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flerdle's one-bag adventure

OBOW reader flerdle went one-bag for one month in Europe and here account read likes a textbook for the novice light traveler. Enjoy:

One month, five countries, one bag: Europe!

(flerdle’s one bag adventure)

I live in Australia, which is a long, long way from just about anywhere (except New Zealand), so when the opportunity to attend a conference in Lausanne, Switzerland arose for mid July, I decided to combine work and play, extend my stay to a whole month, and see how I went traveling as lightly as possible.

I was also recovering from recent major shoulder surgery, so traveling light was an absolute necessity.

Verdict: it certainly worked for me, and I would not hesitate to travel this way again.

I would like to echo John’s comment on a recent thread: “Pack the right gear, get the high-tech, lightweight, quick drying gear, and pack right”. I got an MEI Voyageur, a Rick Steves Civitas daypack, an Asus EeePC, three pairs of light pants from Ex-Officio, and went from there. A complete (women’s) packing list is at the end of this post, with a photo of it all. Yes, despite how it looks all spread out it all fitted in the bag, with room to spare. I didn’t feel as if I was missing anything.

MEI VOYAGEUR If anything, the Voyageur is possibly a little too big if you are trying to keep the weight down, which is vitally important on international flights because the limit is usually 7kg (15.5lb) and you will get asked to check it if it is too heavy. They will weigh your cabin (carry-on) baggage when you check in. The dimensions were never a problem but it is tempting to overpack for weight, and a smaller bag might have been sufficient. I chose the Voyageur because it has the best harness system and allowed me to carry the full bag over long distances using the substantial hip belt and one shoulder strap (because of my shoulder problem).

I had very little trouble getting it onto the plane, despite the initial “huh?” from the check-in person – it appears that traveling without check-in luggage is still rare on the Kangaroo Route (Australia to Europe). I had to put my iPod, phone,GPS unit and note/phrase/guidebooks into my pockets, wear my fuzzy vest and jacket and hold my computer and liquid baggy in my hand and that brought the bag down to the magical “just under 8kg” (17-18lb) that they let through.

Of course I put it all back in my bag as soon as I got through security, and carried the bag casually slung behind me (on additional shoulder strap) onto the plane. On the plane I transferred a few essentials to the daypack and used it for the approx 23 hours of flying time from Melbourne to Zurich.

Actually, and this is perhaps something to be aware of, the lack of a check-in bag possibly caused a few odd moments in the transfer from Cathay to Swiss in Hong Kong. They had a very close look at my boarding pass which got flagged/rejected at the transfer gate (there was no double seat allocation or other issue), and they asked about bags, both at the gate and later on the plane. It might have been something else in their system, but I doubt it; I was not the only passenger transferring at that point but I was the only one questioned, and I never have been before. The only difference I could see was the lack of checked luggage. The return flight was uneventful.

I spent almost a week in each of Switzerland, France, England and Sweden, with a couple of days in Amsterdam at the end. I stayed in 1-star to 3-star hotels and with friends. I flew from Paris CDG to East Midlands (BMI baby) and Heathrow T5 to Arlanda (British Airways) and Arlanda to Schiphol (SAS), with trains elsewhere. I always tended to check in reasonably early. I am not sure how staff’s attitude changes as the lines get longer and the pressure up, but I never had to check in a bag.

About half of the time I was able to wash clothes in the normal way since I was staying with friends, and the rest of the trip I hand washed every day or two. I had no trouble with things drying in at most a day (despite taking cotton smalls anyway) but be aware this might not be the case in winter. Synthetic or specialist underwear might be good, if you can find it in your size. It is most important to be comfortable, and work around that.

Most of the time I could have been quite casual but the conference required reasonably “good” clothes and this was not difficult even with only several changes of clothes chosen to coordinate properly. The pants from ExOfficio were very light but two of them could pass for more stylish wear, and I had one “good” blouse and some crisp t-shirts. I think I possibly still brought too much “stuff” – I could have left out one t-shirt at least and one entire set of clothes at most – but I chose to spend a little less time washing and more time working/relaxing! The French phrasebook and Amsterdam guide were heavy luxuries but extremely useful and I do not regret taking them. The GPS unit could have been combined with an expensive enough mobile phone, but again, I found it extremely useful. I took photos with my mobile and blogged them for folks at home using the EeePC which lived up to expectations in all respects.

