a rough course in luggage, part 2
a few rules of thumb of things to have with your "piece:"
* anything but black
i have a preference for luggage that isn't black (or at least, not all black). black is great because it (mostly) doesn't show dirt, but EVERYONE uses it. if you carry something that isn't black, not only do you stand out a bit from the crowd (something i prefer), you also make it far less likely to get your bag taken by accident off a carousel. the real "crowd danger" with luggage isn't theft, it's someone accidentally walking away with your piece and then you're stuck getting it back -- you *will* get it back, it just will be inconvenient as hell.
* get modular
modular is the way to go. if you can get a bag that either zips-to-expand, or has zip-off bags (like a day pack), get those over something that does not. the great thing about these is you can take stuff with you in the plane, while you check the rest of your luggage (this is also good for showing airline people what your bag looks like when the other half gets lost). being able to shrink down the size of your bag also makes it easier for smaller packing trips. as you know, my duffel and travel pack have zip off day packs and i love and use them all the time. my brother has a genus 1 eagle creek duffel, that i covet the hell out of, that, through a series of penn-&-teller-like zipper moves, can be doubled in size. i love that thing.
* stand out but don't look expensive
i'm overly aware of luggage and know expensive stuff when i've seen it. twice in my life i have nearly carried away a bag, just to steal that particular case. expensive luggage can, and will, attract attention -- some of it unwanted. if you have something a little more sedate, it's less likely to get lifted. you may want to balance this against what people might think in a business meeting about what you're carrying ... i've always felt everyone can fuck off about my luggage, since no one knows more than i do luggage in any business meeting, and when they smirk at my briefcase, they don't know that seven years ago that same bag was on the saddle of a camel in the rajistani desert, and that it will have even more adventure in the next 50 years ... you might feel differently.
* leather vs. nylon deathmatch
so leather looks and feels great. i also like the way it wears over time. (i actually enjoy the fact that a piece of luggage shows wear.) the problem is it's heavier and more expensive than the nylon equivalent and is a significant bigger theft target. (hartmann made some black leather briefly in the 90's that was to die for.) leather takes water damage, but not as much as people would hint. nylon is durable and great. it's also very common. there are some people experimenting with waxed canvas and i like it a lot. all things being equal, nylon is the choice, but i wouldn't call leather "wrong."
* where to buy
unless you have a very compelling reason, buy online. use something like froogle (google's pricing engine) to compare prices. make sure to be aware of shipping charges and who charges tax. if you're buying a bag you've never personally seen, buy from a store that has an easy return policy, that way you can jettison it if it's not what you want. buying from grey-retailers on ebay will save you loads, as will buying discontinued models. sierra trading post will often have extremely good luggage cheap cheap cheap.
* wheels and straps
in 1990, i bought a rolling duffel to take to england. it actually got stares in the airport for being so weird. today, everyone has wheels. wheels make sense if your travel is in the u.s. -- if you're going to be traveling in europe, or especially, anywhere further a field than that, don't get wheels and use backpack straps instead ... too many stairs, too many cobblestones, too much beat up road/walkways and too much desert sand in the rest of the world. when you get wheels, be *certain* that the wheels are incorporated into the frame of the luggage you buy (that is to say that the axles are inside the frame bag and the wheels are not attached on the outside of the main case); if not, they can, and will (and SHOULD), be eaten by a luggage machine. although some bags come this way, my opinion is that straps *and* wheels on the same bag is unnecessary overkill.
* duffel or ?
i like the size and shape of a duffel and a duffel on wheels is a fairly rare animal. however for business travel it may not be the ideal shape since it's not well suited to carrying books by default -- something like a travel pack on wheels is a reasonable alternative. you may want to balance this against the need to pack a jacket -- the long shape of a duffel let's you put a sport coat in more easily.
* size matters
if you're only going to buy a single piece, get something slightly *larger* than you anticipate needing. that way you'll always have room if you need it.
* get compression straps
this is especially true if you're using a slightly larger bag. compression straps in the bag will keep things from sloshing around. a compression strap around the outside helps as well.
