Posts Tagged luggage
Eagle Creek Swift 22 Carry-on Suitcase
The Swift 22-inch rolling bag is another winner from Eagle Creek—if you prefer an open compartment over multiple pockets.
With most airlines sticking it to you for checking a bag on domestic flights, but only one in the U.S. charging you for a carry-on, most frequent fliers have gravitated to a 22-inch bag. These generally fit into the overhead bin okay and if you’re just moving around airports and hotels, you’ve got wheels to make it easy. If you pack well, you can get by for four or five days with one this size, or longer if you do some laundry. This Swift one from Eagle Creek has a capacity of 45 liters or 2,750 cubic inches.
There’s nothing fancy about the organization of this bag. Apart from a mesh section on the flap, it’s just one big compartment inside. This is because it’s meant to be used with Eagle Creek’s Pack-it cube system. (Watch for a detailed review of those cubes next week.) There’s a little diagram in the instructions tag telling you the most efficient way to pack using these. As I’ve posted before, I’ve got mixed feelings about packing cubes, so most of the time I don’t use them; I can stuff more into my bag without them. If you’re going to be moving from hotel to hotel though, they can help you keep organized. Here’s a quick rule of thumb: if your favorite retail outlet is The Container Store, you’ll love packing cubes. If you have a messy jumbled sock drawer, maybe not.
A set of compression straps will keep everything in place inside, then on the outside you’ve got one large pocket running the length of the bag and one small zippered pocket. This suitcase weighs in at 5 pounds 11 ounces (3kg), despite having a good handle system, heavy-duty large wheels, and rugged material with trademarked names like Stratus, Helix, Cordura, and “900D Bi-Tech.” It’s not advertised as waterproof, but the material did repel water in a drizzle and all the zippers are either covered or sealed.
There are two cushioned handles, which always makes me happy: one on the top and one on the side. One odd omission though: there’s no built-in luggage tag holder. It’s been a while since I saw a quality suitcase without one of those.
Overall this bag performed admirably on my trips, with smooth rolling action, a good handle mechanism, and a surface that can easily be wiped clean. As with all Eagle Creek luggage, it comes with a “no matter what” lifetime warranty—not something you see very often with wheeled suitcases.
This bag only comes in a black/gray combo but it’s different enough looking from the other sea of black bags that you can easily pick it out on the airport carousel. You can’t easily see it in this photo, but the surface has an attractive subtle striped pattern. It lists for $200, but goes for $130 or less at most online retailers. That’s a good value for something that will last a lifetime.
Find the Eagle Creek Swift 22 at Sierra Trading Post or buy the Swift 22 at Campmor.
See more Eagle Creek travel gear reviews
Posted by Tim L. in Business Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on January 18th, 2012
Osprey Sojourn Wheeled Suitcase and Backpack
If you go anywhere in the world popular with backpackers, you’ll see a lot of Osprey backpacks. You’ll also see a lot of their packs on hiking trails. They’re tough, comfortable, and guaranteed for life.
A while back though a few companies realized they could sell more bags if they convinced people they could have the best of both worlds: a backpack when you need to walk long distances through rough terrain or in a crowded dirt-lot bus station, but a suitcase when you’re in airports and cities with decent sidewalks. People bought the first ones in droves, so then everyone jumped in the game.
I’ve been trying out Osprey’s Sojourn 28-inch one to see if this idea really works well in practice. Can one of these be a good backpack and a good rolling suitcase? Yes and no.
First the good points, and there are plenty of those. This bag is just shy of 8 pounds, which is not bad at all for something 28 inches long with wheels and a strong chassis. It’s a good aluminum chassis too, with a nice retractable ergonomic handle, a fiberglass base, and large polyurethane wheels with sealed bearings. It wheels like a dream, feels good in the hand, and didn’t tip over when I stuffed it full.
The Osprey Sojourn holds 80 liters, or 4800 cubic inches. That’s about the capacity of the largest travel backpack you can get away with, though this one felt like it held less than other bags I’ve used with that listed capacity. This may be because it’s narrow and tapers at the top. Everything about it says “durable” and “high quality,” from the rubberized zipper pulls to the inside and outside compression straps.
I feel like there’s a load of extra fabric on this bag because of those outside compression panels though. I suppose the foam in those helps protect your belongings, but most of what’s in a bag this size is clothing and shoes anyway. You can certainly cram a lot into it this way though and still get it closed. There are handles to grab it by on the top and side, multiple mesh pockets inside, and a toiletries/small stuff pocket on the top.
