Dec 31st, 2012 at 4:00PM:
There are two kinds of travelers in the world – those who unpack promptly after a trip, and those who can't bring themselves to do so.
I fall into the latter category. More times than not, I am unpacking my suitcase in order to pack for my next trip. Apparently, I'm not alone, because when I asked friends about this on Facebook, I got more unpacking procrastination stories than ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
suitcase posts
Tales Of A Reluctant Unpacker
Dec 31st, 2012 at 4:00PM:
There are two kinds of travelers in the world – those who unpack promptly after a trip, and those who can't bring themselves to do so.
I fall into the latter category. More times than not, I am unpacking my suitcase in order to pack for my next trip. Apparently, I'm not alone, because when I asked friends about this on Facebook, I got more unpacking procrastination stories than ...Gadling Gear Review: This Year's Favorite Gear
Nov 26th, 2012 at 9:00AM: I've been reviewing gear for a few years now. I wrote for a snowshoeing magazine and a site focused on gear for travelers before I joined the Gadling crew. That means I'm kind of a tough sell when it comes to new outdoor and travel clothing, bags and accessories. And I test everything, I ride my bike in the rain to see if that jacket is really waterproof, I wrangle that roller bag into the ...What Does Your Luggage Say About You?
Aug 20th, 2012 at 1:00PM: We've seen travelers dragging everything from Louis Vuitton to what looks like a used trash bag through airport security of late, and new research shows that most travelers are closer to the latter than the former.
A new study from Virgin Atlantic shows that one in five of us (20%) can't remember the last time we bought new luggage, while more than half (55%) would only upgrade their suitcase ...Photo Of The Day: Tibetan Travelers
May 31st, 2012 at 6:30PM:
One of the travel world's more annoying debates is backpacker vs. rolling suitcase. Those with backpacks scoff at travelers wheeling suitcases along cobblestones, while the roll-aboard lovers might want to avoid the connotation that "backpacker" implies. Even backpackers are being criticized now for taking too much. In the end, it's just a place for one's stuff. We can all agree that seeing ...Eagle Creek Traverse Pro Roller Bag
Feb 16th, 2012 at 9:00AM: I'm not ashamed to admit that I've made the full jump to the roller bag. It's what I pack now, unless I'm traveling super light, and then I just take a little day pack. The perfect bag remains just out of reach, though I've noticed some real improvements since I got my Costco standard sized carry on a few years back. Luggage is lighter and more versatile these days, and generally more thoughtfully ...Lessons from a Year of Travel Gear
Jan 2nd, 2012 at 9:00AM: Truth: Writing gear reviews is fun. I get to play around with a lot of different toys, try on clothes that are polar opposites of what passes for my personal style, and most of the people I meet in the outdoor gear industry are great fun. They're just like you and me; they like to travel and camp and be kitted out nicely while they're doing it.
The tough part about being a gear head is that you ...Guerrilla's Airporter Pack: A Backpacker All-in-One Bag
Dec 26th, 2011 at 9:00AM:
Man, do I see a lot of luggage. Roll-aboards. Day packs. Laptop/iPad/digital whatever storage solutions. And honestly, most of them don't quite make the cut. Part of the reason I have so many of these things is that I continue to quest for The Perfect Bag. Light, versatile, the right pocket for that one thing that always gets loose and floats around inside my luggage.
I'm impressed when a ...Tom Bihn's Aeronaut: A Great Long Weekend Bag
Nov 7th, 2011 at 9:00AM: I have what's fast becoming a stupid amount of luggage. It seems a little ridiculous that I haven't discovered the one bag to rule them, what with the tide of carry-on sized backpacks, roll-aboards, and duffels that come through the house. The problem is that each bag has its own idea use scenario, they've all got a different mash of features, and some are better for certain types of trips than ...Knocked up abroad: planning travel with a baby
Oct 25th, 2011 at 9:00AM: Let's get this out of the way: you can travel with a baby. Many new parents feel that once they have a child, their travel days are over, but many parents will tell you that the first six months are the easiest time to travel with a baby. Is it easy? Not exactly, but with enough planning and the right attitude, it's not as hard as you might think. Is it selfish? Probably, but so is most travel. ...Knocked up abroad: baby shopping in a foreign country
Jun 21st, 2011 at 1:00PM:
Knocked up abroad has been on a bit of a hiatus as my travel schedule has slowed and the due date has sped up. Feel free to catch up with posts on pregnancy travel, Turkish superstitions, medical care, and naming children.
