Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with luggage

Looking for smallish canvas and leather tote/briefcase

SirNovember — Thu, 02 May 2013 15:39:22 -0800

I'm looking for an everyday, tote/briefcase-type bag; smallish, around 12x9" and maybe 5 or 6" wide, made of canvas and leather, hoping to keep the price below $125. Any suggestions? I saw something on the train today that looked perfect, but I can't find it online. The brand was "Yosemite", which is tough to google. The logo on the label was a stylized sun with a face. Can anyone help me find that company or a different bag that fits the bill? I've seen a few other things that are close to what I want:

The Sutter's Mill Tool Bag, from United by Blue, is too big.

Red Oxx's Gator Carry On Bag is close, too... the right size, but I'd prefer leather straps, etc, over their nylon web.

Where to store luggage near the Farmer's Market in San Francisco?

turtlefu — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 08:33:53 -0800

I am flying into SFO tomorrow morning but unable to access the condo I am staying at until the late afternoon. I'd like to go to the farmer's market but I do not want wheel my luggage around. Where would be a good place to store it for the day?

Items to bring in a carry-on bag for a trip to Los Angeles

mtphoto — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 10:17:02 -0800

I'm visiting L.A. for a week this month. What should I bring in my carry-on bag? This is my first trip to Los Angeles and I'll be staying in the Hollywood and North Hollywood areas and renting a car.

What items should I bring in my carry-on on bag that I might not otherwise think to bring? I'm from Montana, so southern California is a completely new experience for me. I'm a guy, if that makes any difference in the item recommendations.

So far, I'm planning to bring these items:
sunscreen
swim suit
a GPS for the rental car
android media device (not a phone)
two pairs of shorts and 2-3 pairs of pants
softshell jacket
iPod
notebook

maybe bring these items:
Frommer's guide to Los Angeles (for any last minute ideas)
Kindle

Help me calm anxiety about travel to China.

sarae — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:18:28 -0800

I am travelling to China from Canada in the near future. I have hundreds of questions and concerns but mostly just need reassurance that I'm not forgetting anything. Bonus, what should I do for carry-on? I'm travelling domestically in Canada, then from Toronto to Shanghai (Air Canada), then Shanghai to Guangzhou (Southern China Airlines). I have my visa, tickets are booked, I've got some RMB, and I'm not worried about actually being in China other than the travel aspect of it. I've travelled within Canada by air before but only internationally once, as a child. I am not an experienced traveller.

1. I know the luggage restrictions for both airlines as far as size, weight, and quantity go. If I understand it correctly, I can put pretty much anything that I need to in my checked luggage (other than my laptop, things with lithium batteries, and things I need). Correct? I'm not talking about prohibited items, although if there is something that would shock me, please let me know.

2. My luggage is going to be transferred from Canadian domestic flight to the international flight without any issues (same airline, same ticket) but I will have to pick it up in Shanghai and check it for the Chinese domestic flight (different airline, different ticket). Right? Will this mean anything as far as customs/security goes in Shanghai, will I be going out of the secure area and back in?

3. What are your experiences with dealing with airport staff (airline or airport, I guess) in China? I expect that someone will speak sufficient English to deal with any problems if my major fear is realized and I've missed my domestic Chinese flight or my luggage is lost or something. So long as the language barrier doesn't present an additional challenge I'll be happy.

4. My carry-on issue: I don't want to put my laptop in the overhead storage. I want to take a small purse with all my money, camera, ipod, and documents in it. I will also have things like food, carry-on appropriate toiletries, with me, and I don't want to be annoyingly going back and forth to the overhead compartment every time I want something. What carry-on container should I use? Here are my over-analyzed options as I see them:
- backpack. good size, but accessible to pick pockets. could I use a rain cover or something? is leaving it at my feet an awful idea? that way, I could sleep with my laptop tucked away and would be woken if someone tried to get into my bag
- small suitcase. don't want to keep it at my feet. will not leave it in overhead compartment if it has the laptop in it. if I keep the laptop on my person and put the suitcase up, what do I do with the laptop while I sleep?
*I know I am being paranoid about my laptop being stolen, most people are just travelling like me and have no interest. The more I plan, the less anxious I will be (hopefully)

5. Are there payphones in the Shanghai airport? If I needed to call the person meeting us at Guangzhou, how could I do it (without a Canadian or Chinese cell phone)?

6. In Shanghai, will I have to change terminals going from international to domestic? I don't have that info since I only have an e-ticket number. Do you have a good map of the Shanghai airport?

Am I missing anything? Do you have any experiences you could share? Am I flat out wrong about something? Anything else I should know?

Thanks in advance! I know I am over thinking and probably irrationally anxious.

Help me identify this Merrell bag.

Extopalopaketle — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 12:05:21 -0800

At one time I had the budget and energy for a modest bag collection, and now I've had this bag sitting in a closet for far too long and can't remember the model name of it. It's made by Merrell, early 2000's. It's got a stiff internal foam body for the shape and it's ballistic nylong on the outside. I remember it was from a series of design-y bags they did for one season or something short like that.