Do you want a suitcase…or a backpack?
My real issue with this bag is not with Osprey, but with the category. I know these convertible wheeled backpacks are quite popular, but how often have you actually seen someone using one as a backpack—the wheels pressing against their shirt? I’ve only seen one I can remember in the last 10 years (though I’ve seen a few people that should have broken down and used the backpack instead of trying to wheel their bag over cobblestones for 10 blocks.) When I tested out the backpack feature with it full, I felt downright silly, like someone had strapped a suitcase to my back so I could fjord a stream.
Some double-duty travel gear works great: smart phones, Swiss Army knives, convertible travel pants, and iPad cases with a keyboard for instance. Other times the item feels like it has a split personality—like it needs to get off the fence and pick a side. Fortunately I could pick my side: Osprey attached the straps of this thing with snaps and a heavy-duty hook & loop system. So I pulled the straps out, stuffed them in a corner of the closet, and took advantage of the extra storage space. I’m done with the “convertible” part and it’s now a perfectly fine rolling suitcase I’ll probably only use on easy trips.
If you’ve tried one of these convertible bags before and really used it both ways, then Osprey’s Sojourn version is a fine choice. If you like the idea of a removable daypack too, check the Meridian line instead.
The Sojourn comes in three colors. It retails for $289 and you won’t be buying a replacement anytime soon: Osprey has one of the best guarantees you’ll find anywhere. They say “any reason, any product, any era.”
See more details about all their packs at Ospreypacks.com. Follow the direct links to check prices online.
Get it at Backcountry, Summit Hut, REI, or Rock Creek.
Posted by Tim L. in General Gear on January 4th, 2012
Antler New Size Zero Four-Wheel Carry-On Bag
This British-born rolling carry-on bag is slender, sleek, and stylish. In fact, it is one of my new favorite travel accessories for two reasons. One, it is lightweight. No extra fees from those mean airlines that weigh carry-on bags (I am looking at you Swiss and Air New Zealand!). Two, it comes in dual versions including one with four wheels allowing it to glide down the airport concourse with the slightest push of my wrist. No tired arms when I reach my destination.
It even comes with a built-in TSA-compatible lock, which makes it easy to pack expensive items and not feel as worried that things will be snatched by nosy “security” personnel.
Zippered pockets in the front are excellent for storing newspapers, books, passports, tickets, or keys that need to be reached in a jiffy. That is a hugely important factor for me as a frequent traveler. I hate having to carry important items in my pocket or hands because there is nowhere to store them for quick access later.
Inside the bag, zippered pockets keep small items separated from clothes so that laptop cables, adaptors, or shoes remain separated from neatly pressed clothes. A hanger hook keeps suits properly in place the second the bag is opened.
The sturdy base of the bag is padded with a strong material that is also used in golf club heads to maintain a shock-absorbent surface and then double protected with a layer of foam. That should be enough for those less-than-careful baggage handlers on regional jets who love to toss bags like basketballs even when passengers are watching from those tiny regional jet windows.
The handle has an air mesh surface making it easy on the palm when lifting even the heaviest of bags. This bag can handle both short weekend hops and longer excursions where careful packing insures that every pocket and interior inch is used. The fabric material even expands when you bring back too many souvenirs.
These bags are available at www.antler.co.uk and come with a ten year warranty. Next time you are being extra careful with the weight of the bag you are dragging behind you (or in this bag’s case, beside you), think of this crafty and nimble bag. It is my go-to travel bag when I need to manage the scale!
In the U.S., get the Antler 22 in. Super Lightweight Rolling Carry On at Luggage Guru or LuggagePoint.
Posted by Ramsey in Business Gear, Travel Light on January 2nd, 2012
Guerrilla Packs Airporter Carry-on Sized Backpack
This Airporter backpack from Guerrilla Packs carries a wide variety of belongings for a very reasonable price.It integrates a laptop sleeve and gadget pouches in a versatile piece of luggage.
I’m a big fan of bags that adhere to the TSA carry-on sizes but are lightweight and multi-functional. I love a wheelie bag as much as the next guy when my trip is only about airports, hotels, and taxis. But when that’s not the case, having something without wheels makes me a lot more mobile and shaves off several inches and pounds. (Think of it as a diet luggage.) With European budget airlines, African bush airlines, and Nature Air of Costa Rica charging you a hefty premium for anything over 20-30 pounds, weight is money.