SNACK-SIZED PC Halfway through the trip I sent my second set of shoes, makeup kit, thermal pants and some collected postcards and papers from the conference home by post, but apart from that I used everything I took the whole time. As it was sunnier than I had expected, I did buy a cheap floppy hat after the first week. I mainly used postcards as souvenirs rather than buying trinkets. I was tempted to buy a t-shirt but resisted. I bought a couple of books near the end of the trip as well.

So what could I have left out? Well, the computer is the obvious candidate if I hadn’t have had to work but at 1.25kg for computer and cables it was not that much of a trouble anyway. The sarong I used the least but would have used it more if more traditionally backpacking in which case I would have added a silk sleeping-bag liner. In winter the swimsuit would have been replaced by more thermal underwear. The red fuzzy vest was not used as much as the cardigan, which probably should have been a bit thicker - it was a touch chilly when it was raining. The real killer for weight is actually paper (and technology).

So: do it! It isn’t hard at all.

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CLICK FOR FULL-SIZE

Packing list (INCLUDES things worn onto the plane):

3 pr long pants (Ex-Officio 2 x Excursion black and 1 x Nomad khaki)
3 tshirts (2 would probably be sufficient depending on destination, or substitute other blouses)
1 good shirt (black, long sleeve)
1 short sleeve travel shirt (lightweight Columbia #TL6635, colored)
4 undies
4 bras
4 pr socks
swimsuit
sarong
singlet and light very casual elastic-waisted slacks/pajama pants (for sleeping or very casual wear)
fleecy vest
rain/wind jacket (Mountain Designs)
lightweight synthetic cardigan
thongs (i.e. flipflops)
hiking/walking/day shoes (rockports, women’s, walking)
dressier girly shoes (flat)
light thermal underwear (bottom only) OPTIONAL/dependant on season
iPod video 60GB and usb cable including wall adapter
EeePC and power supply
2 plug adapters (uk, europe)
Garmin Etrex Vista CX (GPSr) - for geo-caching and navigation in five countries
mapping software dvd (to be sent home at the earliest opportunity - only taken due to tax reasons)
2 extra AA batteries
mobile phone and charger
usb cable for phone (no bluetooth in eeepc)
2 usb memory sticks
French phrasebook (Collins Gem)
Frommer’s “day by day” guide to Amsterdam (very small but useful – was still working out itinerary)
small spirax notebook, 2 pens
set of 3 thin Moleskine journal/notes
old sudoku book (removing pages as I go!)
moneybelt
wallet
watch
papers (hotel, e-tickets, passport, copies)
In 3-1-1 bag: toothpaste, moisturiser, clothes washing liquid, lipstick, concealer, lip balm, white flower oil*, shower gel, hand sanitiser.lush solid shampoo (combined shampoo/conditioner available) in a tin,solid deodorant
toothbrush
dental floss
small powder compact and blush in small bag
medicines
feminine supplies
pack of bandaids, various sizes
2 small packs tissues
40”x20” very lightweight towel
small facecloth
(*white flower oil is useful for clearing the nose and sinuses on
plane descent. http://www.omnieast.com/health/pfy.htm )
Civitas daypack
collapsable bowl (“Sea to Summit X-bowl”)
forkspoon(“lightmyfire”)
1 litre “playtpus” collapsable water bottle (wanted 500ml but not available)
twisted elastic clothesline with hooks on the ends
3 plastic clothes pegs (good for closing food packets too)
2 inflatable hangers
extra plastic bags (ziplok and others)
universal sink plug
small roll of stickytape (couldn’t find duct tape but sticky tape is great for getting hair and fluff from clothes anyway)
string, rubber bands, twist ties, paper clips, needle, thread, buttons - enough to fit in an “eclipse mints” container
glasses + hard case
sunglasses + soft case
inflatable travel pillow
earplugs (enough for average usage for a month)
lindfold
tiny torch (clip-on LED, $3!)
keyring/bottle opener (shaped like a moose)
small lock with two keys
2 half cubes, 2 quarter cubes, 1 small sack (all eagle creek) – theyadd weight but they certainly make it easier to organise all the bits.
stuffed toy wallaby
MEI Voyageur in Coffee :-)