L 50cm x W 26cm x H 32cm

I checked all the insides and couldn't find any label that would identify the bag. Only a Made In China and the materials tag.

Can I leave a bag at the Ambassador Transit Hotel at Singapore airport?

oliverburkeman — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 14:02:14 -0800

I have an overnight layover in Singapore, staying at the (airside) Ambassador Transit Hotel. After checking out of the hotel, may I leave a bag there for several hours, as you can at most regular hotels? (I'm travelling from London to Perth. I travel light, and normally wouldn't check any bags, no matter how long the flight. But my bag isn't quite so light that I would want to take it with me while I left the airport to explore Singapore for a few hours, as I plan to do, hence my desire to leave it for a while. If I can't, I'll check my bag instead, but I'd rather not.)

Best semi-pro sewing machine for heavy fabrics?

WorkingMyWayHome — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 21:30:54 -0800

What pro or semi-pro sewing machine would be best for a home sewer opening an Etsy store that sells denim, canvas, and Cordura (1000 denier) luggage and other bags? Ability to sew lighter fabrics as well would be a plus, as would overlock capability (a separate overlock machine would also work). This is for a class project and hypothetical, so price is no object.

Forwarding a suitcase from Italy to Toronto

Evstar — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 12:43:54 -0800

Currently I'm in Italy. In March I'll be travelling to Scotland by train and making stops along the way. Then I'll be flying home to Toronto. My problem is that I have a lot of luggage that I needed for an extended professional stay in Italy, but which will only serve to encumber me when I go traveling. What is the best way for me to forward one large (standard checked baggage) suitcase home to Canada from Italy when I head out? I would especially appreciate any advice based on personal experience. I've done a little searching and poking around on services like excessbaggage.com et cetera. I would prefer not to spend as much as my flight home ($500CAD) just to freight one suitcase. I don't care if it takes two weeks to arrive home. I can do without most of my clothes. I only don't want to have to lug around a big 24Kg suitcase everywhere I go between Siena and Glasgow.

Good source for used designer bags?

sandettie light vessel automatic — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 17:10:26 -0800

I'm looking for sites where you've had a good experience buying second-hand (preowned, preloved, &c.) designer bags--purses, clutches, and so forth. I am out of my depth, personally.

Rolly wheels and a bright color and... made of titanium?

Mizu — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 17:28:34 -0800

Which luggage is the best luggage for me? I have very generous very rich people who buy me winter holiday gifts, and if I don't make a specific list they just buy me random things I don't need.

So what's the thing I stepped back and realized I needed this year? New luggage!

The few times in my life I've gone shopping for luggage I've been shocked and appalled at the prices of the stuff. And it seems like I'm attracted to things that seem like a good idea but are bad in practice for me. Like, for example, a hard-shell suitcase sounds awesome, but I am short and weak and worry that such an object would be completely unwieldy for me.

I don't travel often, but when I do, I often fly internationally, to Asia and Europe, maybe once a year, and places in the continental US maybe twice a year, at most. Because I don't travel often I usually stay where I go for upwards of a week, usually a little longer, in places that either won't have laundry or require me to bring extra environmental stuff like boots and parkas and formal gowns. I'm a woman who has lots of toiletries, and likes to have various shoe and clothing options. I also work online, so I'm often flying with two laptops, an e-reader, can-style headphones, sundry physical books, sometimes art and crafting supplies, lots of chargers and cords. There's always a lot of stuff to pack! And it always seems like I'm packing quite light despite it all! I often skirt the 50 lb limit on oversized luggage, so the actual case itself needs to be light for at least two reasons.

I check my luggage, because it may be pricey but it's worth it. Heavy carry-ons are a pain in mine and the flight attendants' asses. But because I check my luggage, and my luggage often has a laptop sitting in the middle swathed in pajamas, the TSA seems to like to destroy the crap out of my luggage! My main suitcase, an... American Traveler? I think? has systematically lost all of its zipper pulls, and the sew-on brand patch, and just gotten more and more broken each flight. I purchased it in 2006. I remember using luggage in my family that was more like 20 years old, and not 6 years old, before it was in a similarly dilapidated state.

So, well-seasoned travelers of MeFi, please share with me your luggage wisdom. In a fantasy world I would have a steamer trunk but I have neither the levitation powers nor the cute liveried footmen to carry it for me. What is the best luggage for me? Bonus: it is available in bright exciting unique colors and patterns, so I don't have to hope the ribbon I tied to it will stay on, and I can pick it out of the luggage carousel while I'm zonked from a transpacific flight. Price is actually no object in this discussion, so go crazy, but I am not paying for a brand name.

NYC Luggage Repair

ceribus peribus — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 05:10:25 -0800

Where can I get luggage wheels repaired in New York? So, I stupidly decided to drag my luggage across midtown instead of getting a cab, destroying the wheels in the process. Can anyone recommend somewhere to get the wheels ~~repaired~~ replaced? Otherwise the bag is in good condition.

