Worst luggage idea EVER!

A carryon case designed to look just like a big screen suicide bomb may be the best way ever to make sure you miss your flight. From the land of Godzilla comes this sterling idea. I suppose the Japanese just have a different sense of humor. You would think it’s just a gag but Red Ferret says the translated product description implies that its hidden compartment would be a great for carrying stuff. What you do carry in a fake bomb? Carry this case and you’ll leave ‘em laughing - all the way to the cavity search room.

Going boldly with the Aeronaut - full user review

TOM BIHN AERONAUT CARRYON: Review summary – Innovative, highly adaptable shoulder bag with stowable backpack straps. Handmade in the USA. System approach with extensive array of packing cubes available. High points: Good looking, sleek, ergonomic design, excellent carrying comfort and capacity.

RATING: 5 stars, a One Bag, One World top pick.

A suitcase is a simple thing. It’s a hard- or soft-sided container to hold clothing and necessities for a traveler. Oh, and the travel part means this container must be portable; it must be easily moved by a human from one place to the next. Those are the basic requirements. True innovation in so simple a thing is rare, and might indeed seem impossible. Tom Bihn has done the impossible, designing a truly different piece of luggage that adapts to the varied needs of demanding modern travelers. Meet the Aeronaut.

Divided differently

The Aeronaut is a maximum carryon-sized (22” x 14” x 9”) three-compartment bag, but it’s divided in a different way, with a large central compartment (about 13.5” x 13.5” x 8.5) and two end pockets (each about 13.5” x 8” x 3.5”). This design has several benefits and a couple of minor drawbacks when compared with more traditional bags. The central compartment is where your folded clothing will go. It lacks hold-down straps so the Aeronaut user is strongly advised to pick up at least one Tom Bihn Large Packing Cube so that clothing will stay tightly folded and in place. The cubes are custom designed just for the Aeronaut. Two of the 13.5” x 13.5” x 4.25” mesh and ripstop nylon zippered cubes will fill the main compartment, but you can still fit some thin or small items between, under, or next to the cubes. Any traveler will carry enough clothing to fill one cube, most will prefer two. The 13.5” x 13.5 main compartment necessitates a slightly different, squarer folding style. Traditional bags often have compartments up to 21 inches wide which more naturally accommodate folded pants and shirts or jackets. Be advised: If your clothes are quite large (46 mens/XXL and up) you may have a little trouble with this narrower compartment.

I’m quite sure there’s a “square” way to fold clothing (to fit the cubes) that will minimize wrinkles nearly as well as the more rectangular bundle approach - I just haven’t mastered it yet. If you’re a leisure traveler with less exacting needs for crisp-looking clothes, the cubes are a dream. And if you’re a roller, there are smaller cubes which fit side by side – four fill the compartment. The main compartment is accessed with an 11” x 11” hatch which zips on three sides (more on its curved corners below). It is plenty big enough to accommodate the large cubes and has a zippered compartment for small items on the inside of the flap.

The end pockets are where everything else goes. Importantly, an end pocket can hold a pair of shoes – something many bags have difficulty coping with. Tom Bihn says an end pocket will hold up to size 12 running shoes. My fairly stiff size 10 casual/dress shoes were a little bit of a tight fit, but most athletic shoes would probably fit fine. Just don’t try size 14 high tops. The end pockets may also be used for toiletries, a hair dryer or steamer, smaller clothing items like socks or underwear, dirty clothes, or personal electronics. The end pockets zip only across the top and down one side. This makes them a little tight but helps the bag hold its shape. One end pocket has a zippered slash pocket for holding boarding passes, travel documents or small guidebooks. There probably should be one of these on each end, instead of just one. The end pocket packing cubes fill the entire pocket. They’re nice since they allow you to neatly and quickly unload the entire pocket at once and get at the contents out in the open.

The Aeronaut is not designed specifcally to carry a notebook computer, but many models will fit in the main compartment, though they’d need an appropriate sleeve. Obviously, most users will use a separate case for a computer. 

Here’s one suggested interior improvement: the material lining the bag should be lighter or more brightly colored to make it easer to see what’s dwelling in the deep recesses of the bag.

