The Luggage Blog

Seasoned fliers know the drill: take off your shoes, dump the latte, and whip out that quart sized bag of liquids. Now, thanks to the TSA, those traveling with a laptop can keep it inside of their bag. In an effort to streamline the security process and reduce damage to and loss of laptops, the TSA called upon manufacturers to create bags that provide a clear and unobstructed view of the laptop for x-ray screening. Several producers of briefcases and travel goods answered that call and checkpoint friendly laptop bags have hit the market.

Tumi, the leader in luggage and briefcases, added a checkpoint friendly bag to their Alpha Series of business cases. The Tumi T-Pass Medium Capacity Laptop Brief features a split-opening panel along the back of the bag. It also includes foam blocks for accommodating smaller laptops. Briggs and Riley’s appropriately called, 17in. Speed Thru™ Case, uses a clam shell design to house the SpeedThru™ pocket. The laptop section features an orange lining, so you can easily tell that it is open. For a smaller version, look to Codi’s Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Case. Also making use of the clam shell design, one side is a dedicated compartment for the laptop; the other provides additional space for files and accessories.

While the TSA still reserves the right to ask passengers to remove their laptop from its case, any of these briefcases- with specially designed compartments-improves your chances of zipping through security lines.

Visit tsa.gov for more information regarding TSA’s laptop bag procedures.

The Rough and Tumbler test, which entailed filling carry-on suitcases until they weighed 20-25 lbs and tumbling them up to 1,000 times, is among one of the tests done by Consumer Reports. The tests determined which of 12 brand suitcases were the toughest of travelers.  The report was quite interesting and you can see the chart to the left of what was found in terms of durability, capacity and convenience. 

The bottom line is, Tumi was rated best overall with more room than most brands! Highest in quality and price, the Tumi Alpha 22″ Carry-On costs $595.  It was also determined that there are other brands that cost less and are still good quality but didn’t perform as well in every test category.  It comes down to your preference and price range as to what bag is perfect for your needs. So don’t overlook the Victorinox NXT, Hartmann Stratum and Briggs & Riley Baseline or any of the other top carry-ons!