Briggs & Riley Baseline Review

Interested in the Briggs & Riley Baseline luggage? Then you’re certainly in the right place because this detailed review will tell you all you need to know about the luggage collection!

Briggs & Riley Baseline is a collection of softside luggage. It’s one of the brand’s best-sellers, and it includes everything from backpacks to large checked bags. This review focuses on the Baseline suitcases in all their shapes and sizes, so read on to see if any of the bags seem like a good fit for your needs!

Materials

All the Baseline luggage is made from sturdy ballistic nylon. This is a very tough material that easily resists wear, water, and abrasion, for excellent durability. The Baseline bags are all water-resistant enough to protect the luggage in light rain, but it’s not recommended to expose the bags to heavy rain or submerge them underwater.

The bags also feature self-repairing YKK zippers, which are the best quality zippers on the market. Aircraft-grade aluminum is used for the wheel handle, so all the materials on the Baseline luggage are truly top-notch quality.

Size And Capacity

The size variety of the Baseline collection ranges from a 16” underseat bag to a 31” checked suitcase. There are also several carry-ons to choose from – a small 19” carry-on that’s perfect for small aircraft, a 21” international carry-on that’s accepted as a cabin bag on most international planes, and a 22” domestic carry-on that maximizes cabin bag allowances from the major US airlines.

There’s less variety when it comes to checked bags. The Baseline collection includes just three checked suitcases (26”, 29”, and 31”) and a wide 23” garment bag. There are also a couple of wheeled duffel bags in this collection, but they’re not included in the review because the focus is on the Briggs & Riley Baseline suitcases.

Size Options

The Baseline collection is one of the largest luggage collections from this brand. It includes everything from a pouch for your toiletries to a massive suitcase for month-long trips, so there’s plenty of size variety to choose from.

This review focuses on the Baseline suitcases and cabin bags – pretty much just the Baseline luggage that’s equipped with wheels. This includes carry-ons, rolling garment bags, large checked suitcases, and even wheeled duffel bags.

Expandable Capacity

Briggs & Riley is famous for its CX expansion system, which consist of buttons inside the packing compartment. When you press the buttons, the luggage expands to offer even more packing space. After you’ve packed and zipped up the suitcase, you just press down on the front panel and the buttons snap into place.

There aren’t any expansion zippers, and you don’t even have to sit on the luggage to close it. It’s a great expansion system that’s even present on some of their hardside suitcases, and it’s one of the main selling points of Briggs & Riley luggage.

Main Packing Compartment

The main packing compartment of the Baseline luggage is spacious, expandable, and equipped with multiple pockets and straps. It’s got cinch-down mesh garment panels that compress the clothes and keep them in place, mesh zip pockets in the lid, and a suiter section behind the lid pockets.

The suiter section is designed for suits and garments that mustn’t get wrinkled during transport. It’s one of the features that make this luggage so popular with business travelers, and it’s certainly a convenient feature to have should you need it.

External Pockets

One of the best things about softside luggage is that it usually has multiple external pockets – something that you rarely get on hardside luggage. The Baseline luggage features two external pockets – a large front compartment and a smaller Speedthru pocket.

The Speedthru pocket is perfect for documents – passport, boarding pass, and all the other items you want to have easily accessible while traveling. The larger compartment can fit laptops and other last-minute items, but it’s worth noting that it’s not designed as a laptop compartment, so there’s no extra padding or protection inside it.

Wheels

The Baseline collection is available in two styles – spinners and uprights. The Uprights are equipped with in-line skate wheels and they’re generally a bit more affordable than the spinners. The price difference is about $50 between two suitcases of the same size, but it’s almost negligible considering we’re talking about luggage that costs $500+.

The main reason to pick up an upright over a spinner is that the main compartment is a bit bigger. In-line skate wheels are low-profile, which allows the packing compartment to be bigger while keeping the same luggage height. So, pick up an upright if you need the extra space, but go with a spinner if you prefer easier maneuverability.

