It's OK, but not as good as expected

I really wanted a large wheeled travel duffel (but not too large to qualify for airplane use). I have seen a number of my friends with some that are basically tanks of storage, but flexible so they can really squish stuff in. This one is as large as you can get to qualify for airline use (checked) and had mostly great reviews and popularity and looked decent. Results are so-so.First, per something mentioned in other reviews, mine is as pictured, technically. It has two tones of grey and some green trim. I think the problem is in-person the darker grey is only very slightly darker whereas in the picture on Amazon the darker grey looks almost black or charcoal, which looks very striking. The reality is much more subtle and not quite as nice.Second, on paper the feature which allows you to separate the main storage into two compartments or combine as one is nice. In practice, much less so. As two compartments the problem is neither is that large and it makes it a hassle to access the stuff on a trip (or even pack it) since you constantly have to zipper shut the top half to access the bottom half without spilling everything out of the top, and it makes the top awkwardly thick and heavy. As one big compartment it is compromised in a couple fundamental ways - 1) That it unzips from the middle so you can't stack and pack as well as you should; 2) That the flap that zips shut between the two compartment has a substantial permanent border so even with just one compartment about 40% of the bag has this layer blocking the middle.The net result is we couldn't pack any more in this duffel than our existing large conventional wheeled suitcase that overall isn't as large in dimensions. In other words, this duffel was less efficient than an old fashioned suitcase which is the opposite of what it should have been.The wheels and handle were fine. The material was okay, but I would have preferred canvas which would have been more pliable and looked better. And the gimmicky hidden backpack straps were just that, a gimmick. I did try using them with a full back but it's a huge, awkward shape that is holding almost 50 lbs. of stuff - I would have preferred the traditional messenger bag single shoulder strap my old fashioned duffel bags have.UPDATE 9/1/2012: I am downgrading this from 3 to 2 stars. When I reviewed the product previously I had only had the chance to use it on car trips, where I lovingly handled it. I finally used it on a round trip plane flight. Net result, the seams have already started fraying in at least 4 different places. This was at best moderately packed relative to it's capacity -- less than 40 lbs, and I had to have the straps almost at their tightest position -- and it contained only soft clothes, no unusual objects with hard or sharp surfaces. Of course the airlines probably threw it around a bit but that's what these bags are supposed to be designed for. Most of the other 4 bags we had checked on this trip have been in use for at least 10 years and some up to 20 years. And they handled the trip just fine. But two plane flights and this one is already showing signs of its inevitable decline. It isn't broken yet but it's obvious the seams were cheaply manufactured.