Best luggage for rappers

This piece about high-dollar Tumi luggage makes some extravagant claims. If true, no rapper or paranoid celebrity should be without it:

“As the price dictates, premium materials are used, so the wheels are better in terms of maneuverability and they can withstand difficult road conditions,” notes Santos. “Carrying Tumi itself, it’s very light but you know you’re secure because it’s made of ballistic nylon, which is used in bulletproof vests. So it’s puncture-free, slash-free, you can even use it to parry bullets!”

“The weaving is different, it’s high-tensile nylon,” adds Dinah Alfonso-Lim, Tumi’s brand director. “It lasts a hundred times better than regular nylon.”

Obama and Cruise are just a few of the high-powered celebrities who use Tumi. Among their ranks are Ashton Kutcher, Shaquille O’Neal, and now … Cameron Diaz.

Netbooks compared

From cnet.uk:

Update on December 1, 2008 by Frank@OBOW

Silly school

This obvious spoof is still funny: a homeland security-themed charter middle school. Class offerings include -

TSA 101 - Shoe Removal For Dummies - Instruction will focus on general guidelines for Transportation Security Administration workers, including specific lessons in how to get people at airports to remove their shoes. Classes will also focus on the historical precedents for removing shoes as a means of ensuring the safety of the traveling public. Students will also learn to deal with serious foot odor issues.

TSA 102 - Nail Clippers: America’s Silent Killer - Students will learn about the threat to public safety posed by nail clippers. While many Americans believe nail clippers are fairly benign and cannot possibly be weaponized, students will receive detailed instruction in how nail clippers can be used to disable a 747. Students will be required to review the MacGyver episode in which Richard Dean Anderson defeats the entire Russian army using only a pair of nail clippers and his shoe strings.

Recession cures carry-on woes?

Maybe the overhead bins won’t be so full after all. Of course neither are our wallets:

Even though gas prices fell and airlines offered last-minute deals, many Americans appeared to be skipping trips this year. San Francisco resident Sharon McKellar called the Miami airport “shockingly quiet” after flying in overnight to visit family.

At Boston’s Logan International Airport, Alicia Kelly, 47, traveling with her husband and two children to Miami to spend the holidays with her family, said it was the lightest Thanksgiving travel she’s ever seen. “We have waited in no lines so far,” she said.

Security lines moved along briskly at under 10 minutes at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest airport. At Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, travelers found parking spots in the front row of the lot and no wait for check-in and security. The Delta terminal was nearly empty. - AP via breitbart.com

Liquidity

An interesting overview of the carry-on liquid conundrum from twincities.com/The Pioneer Press:

But by next year,  (TSA Administrator Kip) Hawley expects size restrictions to be lifted because of new technology. By the end of 2010, he anticipates all liquid, gel and spray restrictions will be lifted. Until then, liquids, gels and sprays in packaging larger than 3 ounces are thrown into garbage cans, which are collected by the airport’s regular trash hauler. If it’s an alcoholic beverage, the liquid is poured out. On pain of firing, TSA employees are forbidden to filch items out of the trash, TSA spokeswoman Andrea McCauley said.

If you’ve got just a bit of perfume left in a too-big bottle, a TSA employee has the discretion to bend the rule and let you take it through,  McCauley said (didn’t know this - Brad). You can’t count on that, but you do have options other than surrendering the item. You can return it to your car; take it to your airline agent and ask that your checked baggage be retrieved so you can put it in there; or mail it back to yourself.

Filching forbidden, alcohol poured out? Right.

Gate check poll

Our latest poll - asking how often you’ve been asked to gate check a carryon - now appears in the right sidebar. Lots of travelers are going to run in to this problem between now and the new year.

Death of one-bag travel?

Be sure to check out Skip’s post “The death of one-bag travel?” The battle of the bins is putting the squeeze on us and the nasty gate-checking monster is rearing its ugly head. I’ve had several close scrapes but have thus far avoided the gate check except on one tiny regional jet. Go the forum and share your experiences and tips.

Update on November 20, 2008 by Frank@OBOW

OBOW post from May about the pain in the bins.

Update on November 21, 2008 by Frank@OBOW

From Salon.com, to this point:

When boarding, please, for the love of God, do not place your carry-on bags in the first empty bin that you come to. Use a bin as close to your seat as possible.

