By Judi Dash
Ingenious luggage innovations mean more efficient ways to pack and transport belongings.
1. GOT YOUR BACK BAG:
Baggallini pioneered featherweight nylon bags with multiple pockets, first in basic black, then in a kaleidoscope of bright colors in an ever-growing range of styles and sizes. The Downtown Bagg is likely to become a favorite.
Weighing in at less than one pound, the 12-inch by 11-inch by 3.5-inch-thick crinkle nylon bag converts from a backpack to a side-hugging sling shoulder bag when the two back straps are zipped together. Unzip the bag's main compartment and you'll find a spacious interior with a gusseted cell phone pocket, credit card compartments, a key fob and a detachable ID coin purse with a built-in mirror. Outside, two zippered side pockets and a front zippered pocket with additional inside compartments make for easy access to frequently used items. When empty, the Downtown Bagg collapses nearly flat, making it great for taking along as an extra bag.
One quibble: The length of the back straps is not adjustable, so the bag could hang uncomfortably low for smaller users, possibly slipping off the shoulders or putting strain on the neck. Perhaps Baggallini will remedy that problem next production round. Available in eight color combinations.
Baggallini Downtown Bagg is $69.99 atwww.ebags.com; (800) 820-6126.
2. CARRYING ON WITH STEVES:
Rarely does a celebrity name attached to a product add anything but cache. That's not the case with Kiva's new Rick Steves luggage line. Steves, whose Europe guidebooks and public television series helps independent travelers save money and experience the local flavor of destinations, had a direct hand in designing this well-thought-out collection. My favorite item is the Convertible Carry On Bag. At 21 inches by 14 inches by 9 inches deep, the bag has an impressive 2500 cubic inches of packing space. Zip open the external expansion panel and the bag holds an additional 500 cubic inches of gear.
The sturdy, but lightweight (3.5 pounds), nylon bag can be carried as a backpack via the padded back straps and waste belt. Or, tuck the straps into the back panel and carry the bag like a suitcase using the top or side handle, or by the detachable padded shoulder strap. The bag has plenty of pockets inside and out, internal and external compression straps to stabilize the load, and two mesh organizer bags for laundry or other items. An included clip-on zippered pouch can provide quick access to cash, a passport or other travel papers. Comes in five colors.
Rick Steves Convertible Carry On (RSK-43) lists for $99.95. Info at www.kivadesigns.com; (800) 645-8818.
3. METAL PROTECTOR:
If you hate having to empty the metal contents of your pockets -- coins, keys, cell phone, etc. -- into those open (and thus vulnerable) plastic bins at airport X-ray checkpoints, here's a welcome alternative.
The Quick Pass Luggage Tag is a 4-inch by 3-inch ID Tag that unfolds into a zippered 10-inch by 7-inch mesh pouch.
Before going through the metal detector, unfold the Velcro-closure tag (which buckles onto any luggage handle and does not need to be detached at any point during the process), and empty your pockets into the pouch. Then send the bag through the X-ray machine, reloading your pockets after you and your bag pass through security. An added advantage: you won't accidentally forget to retrieve items from a bin when you grab your carry-on bag after it goes through the X-ray machine -- an all-too common occurrence.
Quick Pass Luggage Tag (LA590) is $12.85 from Magellan's; (800) 962-4943; www.magellans.com.
4. FLAT-OUT SUCCESS: Travelon's Pack-Flat Back-Up Bag is designed to stash nearly flat in a wheeled carryon bag. Measuring 19 inches by 13 inches -- typical dimensions for wheel-aboard bags -- the bag unzips to become a spacious 10-inch-deep carry-on-size bag. Made of heavy duty Cordura nylon, the bag can be carried by the double sewn-in handles or the padded adjustable shoulder strap.
I would have liked to see double zippers on the bag, so it could be padlocked when left in a hotel room or when sent through as checked baggage at the airport (secured by a TSA-approved padlock). I also wish the shoulder strap was detachable to minimize the risk of it getting torn off or entangled in machinery if the bag is checked through. All-in-all, though, this is a great extra bag, whether or not you're traveling with wheel-aboard luggage.
Pack-Flat Back-Up Bag (22825) is $23.99 atwww.organize.com; (800) 600-9817.
5. DYNAMIC DUFFLE:
High Sierra has developed some of the most innovative wheeled duffle/backpack hybrids around. Now comes the cavernous 32-inch Drop-Bottom Wheeled Duffrite (an amalgam of the words duffle and upright), which packs like a spacious unstructured duffle but has a reinforced spine that allows it to stand, wheel or be hand-carried like an upright.
In addition to inline skate wheels and a telescoping handle, the bag has back straps that stash into a zippered back panel, built-in double carry straps and a padded top handle. The 32- by 15- by 15.5-inch-deep (18-inch deep when expanded) bag provides up to 7980 cubic inches of packing space. The big open main section can be separated into two compartments by zipping up a sewn-in nylon divider sheet.
Two mesh inside pockets and three outside pockets (one of which unzips for quick access to items inside the bag) provide additional storage, and four external compression straps reduce pressure on the zippers. The bag, which comes in five color combinations, weighs in at a reasonable (for the size) 11.9 pounds.
32-inch Drop-Bottom Wheeled Duffrite (AT459) lists for $320 but is available for less online. Info:www.highsierrasport.com; (800) 323-9590.
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