The Luggage Blog

We’ve all had some really great vacations with lovely photos to prove it, but let’s face it - really bad travel stories can actually be enjoyed by others as well (our apologies if you believe your friends and family really want to see your album from Disney). The Titanic Awards seek to take a different approach to these often spectacular happenings in the travel industry…by celebrating them.

So move over Best, The Titanic Awards want to reward the worst of the worst. By asking readers to participate in the World’s Worst Travel Survey, requesting videos, pictures and more- they’re rounding them up- one awful experience at a time.

Head on over and take the survey or share your story. There isn’t a worst luggage category, but even if there were, we wouldn’t be concerned : )

source

No frequent business traveler would be caught dead without the right business luggage. The right bag can make the trip a truly productive and enjoyable experience. (minus the hassle of airport security and the airlines) Let’s look at the options for the corporate road warrior as they are very different than the typical vacation traveler.

The Briefcase

The briefcase is slowly dying as the standard business travel accessory, but some tried and true travelers still carry them. If you do not carry a laptop, or have switched to a netbook for your computing needs, a briefcase may be the way to go. Manufacturers like Samsonite and Kenneth Cole still carry a nice selection of briefcases with modern style and functionality.

The Laptop Bag

For those of you with a laptop, your choices are many. To just protect your laptop, you can use a laptop sleeve or a small laptop bag. The newest trend is laptop messenger bags which can be thrown over the shoulder for easy carry through the airport. They can be had in leather or various other fabrics in a wide variety of colors.

If you want to eliminate checking bags, then a wheeled overnight laptop bag is the ticket for you. These bags have ample room for your laptop and 1 - 3 days worth of clothing. Make sure to check carry-on sizes before shopping for this style of bag.

No matter what type of business luggage you select for your next trip, you can’t go wrong with the broad selection and top notch customer service available at LuggageOnline.com

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.

Every journey we take should feel like an adventure. Hey, with the way airlines are treating us nowadays they pretty much are. The new Camouflage print available in Tumi’s T-Tech Adventure series seemed like an ideal (and snarky) match for today’s travels.
 
Perfect for: A casual weekend getaway…adventure optional.
 
Favorite feature: It’s lightweight, a great size for 2-3 nights and easy to spot at the airport. Though of course, I can make myself completely inconspicuous should I end up in a scary situation in the woods : )
 
Drawbacks: I’m never a big fan of too many compartments. Just give me a main packing space and an outside pocket and I’m happy. Its numerous pockets remind me of just how unorganized I am.
 
Bottom line: The T-Tech Adventure Medium wheeled duffel is great looking and a practical piece to own for shorter trips. It’s durability, along with its timeless camo pattern assures me that I will make use it for years to come.

See the Tumi T-Tech Adventure Collection on LuggageOnline

Jackson Hole, WY

Area Profile
Teton Village, Wyo., and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort rise from a great “hole” or basin 12 miles northwest of the town of Jackson. Skiers and riders do their things on 2,500 acres of in-bound terrain and taunt the mountain’s 4,139-foot vertical (the greatest continuous rise in the U.S.) There are two mountains: Apres Vous and Rendezvous. and an open backcountry gate system giving skiers and free-heelers access to more than 3,000 additional acres of high-country magic. There are 111 named trails and many other unnamed routes known to skiers who have skied here for years. Twelve lift systems serve the mountains and snowboarding is allowed on 100 percent of their terrain.

Lodging Profile
The Jackson Hole Valley has over 10,000 units available for guest accomodations - everything from backcountry yurts to luxury hotels. The Four Seasons Resort in Jackson Hole is a favorite, boasting 125 rooms, 40 unit Residence Club, and 17 slope-side penthouse suites. The Crystal Springs Lodge is also new and has 18 condos available. Ski in/ski out lodges and condo units are available at the base of the ski area: luxury properties to a backpacker hostel. Full range of accomodations in Teton Village. Additional accomodations available in the town of Jackson, located ten miles away.

Services Profile
Restaurants, lounges within walking distance, many of both in Jackson. Ski shop, boutique, specialty, drug, liquor, cleaners and post office at area. Clinic at area, St. John’s Hospital, 12 miles. Kids Ranch for ages 2 months-5 years. Ski and snowboard school for ages 6 and over. Ski and cross country rental and repair available at slope and in Jackson. Ski classes offered for racing, cross country, powder, Junior and children, steep camps, women’s camps and snowboard camps. New this year: the new Bridger Restaurant atop the Bridger Gondola (Elevation 9,095’) will have incredible valley views of Jackson Hole and the famed on-mountain Corbet’s Couloir to the south.

Area Recreation Profile
Climbing, mountaineering, biking, kayaking, rafting, paragliding, fishing, sightseeing, tram rides, hiking, horseback riding, and concert with various musical genres.

[Read more →]

Today is Blog Action Day when thousands of blogs post recommendations of ideas and steps individuals or companies can take to help make a stand and lend a helping hand to those in need.  Blog Action Day will help raise awareness, start a global discussion and add momentum to an important cause.  As we all know poverty exists all over the world and every little step than you can take is a step towards change!

Here at The Luggage Blog we recommend a couple of great things that one can do to help out.  We suggest that you donate your unused frequent flier miles or even your lightly used luggage and travel accessories to a charity of your choice.

Many travelers rack up tons of frequent flier miles over time and never even use them! So basically, they are just going to waste!… Well if you didn’t know this already, you can actually donate your unused frequent flier miles to charity, which will definitely help out those in need!  Here’s a list of some airlines that participate in donating unused frequent flier miles:

• American Airlines
• Continental Airlines
• Delta Airlines
• Northwest Airlines
• United Airlines
• US Airways

Not only could you donate your unused frequent flier miles, you could also donate your lightly used luggage to a charity of your choice.  I’m sure that there are many charities around the world that would be glad to accept these types of donations.  However, you always want to check with each charity to determine their acceptance guidelines.

Robinson Luggage, a leading luggage retailer in the Philadelphia area, recently held an in-store event doing just that.  For two weeks customers were able to bring in their old luggage and get 25% off a new bag.  The event ended on September 30th and Robinson Luggage gathered around 80 bags that will be donated to Career Wardrobe of Philadelphia, a non-profit organization that helps assist women in transition back into the workforce.

I’m sure there are many other ways and ideas to give back to your community but we wanted to share these two that we thought were a great way to help out others’ in need!

Photo by Mr. Kris