It drives me crazy when I see a guy shoving his 26-inch Tumi into a bin above Row 5, then continuing on to his assigned seat in Row 52. I know it’s tempting, but this causes the forward bins to fill up quickly. Because airplanes are usually boarded back to front, there are no spaces left for subsequent passengers whose assigned seats are in the forward part of the cabin. They are forced to travel backward to stow their belongings, then return upstream, against the flow of traffic, clogging the aisle.

Found this at flyertalk.com, thread titled “Should airlines assign bins along with seats?” - sounds good to me. Simply enforcing size/number of pieces restrictions would help.

Life in the family lane

TSA press release -

TSA Expands Popular Family Lanes to Every Airport in America

Specially Designated “Green” Lane for Passengers with Larger, Medically Necessary Liquids as Well

WASHINGTON – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today announced the expansion of its popular family lane concept to every security checkpoint in America. This expansion comes weeks before the busy Thanksgiving travel season and will be complete by Thursday, Nov. 20.

The lanes, part of TSA’s Diamond Self-Select program currently at 48 airports, allow families, individuals unfamiliar with air travel procedures and travelers with special needs to go through security at their own pace. Individuals carrying medically necessary liquids, aerosols and gels in excess of three ounces will also be directed to these popular lanes. Individuals traveling with liquids, gels and aerosols within 3-1-1 limits will experience no change to their screening procedures.

The introduction of lanes that will serve as both family lanes and dedicated lanes for passengers carrying medically necessary liquids strengthens TSA efforts to build a network of technology to detect liquid explosives.

“Passengers have clearly demonstrated their preference to go at their own pace,” said TSA Administrator Kip Hawley. “Expanding these lanes to every airport and directing families and passengers with medically necessary liquids to them, increases passenger convenience and security.”

Officers manning these dedicated family lanes will use their training and explosive detection technologies to work with passengers to quickly and efficiently complete the screening process. Individuals traveling with medically necessary liquids, gels and aerosols like baby formula, insulin, cough syrup, contact lens solution and prescription medications will undergo additional screening that will usually take less than two minutes to ensure these items do not pose a threat.

Liquid explosives are still a relevant security concern. Restrictions on quantities of liquids, gels and aerosols carried onboard aircraft were implemented in August 2006. Technological innovations will allow a review of current procedures by the Fall of 2009. For more information on checkpoint security, please visit www.tsa.gov.

Right for the rain

Lots of light travelers like to use the little Moleskine-type pocket notebooks for recording experiences and information when the laptop gets left at home. Here’s another take on the notebook, and an all-weather one at that. The Rite in the Rain products have special waterproof paper that stands up to rain and moisture so you can jot in any clime. The Rite in the Rain website has a bewildering array of notebooks and even waterproof copy paper. 

Why go?

BootsnAll has launched a new travel guide site that looks very promising - WhyGo:

“Each WhyGo Guide is created by writers who are truly passionate about their country, region, or theme. Part guide book, part blog, WhyGo Guides feature first-hand travel information to help you have the best experience on and off the tourist track. Of course, each guide includes the basic information a traveler needs to know: when to go, how to get there, where to stay, what to see. But, more importantly, WhyGo Guides provides ideas, inspiration, and insider tips you can’t find in other guides. That’s the kind of info that makes a trip truly special. That’s why you go.”

Laptop news from TB

Release from Tom Bihn:

Seattle, WA - TOM BIHN, a designer, manufacturer, and retailer of laptop bags, backpacks, travel bags, and briefcases, has introduced sizes of their Checkpoint Flyer “checkpoint friendly” laptop briefcase and Brain Cell laptop case specifically for the new 15.4” MacBook Pro.

// The Checkpoint Flyer //

The Checkpoint Flyer Briefcase is the first airport security “checkpoint friendly” bag designed specifically for Mac laptops. Available in custom sizes for all Mac laptops, the Checkpoint Flyer’s laptop insert is removable and interchangeable with other sizes. When one buys a new laptop, they won’t need to buy an entirely new Checkpoint Flyer: just a new laptop insert sized to fit their new laptop.

The Checkpoint Flyer is made out of the high-quality materials TOM BIHN is known for: U.S. made 1050 denier ballistic nylon, Japanese Dyneema rip-stop fabric, YKK splash-proof zippers, and Poron foam-padded handles. The laptop insert of the Checkpoint Flyer protects the laptop from all sides with thermo-molded foam.