So this backpack is quite useful in those cases and I’ve seen people on multi-month trips through the tropics carrying nothing but a bag this size: it holds 50 liters in the main compartment and another 10 in the small daypack. That’s just the start of it though. Guerrilla Packs bills their bags as the first ones designed for the modern tech-laden flashpacker and by that measure this is a terrific piece of luggage. It’s got a built-in detachable laptop sleeve, which is really cool. It’s large enough for a 13-inch laptop and it’s inside the main bag (hard for anyone else to get to). Also inside the main bag are two compartment bags: one sized for a smart phone, one for a point-and-shoot camera It’s got two zippered compartments on the outside, loops for hooking things on, sleeping bag or pad straps at the bottom, and two water bottle pockets on the side.
You can carry it like a suitcase with it all zipped up, with padded handles on both the top and side. That always makes me happy. Or you can unzip and tuck the back flap and carry it like a regular backpack, with a padded waist strap and sternum strap.
It comes with a detachable daypack too, which is pretty standard, but this one is small enough that you won’t feel like a dwarf jumped on your shoulder and is pulling you backwards if you actually use it. (The design lets you clip it onto the front of your body though if so.) It’s a good size for a day of sightseeing, with room for all the essentials, a key clip, a zippered mesh pocket, and internal flaps. There’s one large flap with a Velcro tab that’s ideal size for a tablet.
All the pack’s zippers have pull tabs on them but have big enough loops to accommodate regular locks or cable locks.
So is this the most rugged, heavy-duty backpack I’ve ever tried? No, but for a $129 list price, nobody should expect it to be. It’s a great pack for that price, loaded with useful features, and the ripstop nylon should hold up well through a few years of heavy travel. All Guerrilla packs come with a six-month warranty.They also sell a few larger packs for carrying more of your stuff. (You can win one this month if you’re following Perceptive Travel on Facebook.)
These are just getting out to physical retailers now, but you can buy the Airporter direct from the company or get it from Amazon.
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Posted by Tim L. in Travel Light on December 15th, 2011
Travelpro WalkAbout Lite 4 Business Rollaboard Suitcase
An airline crew favorite, the Travelpro line is known for its high quality, durability, and ample pockets. The Walkabout Lite 4 suitcase is lightweight and crafted from a nylon fabric with a DuraGuard coating to resist stains and scratches. The handle pulls up slightly higher than other bags making it much easier to roll, especially for taller travelers. It also has two settings so it can easily be rolled by people of all heights.
The central compartment is spacious with enough room for multiple shoes, clothes, electronic chargers, and other bulky items. An interior pocket zips open on the inside flap of the bag to keep certain things separated. The large wheels roll effortlessly especially on rugged surfaces like cobblestoned streets in Europe or airport carpeting that can sometimes slow things down. Rubber skid guards around the wheel keep the bag’s base protected from bumps on the road.
An exterior pocked has space for a laptop and includes a Velcro strap to keep it locked into position while the foam-padded pockets add protection. A separate smaller pocket is great for passports, boarding passes, coins, or keys. Business travelers can conveniently pack suits or formal attire without worrying it will move around thanks to a strap inside that fastens to keep them in place.
Upon purchase, the bag comes with a detachable strap that can be hung from the top handle to carry a smaller bag or briefcase. The suitcase comes in black and blue and various sizes. The handle at the top of the bag is padded for stress-free lifting, which makes it easy to store in an overhead compartment or carry up a staircase. Other bags often have plastic or thin handles, which can hurt your hands.
My favorite feature of this bag is the plentiful pockets that make it easy to store stuff quickly in the bag when on the go. Heavy packers may prefer the four-wheeled version as it is easier to push through the airport or train station. Travelpro also has a lifetime warranty in case the bag breaks in use. This bag stands the test of jostling in overhead bins and being thrown down jetway stairs on a regional jet. Travelpro is certainly an expert in this field, and the WalkAbout Lite 4 is now an important part of my travel regime.
This Walkabout Lite line comes in multiple sizes and sometimes you can find phasing-out versions heavily discounted. Try eBags for the tw0-wheel or spinner versions and see these links at LuggagePoint and Luggage Guru.
See more reviews of the best luggage for travelers.
Posted by Ramsey in Business Gear, Travel Light on December 5th, 2011