(Taken this trip but obviously situational!: rehabilitation elastic cord for shoulder exercises squeezy ball for shoulder/arm exercises extra painkillers for shoulder, taking up surprisingly more space than you’d think shoulder exercise instructions on paper.)

Notes:

All up this weighs about 10kg (including jacket but not counting the shirt, pants and shoes worn onto the plane). This is a SUMMER list for this particular trip, and the pants are summer weight (Ex-Officio, each about 250g). I added the thermals – they ended up fairly reduntant - because I had tried the pants out at home and was a bit uncomfortably cold especially when it was windy or under about 15 degrees (celsius). I had found that the weather in Europe can be wet and cold even in summer, depending on latitude and altitude and luck. Thermals can always be worn onto the plane anyway to save weight; I always get cold there! Of course skirts and/or shorts could be substituted for pants; I just don’t wear them. The Excursion Pants in particular can be suitably crisp and dressy, and they come in a reasonable range of sizes. I couldn’t find a decent scarf at home butI definitely would recommend taking one or buying it there. Otherwise dressing things up could be done with either that or some chunky jewelry or a pendant watch, depending on personal style.

Update on August 25, 2008 by Frank@OBOW

Takeaways from flerdle’s excellent adventure:

• You can always get by with a little less than you think.
  
• Sometimes a max-sized carryon is a little too large.
• One-bag travel is every bit as do-able for females as for the hairy brute.
• Printed material is often one of your heavier line items. (Here’s one way to save weight on guide books)
  

Thanks again for a helpful and thorough report!

Regional jet squeeze

Cranky Flier reviewed his ride on the relatively new Embraer 190 hybrid regional jet and found the bins on the smallish side:

“The agent made an announcement that this was one of JetBlue’s “express” aircraft. (I don’t think they call it that, and if anyone over there is reading this, they might not be too happy.) But the point was that the overhead bins were smaller and wouldn’t fit the bags that you can fit on a regular-sized aircraft. I just had a backpack and a garment bag, but my fiancee had a roller that she thought she’d try to fit…

Once onboard, the roller bag did fit, but it only fit sideways and her bag was relatively thin so it barely made it. Unfortunately for my garment bag, the bins were short enough to prevent me from fitting the bag on top of other bags.That wasn’t good.”

Getting gate-checked is no fun. Pushing the luggage size envelope is increasingly unadvisable.

Cleared for takeoff: The Checkpoint Flyer

Tom Bihn’s checkpoint-friendly laptop bag is ready for takeoff:

Tom & Flyer

“Unique features of the Checkpoint Flyer Laptop Briefcase include over ten organizational pockets, a back pocket that zips open to accommodate the handle of a roll-aboard, a quick-access boarding pass/map pocket, a molded foam laptop compartment that completely encases the laptop in 8mm-thick closed cell foam, and it’s available in three sizes designed specifically to fit the 13” MacBook and MacBook Air, 15.4” MacBook Pro, and 17” MacBook Pro. Also fits many PC laptops.

The Checkpoint Flyer Laptop Briefcase is available for pre-order through the TOM BIHN Web site and ships by late September. $220 USD. Available in three colors.”