Two ways to convey

The Aeronaut, with the addition of the $25 Absolute Strap is wonderful shoulder bag. It rides comfortably and holds its shape very well with no tendency to bulge. It rides comfortable on the hip and the semi-stiff back of the bag keeps it from hugging your body too much, which can make for awkward carrying in too soft a bag. The compartment layout essentially constitutes a series of vertical ribs and the use of curves in the design adds additional stiffening - think Roman arch. The Aeronaut holds its shape well - full or half full - and looks smaller than it actually is. You can carry the bag by and by means of a handle that snaps around the short double straps, of course, but the two most important built-in straps are the clever low-profile pull straps on each end. They make grabbing the bag when it’s stowed a breeze – a very nice touch. If you don’t want a bag on your shoulder, never fear: the Aeronaut has nice set of padded, hideaway backpack straps which are accessed by unzipping the flat compartment on the back of the bag. It’s hard to guess they’re there when stowed; even the rings the straps clip to hide away in little slits in the side seams. Another evidence of Tom Bihn’s thoughtful design is that the Aeronaut also comes in a version (known as the Breve) for users under 5”8”. The Breve has a different backpack strap placement which makes for better fit for the small-framed. I found the Aeronaut to be moderately comfortable in backpack mode. The Tom Bihn site notes that the Aeronaut is not designed for all day backpacking comfort, and I wouldn’t recommend it for extended use on the back. But it is reasonably comfortable for short airport-to-train treks or as a change of pace from shoulder carrying.

A real construct

The Aeronaut is handmade at Tom Bihn’s Seattle factory. What difference does that make? I’m guessing a lot. When the owner/designer pays his workers a living wage, can walk through the factory and call his employees by name, can inspect the materials as they come in and the products as they go out - that has to make a huge difference in quality. And quality of construction and material is evident when you handle the Aeronaut. The primary material is ballistic nylon which is reputedly stronger than Cordura of the same weight. It is definitely a little stiffer than Cordura – not as supple but it inspires confidence. The ballistic material may be one of the reasons that the bag holds its shape and “hangs” so well. The seaming and integration of different materials and segments of the bag are also impressive. The zippers are # 10 YKK Uretek “splash-proof” type. I had reservations about them at first:  the gasketing that the zipper runs in struck me as a liable to bind but I was wrong. They show no such tendency. I’ve heard of some testers subjecting the Aeronaut to several minutes in a bathroom shower with pleasantly dry results. I didn’t try it, but I buy the fact that it is highly water resistant.

Testing, testing

My trial run with the Aeronaut consisted of packing it to the gills with a little more than my normal list of clothing and accessories. I ended up with an 18-20 pound load which included a pair of dress/casual shoes, a variety of pants, shirts, and underclothes, rain jacket, guide book, toiletries (3-1-1 baggie), hair dryer, hangers and laundry accessories, camera and charger. My normal packed weight with this type of bag is 12-15 pounds. The Aeronaut, with the aid of four packing cubes handled the load very well. My only complaints regarding accommodation are that it will not handle a large-size road atlas (flat material – up to about standard magazine size – must share space with the backpack straps in the back compartment) and the central compartment is a little narrow for traditionally folded clothing (as mentioned above). Design is an exercise in compromise, and the three-compartment layout and stowable backpack straps mean that a large, flat pocket for papers, easily accessed when the bag is carried on the shoulder, is impossible. But the end pockets are very useful, especially for shoes which fit so awkwardly in to many bags. I try not to carry extra shoes, but I love the idea of using the end pockets for dirty clothes or, say, nothing but underclothing. The use of cubes is highly advisable. They make packing and unpacking a breeze and make the bag much more functional.

Family affair

Tom Bihn has been designing and building bags for over 20 years. One of the things he has apparently learned is that his customers can be an important part of the design process. The design of the Aeronaut was an interactive affair, with customers and user providing ideas and feedback on the bag’s design through Tom Bihn web forum. This process may help explain its innovative design. The Aeronaut is part of a family of cool, well-designed products, and many Tom Bihn customers pair the Aeronaut with one of the company’s briefcases, messenger bags, or backpacks for a complete travel kit with uniform feel and look.

What does it cost?

The Aeronaut’s $175 price tag seems to put it on the low end of the premium carry-on bag market, but it’s going to cost you more than $175. Why? Because it would be a shame to buy this bag without an Absolute Strap (already reviewed here) and at least two or three cubes. That will make your total price about $230-$250, which is more in line with the other USA-made bags. Is it worth it? I should say so. This is a great bag, which almost cries out “Let’s go!” Travel is a hassle these days. A bag like the Aeronaut which makes the road (and the sky) a happier place is almost priceless.

Who it’s for? 

If you need to travel with a neatly folded extra suit, then the Aeronaut is not for you. But for many business travelers and most leisure travelers, the Aeronaut is a stylish, simple, and functional option. The various cubes and compartments mean the Aeronaut can adapt to different types of trips and different seasons. Obviously, it has no wheels so you’re going to carry it - on your shoulder or your back. If high mobility light travel is your style, the Aeronaut may be the bag for you.