* damn your mortal soul, forget all that crap and just tell me what to buy
so given what i've said above, and given a, maybe, a ten minute look on the web, i'd recommend one of these.
http://www.eaglecreek.com/60085.html
http://www.eaglecreek.com/60086.html
or these
http://www.eaglecreek.com/20133.html
http://www.eaglecreek.com/20132.html
* now you've got it, waterproof it
whatever you buy, go to a camping store and buy spray-on waterproofing for it (if it's leather, get leather treatment). it'll significantly increase the life of your bag. you'll be surprised how much your bag is exposed to moisture over its lifetime.
enjoy your luggage. don't forget to send me a postcard.
(click here for part 1)
* anything but black
i have a preference for luggage that isn't black (or at least, not all black). black is great because it (mostly) doesn't show dirt, but EVERYONE uses it. if you carry something that isn't black, not only do you stand out a bit from the crowd (something i prefer), you also make it far less likely to get your bag taken by accident off a carousel. the real "crowd danger" with luggage isn't theft, it's someone accidentally walking away with your piece and then you're stuck getting it back -- you *will* get it back, it just will be inconvenient as hell.
* get modular
modular is the way to go. if you can get a bag that either zips-to-expand, or has zip-off bags (like a day pack), get those over something that does not. the great thing about these is you can take stuff with you in the plane, while you check the rest of your luggage (this is also good for showing airline people what your bag looks like when the other half gets lost). being able to shrink down the size of your bag also makes it easier for smaller packing trips. as you know, my duffel and travel pack have zip off day packs and i love and use them all the time. my brother has a genus 1 eagle creek duffel, that i covet the hell out of, that, through a series of penn-&-teller-like zipper moves, can be doubled in size. i love that thing.
* stand out but don't look expensive
i'm overly aware of luggage and know expensive stuff when i've seen it. twice in my life i have nearly carried away a bag, just to steal that particular case. expensive luggage can, and will, attract attention -- some of it unwanted. if you have something a little more sedate, it's less likely to get lifted. you may want to balance this against what people might think in a business meeting about what you're carrying ... i've always felt everyone can fuck off about my luggage, since no one knows more than i do luggage in any business meeting, and when they smirk at my briefcase, they don't know that seven years ago that same bag was on the saddle of a camel in the rajistani desert, and that it will have even more adventure in the next 50 years ... you might feel differently.
* leather vs. nylon deathmatch
so leather looks and feels great. i also like the way it wears over time. (i actually enjoy the fact that a piece of luggage shows wear.) the problem is it's heavier and more expensive than the nylon equivalent and is a significant bigger theft target. (hartmann made some black leather briefly in the 90's that was to die for.) leather takes water damage, but not as much as people would hint. nylon is durable and great. it's also very common. there are some people experimenting with waxed canvas and i like it a lot. all things being equal, nylon is the choice, but i wouldn't call leather "wrong."
* where to buy
unless you have a very compelling reason, buy online. use something like froogle (google's pricing engine) to compare prices. make sure to be aware of shipping charges and who charges tax. if you're buying a bag you've never personally seen, buy from a store that has an easy return policy, that way you can jettison it if it's not what you want. buying from grey-retailers on ebay will save you loads, as will buying discontinued models. sierra trading post will often have extremely good luggage cheap cheap cheap.
* wheels and straps
in 1990, i bought a rolling duffel to take to england. it actually got stares in the airport for being so weird. today, everyone has wheels. wheels make sense if your travel is in the u.s. -- if you're going to be traveling in europe, or especially, anywhere further a field than that, don't get wheels and use backpack straps instead ... too many stairs, too many cobblestones, too much beat up road/walkways and too much desert sand in the rest of the world. when you get wheels, be *certain* that the wheels are incorporated into the frame of the luggage you buy (that is to say that the axles are inside the frame bag and the wheels are not attached on the outside of the main case); if not, they can, and will (and SHOULD), be eaten by a luggage machine. although some bags come this way, my opinion is that straps *and* wheels on the same bag is unnecessary overkill.
* duffel or ?
i like the size and shape of a duffel and a duffel on wheels is a fairly rare animal. however for business travel it may not be the ideal shape since it's not well suited to carrying books by default -- something like a travel pack on wheels is a reasonable alternative. you may want to balance this against the need to pack a jacket -- the long shape of a duffel let's you put a sport coat in more easily.
* size matters
if you're only going to buy a single piece, get something slightly *larger* than you anticipate needing. that way you'll always have room if you need it.