Some explanation from the product description:

“The Checkpoint Flyer Briefcase is the result of an intensive, five-month design challenge presented by the TSA (Travel Security Administration): design a bag that allows a traveler to leave a laptop in their bag and still allow TSA checkpoint employees a clear X-ray image of the contents. Previously, the TSA required that all passengers traveling with a laptop computer must remove their laptop from their bag and place it in a bin for screening. To help streamline the security process and better protect your laptop, the TSA sought bags that offer a clear and unobstructed image of the laptop when undergoing X-ray screening, yet are still protective. A design that meets this objective will enable TSA to allow laptops to remain in bags for screening.”

Update on August 18, 2008 by Frank@OBOW

And the WSJ surveys the checkpoint-friendly field.

Update on August 18, 2008 by Frank@OBOW

And friendly skepticism:

A variety of bags bearing the checkpoint-friendly designation are now on the market, but there’s a small problem — that label can be slapped on any old bag even if it doesn’t meet the guidelines. So if you buy such a bag without doing your research, you take the chance of slowing the line and your own progress if the TSA decides to pull your equipment off to the side for a hand inspection. In fact, the TSA reserves the right to do this even if your bag does pass muster. - Good Morning Silicon Valley

Update on August 20, 2008 by Frank@OBOW

How the Checkpoint Flyer works (probably true of some of the other “friendly” bags:

Are you ready for no-bag travel?

Check out this from the OBOW forums: an essentially no-bag strategy. Now I feel like a wuss for taking that extra pair of paints. This approach is proof that anyone can carry less, though hardly anyone will want to go this light:

After years of traveling, I have perfected the art of less then one bag travel. It isn’t for everyone, but if you want to be free of a pack, here is the way to go. I figured instead of bringing different outfits and changing every day, I would wear the same cloths and change location every day, washing items at night as needed…Add a pair of cargo pants (rei), an ultra dry nylon t shirt, overshirt (ex officio) with hidden pocket for passport (I hate those undercover wallets and waist packs) and I am set. With all the pockets, I can cary extra socks, underwear abd go light jacket. Toiletries, mp3 player and sony e book go in the simple bag. I never have to check a bag, never have to stand in line to leave a bag - entire post here

Hurray for Ryan, bless his bins!

…but they’d better be big ones:

Ryanair is considering the introduction of a hand-luggage only rule on some future flights in a bid to cut costs.

Any such proposal is likely to affect early morning and midweek departures which normally contain a high proportion of business travellers.

“Should the idea be introduced, it will be confined to non-tourist routes and flights,” said Daniel de Carvalho, a spokesman for the budget airline. “It is part of our general policy to encourage passengers to travel with just hand luggage.” - Telegraph.co.uk

Obviously there’s more than one way to skin the airline cat. Or maybe this shows that none of the carriers know how to remain profitable. You’ve got to think there would be far fewer flight delays with no checked bags.

Wooly one

It’s not April 1st and I’m not making this up: a roll-on that looks like the gas can on an army jeep….covered in wool felt.

”Looking fabulous while flying is easy with this carry on from Bree’s Dallas collection. Inspired by the vintage gas tanks from WWII Jeeps, this trolley features a unique grey-colored wool felt shell and a yellow interior drawstring bag with matching yellow straps and lining.”

See the Bree Carry-on Trolley here.

Life and suitcases

JUVENALThose literate Brits. A London newspaper story contains two great travel quotes - one from a 21st century high fashion designer, one from a Roman satirist of 20 centuries ago:

Diane von Furstenberg - “When you figure out your suitcase, you figure out your life.”

Juvenal - “Travel light and you can sing in the robber’s face.”

I like the old quote better than the new one. Might as well throw in the old Spanish proverb “On a long journey, even a straw weighs heavy.”

Read the story from the Telegraph.

Getting ahead of the TSA

A little company called Aerovation claims to be first-to-market with a checkpoint-friendly laptop bag. Just one problem, some TSA screeners never got the memo that laptops can stay in these approved cocoons:

But Mr. Bosma’s little company had already quietly claimed the title. Being first, of course, can have a price. Some customers complained to Mr. Bosma that some airport screeners had told them they knew nothing about the new rule and required owners of checkpoint-friendly bags to remove their laptops just like everyone else.

