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Wole Femi Asaolu
- September 18, 2022
Is Rimowa better than Tumi? It’s a question you’ll find on most blogs and forums dedicated to luggage. Perhaps you’re asking the same question.
This question is a bit tricky, as both Rimowa and Tumi seem to be among the most sought-after brands of luggage. Comparing Rimowa and Tumi is like comparing Apple and Microsoft computers; the choice is based on personal taste and deciding between both can be daunting.
In this article, you’ll learn which is better for your travel needs.
Read on to find out more!
Table of Contents
Rimowa is better than Tumi in several areas. Rimowa suitcases are lighter, environmentally friendlier and more durable than Tumi suitcases. Their customer service is top-notch, and they offer amazing repair services in their stores and partner hotels worldwide. Moreover, Rimowa now offers a lifetime warranty on their suitcases, whereas Tumi only provides a 5-year limited warranty.
In general, there are more customer complaints about Tumi luggage than there are of Rimowa suitcases. And Rimowa suitcases are incredibly stylish, coming in more color varieties than Tumi luggage.
While both brands pay attention to durability, Rimowa has consistently maintained its quality over the years, making their suitcases more durable than those of Tumi.
Their suitcases are manufactured from high-quality materials like aluminum alloys and polycarbonate, contributing to their overall strength and durability. These materials make Rimowa suitcases resistant to cracks and virtually scratchproof.
Rimowa as a brand doesn’t compromise on its quality, and thus doesn’t outsource its production. This gives them full control over their production and quality.
All of their aluminum suitcases are made in Germany, while their polycarbonate suitcases are made in Europe and Canada.
Most Rimowa suitcases are lighter when compared to Tumi luggage. I don’t know exactly how Rimowa does it, but their suitcases are incredibly lightweight compared to other brands, not just Tumi.
Tumi also offers suitcases in aluminum and polycarbonate, but when compared to a Rimowa suitcase of the same material, they’re much heavier.
A good comparison is the Rimowa Original Cabin, which weighs about 4.3kg, and the Tumi Continental 19 degree, which weighs around 6.39kg unloaded.
A bag that heavy might not work for you if you’re checking your luggage, as you’ll have to adjust your packing to be under the weight requirement.
It also presents issues for carry-on luggage. It might be slightly more difficult for you to lift your cabin suitcase and place it in the overhead bin.
3. Rimowa cares about the environment
Most luggage brands nowadays are conscientious of their impacts on the environment like never before. Hence, most of them have developed approaches to reducing carbon emissions.
Rimowa has a more eco-friendly approach to sustainability based on three pillars;
- Quality materials: Rimowa uses aluminum and polycarbonate for their suitcases, making them durable. This means that you don’t keep buying their suitcases, as you get to use the same one for a very long time. Also, aluminum is recyclable, and Rimowa reuses any leftover aluminum during the manufacturing process.
- Replaceable parts: If any part of your Rimowa suitcase breaks down, you can order the part and have it fixed. Suitcase parts as old as 20 years are available at Rimowa. Even if you bought your suitcase two decades ago, Rimowa can repair it.
- Customer service: Rimowa’s customer service is reliable, and they’re dedicated to solving your suitcase problems. You can also return your Rimowa suitcase to any approved store to have it fixed.
Still, Tumi suitcases are also durable and will last you a long time., However, we haven’t seen as much effort from them to protect the environment.
4. Rimowa offers better customer service and support
We’re impressed by how Rimowa works to satisfy their customers.
They have a dedicated network of experts to attend to customer needs and queries. You can visit any Rimowa store closest to you or contact them for any complaints.
They also have a repair service, which they offer at any of their partner hotels in over 100 locations worldwide. You can also have your suitcase repaired at any of their stores.
5. Rimowa offers a better warranty policy
Now, this is the icing on the cake! Recently, Rimowa moved their warranty policy from 5 years to a lifetime warranty.
Rimowa now provides a lifetime manufacturer’s warranty on any new suitcases purchased from July 25th,2022 onward. You can only benefit from this when you register your Rimowa suitcase online.
Tumi also used to offer a lifetime warranty, until the brand was bought by Samsonite. Now, they only offer a 5-year limited warranty on their suitcases, which a lot of customers still complain about.
As mentioned earlier, people who bought a Tumi suitcase in recent times have complained that their quality is not as it used to be. In fact, a lot have said that since Tumi was acquired by Samsonite, its quality dropped.
Rimowa, on the other hand, has maintained its quality over the years and has even improved on some of its innovations to keep up with today’s technology.
That’s not to say that Rimowa doesn’t get bad reviews and complaints sometimes; they are just fewer in number, and most of the complaints regard dents and scratches. But no suitcase is invincible, so that’s to be expected.
7. Rimowa suitcases are more stylish than Tumi
While Rimowa and Tumi suitcases are both incredibly stylish, they’re undeniably different. Rimowa’s style is vintage and classic, and will never go out of style.
Rimowa has maintained this style for a long time, and I believe it works well for them. No wonder it’s the choice of most celebrities and used as a fashion item!
They’re also done collaborations with top fashion brands, including Supreme, Offwhite, Dior, and others. This has made them known not just in the luggage industry, but the fashion industry as well. You can pair a Rimowa suitcase with any outfit and guarantee that it will match stylishly.
