Cube vid

Quirky & crafty Ryanair

The Emerald Isle’s Rynair has figured out how to make a little more green. The carrier, which - to its credit - encourages traveling with carry-on only, limits flyers to only one bag of the typical international size (55x40x20 cm/ 22x16x8 inches at 10 kg/22 pounds).  Since this size of luggage is so difficult to find (not!) Ryanair will now sell you a Samsonite roller designed (so they say) exclusively for Ryanair. Humorous. Check this:

President of Samsonite Europe Fabio Rugarli, said, “Samsonite’s global expertise in producing innovative luggage to suit all travel occasions, made this project with Ryanair an appealing partnership. Our design and technology specialists responded to the brief, creating well-priced, practical and compact luggage to fit the absolute precise measurements of Ryanair’s hand luggage specifications. We know that there is nothing more reassuring than travelling to the airport with the knowledge that your hand luggage will fit into the aircraft cabin.”

*As this Samsonite bag is softsided, if over-packed it may not fit into Ryanair’s baggage sizers and in such cases Ryanair will require it to be carried as checked-in baggage. - link

That’s right, the bulgy soft-sided roller can easily exceed the size limit, thus incurring a checked charge. And how many poor souls will pack it to 25 pounds with the same result? Ryanair is all heart. If they’re going to sell a bag to encourage carry-on, no-fee travel shouldn’t it be about 2/3 of maximum carry-on size, sans wheels to save weight? As it is, they make money on their bogus bag, then they make money when it’s too heavy or too large!

Rolling with KLW

OBOW poster KLW has a nice post on his packing and preparation for an upcoming trek here.

Busy Tom Bihn

More updates and enhancements from Tom Bihn. The Western Flyer now has a new front panel design and a choice of backpack straps or nifty rear pockets - one of which functions as an over-the-handle sleeve:

As a non-backpacker, I’m interested. You don’t have to use a rolling bag to take advantage of the handle slot - it comes in handy if your traveling companion is a roller. If my spouse uses her big rolling bag I often end up towing with my strap knotted around the handle! More from the TB blog.

TWO HORIZ. POCKETS INSTEAD OF THREE + BOTTLE POCKET

Update on May 19, 2010 by Frank@OBOW

Imagine my surprise when I received an e-mail from an editor of Women’s World magazine a few months ago. The queston: Which carry-on bag? Given the need to downsize to avoid gate checks and stuffed overhead bins, I recommended the Western Flyer. Check it (and other picks)  in the latest issue at a supermarket checkout near you. Here’s an image of some of the content:

Handle-friendly Co-Pilot

Tom Bihn’s new personal-size bag now has added functionality:

Tom has updated the design of the Co-Pilot, a new personal carry-on sized travel bag made available for pre-order last month and scheduled to ship in June. The back pocket of the Co-Pilot now features a zip-open (and shut) pocket designed to allow you to slip the bag over the handle of rolling luggage, as seen in the photo below. When not being used in that way, the pocket can be zipped shut for magazines, newspapers, maps, etc. The interior of this pocket is lined with our Dyneema/nylon rip-stop fabric. All Co-Pilots - even those pre-ordered on the very first day - will have the new pocket for rolling luggage handles. - TB blog

OBOW’s first look at the Co-Pilot may be found here.

Five say no fee, carry-ons free!

From MSNBC:

“We believe it is something that’s important to our customers and they value, and we will continue making that available to them at no charge,” American Airlines spokesman Roger Frizzell said.

New York Sen. Charles Schumer said Sunday that American, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, US Airways and JetBlue Airways each have committed to him that they would not institute fees for carry-on bags. He said he was hopeful other carriers would follow suit.

Notably absent from the list was Continental Airlines, which is said to be in merger talks with United.

(Thanks to super traveler Monte for the heads-up.)

Update on April 18, 2010 by Frank@OBOW

Announced by a Senator? Political arm twisting involved? I suspect we’ll learn more at the week unfolds. Maybe this is an opportunity to set some standards — a uniform weight & size limit in exchange for the no-fee pledge???