The Checkpoint Flyer is $220 USD (including laptop insert.) Available for pre-order from the TOM BIHN website; ships by late November. Made in Seattle.

The Checkpoint Flyer:
http://www.tombihn.com/page/001/PROD/300/TB1701

VIDEO - Watch the Checkpoint Flyer go through airport security:
http://www.tombihn.com/cflyervideo.html

// The Brain Cell //

TOM BIHN customers have been using the Brain Cell laptop case to protect their Mac laptops everywhere from Iraq to Antarctica for over 10 years, giving the Brain Cell its word-of-mouth reputation as providing some of the best protection one can get for their laptop. Now the Brain Cell is available in a size specifically designed to carry the New 15.4” MacBook Pro: Size 4Z.

The Brain Cell is designed to clip securely inside a variety of TOM BIHN messenger bags, briefcases, and backpacks - including the Empire Builder, Super Ego, Brain Bag, and Western Flyer.

Among the protective materials that make the Brain Cell are 8mm thick soft foam padding, 4mm hard corrugated plastic, cross-linked closed-cell polyethylene foam, and 12mm thick premium memory foam.

The Brain Cell Size 4Z is $60 USD. Available for pre-order from the TOM BIHN website; ships by late November. Available in two formats: Horizontal for use in messenger bags or briefcases and Vertical for use in backpacks. Made in Seattle.

Update on October 30, 2008 by Frank@OBOW

Here’s a video of a checkpoint-friiendly TB bag in the real world.

13 pounds of happiness

Lani at Travelite is all smiles after a lightweight Euro trek. Lots of good information and tips to be found in her account. An excerpt:

Weighing every item, and taking only what I planned to use – I had to make some tough decisions about my wardrobe. In hindsight, I wish I’d gone with two short-sleeve shirts and a long-sleeve instead of three of the latter, but I really didn’t expect weather in the high-70s all week in Rome. That said, I still chose the most lightweight of my shirts; they were even lighter than cotton T-shirts. Every liquid toiletry item was carefully scrutinized. Did I need a full ounce, or could I manage with half an ounce?

Using the smallest version of everything – Instead of large and clunky AC adapters, we took a USB-to-AC adapter that was as small as a film canister. A laptop was out of the question, but the iPod Touch gave us the option to send email in wi-fi hotspots (including a free one in a small part behind the Notre Dame in Paris!).

Backpack straps for Tom Bihn's Flyer

The Tom Bihn Western Flyer - a nifty and versatile less-than-max-sized carryon - is now available with traditional backpack straps. It is still also available in its original mono sling strap configuration. More to come.

Photos courtesy of Tom Bihn

Update on October 22, 2008 by Frank@OBOW

I’ll be receiving a WF with backpack straps in a week or two for a hands-on trial. Darcy at TB says the the backpack straps are all new and are very comfortable. My original review of the Western Flyer is here.

Sheets to the wind

Graham is no fan of Travelon’s carry-on friendly shaving sheets:

“All in all this is a terrible product. However, if you hate your face or legs, enjoy frustration and like to bleed then you should definitely track down this product. I did see the whole line of Travelon soap sheets at Bed Bath and Beyond on clearance for $2 so you can save a little money and maybe even start a new blog called The Frugal Masochist; wouldn’t that be fun.

Just so you know that it isn’t all doom and gloom in the travel shaving world I can wholeheartedly recommend Mama Bear’s Soap Shave Stick. It may not be as lightweight and compact as the shaving soap sheets but it gets the job done in a way that the shaving sheets can’t touch.”

And of course there’s always shaving oil in half-ounce bottles which is simply terrific.

Update on October 16, 2008 by Frank@OBOW

And here’s OBOWer Buzz’s review of yet another shaving system:

“I saw the Avid4 shaving system mentioned on another blog and was interetested due to its compact size and weight. (Rather than try to explain how it works, I suggest you go to the company’s website and see the video demonstration.)

http://www.avid4.co.uk

Intrigued, I tried to find it only to be told it is no longer available in the U.S. but can be ordered from the UK.  So, I did.

The package with a few shaving kits as well as their Skinglider shaving lotion arrived in the U.S. four days after ordering (amazing.)

