Picking luggage can be almost as stressful as the journey itself. There are hundreds of options out there to choose from, many with shockingly low price tags and others that can cost thousands of dollars. The eBags brand has made a name for itself in this competitive market with reasonably-priced offerings that withstand the rigors of travel, wherever the world may take you.
eBags is also famous for its limited lifetime warranty that allows you to ship a damaged bag back for a replacement, basically no matter what is wrong with it. There are few brands out there that offer this level of customer service, which is why we wanted to give this brand an in-depth review. After a lot of time spent on the road, we have to agree. These are seriously good bags with a seriously good price.
Product FAQ
What kind of eBag is right for me?
What has made the eBags brand so popular?
Should I get hard- or soft-side luggage?
How We Reviewed
We wanted to give a fair spread of eBags brands, so we looked at both hard- and soft-side carry-ons, soft-side checked bags, and backpacks. Over the miles of our travels, we examined how well the bag would hold up, and whether we thought it was value for the price. Overall we were very impressed by the eBags brand. We don’t think they make a bad product; these are just our favorites.
Overall Price Range for the Product
Basically, it depends on what you are buying. Obviously, the smaller carry-ons are cheaper than the larger checked luggage. The hard-side luggage is generally a bit more expensive than the soft-side. Plus, eBags also offers some two- or three-piece sets; these are more expensive than the single pieces, though you do get a discount for buying more than one piece at once.
We found that the eBags brand for suitcases (they do other travel items as well) was between $90-$300, depending on how many pieces were being bought and their size.
The 4 Best eBags of 2018
The TLS Mother Lode Mini has been a beloved eBags product for years and is one of their most popular. It’s durable, roomy, attractive, and the wheels are long-lasting. The multiple pockets will keep you organized, and it’s small enough for a weekend away or to fit snugly into the overhead compartment of any standard airplane while you are flying.
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Sometimes a backpack is a better option than a wheeled bag. This backpack is excellently affordable and comes with many different pockets to keep you organized and on the go. It comes in six different colors and has a cross-hip and cross-chest strap in addition to shoulder straps to help distribute the weight of your luggage easily across your body and prevent back pain. It will also count as a carry-on on most flights, particularly international.
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If you’re looking for a great piece of checked luggage, look no further than the TLS Mother Lode Wheeled Duffel. This piece is affordable, roomy, and able to handle packing virtually everything, including the kitchen sink. The TLS Mother Lode Wheeled Duffel comes in six colors to make it easy to differentiate your luggage from others, and again, eBags excels at designing bags with lots of great pockets.
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Many people prefer hard-side bags as compared to soft, and eBags also has a line of hard-side luggage. The Fortis Hardside Spinner is good-looking, long-wearing, and tough. It has a very sleek appearance and comes in four different colors. As with other hard-side bags it does lack external pockets, but the interior is roomy and the hard sides will definitely withstand whatever is thrown at it.
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Comparison Chart
TLS Mother Lode Mini | TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible | TLS Mother Lode Wheeled Duffel | Fortis Hardside Spinner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Carry-On: | Yes | Carry-On: Yes (but may be too large for some budget airlines) | No | Yes |
Exterior Dimensions: | 21.5" x 15" x 9" | 22" x 14" x 9" | 29" x 17" x 15" | 22" x 14" x 9" |
Weight: | 8 pounds 11 ounces | 3 pounds 15 ounces | 12 pounds | 6 pounds 7 ounces |
Color Options: | Six | Six | Six | Four |
Material: | 840D & 900D Twisted Poly | 840D & 900D Twisted Poly | 840D & 900D Twisted Poly | Bayer Makrolon 100% Polycarbonate |
Warranty: | Limited lifetime warranty | Limited lifetime warranty | Limited lifetime warranty | Limited lifetime warranty |
Our Final Thoughts
The problem with picking a “best” is that it’s so dependent on preferences. We actually found the TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible most to our liking, but we’ve got a preference for backpacks (we’ve tried to drag wheeled luggage over way too many cobblestones). However, backpacks are generally best for adventure travel, and obviously since the TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible is a carry-on, it’s not necessarily suitable for the whole family.
We love the TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible for its practicality, convenience, and for the fact that stairs are no worry with the backpack. It’s well-constructed, and the lifetime warranty gives us a lot of confidence in our purchase.