Update on April 18, 2010 by Frank@OBOW

Cranky’s Carry-on Guide for Misinformed Senators

Flight attendants vs. carry-ons

Update on April 15, 2010 by Frank@OBOW

And they have a website: http://www.endcarryoncrunch.org/

Unfortunately, they pin their hopes on the goofy Lipinsk bill which, as far as I can tell, would do nothing to alleviate the problem. Maybe they should get behind the 10/22 idea…

Check out the survey they base their concerns on. It’s obviously a weight thing, not a size thing.

Update on April 15, 2010 by Frank@OBOW

Appealing to OSHA:

“The lack of OSHA protections has real consequences for flight attendants and it is time that these basic protections that are extended to almost every other worker in the United States be applied to flight attendants as well,” said Patricia Friend, AFA-CWA International President. “Our goal is to work with the FAA and OSHA in order to ensure that once and for all, strong and comprehensive regulations are enacted to protect the workplace safety and health of flight attendants.” — PR Newswire

Is the solution 10/22?

Ten kilograms/22 pounds. That’s a common international carry-on weight limit. Would not many of the issues surrounding carry-on crowding and abuse be addressed by imposing this simple limit? Continue to allow one under-seat personal item and you have a reasonable allowance by almost any standard. The weight limit for overhead stowage would enhance passenger and crew safety. It would also encourage smaller, softer, lighter bags, which would naturally free up bin space. Enforcement mechanism: a scale.

Update on April 15, 2010 by Frank@OBOW

And one other thing: The real aim of any luggage policy (checked or cabin) should be to encourage the pax to bring less total weight. That’s what would happen if the goal is less fuel burned/less pollutants emitted. No one contributes less to total aircraft weight than the one-bag traveler. However, if luggage handling is viewed as a profit center you’ll see any number of approaches, few of which will reward the light traveler.

Paying for overhead, oh no!

It has begun: carry-on bag fees. Spirit will begin charging for bags that will not fit under the seat:

Not a good trend; this will open the door for the rest of the carriers to do this. Click here for the fairly complicated policy. They’ll have fun enforcing it!

The free under-seat bag must be 16x14x12 or smaller.

USA Today Today in the Sky blog:

Basic carry-on items — things like a purse or laptop bag — can still be brought on for free, but only if they measure 16” by 14” by 12” and can fit underneath the seat in front of you. The carrier apparently will have new bag sizers at its gates to help enforce its policy,  The Wall Street Journal reports. 

Scott McCartney, The Middle Seat columnist at the Journal, explains what boarding will look like: “Passengers who have paid for carry-on bags will board first. Those that haven’t paid will be warned–their boarding pass will say ‘No Carry-On Bags.’ Once the first group has boarded, it will be easy for gate agents to police the fee rule during boarding, Spirit says.” Spirit CEO Ben Baldanza tells McCartney:  “After Zone 1 is on, there are no more carry-on bags. If you have one, you’ll have to pull out your credit card and pay at the gate.”

WSJ Middle Seat:

One advantage of fees for carry-on bags is that they’ll likely discourage fellow passengers from boarding planes like pack mules. Spirit’s chairman and chief executive, Ben Baldanza, says fees for checked baggage upset the balance between carry-on and checked items as passengers tried to avoid checked-baggage fees. The carry-on fee, he said, “will make our boarding faster and easier.”

Thanks, Ben. No, really - thanks alot. We all grant the “pack mule” problem, but there are rules to deal with that. Apparently enforcing rules is more attractive to the carriers when the penalty for violation is a hefty charge, er, profit.

—

(Thanks to Buzz for the tip on this one)

Update on April 7, 2010 by Frank@OBOW

Three reasons we should be thankful for this? Maybe, if it really drove down ticket prices and emptied bins. My fear is it just opens wide a door that cannot be shut.

Oh, my!