 Tidbits - The Aeronaut weighs under three pounds but the necessary addition of the Absolute Strap and a couple of packing cubes puts it closer to four pounds. The packing cubes exhibit the same quality construction as the Aeronaut. The bag is available in a fairly limited array of colors: red, green, gray, and black - the grape (purple/blue) material being unavailable for the time being. One of the end slash pocket has a nifty clip for keys.

About the photos: Top group - end pocket, Aeronaut maintains trim shape on the shoulder, large packing cube/main compartment, end pockets accomdate shoes. Bottom group: backpack straps, maintains shape in backpack mode, nifty weatherproof gasketed zippers,  helpful pull handles on each end.

 

Click here to see a size comparison of the Aeronaut and Tom Bihn’s smaller Western Flyer carryon. 

 

LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL POSTS UPCOMING CONCERNING TOM BIHN CUBES AND POUCHES. 

TSA boss pulls back the curtain

Wow - here’s an excerpt from a very interesting interview with TSA administrator Kip Hawley from schneier.com:

The stories about 90% failures are wrong or extremely misleading. We do many kinds of effectiveness tests at checkpoints daily. We use them to guide training and decisions on technology and operating procedures. We also do extensive and very sophisticated Red Team testing, and one of their jobs is to observe checkpoints and go back and figure out — based on inside knowledge of what we do — ways to beat the system. They isolate one particular thing: for example, a particular explosive, made and placed in a way that exploits a particular weakness in technology; our procedures; or the way TSOs (transportation safety officers) do things in practice. Then they will test that particular thing over and over until they identify what corrective action is needed. We then change technology or procedure, or plain old focus on execution. And we repeat the process — forever.

This is supposed to be a multi-parter; we’ll try to keep an eye on it and keep excerpting it day by day. Here’s the Schneier blog front page which will have the latest - part two is already up.

And here’s a guest blog Hawley wrote in late spring for the Aviation Week. 

Everybody hates Heathrow

Can one airport be so bad that it can drag down one of the world’s greatest cities. You bet: 

London’s status as one of the world’s leading financial centres risks being undermined by excessive delays at Heathrow and the airport’s sprawling layout, the new City minister warns on Monday.

“In her first interview in the role, Kitty Ussher has told the Financial Times that the government shares business concerns about queues at passport control, the effect of security measures and the airport’s set-up.

Calling herself an “advocate” for business in government, she spoke of the unhappiness felt by executives at the so-called “Heathrow hassle” and the miserable experiences they have suffered. - from the Financial Times

In 1777 Samuel Johnson, who wrote the first major English dictionary, said:

“Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”

Of course he never had to go through customs at Heathrow… 

The long & narrow way across the pond

The New York Times graphic says it all - not snakes on a plane but sardines. Narrow single-aisle jetliners mean more trans-Atlantic flights with less room for passengers. Read the story here.

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Pricey rollers

The LA Times reviews three hard-sided, four-wheeled rolling suitcases. At up to $450  and 7-11 pounds empty, they make those three-pound, soft-sided carryons in the $200 randge from quality US makers like Red Oxx, Tom Bihn, and Tough Traveler look like absolute steals. And these nifty shoulder/backpack bags will never lose a caster or crush a toe.

TSA's latest hi-tech gadget, new maturity?

The TSA has a new weapon in the war against passenger confusion: the bullhorn. From a San Diego newspaper: 

On July 18, two dozen flights were delayed and Terminal 2 gates were emptied after a Transportation Security Administration screener lost track of a carry-on bag singled out for a search.

An X-ray scan showed the bag contained more liquid than allowed under federal regulations.

The screening lapse upset passengers, with some complaining that TSA staff did a poor job of telling them what was going on. They recounted scenes of agency officers standing on tables and shouting announcements that few could hear.

Michael J. Aguilar, security director of the TSA office in San Diego, yesterday said he plans to add bullhorns to the agency’s arsenal to better inform Lindbergh passengers in the future.

The TSA does have a tough (impossible?) job, and we could all think of ways to do it better, right? Well, some are praising the agency for a new level of maturity:

The TSA’s intelligence circular that leaked this week demonstrates that the agency the flying public loves to hate has matured beyond confiscating nail clippers, tweezers and lighters, they said Wednesday.

The experts agreed that this judgment holds true even if the four incidents that triggered the warning turn out to have innocent explanations, as two of them — in San Diego and Baltimore — appeared to on Wednesday. (OBOW ed.: not the same San Diego event mentioned above)

“This is what TSA should be doing whether it turns out to be a whole bunch of harmless coincidences or part of a plot,” said James Carafano, a security expert at the conservative Heritage Foundation who in the past called for TSA’s abolition.