I'm into the final month of my pregnancy in Istanbul and that means the countdown is on to get stocked up with wee tiny baby things, garishly colored toys and furniture, ...Gregory "Alpaca" Roller Duffel Bag
May 26th, 2011 at 11:00AM: Here's my issue with many rolling duffel bags: they don't hold their shape. There are a few other nits -- the material is too light and punctures or tears easily, the zippers give out, and weirdly, they're heavy, making me wonder why I didn't just go with a hard sided bag. Gregory's new Alpaca Roller Duffel addresses all these complaints and then some, plus, the frame has been re-engineered so it ...Luggage: A brief history
Mar 1st, 2011 at 11:30AM:
Luggage, often referred to as "baggage" or "suitcases" is a term coined in 1596, from lug (v.) "to drag;" so, lit. "what has to be lugged about" (or, in Johnson's definition, "any thing of more bulk than value"). In 20c., the usual word for "baggage belonging to passengers."
For more than six hundred years, people have used traveling cases, steamer trunks valises, portmanteaus, briefcases, ...Rock of Ages 'Vagabond' luggage tags
Oct 22nd, 2010 at 9:00AM:
Luggage tags normally serve two purposes, but the new Vagabond luggage tags by Rock of Ages serve a third! Most tags help you identify your bag on the carousel and serve as a layer of security in case your bag is ever lost. Rock of Ages' tags add something no bag tag has achieved before: sass.
As the proud owner of a black Briggs & Riley rollerboard, I can totally see the virtue in ...Ask Gadling: What to do when you can't fit everything into your luggage
Oct 8th, 2010 at 3:00PM:
In this day and age, when we have to pack so carefully -- in smaller suitcases -- to avoid checking our luggage, it's just not fair when we get to the end of a trip and the dang suitcase won't close. Are we supposed to bring a huge suitcase packed halfway and pay for checking baggage twice? Robbery.
There are a couple of options you have when you find yourself in this quandary. You can ship ...Chinese artist creates sculptures from suitcases
Sep 15th, 2010 at 10:00AM: Ever packed so much in your suitcase that it felt like you were carrying around a whole city? Apparently you're not the only one. Chinese artist Yin Xiuzhen had a similar feeling during her recent travels and decided to turn it into art. Xiuzhen has recently been using suitcases and discarded travel clothing to recreate miniature model cities in a project she calls "Portable Cities."
The idea ...Daily Pampering: Bottega Veneta $43,200 suitcase
Sep 6th, 2010 at 4:00PM: The fine craftsmen at Bottega Veneta have released their new high-end suitcase, and it's simply divine.
The elegant alligator suitcase with brass hardware is part of Bottega Veneta's fall 2010 collection and is made of pure alligator skin. The alligator luggage piece also includes a lock and key buckle for added safety, an internal elastic pocket and a garment bag.
Don't think to hard about ...Photograph your luggage and its contents - Packing tip
Aug 9th, 2010 at 1:04PM: Take pictures of your luggage as well as its contents prior to leaving the house. Store this photo as a file on your computer, and e-mail it to yourself.
You may also want to include a list of the items packed.
In case of lost or stolen luggage, you can retrieve this information from any internet point, and it may be helpful when reporting the loss -- especially if you've lost something ...Daily Pampering: World's most expensive suitcase
Jul 26th, 2010 at 4:00PM: Want to impress the person setting next to you on your next flight? The HENK Travelfriend will do just that.
The HENK Travelfriend is fully customizable from calfskin with ostrich embossing in 15 various colors and opens from both sides, so you can see its luxurious insides from any angle. The extendable handle and retractable wheels make this luggage state-of-the-art. Choose everything from ...Galley Gossip: Crew luggage, rolling vs folding & lifting heavy bags
May 12th, 2010 at 9:30AM: I just read the New York Times article about your packing advice for travelers. What is the brand and model of the carry-on luggage that you used in the slideshow? - Michelle
The bag featured in the article is a Travelpro 22" flight crew series 3. My company also provides airline personnel with an 18" rollaboard. For whatever reason neither one of the bags are featured on Travelpro's website, ...Ditch the wheelie-bags and grab a pack - International travel tip
Mar 9th, 2010 at 5:38AM: Plan on enjoying the cobbled streets of Barcelona? Taking the metro around Paris? Then ditch that wheeled suitcase and pack in an interior frame backpack or a large bag with shoulder straps.
Wheelie-bags are great in the airport or for wheeling from the car up the paved drive to the hotel, but not if you're exploring less accessible destinations. Their wheels catch in cobblestones and brick, ...