I’m normally a shaving oil person but decided to try it with shaving oil, Skinglider and shaving soap. I also usually use Gillette Good News disposable razors.

The results were the same. I was not impressed. The shaves were no where near as easy or close as my regular disposable razor. I could feel the Avid4 drag along my face. And while they say you can use each blade up to 10 times, I found that I needed to change blades after about five shaves.

The Skinglider lotion—not really oil but a water based lotion—wasn’t impressive either.

I’ll continue to use this system for long trips until they are used up. At home, I went back to my regular disposables.

It’s too bad as the small size and light weight made this perfect for one bag travel.”

Nuts for Cocona fabric

A weekend trip left me a solid believer in the virtues of Cocona fabric.  It’s made from from activated carbon from recycled coconuts and blended with other fabrics. My Savane pants (supposedly golf pants) pass as dress or casual khakis and I wore them for two days straight - almost wrinkle and odor free. Watch for this fabric. It seems ideal for travel. It’s touted as very fast-drying but I haven’t tested it yet in that respect. Pants (for men) are the hardest piece of the travel wardrobe to select. Polyester and microfber pants can get smelly in hurry in warm weather. Cocona may be the answer. This fabric will go with me next June for a warm-weather southern European trip. Stay tuned for more on Cocona. 

Lovely little Lenovo

Wired says the little Lenovo S10 is the best netbook (sub-3 pound notebook) they’ve yet seen. It weighs a half pound more than the wispiest in its class.

Update on October 14, 2008 by Frank@OBOW

They’re cheaper than reported above and apparently in stock! 

Maybe you need a Buddy

The Notebook Buddy is a ridiculously simple alternative to heavy USB-powered notebook computer cooling pads. Check out the Gadling review or see the company page. 

Unless you enjoy strip searches...

…don’t try techno artist Evan Roth’s method of “security theater” statement making. Laser-cut steel sheets inserted in carry-on luggage raise eyebrows and - I’ll bet - threat levels as they shout their message on scanner screens.

  

Update on October 8, 2008 by Frank@OBOW

The long-suffering folks that run the offical TSA blog claim to be amused by this, but they make it clear that any traveler that decides to send this type of message will not be amused by what follows:

As some of you might have seen on other blogs, Evan Roth is an artist who is designing personalized messages you can send to TSA security officers. He laser cuts the letters out of a sheet of stainless steel. The sheet is designed to be placed inside of a passenger’s bag so they can send personal messages to the officer. Have to give the guy credit, he’s creative. Even we got a laugh out of it.

This may seem like a clever gag, but actually the joke is on whoever decides to use one of these plates. Based on the preliminary examples shown on Mr. Roth’s web page, the metal plate will get the passenger’s bag searched every time. And no, it’s not because of what the plate says, it’s because the metal plate acts as a shield and conceals items below it. If an officer can’t get a good look at what’s in the bag, it’s “bag check” time. Fair warning: there are detailed procedures on how to search this type of bag and it’s not one of our quicker searches.

Will TSA let the liquids flow in '09?

There’s a different take on this issue every month, but this one is straight from the horse’s mouth:

The Transportation Security Administration will likely relax the restrictions on carrying liquids through airport security screening checkpoints in a year, TSA Chief Kip Hawley said in an interview.

“I think realistically in one year we, the TSA and foreign colleagues, will be a position” to relax liquids restrictions,” Hawley told the Middle Seat Thursday. “We are within a year of having the ability to differentiate threat liquids through the screening process.”

TSA has been testing X-ray machines that can detect liquid materials used in bomb-making and the technology is close to be ready for widespread use. The X-ray machines themselves are already widely deployed in the U.S., but the software necessary for the liquids detection and evaluation is still being tested.

from the WSJ’s The Middle Seat Terminal blog

Seeing the future

Air travel expert Rick Seaney throws out “14 Air Travel Trends: 2010” and, not surprisingly, one of them is the necessity for lightness:

“10. Travel Light: bag fees are not going to disappear

• Pack as though everything must fit in a 16 oz mug - carry-on, and save
• The technology exists to improve baggage handling, but it’s still too expensive to implement”  

A 16-oz. mug - my luggage ideal! Seriously, learning to keep your weight under 16 pounds or so would be a good idea. Check out our carry-on luggage weight poll and you’ll see that 16 pounds is pretty close to the norm for OBOW readers.