So Mr. Bosma posted a disclaimer on the Aerovation Web site (www.aerovation.com) that says, in part: “We’ve had customers who’ve been told to remove their laptops from the bag for screening. This isn’t the fault of the bag. T.S.A. is moving as quickly as possible to deploy signage and new standard operating procedures to their screeners.”

Agency officials were amazed that a retailer could get the bags produced so quickly. “We’ll get the word out,” Kip Hawley, director of the agency, told me the other day. The agency is now accelerating training and other procedures to be ready by mid-August. - New York Times

note: TSA now says they’re ready…

Lowest common (carry-on) denominator

One of the readers of the hobotraveler.com blog researched international carry-on regulations to find the lowest common denominator for bag dimensions and weights. He found that a bag of 19 x 13 x 8 inches (48 x 34 x 20cm) should be accepted by an airline in the world, though most airlines allow much larger bags of 45-50” in combined dimensions. As for weight:

5 kg 11.02 lbs (a few)
6 kg 13.22 lbs (several)
7 kg 15.43 lbs (common)

This is helpful info if you absolutely, positively never want to check a bag. The TB Western Flyer at 18 x 12 x 7” is one of the few bags I know that fits comfortably under the size limits. Some recent discussions at the TB forums extol the Flyer as a bag that fits under nearly any airline seat - real plus given the badly bulging bins on most flights these days!

Cool new stuff from Tom Bihn

A packing cube that becomes a daypack and a Western Flyer with two straps instead of one:

Convertible Packing Cube/Backpack

Tom writes:
“I designed the Convertible Packing Cube/Backpack as a result of
customer  requests from our Forums, in fact, I think it’s the first product we’ve made that was 100% inspired by customer
feedback. Many of the details, of course, reflect my design experience, and my sewing crew helped to refine some of the subtleties of the construction. Overall, it was truly a group effort.”

The Convertible Packing Cube/Backpack is a Packing Cube that can be used with our Aeronaut or Western Flyer carry-on travel bags to organize and keep your clothing neat and separated from the other items in the bag. Once you reach your destination, you can remove the contents of the Packing Cube and right-side it out, transforming it into a backpack with two compartments, an “o-ring” for attaching a Guardian Light, Key Strap, or Organizer Pouches, and webbing backpack straps that are surprisingly comfortable for lighter loads.
It’s a great, dual-function bag for those who travel light and need what they take with them to be lightweight and multi-tasking. Plus, the Convertible Packing Cube/Backpack gives you the option of bringing home more than you took with you (gifts, souvenirs, etc.) — use it as an additional carry-on bag on your return flight.

The Convertible Packing Cube/Backpack ($35) is available for pre-order now and ships by early September. Pre-order here:

See also:
Convertible Packing Cube/Shoulder Bag

______________________________________

Western Flyer with backpack straps

We’d estimate, based on your feedback, that about half of you love the current one-shoulder, sling strap on our Western Flyer carry-on convertible laptop briefcase, and the rest would prefer backpack straps. Good news: the
Western Flyer is now available for pre-order with backpack straps instead of the sling strap. We’ll also continue to offer the (current) version of the Western Flyer with the sling strap.

The Western Flyer with backpack straps is available for pre-order and ships by late September. The Western Flyer with the sling strap is in-stock and ships within one business day. The Western Flyer

Update on August 5, 2008 by Frank@OBOW

I believe one or both of these items will be arriving for evaluation soon. The cube pack is a very nice idea and it should work with most carryons - Brad

Happy garments with the SkyRoll

For those who hate to fold: SkyRoll

And now for something completely different, the SkyRoll garment bag - an innovative solution for the business traveler, weekender, or light traveler who simply hates to fold clothing. Here’s the concept in a nutshell: take a full-size garment bag and wrap it around a rigid tube, the hollow part of which can be used for stowing shoes, toiletries, personal care items, and clothing which can be rolled or stuffed. OBOW put the SkyRoll through a hands-on test and here’s what we found.