Leather is never light, but it is almost always beautiful - especially if formed in Firenze:

The Pratesi COSTANTINOPOLI costs a little over 100 euros per pound. The price is hefty but, for a leather bag, the weight is not, at about 5 1/4 pounds. I believe I poked my head in this shop in Florence last year. The prices, I’m sure, left me light headed. Suffice it to say there’s a lot to tempt anyone at Pratesi.

Aeronaut: Strapless no more

Tom Bihn’s outside-the-box Aeronaut carry-on has never lacked for fans and devoted users. It has lacked compression straps in the large center compartment, until now. You can read more about then new version here.

Update on April 5, 2010 by Frank@OBOW

And Tom has built a pad for your iPad (or netbook) — a special Ristretto messenger — and Gadgeteer has reviewed it. I have an old TB Cafe bag in the same brown and I like it.

Handsome garment bag

Here’s the garment bag from Filson’s new ballistic nylon/leather-trimmed Passage series:

It’s a Filson, but - alas - is not made in Seattle — imported. The price is made in the USA though ($325). No word on the weight, but the size is carry-on friendly: (Open) 22” W x 44” H x 2” D. (Closed) 22” W x 14” H x 7” D.

Mulling weighty overhead matters

Tyler Brûlé (he of the fabulous lifestyle) is rethinking his luggage strategy. Wheels and - gasp - possibly even a baggage claim ticket beckon.

“You do know that one of the easiest routes to back injury is placing bags into overhead luggage bins when you fly,” said Doktor George. “You should really make sure you take care as it’s so easy to throw your back out.” “What are you suggesting, then?” I asked. “It might be time to rethink your luggage,” he said.

At this point I think my eyes might have narrowed as I stared at Doktor George. I was trying to read what the good doctor was suggesting and whether he was baiting me in jest or serious about a complete rethink of my no checked luggage, no carry-on wheely-bag policy. 

“Definitely something to think about for 2010,” I said with a smile.- ft.com

TB promises a conclusion to this quandry next week. In the mean time I must say again, going one-bag is a bad idea if that one bag is too heavy. Maybe that’s the point of the above-quoted exchange. Take the 10%-of-body-weight rule seriously unless you’re quite fit and quite young!

iPad - Let the bags begin

(Press Release)

TOM BIHN Introduces Two Bags for Apple iPad

January 27th, 2010

SEATTLE, WA — 

TOM BIHN (http://www.tombihn.com), a designer, manufacturer, and retailer of laptop and travel bags has introduced the Cache sleeve and Ristretto vertical messenger bag for the Apple iPad.

The Size iPad Cache

The Cache: http://www.tombihn.com/page/001/PROD/300/TB0350

The Cache is available in Size iPad - designed specifically for the Apple iPad. The Cache is designed to protect the Apple iPad against scrapes and scratches from all sides. Its 1/4” (6mm) thick foam padding laminated with an exterior of four-ply Taslan and an interior of brushed tricot cradles your iPad. The Cache for Apple iPad fits the iPad on
its own or encased in its Apple iPad Case. Made in Seattle. Lifetime Guarantee.

Available for pre-order; ships within 10 days of release of the Apple iPad. $30.

The Ristretto for iPad

The Ristretto for iPad: http://www.tombihn.com/page/001/PROD/300/TB0222

The Ristretto for Apple iPad is a vertical messenger bag with a interior padded compartment of .25” (6mm) open-cell foam that protects from all sides. The Ristretto for Apple iPad fits the iPad on its own or encased in its Apple iPad Case. Made in Seattle. Lifetime Guarantee.

Available for order; ships within one business day. $110.

The Cache and the Ristretto are available exclusively through the TOM BIHN website or Seattle Factory Showroom.

TOM BIHN has been designing and creating bags for over 30 years. The TOM BIHN Inc. headquarters and factory are located in Seattle, Washington, where the company is dedicated to creating quality products and quality jobs. The public is welcome to visit the TOM BIHN Seattle Factory
showroom and Retail Store and see where the bags are made. TOM BIHN products are available for order and worldwide shipping at the company’s website.

