Briggs & Riley Vs. TUMI: Which Is Better?

At U.N. Luggage, we carefully select luggage and bags from some of the most renowned manufacturers in the business. Briggs & Riley Canada and TUMI Canada are two of our favourite luggage companies - in this article, we break down the difference between some of their flagship products:

Briggs & Riley Vs. TUMI Comparison Chart (Price, Weight, Warranty, Materials)

The difference between Briggs & Riley and TUMI’s products varies depending on the products you’re comparing, but this comparison chart will give you a good idea of the general differences between the two companies:

The Story Behind Briggs & Riley And TUMI

TUMI, as a brand, has been around for over 50 years; the company was founded in 1975, and is known for its ballistic nylon and sleek black-on-black look. They position themselves as fashionable, stylish, and classy; TUMI bags are seen in some circles as a status symbol. 

Briggs & Riley is a bit younger; it was founded in 1993 and has been making luggage for over 30 years. It’s best known for its lifetime guarantee, one of the best in the industry. Briggs positions themselves as having some of the best value bags on the market; they’re not as focused on finishing touches, but their bags still look amazing. 

Both Brands' Flagship Carry-Ons Compared

Both of these flagship carry-ons are high-quality products that we recommend to our customers regularly. Briggs & Riley’s Baseline Global Carry-On Spinner has everything you need, with high-quality construction. The TUMI Alpha Dual Access Expandable Carry-On, on the other hand, has everything you need and more. 

Briggs & Riley Baseline Global Carry-On Spinner

Briggs & Riley’s flagship carry-on, the Baseline Global Carry-On Spinner, is one of the best universal carry-ons on the market. Featuring Briggs & Riley’s proprietary CX™ compression and expansion system, you can expand the bag to fit all of your luggage, then push the bag down to compress everything back into carry-on size. 

The bag also features interior zip pockets, high-quality telescoping handles and shock-absorbing spinner wheels, a combination lock, and a ton of little details (like orange lining to tell you when the exterior pocket is open) to make your packing and travel experience that much easier. 

TUMI Alpha Dual Access Expandable Carry-On

While the Briggs & Riley Baseline has everything you need, the TUMI Alpha Dual has everything you want - and even some things you might not have considered. There’s built-in USB-C charging (you need a power bank) and an AirTag pocket. As well, there’s the TUMI Tracer to help you recover your luggage.

Beyond that, the Alpha Dual Expandable Carry-On has the features you need, like expansion and compression, high-quality parts, dual entry zip access to the main compartment, and TUMI’s incredibly durable FXT® Ballistic Nylon fabric. 

TUMI Backpack Vs. Briggs & Riley Backpack: Which Is The Best?

Best is subjective - both of these backpacks are incredible. The Briggs & Riley Work Medium Backpack is a great daily wear and travel backpack, while the TUMI Alpha Bravo Search Backpack is perfect for people who need to keep their bag extremely well-organized - a great backpack for business and sales. 

Briggs & Riley Work Medium Backpack

Three sections, multiple padded sleeves, a SpeedThru™ pocket for all of your most important items, RFID shielding, and soft fabric lining in a colour that contrasts with the exterior make it easy to find your items. 

A slip-through back panel to affix your bag to your carry-on handle. A pocket for your water bottle. Durable leather carry-handles. A hidden back security pocket. Durable fabric, ergonomic shoulder straps, and aerated mesh padding for improved circulation to keep your back cool. 

Briggs & Riley thought of all the little details when designing the Work Medium Backpack; it’s a great daily use backpack, and it’s a wonderful choice for travel, too. 

TUMI Alpha Bravo Search Backpack

For people who care about keeping their backpack well organized, it’s hard to beat the Alpha Bravo Search - a funny name for the product, because you won’t have to search for anything in this bag for very long.

Why? Pockets. 2 card pockets, 4 media pockets, a padded tablet pocket, and even pen holders are all incorporated into the interior of the bag. There’s also a laptop pocket, two side zip pockets (one of which has water-resistant lining), a quick access back pocket, a side open pocket, and a total of 15 different pockets. 

Of course, the bag is also built with TUMI’s ballistic nylon and features like a mesh back panel and ergonomic straps. 

Briggs & Riley Tote Vs. TUMI Tote Bag: Which Has Better Quality?

These bags are both incredibly high quality; they’re also extremely similar, so the one you’ll pick will be mostly based on aesthetics, as well as a couple of different features between the two: 

Briggs & Riley Baseline Traveler Tote Bag

Soft interior pockets, self-repairing zippers, and a 33L capacity make this beautiful tote bag a versatile, classy choice for travellers of all stripes. As with many Briggs & Riley products, the Baseline Traveler tote also features the SpeedThru pocket with orange lining! 

TUMI Voyageur Just In Case Tote

The TUMI Voyageur Just In Case Tote is another classy pick; it folds flat to make it easier to pack, its lightweights, and it features a double-zip entry to the main compartment as well as a zip pouch with snaps to attach to the interior of the bag.

We also love that it’s called the Voyageur; a bit of Manitoban bias.

Briggs & Riley Duffel Vs. TUMI Bravo Fleet Day Duffle

Briggs & Riley NEW ZDX Large Travel Duffel

This carry-on-sized duffel has a ton of features that make it great for travel and the gym. There’s a large side-zip PVC-lined pocket for damp items, with another large zip pocket on the opposite side for added storage. There’s also a mesh pocket on the top lid, as well as the sizable main compartment.

