Posts Tagged luggage
Geared Up and Going Around the World
A while back we announced our biggest contest ever by far, giving someone the change to get geared up go traveling around the world. Practical Travel Gear was one of the hosts, along with eight other great independent travel websites.
Each week, over 8 weeks, we held a drawing and gave away a weekly prize to someone picked at random. Those 8 winners were then tossed into a randomizer for the big loot. Here’s who came out on top:
First Prizes:
2 tickets on our favorite domestic carrier, Southwest Airlines, went to Cynthia Hernandez
2 tickets valued at $1000/each from 1800FlyEurope went to Lauren VanMullem
Grand Prize Winner
The round-the-world trip for 2 goes to Leah Leonard of Chicago. (Yes, it’s an all-female cast of winners, but Leah’s taking her boyfriend around the world with her…)
Leah is going to make out like a bandit, thanks to all the terrific sponsors participating. Here’s what she gets:
- Round-the-world tickets stopping in seven cities from BootsnAll, your source for great Around the World Fares.
- A Southeast Asia tour for 2 from Asian tours specialist All Points East
- One year of travel insurance from World Nomads
- One-week First Class Eurail passes to go overland around Europe
- One-week rental car in Europe from Auto Europe
- Four hotel nights in swanky hotels in Thailand from Anantara
- Two BRX luggage sets from Briggs & Riley
- Head-to-toe travel clothing for two from ExOfficio
- Travel shoes for two from Lowa Boots
- $500 in spending money from Transitions Abroad
- Two pairs of Serengeti Eyewear sunglasses with Polar PHD lenses
And a big shout out to those who provided weekly finalist prizes, including most of the above, DK Eyewitness Publishing, and Travelfish.org.
Posted by Tim L. in General Gear, Travel Light on July 20th, 2011
A Year of Travel Gear
For the past year I’ve been living at 6,500 feet in central Mexico, in a historic colonial city that involves lots of climbing up hills, stairs, and cobblestone streets. In that time I’ve also traveled to a dozen other places in Mexico, and to Sedona, Salt Lake City, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, and Peru. I’ve used and abused a lot of gear during that time, so here’s a look at what was really useful and what held up well.
I’ve been wearing travel pants at least half the time, whether I was traveling or not, because they’re lightweight and were easy to carry down in a suitcase. The Titanium Expedition ones from Colombia Sportswear I reviewed a while back held up well except around the back pocket, where the ironed-on pocket glue gave out after a while. The ExOfficio Altyn ones did better and if I hadn’t spilled chili-laced food on them now and then, they would still look practically new—even though I’ve had them since spring of 2009. Their FlexCord corduroy pants I wore all winter still do look new.
I’ve worn my North Face Gore-tex hooded coat through two rainy seasons now and it has never let me down. Through drizzles and downpours, it keeps me dry without making me bake inside.
I’ve plowed through a lot of shoes in the past year, some I’ve stuck with long after I was reviewing them, others I’ve loved less as time went on. The hiking shoes I like enough to take home with me are my Hi-tec Viper Trail Ultra ones. Besides those, the footwear that’s gotten the best workout is probably the pair of Keen Rockaway sandals I wore 9 months out of 12 and took on a few trips. They’re comfy, even after walking around all day, my feet stay cool, and they look good.
Every bag and piece of luggage I brought with me and used repeatedly has held up well and all of it’s going back with me, so no complaints there. High marks for Eagle Creek, Tom Bihn, Kelty, and Osprey. All the Sea to Summit accessories are still going strong too, like this little toiletry kit I take with me every time I’m going carry-on only.
Somebody stole my Victorinox Swiss Army knife out of a checked back somewhere in the Mexico City airport, but I can’t really complain since my mom got it for me before my first round-the-world journey in, oh, 1993? Not bad for something that retails for $22 at Backcountry.com.
There’s a rattan crushable hat from Tilley that I’ve worn all year in the high altitude Mexican sun, but the company ended up killing off the product before I even got to review it. It’s a testament to the quality of their goods though that this one has kept its shape that whole time and still looks great. It’s hard to go wrong with Tilley hats.
And of course no gear round-up would be complete without three items I take on almost every single trip: my SteriPen Opti water purifier, my Callpod Chargepod for keeping the gadgets going, and my Kangaroom pouch for keeping all those gadgets and cords in once place.