All Baseline spinners are equipped with smooth and sturdy double-spinner wheels that allow for effortless maneuverability of the luggage. They perform best on smooth airport floors, but they’re sturdy enough that you can take them on a ride on some rougher terrain.

Wheel Handle

Briggs & Riley luggage is known for Outsider wheel handles and the Baseline collection is no exception. The wheel handle is entirely mounted to the exterior of the luggage, so it doesn’t take any space away from the packing compartment.

This is a great feature because it means there aren’t any protrusions in the main compartment that you need to pack around. Instead, you get an entirely smooth packing compartment, which helps keep all the clothes wrinkle-free.

The wheel handle is made from aircraft-grade aluminum for the best durability. It’s a lightweight handle with multiple height stops, allowing everyone to adjust it to a height that suits them best. The handle allows for effortless maneuverability of the luggage, and it pairs great with both the spinner and the in-line skate wheels.

Grab Handles

All Baseline suitcases feature top and side grab handles. The top handle is padded for improved comfort and smoother handling. The side grab handle is not padded, but only because this keeps it low-profile so that the luggage easily fits in sizer bins and overhead compartments.

There’s also a small fabric grab handle at the bottom, which is supposed to provide you with an additional grabbing point whenever needed. It makes it a bit easier to pick up a suitcase and place it in the overhead bin, and it doesn’t impact the size or weight of the luggage in any way.

TSA Combination Lock

The luggage doesn’t have any built-in locks, but Briggs & Riley includes a TSA cable combination lock with the purchase of every Baseline suitcase. It’s a convenient addition that saves you from having to purchase the lock on your own, but it’s not entirely as secure as a built-in lock.

SmartLink Strap

SmartLink Strap is the brand’s take on a system that allows you to attach suitcases. It works best when you pair a carry-on and a checked bag since it allows you to easily maneuver the two suitcases with just one hand.

It’s a convenient feature for travelers who usually get around with multiple pieces of luggage, but it’s not such a great feature that you should pick up the bags just because of it.

PowerPocket (Carry-On Only)

The PowerPocket is a feature present only on the carry-ons. It’s a small pocket in the back, which has a USB port that lets you charge your electronics on the go. The pocket is big enough to fit a power bank, and it’s certainly a convenient feature that’s present on most high-end carry-on suitcases.

Value For Money

Is the Baseline luggage really worth the price point? Probably not, but keep reading.

Briggs & Riley is a luxury luggage brand and its prices are adjusted for a certain clientele. It’s the same thing as with Tumi and Rimowa – the luggage is of amazing quality, but it’s so expensive you could probably buy a used car for the price of a checked suitcase. That’s because you’re not just paying for the premium materials and construction – you’re also paying for the prestige that comes with wheeling around a Briggs & Riley bag.

The Baseline luggage might not be worth every single penny it costs, but no luxury luggage is. The main advantage Briggs & Riley has over other brands is that they’re actually on the lower end in terms of cost, at least when compared to brands like Tumi and Rimowa.

They’ve also got excellent innovative technologies and features that you won’t find in any other luggage brands. Plus, the luggage is covered with a lifetime guarantee, so you will be able to use the bags for years to come.

Briggs & Riley Baseline Review: Final Thoughts

Should you get yourself a Briggs & Riley Baseline suitcase? If you can afford it, you definitely should.

If a Baseline bag won’t make a dent in your bank account, then it’s a good idea to go ahead and get the luggage. It’s a premium quality, it’s got amazing innovative features, and it’s covered by a great warranty. The suitcases are well made and durable, they’ve got great organizational features, and they perform equally well in changing conditions. Plus, they look really good

But they’re expensive, and not everyone can afford them. If you’re thinking about getting the Baseline luggage but you can’t actually afford it, then just forget about it. You can get three awesome Samsonite suitcases for the price of a Baseline carry-on – if it’s outside of your price range, then it’s not worth it.

Head over to Amazon to see the prices and more photos of all the Briggs & Riley Baseline luggage featured in this review. If you’re not sure it’s the right luggage for you, check out our related posts for even more awesome suitcases!

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