Tons of grab handles, self-repairing zippers, and a detachable, adjustable shoulder strap make the Briggs & Riley Large Travel Duffel incredibly convenient. The bag also features Briggs & Riley’s classic SpeedThru pocket, with RFID shielding. 

TUMI Bravo Fleet Day Duffle

The TUMI Bravo Fleet Day Duffle is another multipurpose duffle that you can take to the gym or on a plane. There’s a ton of pockets in the interior: A tablet pocket, 2 card pockets, an interior/exterior pocket with water-resistant lining, and a 15” padded laptop pocket.

Need more pockets? There’s also a back zip pocket! Portability? You’ve got it, with both a leather-wrapped top-carry handle and an adjustable, tuck-away shoulder strap. 

The last bit of great news: Despite the name, you can use the duffle at night, even if you don’t own a fleet. 

TUMI Vs. Briggs & Riley Warranty Comparison

TUMI offers a staggered, 5-year warranty on its products. In the first year, it covers practically everything: Wear and tear (except aesthetic damage), manufacturing and workpersonship defects, and even damage caused by airlines or other transit mishandling.

In the next four years, functional or structural failures due to wear and tear, manufacturing defects, and workpersonship are still covered. Damage caused by airlines and other transit stops being covered during this period.

Briggs & Riley offers a lifetime warranty, which covers the repair of all functional aspects of your bag for life. This guarantee is honestly one of the best in the business; it also covers airline damage, and it lasts for a lifetime. We don’t love declaring clear winners for bags, but for warranties, in our opinion, Briggs & Riley clearly come out on top. 

Final Verdict: Which Brand Should I Buy?

Both TUMI and Briggs & Riley have their advantages; life would be easier if there were a one-size-fits-all perfect brand for everyone, but there isn’t. Here’s who we think each brand is best for:

Buy Briggs & Riley for the lifetime warranty, the SpeedThru™ pocket, and the lower price point.

Buy TUMI for the tough ballistic nylon, the special features like built-in USB charging, and the specialized pockets designed to keep your life more organized. You can also buy TUMI if you care about the little details, and if you’re looking for a bag that’s incredibly stylish. 

Briggs & Riley Vs. TUMI FAQs

Is TUMI actually worth double the price of Briggs & Riley?

TUMI isn’t actually double the price of Briggs & Riley in most cases, but its bags do tend to be more expensive. Whether or not they’re worth double depends on your needs and preferences; if tons of pockets, extremely durable fabric, special features, and TUMI’s unique style are worth the money to you, these bags are incredible.

Which luggage brand survives airline handling better?

In our experience, TUMI bags tend to be a bit more durable thanks to their ballistic nylon, which can make them less prone to cosmetic damage from airline handling. On the other hand, Briggs & Riley has a lifetime warranty covering airline damage, so even if the bags are a little more prone to damage (and in our experience, the difference is minimal), you can always get them repaired. 

Do TUMI bags really feel “heavier” in real use?

TUMI bags do often feel heavier, largely because of the heavy ballistic nylon fabric. They also have more compartments and zippers - that means more fabric, more material, and more weight. Fortunately, if you get a larger bag like the carry-on luggage, TUMI’s heavy-duty wheels will take the weight off your shoulders. For other bags, its comfortable shoulder straps make carrying the bit of extra weight a breeze. 

Is the Briggs & Riley lifetime warranty actually honoured?

The Briggs & Riley lifetime warranty is one of the best warranties in the industry; it’s so good it might honestly be one of the best warranties in any industry. It absolutely honours its warranties regularly, and we’ve had next to no trouble with Briggs & Riley claims. 

Why do business travellers tend to prefer TUMI?

In a TUMI bag, everything is so well organized that you never have to look for a pen, your notes, or anything else that you value. Business travellers value efficiency; they want to always be able to charge their phones, always know where their most important documents are, and never have to second-guess what they’ve packed. TUMI is the perfect fit. TUMI is also a bit of a status symbol, which can be valuable in business transactions. 

Which brand's wheels last longer?

The wheels on TUMI and Briggs & Riley luggage are durable, long-lasting, and smooth rolling; they both have about the same lifespan in our experience. The big difference? TUMI’s wheels are only warrantied for 5 years; Briggs & Riley’s are warrantied for life. 

Can you actually pack more in a Briggs & Riley because of the outside handle?

Yes. The Outsider Handle is, as the name suggests, on the outside of the bag - that leaves more room on the inside of the bag!  

Is TUMI's repair process actually painful?

When you try to repair it yourself, maybe - but if you send an item for repairs within the window of TUMI’s warranty, the process can be incredibly simple. You can even bring your bag right here to the team at U.N Luggage.

Will either bag still look good after 5 years of weekly travel?

In most circumstances, both TUMI and Briggs & Riley bags will look incredible after 5 years of weekly travel; these are tough bags. Have a problem? You can send it for repairs - though cosmetic repairs are not covered under either warranty. 

Which should I buy if I only travel a few times a year?

For people who only travel a few times a year, Briggs & Riley bags are typically a better fit, both because of their lower price point and because you’re more likely to be travelling for pleasure than for business.