A weapon in the war on wrinkles

The SkyRoll gets high marks for its think-outside-the-rectangle crease-fighting design which means a traveler’s main items of clothing – shirts, blouses, skirts, dresses, trousers, and sport coats – can be carried in the garment bag. Because it’s not folded in half or in thirds but is wrapped (rolled) around the triangular center tube, the Skyroll garment bag effectively reduces wrinkles by eliminating the hard folds which are inescapable in suitcases or folding garment bags. I found it worked best on jackets and pants. Shirts still had some wrinkles but they were mostly vertical (probably due to the hasty way I tucked them into my sport coat) rather than horizontal and – to my eye – less noticeable than normal. The thicker material of my pants and jacket fared very well and probably would look near-perfect after being hung up overnight. The manufacturer says it’s best not to use hangers in the bag, but recommends thin wire hangers if you insist on using them. The opening in the top of the garment bag will allow the hanger hooks to protrude if you position the double zippers properly. Without hangars that bag can be completely sealed. There are no devices to hold clothing in place in the garment bag: the pressure produced by wrapping the bag and cinching it up with adjustable buckles takes care of that. I noticed no movement of my garments during transport.

Buckle up for action

So different a luggage concept requires a bit of explanation. The process of unwrapping, packing, and re-bundling the SkyRoll at first appears daunting but is actually quite simple and intuitive. There are three buckles on one end of the garment bag and two on the other, so knowing where to start is easy. The shoulder strap must be unbuckled, then you undo the three outer (“ending”) buckles and the bag can be unrolled. The two inner (“starting”) buckles then allow the garment bag to completely detach from the tube. A double zipper lets the garment bag open on three sides. The bag is generously sized unlike the undersized suiters that come with some carry-on suitcases. Up to a size 44 men’s coat would fit comfortably and larger ones will work as well, though they may be a little scrunched. Two zippered mesh pockets on the garment bag accommodate small items, underclothing, or ties. There’s also a long (but not so deep) zipped exterior pocket.

Totally tubular

The core of the Skyroll is the hollow two-compartment tube. It is zippered on each end and has a fabric divider in the middle. Either end of the tube will swallow a pair of shoes up to about men’s’ size 12 or 13. The other end can be stuffed full of socks or underwear, toiletries, hair dryer, et cetera.

Size matters

My packed SkyRoll (see bottom of post for what it held) had dimensions of 23” x 10” x 11” which puts it just under the normal U.S. carry-on limit of 45” combined inches. Some carriers specify a maximum length of 22” but SkyRoll inventor Don Chernoff assured me he’d had no negative feedback from customers about carry-on size problems. The odd shape and the fact that you can sling it vertically on your back means that it looks a good bit smaller than it is. It should also tuck nicely in the top of an overhead compartment. International air travel, where carriers are usually more concerned with weight than dimensions, should present no problem. The SkyRoll weighed about five pounds empty which is pretty light considering the rigid frame of the tube. My packed weight was 16 pounds.

Carrying the load

The provided strap has a sliding pad which is reasonably comfortable. There’s also a padded handstrap. I really like the fact that you can sling it almost vertically on your back – makes squeezing down a crowded airplane aisle much easier. One end of the bag has a pull handle.

Contruction & materials

The SkyRoll is made of 1200 denier ballistic nylon. It’s an imported bag but quality of construction looks quite good. It’s very important that the zippers function well since the garment bag zips on three sides. Zippers might be one area where the USA-made bags are superior.

Value

At $109 the SkyRoll appears to be an excellent value. If this bag were made in American you could probably expect to pay $200 or more. I can’t say is would be as bullet-proof as a Red Oxx, but looks like a lot of bag for the money.

Who needs it

The cleverly-designed SkyRoll is an excellent solution for the short-trip business traveler or anyone who needs to travel with nice clothes but hates to fold. Its capacity is somewhat less than a traditional, rectangular, max-sized carryon but its garment bag utility is something special. I hate to fold, and if I had to travel with a suit on a regular basis this bag would be at the top of my wish list. The only downside for the business traveler is that any printed matter or computer equipment will have to travel in a separate bag – it’s pretty much shoes- and clothes-only. But the ability to slide in a pair of shoes is a nice feature. The SkyRoll is not a full-time one-bag solution for everyone, but it might be the business traveler or snappy dresser’s best friend.