A Bug in your ear

I saw this pack on CoolTools and thought it would be nice option for cyclists who want a good carry-on backpack that can double as an everyday commuter bag - the Arkel Bug.

Reader Review: LL Bean Quickload

A great review from OBOW reader Holly:

As promised, a short review of the LL Bean Quickload based on two weeks in Switzerland and Germany at Christmas time.

Two adults, two kids, two weeks in Europe during winter, 4 “luggage” bags and 4 small, personal bags. The 4 “luggage” bags included an eBags Weekender, the LL Bean Quickload, an ancient Eastpack convertible bag and a 24 inch wheelie.

The LL Bean Quickload had very good capacity. I was able to easily fit in: 2 pairs long pants, 4 pair underwear, wool base layer top and bottom, five shirts (one short sleeve, the rest long sleeve), wool sweater, 2 pair wool socks, laundry kit (included clothes line, microfiber towel and some detergent), the toiletry kit for the ENTIRE family, a bathing suit (for the hot tub at ski resort), two paperback books to read and leave along the trip, cache of spare zip lock bags, gloves, hat, a pair of pajamas (a luxury I allowed myself when I found I had plenty of room) and, here’s the kicker—one pair of insulated ski pants.

I know I had a few more items in there, but I just can’t remember what they were right now.

All of this fit, with room to spare! At the Swiss check in, the bag weighed 7.5 kg.

In fact, none of the convertible bags weighed over 7.5 kg. (I recognize this is easier to pull off when you have a 24 inch wheelie that the heavier items can go into. But honestly, we weren’t taking anything too heavy anyway.)

The empty LL Bean bag was definitely lighter than the empty eBags Weekender, which meant we could put more in it and not worry we were going to go over the limit.

The inside of the bag is fine and the compression straps are the garden variety ones, but work well. The compartment in the inside “lid” is mesh, but has a zipper only on one end. I prefer the Weekender’s design of having the zipper go around three sides of the same compartment. Also, I like the Weekender’s feature of a small, flat, zippered compartment on the inside on the “hinge” part of the bag. We used it for stashing our drivers’ licenses, which we didn’t figure we would need but brought along anyway just in case we decided to rent a car spur of the moment.

The straps on the Quickload are curved and a bit wider than the Weekender. I am narrow shouldered and have a slight preference for the narrower Weekender straps as a result. If the Quickload had included a sternum strap, which it does not, I think I would have found it more comfortable. It was fine, so this is not such a great issue.

The smaller outside pocket on the Quickload is a disappointment. It has some organizer features, but the zipper is just straight across the pocket and does not extend down the sides. As a result, it’s difficult to efficiently use the organizer features. This is a bad design flaw. However, as a practical matter, I used the organizer panel in my small messenger bag so I didn’t really get too hung up on this. I ended up simply using it to stash receipts and used maps, etc.—essentially stuff I wasn’t going to need to access every day.

The smalller outside pocket did include a little lanyard clip that was on an elastic cord. That elastic cord feature is an improvement over a standard key clip. I ended up attaching a little “squeeze” flashlight to it, which we used multiple times. The ability to pull it out a bit with the stretchy elastic was very useful.

It does have a larger outside pocket, which does zip down on the sides. It was spacious and this is where I easily stuffed those ski pants.

All in all, it’s a good bag. If you need your one bag to include a highly usable organizer pocket, don’t buy the Quickload. On all other fronts, it’s a solid bag. And the weight difference between it and the Weekender is nice. Also, the lifetime, satisfaction guarantee from LL Bean is worth quite a lot. (I have NO affiliation with LL Bean.)

In short, it held all my stuff with room to spare. As a result, I had no trouble fitting in my purchases from the trip on the way back.

One side note: The person at the Swiss check-in counter simply could not believe that 4 people going to Europe in winter (and skiing—at that) could travel with so little luggage.

(From LL Bean site: Made of rugged 420-denier nylon.

