Delsey four-wheeled Hard Shell
Pros:
Solid hardshell design. Well padded interior. Stylish.
Cons:
Four rolling wheels a mixed blessing. Can be tricky to latch closed.
The Bottom Line:
A rugged and stylish suitcase that's great for a week's worth of clothes and a bunch of electronics. Four wheeled design not so lovable off smooth ground.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
I purchased the Delsey hard shell last year, partially in response to the TSA making it more convenient to check baggage than to carry it aboard. Since I often carry a lot of electronics (up to three laptops and assorted peripherals), and airline baggage handling is notoriously rough, I wanted a hard shell bag to protect the valuable gear I was carting along.
While I wasn't looking specifically for a four-wheeled suitcase, the Delsey met all my other needs and was on sale at a reasonable price. It's good looking, rugged, and the interior is nicely done and well padded. The 'flap' that separates the two halves of the case has a zippered mesh compartment that's a little too inflexible for storing anything thicker than a couple of socks, but it's great for things like paperwork you might be dragging along. The retractable handle feels solid, and locks at several heights. The bag came with a snap in clear 'pouch' for carrying toiletries. The key lock is TSA enabled and comes with two keys.
The four wheel feature has turned out to be a mixed blessing. On smooth level ground, like the oft tiled floors of a baggage claim area, it's easy to maneuver upright on all four wheels. The suitcase will happily cruise along beside you, rather than trailing out behind. However, once the ground gets a little rough, or you're on an incline, the four castering wheels gain a mind of their own: either balking on the rough, or wandering off down hill if you let go.
The solution is to simply tip the bag over onto two wheels and use it like any other two-wheeled rolling luggage. Unfortunately, the small diameter wheels don't like rough terrain (in this context, a typical parking lot is "rough"), and putting that kind of side load on the casters will probably shorten their life.
If you like a hardshell, and this bag's decidedly sleek looks, and you don't care about how the handles on other-than-smooth terrain, this may be just the bag for you. If you value the utility of a larger-wheeled design, look at other models.