Here’s what I packed:

Garment bag:

Medium-weight wool sportcoat

Two dress shirts
One undershirt
One necktie
Two pairs of cotton dress/casual pants
One small book

Tube:

One pair of dress shoes
Two pairs of socks
3-1-1 liquid bag and minimal toiletries
Travel hair dryer
Two undershirts
One long-sleeve casual/athletic shirt
Clothesline

Weight empty: 5 pounds
Weight packed: 16 pounds

The SkyRoll comes in black only

Top three pictures courtesy of SkyRoll

Visith SkyRoll.com for a video demonstration and read about Don Chernoff’s inspiration for bag’s invention.

The SkyRoll may be purchased directly from skyroll.com or from these brick-and-mortar retailers

TB working on "checkpoint friendly" bags, pack

Tom Bihn iw working on new bags and packs designed to meet the TSA’s “checkpoint friendly” standards. The end result will be that with one of these bags you won’t have to remove them from the bag for screening which minimizes hassle and damage risk. Last week Tom flew to a west coast airport for a run-through with the TSA. This post from the Tom Bihn blog explains a few things about the checkpoint friendly program that I was unaware of:

The results? The prototype briefcase is a success: in multiple configurations, it provided x-ray images that met the TSA screening standards. Tom continues to refine the design of the as-yet unnamed prototype checkpoint-friendly briefcase. We expect the briefcase to be available for pre-order within weeks. Tom also has designs in process for a “checkpoint friendly” backpack and messenger bag. These bags aren’t and won’t be just checkpoint friendly: they will offer the same tough materials and handsome, cleverly engineered design that you’ve come to expect from a TOM BIHN bag. We think that you will also appreciate that your TOM BIHN checkpoint friendly bag, specifically designed to go through U.S. airport security, was also designed and manufactured in the U.S.A. under the watchful eyes of our Seattle factory crew. Two current TOM BIHN laptop cases — the Archetype molded laptop case and the Soft Cell laptop sleeve — are already “checkpoint friendly.” That means that sometime in August/September — when the TSA officially initiates the “checkpoint friendly” program — you can leave your laptop in your Archetype or Soft Cell while it goes through the x-ray machine, protecting your laptop from scratches and bumps. (Note: these bags will meet the new TSA requirement as long as you put *only* your laptop in the case, no accessories.) Our experiences testing Tom’s prototype “checkpoint friendly” briefcase revealed the potential this program offers that will save you, the traveler, both time and hassle as well as protect your laptop.

Read more at the Tom Bihn blog.

Battery-powered behemoth

We told you a couple of weeks ago about the massive, motorized suitcase from Live Luggage. Well, Ginny McGrath of the excellent Times of London travel section has tried one out and she’s not so bloody well happy with it:

 Steps were the greatest challenge - going up and down them meant carrying the heavy bag - but there’s also challenges like loading it into cars/onto beds/off baggage carousels.

It’s not the best looking piece of kit either - I got some sniggering comments from a stag party checking in ahead of me about its size and clunkiness - and more than one person likened it to a giant Dyson vacuum cleaner.

The sheer size of the suitcase means getting on and off busy trains or buses means there’s bound to be a few unhappy travellers whose toes you’ve run over - that said, during an airport delay it made a handy table for a game of cards. - from the Times, see video here.

Oh, and it weighs about 50 pounds and costs ₤700 ($1400!).

One-bag newbie makes two mistakes

PC World contributing editor James A. Martin experimented with one-bag travel and his findings were mixed. It seems to me he made a couple of mistakes. First, his load was over 25 pounds. Depending on your frame, anything above 15 to 20 pounds is going to be chore before long. Second, he made matters worse by using a wheeled cart with a shoulder bag. And what he got was a tottery load that proved to be a checkpoint hassle. I’ll say it again: Don’t try to go without wheels unless you can get the weight way down. 25 pounds + is tough sledding.