* get compression straps
this is especially true if you're using a slightly larger bag. compression straps in the bag will keep things from sloshing around. a compression strap around the outside helps as well.
* damn your mortal soul, forget all that crap and just tell me what to buy
so given what i've said above, and given a, maybe, a ten minute look on the web, i'd recommend one of these.
http://www.eaglecreek.com/60085.html
http://www.eaglecreek.com/60086.html
or these
http://www.eaglecreek.com/20133.html
http://www.eaglecreek.com/20132.html
* now you've got it, waterproof it
whatever you buy, go to a camping store and buy spray-on waterproofing for it (if it's leather, get leather treatment). it'll significantly increase the life of your bag. you'll be surprised how much your bag is exposed to moisture over its lifetime.
enjoy your luggage. don't forget to send me a postcard.
(click here for part 1)
posted by b1-66er at 16:24
4 Comments:
this from my pal jim "cap'n happy" reekes:
Travelpro is the luggage of choice by flight attendants and pilots.
First, I don't think leather is a good idea for luggage. It's gonna get chewed up, and in general expect your luggage to be beaten up and thrashed. So save your money and avoid good looking luggage. The serious nylon bags
will look better longer, and can take a serious beating.
Second, most roller bags suck. It's a great idea poorly executed. As popular as these are, watch them in action closely. People are always bumping their heels because the bag follows to close behind. This causes them to pull it from the side, which gives you a shoulder/arm/back ache. The retractable pull needs to completely hide, otherwise it will catch on things and break something. It's often too short too. Which contributes to another problem...
They tilt easily. Most roller bags are poorly balanced with tiny wheels too close together. I've watched so many traveler's heads nearly explode in frustration when they're rushing through the airport and the roller bag keeps from falling over behind them. They end up just dragging the thing
like a dead animal.
Roller bags are great for travel inside the airport, but are a "drag" in the city. If you are going to hike, you really need a backpack.
Tumi, which is usually leather, is over rated. It's also very expensive. I've found it has too many features and lacks the focus of a few practical ones. I have one of their bags and it's got too many zippered compartments I'll never use. I wish it was more simple so I could fit more things into it, rather than having me fit into the bag's design.
> * briggs and riley
> i don't own any of their stuff, but everything i've seen is of the highest of
> quality.
I own a few pieces, and have traveled with it exclusively for years. I give it my highest recommendation! The roller bag has an extra long arm, so it's far behind me. It has big wheels hidden inside fenders, and they're wide enough apart I don't have the tilting problem.
As B1 recommended, you really want to go modular. B&R has lots of options. My roller bag fits in the overhead bin, and often straight in instead of sideways. The shoulder bag can attach to it, so I can roller around with a week's worth of clothes.
Also, I found their toilet kit the only one with just the right amount of features. The choices are usually a simple bag with no organization, or too many compartments that I can fit my items efficiently. And you really need this as it's got to fit as small as possible into your luggage. It also has a hidden hanger so you can hang it from a bathroom hook and easily reach for
toothbrush, deodorant, etc.
Of course, as with all quality luggage, it comes with a life time guarantee.
this from my pal josh carter
Enjoyed the luggage post. I don't travel as much as you do, but I am somewhat of a luggage freak regardless. (I think many geeks are.) My
own observations:
- Tumi: opposite of Jim's reaction. I have a bag that's very simple, clean lines (but still distinctive), nylon, great size, great quality. Got it for $40 or something from Sierra Trading Post -- STP is *the* place to buy Tumi. Also have a leather wallet of theirs that I use full-time.
- Brenthaven: I've been using their soft-shell nylon briefcase
designed for the PowerBook G4 full-time for about 3 years. Still
looks and performs like brand new. I use it every weekday and on
every trip. Nothing has ever been damaged in it. (Wish I could say
that about other bags I've had.) Paid about $120 for it at the Apple store, if I remember correctly. Might be the best money ever spent on a bag.
