I'm very satisfied with this case and it's become my daily driver. It's durable and reliable without paying exorbitant prices for the elitist brand names. The wheeler feature is a must-have for travel and transporting around large buildings like concert halls, airports, and train stations, and the backpack and shoulder straps are convenient for shorter distances and rough terrain. The carrying handles have solid construction and I feel confident in their ability to support the weight of everything I put in the case.
The front compartment opens with two zippers instead of just one. The first one acts as an "expander" zipper, and then once you unzip that one, you can actually open the pocket. I basically always keep mine expanded for convenience, as it's just busy work to constantly open and close both zippers. Although, for rough travel situations (bus, plane, etc) I will close both zippers for that extra bit of protection. The expanded size lets me stash my trumpet stand, a snack and water bottle, a small book, and a few other accessories. If you need to create a slimmer profile for whatever reason, you can always zip it back up. Keep in mind this is a front pocket, and as with most other instrument cases, it does not have the same level of impact protection as the main compartment.
I use mine for two Bach Strads (Bb and C) and use the third horn compartment for an assortment of mutes, valve oil, music stand light, pencils, etc. - and in my opinion the case is perfect for this purpose. I have also used it in the past to carry my Eb Bach Strad, and it adequately protects all 3 horns at once - however, when I do this I have to switch to an external mute bag. Nothing unusual - most triple cases are the same - just something to keep in mind.
The only pet peeve I have is with the shoulder strap; it tends to drag on the ground when wheeling the case around, so I don't normally have it attached unless I'm walking over rough ground and I already have a different backpack on. (In other circumstances I just use the built-in backpack straps of the case.) This minor issue is NOT a deal-breaker for me and I really like every other aspect of the case, hence why I did not reflect this issue in my star rating.
Overall a great case that has withstood the gigging life for me. Highly recommend this and the other Gard products!