Also, they have tons of beautiful and vibrant colors to choose from. They offer everything from bright yellow to orange, hues of green and blue, red, white, their iconic silver, and many others.
On the other end, Tumi’s suitcase design looks more modern, which is suitable for business professionals who like simple yet classy luggage.
Related: 15 Best Carry-on Luggage in 2022!
Advantages Tumi has over Rimowa
Tumi’s interior compartments have enough space and pockets to pack in all your items. I’m specifically fascinated by the Tumi 19 Degree Aluminum Carry-On.
Compared to the Rimowa aluminum carry-on, this one offers numerous compartments to fit all your belongings.
Rimowa only has two flex dividers on both sides of the suitcase, which can be too little for the average traveler.
2. Tumi offers more suitcases to choose from
We all have our preferences when it comes to luggage. While some like hard-side suitcases, others may prefer soft-side.
Tumi gives their customers the choice between a hard-side and soft-side suitcase, with many cool features and styles.
Rimowa, on the other hand, only offers hard-side suitcases, which might not be suitable for everyone.3. Tumi offers more innovative designs on their suitcases
Tumi’s innovations are some of the best we’ve seen in the luggage industry. Their telescopic handle is made from aircraft-grade aluminum, which makes it lightweight and sturdy. This is one thing they did better than Rimowa.
They’re also the only luggage brand with the patented right to use Tegris, a 100% polypropylene composite material, to manufacture their Tegra-lite suitcase collection. This material is incredibly lightweight and durable.
The Tumi tracer program is another great benefit. This program is designed to reunite customers with their lost or stolen bags.
This way, you can rest assured that you’ll get your suitcase back, even if you lose it or get stolen. All you must do is register your details on Tumi’s website with the 20-digit number on the metal plate attached to your suitcase.
4. Tumi is less expensive than Rimowa
In general, both Tumi and Rimowa produce well-made pieces that will last for years with little or no issues. The main difference between them lies in their price tags.
Rimowa is much more expensive than its competitors at $1,200-$3,000 for a suitcase, whereas Tumi prices its suitcases between $300-$800.
While Tumi is less expensive than Rimowa, it is still more expensive than some other brands. If you’re looking for an affordable yet functional suitcase, then Briggs and Riley may be what you need.
Final Thoughts: Rimowa Vs Tumi
Rimowa and Tumi are two of the best luggage brands in the world, and they make extremely durable bags. However, after extensive comparison, Rimowa seems to be better than Tumi in a lot of aspects.
Aside from durability, Rimowa offers better services to its customers and even a better warranty – this being the lifetime warranty – which is quite impressive.
Rimowa is also incredibly stylish and makes for a great statement, which is ideal for a fashion connoisseur.
On the other hand, Tumi seems to offer better innovative designs than Rimowa, and better compartment space in its suitcases.
Hope you found the information in this article helpful.
Do you prefer Tumi or Rimowa? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below!
Thanks for reading!
For any other general luggage-related questions, you are sure to find some answers in my Ultimate Guide to Carry-on Luggage and the Ultimate Guide to Checked Luggage posts.
5 thoughts on “Is Rimowa Better Than Tumi? 7 Things You Need to Know”
I’ve always liked Tumi and I didn’t know much about Rimowa. That Rimowa has a great customer service is an enormous plus since most companies have deplorable and useless customer service. I always hate contacting customer service because of the time wasted and the lack of resolutions offered, so when a company has excellent customer service, that is definitely a keeper for me.
Tumi still seems great to me, but now that I saw the advantages of Rimowa I am inclined to try out their suitcases. I know that they are more expensive than Tumi but are they still affordable?
Hi Femi,
Thank you for this detailed review of the Rimowa and Tumi suitcases. I don’t travel often, but if I get new luggage, it is going to be a Rimowa suitcase. Why? For me it is the lifetime warranty. Yes, they are costly, but with the way they stand behind their products, it would be money well spent.
I was wondering if the Rimowa suitcase is waterproof?
Hello Femi!
Both those luggage brands look so stylish to me! I love that Tumi has a lot of compartments and space in its suitcases. That’s super handy for staying organized while traveling.
But I really like the fact that Rimowa tries to be environmentally friendly and that it has a lifetime warranty!! Also, quality always comes with a higher price tag…
Thank you for this review, I found it really helpful!
Now, I see why you say that it is like Apple and Microsoft -;)It’s really hard to choose the better one. I guess, it really comes to the point of which one you prefer more. As they are enough die-hard fans for either brand. From what I understood, you prefer Rimowa backpacks and I can see why. The durability, customer service, and mostly the lifetime warranty are really the difference makers, here. The only reason people might hesitate is the price tag. Not everyone can afford to spend almost 3 000$ on a new travel bag. On the hand, you pay for quality.
Hi Femi, Rimowa I think is the far better brand. For a company to charge such high prices it usually speaks volumes about the kind of quality on offer.
However, not everyone will be so rich to afford such luxuries and I think in this respect Tumi is a great affordable alternative.
The reviews on Trustpilot for Tumi are perhaps a little off-putting though. I mean I trust you have done your homework on each but just a question – are there any better affordable brands for luggage carriers that you can recommend or is Tumi your top pick?
I will leave this comment here but anyhow – thanks for sharing ?