“This kind of analysis wouldn’t have happened before Sept. 11, 2001,” or even for some time afterward, he said. - AP via IHT.

 Here’s the TSA statement on the leaked memo and recent incidents.

Reader tip: blow 'em up

I usually include a couple of cheap plastic hangers in my bag so I can hang clothing anywhere in the hotel room. This is especially helpful when you need to hang sinkwashed clothing in the shower and the room has only those pesky hangers which only work on the closet rod. A pants hanger is also nice to take along. You can hang pants upside down from the cuffs and watch the wrinkles disappear.

OBOW reader Robin M. has a suggestion: “Inflatable hangers are great.  They pack small and, when blown up, give you space in your garment to aid in drying.  Love them!” Inflatable hangers are a good idea. They probably weigh no more than the cheap plastic variety and wouldn’t cause wrinkles in tightly packed clothes like the plastics can. The rigid hangers can also make carrying a soft bag a little less comforable if you don’t place them well. So, blow ‘em up and hang ‘em up. They’re widely available, including here.

About Arlene's list

Here’s how Arlene Fleming of About.com goes one-bag to the islands with only a backpack. This is good list for women travelers headed for warm weather leisure destinations. She doesn’t give an approximate weight for this load but I’m guessing it’s under 20 pounds. OBOW readers should feel free to submit their own packing lists and tips to share with others.

Dangerous security

A British House of Commons committee rightly concludes that some security measures may increase danger instead of decreasing it: 

A report by the Commons transport select committee said queues of hundreds of passengers in cramped spaces could become a security hazard.

The committee recommended that reducing queues at security and speeding up check-in times should be a priority.

The Department for Transport (DfT) said baggage security rules introduced last August met “a very real threat”.

The regulations resulted in disruption and delays and, although the situation has improved, passengers still face longer queues and increased waiting times. - from the BBC

 

The Brits are looking for a compromise:

 

“I made it very clear that the one piece of hand luggage restriction which applies to customers departing the UK and transferring through the UK has no security justification,” said (Brititsh Airways) chief executive Willie Walsh.

Recent events in London and Glasgow have conspired to put the brakes on any change though. 

UK travel tips - from the UK

Nick Trend of the Telegraph offers this briefing for UK travelers in a challenging summer of delay, fear, and frustration. There’s nothing ground-breaking here, but there are some helpful links and solid information if you’re Glasgow, Gatwick, or Heathrow-bound.

Art & science

One bag guru Doug Dyment’s website subtitle is the “The Art and  Science of Traveling Light”. While I try not to rip off Mr. Dyment’s ideas, I have been thinking about the art and science concept of of one-bag travel. It’s an instructive way to look at it. Let’s reverse the order and look at the boring part - the science - first.

SCIENCE 

There are some concrete, physical factors to deal with when going one bag. You have to stay below carryon weight limits (usually around 40 lbs. in the US and 22 lbs. internationally) and you have to know how many bags besides your main carryon you can take (one additional personal item for most of the world, zero for the UK). Pretty dry stuff. You can learn some neat packing strategies, like bundling or rolling. You can learn how to choose versatile, quick-drying clothing and how to efficiently sinkwash it as you go. Anybody can handle that. But there’s more.

ART 

The artist must master certain skills. However, those skills must be applied with creativity and a thoughtful, personal touch to produce art. The personal element is all-important in light travel. It’s why I don’t provide a laundry list of instructions, any more than art schools provide step-by-step how-to guides for painting masterpieces. No two people will (or can) do it alike. Your preference and style should guide your decisions about what to pack, how to pack it, and what to carry it in. To this end, I’ll be adding a static page soon called “How to do it”. It will suggest how you might go about going light, but it won’t say how you must do it. It will provide encouragement, though, that you can do it and do it well — if you so choose.

Art is about the pursuit of truth and beauty. Light travel is about the pursuit of travel that is easier: more enjoyable, flexible, and affordable. And to tell the truth, that’s a beautiful thing.

Seen in London

Seen in London…not quite.

