since, growing into a fixture of the premium travel-bag market.

The company was acquired in August 2000 by Richard Krulik and U.S. Luggage LLC. U.S. Luggage is also the parent of Solo New York, which makes business cases, so Briggs & Riley sits within a broader bags-and-cases group.

It's one of the brand's signature engineering features. Briggs & Riley says it was the first company to establish the NXpandable System, which gives you more space inside the bag when expanded. It's a good example of the function-first thinking the brand is known for.

The Outsider handle is a Briggs & Riley innovation that puts the telescoping handle mechanism on the exterior of the case. By moving it outside, the brand keeps a flat, uninterrupted packing area inside for wrinkle-free clothes. Briggs & Riley says it was the first company to develop this design.

Briggs & Riley is best known for durable travel bags backed by its lifetime guarantee, including coverage for airline-caused damage. It's also recognised for engineering firsts like the NXpandable expansion system and the Outsider handle, which together define its function-led reputation.

Yes. The New York Times' Wirecutter has rated Briggs & Riley products as its upgrade pick, the choice for travellers willing to spend more for higher quality. That kind of endorsement reinforces the brand's reputation for durability and long-term value.

Major travel-shopping moments and end-of-season turnovers are usually the smartest windows for premium luggage. Because Briggs & Riley designs are deliberately understated and built to last for years, an older-season bag rarely looks dated, and the lifetime guarantee follows the bag regardless of when you bought it.