Got wanderlust? Check out our sister pub Perceptive Travel for the best travel stories from wandering book authors.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on July 13th, 2011
High Sierra and Travelpro Rollerboard Reviews
My husband and I have (happily) used the same Travelpro carry-on rollerboards for the past decade — or more, in my husband’s case: he’s had it for at least 15 years. My children have outgrown their small, pink and primary-colored rolling suitcases, and are big enough to start pulling grown-up-sized luggage. So, it’s been fun over the past few months testing some different manufacturers’ rollerboards on our frequent family travels.
In March the four of us spent a week on the Riviera Maya and packed only carry-on luggage. Here’s my report on three of the new-to-us bags we brought:
High Sierra Elevate 22-inch Carry-On Wheeled Upright
This bag is awesome because it’s so stinkin’ light — only 6.8 lbs. I sure appreciate its light weight when hefting it into planes’ overhead bins or onto airport-security counters. Truly, the High Sierra Elevate is a pleasure not only to carry but to pull, as the inline-skate-style wheels are smooth (and inset in protective corner-mounted housings.) The exterior ripstop material has a weave-like texture that is stain- and water-resistant, and I love the red-orange “Lava” color (it also comes in “Amazon” green and black).
The lightweight handle is easy to pull up and push down; I like the top front pocket for holding need-to-access-quickly items like itinerary, boarding passes and passport; the main compartment is plenty roomy, with hold-down straps for clothing and a large zippered mesh pocket on the “lid.” Unzip a gusset and the main compartment expands two inches (though you’ll need to zip it shut to make it carry-on friendly).
Really, I can’t find much to complain about regarding the High Sierra Elevate; it’s a solid piece of travel gear that I’ll likely use for years. Best part? It retails at online sites like Amazon.com, where it’s currently listed for an incredible $82. If you’re in the market for a new rollerboard, I’d jump on that deal.
High Sierra ATGO Carry-on Wheeled Business Upright with Computer Sleeve
While this is marketed for business travelers, because it has a separate compartment specifically for laptops (up to 17-inch screen) with its padded sleeve, I’d deem it appropriate for any traveler who brings a laptop along on vacation (i.e. me and my husband who nearly always need to be plugged into work while we’re on the road). It’s not “checkpoint-friendly,” so you do need to pull your laptop out of the bag when going through airport-security screening, but the front compartment does make the laptop easy to access — whether in the security line or for use on the plane.
This bag also has the top front pocket for small items, as well as a lower front pocket with a bunch of compartments and pockets for keeping “business” items (i.e. smartphone, notebook, pens, etc.) organized. On the side of the bag is a mesh water-bottle pocket; I’ve not seen many rollerboards with this included feature, and I think it’s super handy, since I always travel with a reusable drinking bottle.
Another cool feature: the zippered divider panel between the front and main compartments. When you open the bag, you can have one big compartment, by rolling the divider and securing it, or keep the two sections separate, say, if you have dirty clothes you want to keep away from clean ones. The main compartment also expands 2.5 inches — via a zipper — for additional storage capacity.
The High Sierra Carry-on Wheeled Business Upright comes in black/grey (pictured), royal blue/grey and a nifty black plaid. This piece of luggage sells on Amazon.com for $104.
Travelpro Crew 8 20-inch Expandable Business Rollaboard
As I mentioned, I’ve used Travelpro luggage for years, and I think the company delivers amazing products. Indeed, it’s what many, many pilots and flight attendants use. This Crew 8 20-inch Expandable Business Rollaboard is indeed designed for the frequent business traveler. Like the rollerboard above, it also has a specific zippered area and padded sleeve for a laptop, as well as various pockets and pouches for office supplies and handheld electronic devices.
A couple of cool things here: Expandable mesh pockets on the interior of the main compartment are great for stuffing socks, belts or stashing electronic devices, and a hidden pocket underneath the lining can hold small valuables or cash. Indeed, the entire main compartment expands an additional 2.5 inches in depth, though that would make the bag non-carry-on compliant (zipped up, the dimensions are 20 x 9 x 14 inches).
At 8.7 lbs, this smaller bag does weigh about two pounds more than the High Sierra Elevate. However, if you’re looking for rollerboard that will last you a long, long time, consider this one from Travelpro, known among business travelers as a quality luggage manufacturer. Also see the 20-inch Wide Body Expandable Rollaboard and the 22-inch Expandable Rollaboard Suiter.
Find the 20-inch Expandable Business Rollaboard, in black or a deep-green “Spruce” on Amazon.com for $169.99.