2,961 cu. in. 21¾”H x 14”W x 9”D. 2 lb. 2 oz. Imported.)

Pack of REI discounts

You know I’m all about high-quality US-made stuff, but the REI outlet has two nice less-than-max-sized packs at great discounts at the moment:

1216 cu. in. TIMBUK 2 PATROL

1220 cu.in. PACSAFE TREKSAFE 100

Update on January 13, 2010 by Frank@OBOW

And, an intriguing ultralight (14 oz.) minimalist pact/tote from Patagonia - on sale at eBags.

Tom's ultralight is nearer

From the January newsletter from Tom Bihn:

The Compass:
The Compass is a small carry-on travel bag that Tom has been working on over the course of the last year. We’ve seen the latest prototype, and it’s perfect. Well, we think so: Tom has a little bit more tweaking to do. It’s a great size (probably smaller than you’re thinking) with great organization.

More action in the lightweight, smaller-than-max carry-on segment. No luggage maker has been more responsive to changes in the travel climate in the last few years than Tom Bihn.

Update on January 8, 2010 by Frank@OBOW

More TB news from the blog: 

Field Journal Notebook:
Tom continues to refine the final details of the Field Journal Notebook as he uses the only existing prototype. By Tom’s best guesstimate, 105% of people who see it want it.

Camera Insert:

The Camera Insert is still in progress, not to worry. Tom has some exciting new leads on materials. What’s taking so long? We’re in search of the perfect fabric to laminate to the foam components that make up the Camera Insert. We’ve narrowed it down to two contenders - two high-tech fabrics. Both will need to be custom made for us, so don’t be making sandwiches and waiting by the phone.

 Two more bags debuting in February: 

 A travel bag designed by Tom in Summer ‘09 specifically for an event at the Kennedy Center. Perfect for those who don’t need or want hide-away backpack straps.

 And: something that will allow you to take your iPhone river rafting, or read your Kindle in the bathtub.

Checking a carry-on

The Canadian carry-on ban means a lot of people will be checking bags they never intended to check. Since you never know when this policy will show up in other places or when you’ll be gate-checked, it might be wise to choose the most rugged carry-on possible for 2010. The lighter/cheaper fabrics may be in danger of damage in the checked baggage blender. Unfortunately, more rugged usually means more expensive. Securing zippers and outer compartments is something to think about, too.

Repost - War against the carry-on

From OBOW - April 12, 2007 (the links are dead, hopefully the “organization” is too … UPDATE - Yes, the guy’s company went into receivership):

Luggage Express chairman Richard Altomare wants to ban luggage on airplanes - not all airplanes, mind you, just passenger planes. He’s quite happy to load your luggage (for a not-so-small fee) on his cargo delivery planes and is lobbying in Washington to end the traveler’s right to carry luggage. And he’s kind enough to support the “Coalition for Luggage Security”. One look at this group’s website would convince you that Lady Liberty, the founding fathers, and Uncle Sam himself approve of this ridiculous intrusion on travelers’ liberty. More from Mr. Altomare:

“We’ve moved 31 million suitcases and we’ve never misplaced or lost one,” he claims. “The suitcases are picked up by one of 4,000 companies that we contract, including UPS, FedEx and DHL. The luggage is barcoded and tracked from the beginning and tracked the whole way.” He says the company is moving “300 to 500 orders a day … More and more people are using us. This is an alternative. I’m not saying it’s a replacement for the existing system yet.”  — from ATWonline.com

…YET? How about NEVER! A  luggage ban would hurt everyone except cargo companies like Altomare’s. Travelers may be in for a real fight in coming years.

 MORE - How about this from the Coalition for Luggage Security’s blog:

“The Coalition for Luggage Security was created to help create safer skies by separating luggage from passengers. Creating a new concept where by things are done differently is often a challenge, but a worthwhile one. Being active as an organization, and as a member can help create positive change in all areas including luggage security, passenger security, airline security and airport security.”

Separating luggage from passengers - I thought that was the airlines’ job…