Should You Repair or Replace Your Luggage?

Start with the frame and shell

The body of a bag is its foundation. If a hard shell has a single crack or an aluminum case a dent, repair is nearly always worthwhile. If the shell is shattered in multiple places or the internal frame of a soft-side bag is bent, the cost of rebuilding may approach the price of a comparable new bag.

Wheels, handles and zippers are consumables

These three components fail more than everything else combined, and all three are designed to be replaced. A bag with a good body and a broken wheel is a good candidate for repair regardless of its original price.

Do the math honestly

Compare the repair estimate with the cost of a replacement of equal quality, not the cheapest bag on the shelf. A $60 wheel replacement on a $400 case is an easy decision. A $90 zipper replacement on a $70 bag is not.

Consider what you cannot buy again

Discontinued models, heritage leather pieces and bags with sentimental value justify repairs that pure economics might not. Restoring a parent's briefcase is a different calculation than fixing a supermarket suitcase.

Ask for an honest opinion

A good repair shop will tell you when a repair does not make sense. We do this every week, and it is part of why customers trust us with the bags that are worth fixing.