 

World's worst airline

Slate’s Elizabeth Spiers pronounces Brazilian carrier TAM to be the world’s worst airline. Her first-person sidebar story includes these delightful tidbits:

Arrive at the airport three hours early. After an hour of waiting in line at ticketing, discover that your partner’s ticket is not showing up in the reservations system because the system that manages such things is segregated entirely from the system that manages, say, boarding passes… Three gate agents spend at least 20 minutes frowning at computer terminals that include information for one, two, or all systems, none of which are integrated… Return to ticketing and check bags, if they haven’t already been studiously checked and shipped off to the wrong destination. Now you have a boarding pass. And your plane is delayed for five to seven hours. Several hours later, you finally board the plane and the woman at the gate wants to know where your ticket is. You don’t have a ticket. No one gave you a ticket. They gave you a boarding pass…

This sounds like it could be almost anywhere, any airline. Actually sorta reminds me of the United counter at Chicago O’Hare. 

Romantic packing

Romance writer Brenda Coulter shares some sensible, feminine packing advice:

 On the morning of your travel day, you should find that everything you need for showering, doing your hair, and applying makeup is in your travel bag. That’s good. Just as though you were in the hotel, use things right out of your bag and then put them back.

He gets it

A quote from author/guru Tim Ferriss (whose blog we touted yesterday):

“Hauling a five-piece Samsonite set around the planet is hell on earth. I watched a friend do this up and down dozens of subway and hotel staircases in Europe for three weeks, and—while I laughed a lot, especially when he resorted to just dragging or throwing his bags down stairs—I’d like to save you the breakdown. Trip enjoyment is inversely proportionate to the amount of crap (re: distractions) you bring with you.

Practice in 30-plus countries has taught me that packing minimalism can be an art.”

A performance art, no less, and one worth mastering. Check out his video and packing list. His is a very “young” way of traveling, but anyone can do a ten-day trip with nice clothes (ableit no computer) with only 12-15 pounds of stuff.

Micro mobile

What’s smaller than a laptop? A notebook of course. What’s smaller than that? The handtop. What’s next? The light traveler is faced with a bewildering, ever-changing, and expensive array of mobile technology choices. Pocketables by Jenn K. Lee is a good place to start if you want to take your mobile technology smaller than small and lighter than light.

Travel design with Tim

Author Tim Ferriss’s blog is an excellent stop for the light traveler, minimalist, or lifestyle efficiency freak. Check out his ultra-minimalist/10-pound carry-on approach - interesting for the BIT (buy it there) tactic. Just added his blog to our link section.

Clash of the carryon titans

 

Okay, so I’m going to get asked: Which is the best carryon – the Red Oxx Air Boss (left) or the Tom Bihn Aeronaut (right)? The answer: Both. The explanation: Almost any light traveler will find that one of these finely crafted, heavy-duty, American-made bags is ideal for them. They are different, but each is excellent in its own way. That’s not a cop-out; that’s a fact. Designing carry-on luggage is an exercise in compromise. From Red Oxx and Tom Bihn we have two designs that make the most of the size, shape and weight constraints of the carryon. I’ve done hands-on evaluations of both in the last two months and I’ll have a lot to say about the Aeronaut, plus the MEI Voyageur in the next week. A full review of the Air Boss has already been posted, but look for another post that carefully compares the Red Oxx with the Aeronaut. Hopefully our observations will help the serious traveler choose the bag that’s best for their travel needs and style.

SECURITY THAW: lighters can fly, more milk to go

 The TSA has announced that beginning Aug. 4 airline passengers can carry on common cigarette lighters (hotter burning torch-type lighters are still banned) and those traveling with infants can carry larger quantities of breast milk. From the Transportation Security Administration press release:

WASHINGTON – In an effort to concentrate resources on detecting explosive threats, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today announced it will no longer enforce the ban on common lighters in carry-on luggage. Torch lighters will continue to be banned in carry-ons. The agency collects more than 22,000 lighters a day which represents a high percentage of all prohibited items surrendered at checkpoints nationwide. The measures will be implemented on August 4th.

“Explosives remain the most significant threat to aviation,” said Kip Hawley, TSA administrator. “By enabling our officers to focus on the greatest threats we are using our officers’ time and energy more effectively and increasing security for passengers.”

TSA is also modifying the procedures associated with carrying breast milk through security checkpoints. Mothers flying with or without their child will be permitted to bring breast milk in quantities greater than three ounces as long as it is declared for inspection at the security checkpoint.

About breast milk:

“This rule has been a pain for working mothers who pumped breast milk while on a business trip without their child and wanted to carry more than three ounces home with them.” said TSA spokeswoman Ellen Howe. “They had to throw larger amounts in the trash and that was not only wasteful but emotionally charged.” - AP via USA Today

There’s an economic component to the lighter rule change. It has cost the TSA $4 million per year to dispose of all the confiscated Bics and Zippos.

 

(TSA graphics)