Find High Sierra and Travelpro Luggage at eBags.com
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Posted by Kara in Adventure Gear, Business Gear, Travel Light on May 19th, 2011
Magellan’s GoLite Rolling Tote
Fluctuating fuel costs and economic fears have airlines scrounging for dollars at every turn. Travelers pony up big bucks to check their heavy bags (although savvy elite frequent flyer members avoid fees by concentrating travel on one airline) and often pay overweight fees. Some European airlines make it a practice to even weigh carry-on bags charging extra for every pound or forcing them into the hold (a big pet peeve of mine).
I have learned to avoid the hassle by weighing my carryon bag empty to know how much more I can put in, and with Magellan’s GoLite Rolling Tote, I can pack more than other bags. Its lightweight 5 lb 2oz construction consists of a sturdy featherweight soft shell frame and when empty can be lifted with a pinky finger. Even the handle and its base have one metal rod rather than the traditional two to lighten the overall poundage. Campers will love the two backpack straps that keep both hands free. Business travelers like myself can simply tuck them away when not in use.
PracticalTravelGear’s Kara Williams has reviewed these great bags from a mom’s perspective. We hope this business travel perspective will help help on-the-go executives too.
Numerous storage pockets make it convenient for keeping shoes and toiletries separated from dress shirts and expensive electronic devices. When the bag is open, two fabric flaps can zip each side closed to separate items from being wrinkled or touching each other (perfect for dirty clothes). Most bags have some sort of strap that can be buckled to keep things in place, but it does not always prevent things from getting wrinkled the way this GoLite bag does.
The durable wheels can traverse over cobblestone streets and bare the brunt of baggage handlers on regional jets. Two large zippered exterior pockets are perfect for small items or things that I may need to reach in a jiffy.
Green travelers appreciate the recycled nylon material that also does a good job of keeping things dry when the bag gets lightly wet on the tarmac or while waiting for a taxi in the rain.
A lifetime guarantee insures that the bag is a marvelous value, which helps to avoid buying a new bag every other year. It comes in black, red, and green (the latter two make it much easier to spot when the ramp agent brings up all those bags from a regional jet’s belly).
Magellan’s is a reliable travel supplier that knows its stuff. This GoLite rollaboard is one of its best creations to help frequent travelers tackle the rising fees of airlines and their poorly calibrated, greedy scales.
Get the GoLite Rolling Tote at Magellans.com.
Posted by Ramsey in Business Gear, Travel Light on April 25th, 2011
Brookstone’s Dash Rolling Hardside Travel Case
Brookstone Rolling Dash
Four wheels are always better than two, right? Well, with Brookstone’s Dash rolling carryon bag, this slick, polished hard-shell case turns heads as it glides through airports and train stations. I know because I have traveled with one for years. It is one of my favorite bags despite having one major flaw. But, we’ll get to that later.
First, the good points. This durable case has held the most fragile of my travel gear with panache protecting my bag’s contents with its hard shell. The sturdy pull up grip handle has been the recipient of many an unwelcome yank by bellmen who carry the entire bag, fully loaded from the extended handle rather than the bag’s own handle. Don’t you just hate that?
Inside, a zippered pocket keeps my dress shirts or loose items apart from the rest of my stuff. The strap closures do the same for suits or blazers. One of my favorite features is the exterior zipper that helps the bag to expand by another three inches, which is always a lifesaver on long trips.
Now to the juicy flaw you wanted to know about earlier. The one caveat with this bag is its wheel casing system. I love the four wheels allowing the bag to swivel 360 degrees and roll with ease on most any surface. The problem arises when you stuff the bag to capacity and attempt to roll it quickly and frequently. When the wheels begin to heat up with friction after frequent use, the back wheels too often fuse to the side of the casing system eventually rendering the wheel useless as they no longer roll.
Thanks to Brookstone’s one-year warranty that comes with the bag (and the extended two-year warranty I purchased), I have exchanged this bag a whopping seven times because the same problem with the wheels occur. I swear by the durability of the bag itself and the extension handle, but encourage very frequent travelers who spend more than a few days away from home and travel with plenty of gear to try another bag. Even the Brookstone employees seem surprised when I show them the back wheels that have fused to the side of the casing.
The Dash bags come in three sizes and various colors including pink, charcoal, and black. The more-than-fair price makes it an extremely popular purchase when compared with its more expensive luggage competition. This excellent product is meant for light travelers with a stylish demeanor in their step who wouldn’t be caught dead with American Tourister tags. Just remember to wheel slowly and tread lightly to protect those plastic tires. It can be purchased on Brookstone’s web site or via Amazon.
Posted by Ramsey in Business Gear on April 11th, 2011