Vic's compression mods

Here’s a post to accompany this discussion in the OBOW Reader Forum about compression straps. Here’s Vic technique for adding straps to his carryon:

“Here are the pictures for the “compression straps on the outside” thread -

 

1- Overall view of the bag with the straps attached, with an unmodified strap next to the bag.  It shows the overall configuration and arrangement of the straps;

 

2- Close-up detail of the buckle of one of the strap pairs;

 

3- Close-up detail of the strap end of one of the strap pairs;

 

4- CLose up detail of one of the strap pairs located on the bottom of the bag (when held upright by its handle);

 

5- Additional shot of the bag, opened, with the large eagle creek packing folder that serves to give the bag some structure, even if the folder itself isn’t being used on a particular trip.

 

Hope these help answer the Buzz’s question!

 

And let me say thanks to you, Brad- I’ve learned a lot reading your blog, and appreciate the time you invest in helping the rest of us out.  OBOW rocks!”
 
Click on the thumbnails below to see the larger images.
 
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Bag hackers

Yep, they’re hacking luggage over at the OBOW forum. Several readers are sharing thoughts on adding compression straps to bags without them. Join the discussion or start a new thread about your own luggage mods.

The rush to be (checkpoint) friendly

The rush is on to develop laptop cases that allows the traveler to breeze through security without removing the darned computer from the bag. The TSA wants “checkpoint-friendly” bags. Travelers would appreciate “traveler-friendly” procedures and agents, but I digress…

“Two problems with the existing laptop cases are that security officers have difficulty seeing inside them with X-ray equipment, and many of the cases are so crammed with extra gear — power cords, a mouse and the like — that the computer is obscured.

The new cases include either a fold-down section in a bigger briefcase or a stand-alone protective sleeve that contains no extra clutter and can be readily viewed through the scanner.

More than a half-dozen luggage manufacturers, among about 60 that initially responded to a T.S.A. request for proposals about three months ago, have submitted prototypes for testing at checkpoints at three airports: Dulles, outside Washington; Austin-Bergstrom in Texas; and Ontario, near Los Angeles.” - New York Times

Here’s hoping the small bag manufacturers can keep up with the behemoths mentioned in the linked story (Pathfinder, Targus). This is not a great economy for small companies to have to spend $$ for R&D and retooling. Here’s an example of what the new bags may look like.

Pix added to MEI review

Thanks to OBOWer Skip we have new pictures attached to the reader review of the MEI Executive Overnighter - the bag OBOW readers (125 comments) helped to shape! And it looks great. I’ve stayed out of the way on this one and let the experts (the users) run with it.

 

Friday roundup

• LA Times luggage wars overview:

American Airlines earlier this month said it was enforcing its 40-pound weight limit for a carry-on bag. And when I was at LAX recently, I saw staff turn back customers who tried to bring aboard more than one bag and one personal item, requiring them to check an item.

Enforcement seemed spotty. Some fliers got through with three items. But one man, blocked because he had a bag, a tote and a book that looked too big to pack, shouted, “You pay me $15, buddy!” and bolted up the stairs toward security checkpoints.

•  TSA asking for security-friendly laptop bags to speed screening:

Life could get easier for the quarter of all air travelers who now carry laptop computers through security screening if government officials approve new “checkpoint friendly” bags later this year.

The Transportation Security Administration is testing prototype bags at airports in Ontario, Calif., Austin, Texas, and Chantilly, Va., that would mean some passengers would no longer have to remove laptops from their carry-on bags at security checkpoints.

TSA asked luggage makers to come up with prototype designs that will make it easier to view a laptop in the X-ray machines, basically by building in a place to store the laptop in a back or front compartment where there are no straps, pockets, zippers etc. Cables and chargers would have to be stored in side pouches. - Seattle Times

• And more from the UK about luggage that will never fit in the overhead but could be used to tow the plane.