- Victorinox: I have two of their bags now. One is a carry-on-legal
bag with backpack straps and wheels. I've used it on every trip over the past year, and Daria has borrowed it. Works great. Exterior stuff (e.g. backpack straps) pack inside the bag so it doesn't get eaten by the luggage machines. Wears very comfortably as a backpack. Wheels don't get in the way. It stands upright with no inclination to fall over. Interior is sparse but functional. Other bag is a garment bag that my wife bought and has used several times. Quality on both is excellent. Oddly, the luggage store in my mall has better prices on Victorinox than STP does. Their knives suck.
- Orvis: bought two leather duffles, one medium-size, other medium-small. Leather and hardware is heavy-duty and will probably wear well, giving it a good weathered look. Gave one to my father, kept the other but we don't use it a lot.
- 20 year old tan Macintosh bag bought off usenet: perfect size for overhead bins, perfect size for folded clothes (not dress clothes), lost a rubber foot but is otherwise undamaged. Not always comfortable to lug around airports. This was my workhorse bag (in addition to the
Brenthaven) until I bought the Victorinox. Now my wife uses it for carting crafts stuff on road trips.
this from my pal fred "feddy" huxham. hardcore athlete and the reason i swam from alcatraz (the only thing in my life i truly brag about).
***
We have some luggage from Patagonia, I am quite happy with it. I've not done any sort of analytical study to compare their stuff to anyone else's, so maybe in comparison it sucks - but I have no complaints.
We have a few year old (slightly different) version of the Freightliner Max:
http://www.patagonia.com/za/PDC?OPTION=PRODUCT&merchant_rn=7385&sku=48621&ws=false
As well as a couple different sizes of their duffle bags:
http://www.patagonia.com/za/PDC?OPTION=PRODUCT&merchant_rn=7385&sku=48520&ws=false
[They don't make the duffle I really like anymore. It had two sides, one waterproof, the other a heavy duty mesh that gets good air circulation. The divider inside the bag moved so that you could have all of one or the other, or some combination of the two. I've found it handy for many things, including races. On my way to the race, nearly everything is in the waterproof side (perhaps I put some dirty shoes on the other side). When the race is over, any clothing that got wet/sweaty or a wetsuit goes on the mesh side).]
Anyway, when we travel, I pull the Freightliner around, with a small/
med duffle on top of it, straps around the Freightliner pull handle to keep it in place. We haven't been anywhere super brutal with it, but dirt/sand in Mexico and cobblestones in Europe didn't kill it.
When we were solo, we did backpacks, but now that we're carrying stuff for the kids as well, the wheels are better.
As for Patagonia, I started buying their stuff because they had a
store near our house in North Beach (a few blocks up from Aquatic Park). Lyda calls it PataGucci because I guess it is on the pricey side, but in general, I think their stuff is pretty damn functional and well made.
I've also been quite pleased how they stand behind their products. I have a stack of capilene long sleeve shirts and a vest and jacket that I've had for years. I wear them to run/ride. I'm good at sweating, so these things come home soaked. After many
years, on a couple of the pieces, the zippers broke/disintegrated
(eaten alive by my sweat? I can't remember the exact details).
I think on a couple pieces it was just the little piece of the zipper you pull on that came off. The zipper was still functional, just a bit hard to use. Anyway, at some point I took them up on their offer of a lifetime warranty and sent the stuff off to their repair facility in NV. I think the deal was their catalog said they'd repair damage due to wear and tear for a small fee. I included my credit card number, but they didn't charge me a cent. They made everything as good as new and sent it all back with a nice note, thanking me for sending my stuff in for repair instead of throwing it away.
My 2 cents,
Fred.
this from my pal darlene:
Luggage…..a different perspective.
I am not a geek, and certainly don’t have to be, to love luggage. Always have since I was a child and I know the moment this luggage affair started. But that is another story.
I still have my durable throw over the shoulder bags (no wheels) that I used on every trip to Europe and beyond for 25 years. And that’s
probably because they are black, which I dreaded the idea of except it matched my coach handbag and it all has to match!
My newest acquisition and the most beautiful 'coveted by my girlfriends' weekend adventure bag I own.
Cost of r/t airline ticket to Vietnam $ 850.00
Ipanema hand made damask valise with leather trim $ 50.00
Same bag imported and available at Nieman Marcus $1,100.00
Cost savings ($ 200.00)
Plus, I got to fill it up with silk shirts, embroidered handbags, shoes, and added an adventure. The luggage must have romance and stories to tell, that is the top requirement.
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