Save the Skateboards

lhude sing cuccu — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 18:18:37 -0800

How can I bring my two skateboards on a US Airways flight?? OK, so I'll be leaving JFK next week and I have a US Airways flight, a layover, and a US Airways Express flight. I have absolutely no idea how to transport my two skateboards. Worst case scenario, they will make me check them and pay their Sporting Equipment Fee, which I hear is $200?!

I don't know how to ship them home instead. I don't know where to find boxes for that. I'd prefer not to ship them if I could.

I was considering taking the wheels off and perhaps tying the boards together and putting them in a garbage bag and maybe they'll just think it's regular baggage and just charge me $25 to check them. That would be neat. But I don't want to get there and find out I was wrong.

Maybe put them in a suitcase? But what suitcase is big enough and doesn't cost $100? I paid $50 for one and $40 for the other, so I'm not really into the idea of paying more than the skateboard actually cost, just to ship it or check it on an airplane. They're 32x8 and 31x7.5, if that matters.

I'm especially nervous since, like I said, I have two of these things to deal with!

Looking for a Ghurka-quality travel pack.

Tell Me No Lies — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 19:45:06 -0800

Looking for a Ghurka-quality travel pack. Parameters:

"Travel pack" in this case means a backpack that will barely fit into the overhead compartment of a 737.

Water proof, desert proof, ice proof, lava proof, etc.

No outside pockets is preferred.

Canvas and leather ala Ghurka would be good

Also ala Ghurka it can (and probably will) cost out the wazoo but be worth it as it will last 20 years.

Unfortunately everything I've found online fails the size requirement.

Recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Carry All the Things???

sweetkid — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 19:37:33 -0800

How do I carry around all my stuff with grace and avoid looking stupid? I carry around a lot of stuff everyday, and it's extremely annoying. People are always commenting about how I have "so many bags" but I really am not sure how to streamline my stuff. Right now I'm working between a couple different offices for my job, so I have to carry my laptop bag with a notebook and some files. I also carry my purse, which isn't tiny but is only about big enough to hold a small book, my phone and wallet, and that's about it. When I go to the gym, I carry a small backpack, that's big enough to fit my sneakers, gym clothes (Shorts, sports bra, and shirt) and gym lock, and that's ALL the bag will fit. If I don't go to the gym, I sometimes still bring the backpack with my lunch in it and sometimes headphones.

I have to cart all this every day on the NYC subway. It's annoying. Also, re: "so many bags," I don't feel like I have good access to my money and phone and stuff if not in a purse, and the laptop bag is not big enough to carry all my stuff. I'm open to a big bag solution that can fit gym stuff, lunch, laptop, and notebooks but I don't want this to be a giant backpack, as those can be a total pain to get on and off on crowded subways.

oh and if it's raining I add an umbrella to the mix.

help. I don't want a solution like "don't bring lunch" or "get a locker at the gym" because at least for now I feel like I have to carry all the stuff.

Too large for carry-on?

Hither — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 20:07:35 -0800

How likely is it that Delta Airlines will accept my slightly-oversize backpack as carry-on? I have a Gregory Z-pack internal frame backpack I'd like to take as my luggage on a couple of Delta flights. Planes involved are an Embraer 175, an Airbus A319, and an unspecified Canadair.

The backpack has a stiff internal frame which means it has dimensions of 24"x12" at best, which is a bit outside the 22"x14" specified by Delta.

How likely are they are to demand that I check it? I will bring a duffel I can use to protect it if they do, but I'd prefer if I can carry it on, or gate-check it. But if they're pretty likely to insist, I might as well bring a bit more equipment and get more out of my $25 checked baggage fee.

If it matters, its a trip from Peoria IL (PIA) to Missoula MT (MSO) and back.

Suggestions for small piece of luggage I could check

bchaplin — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 17:18:06 -0800

What is a small piece of luggage I could check and reasonably expect to survive the journey? Looking for brand suggestions as well. I want to carry-on most of my items for a trip to the Middle East, but certain things, including my pocketknife and some extra toiletries, will need to be checked due to TSA regulations. Maybe some extra clothes or a little-ish pillow will go in the bag too, but that part isn't so important. I would like to keep to a small, soft-sided or semi-rigid bag, with no wheels.

The bag needs to be sturdy, probably a duffel. I'd rather not pay more than $50. I have some very expensive carry-on bags, which are actually suitable in size but too nice to subject to the conveyer belt. So I would like something that will protect my things but not so nice it would make me cry if it comes out rain-soaked, streaked with grease, or even ripped. (All of these things have happened to my checked luggage on previous trips.)

Any suggestions? Thanks!

What kind of luggage to take inter-railing in Europe

shelleycat — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 09:11:46 -0800

In October we're going travelling around western Europe by train for several weeks and I need to buy some kind of luggage. I had thought that a ~35-45 litre backpack would be about right, sizewise and for portability. But I've heard from people with direct experience that pickpockets are a big problem in several of the places we're going and that makes backpacks a bad idea. So what kind of luggage should I use that will be reasonable to carry around but still secure given we're changing locations (and thus hotels) regularly. I'm not interested in tips on how to travel light or what to pack. I know there are travellers who sell everything and take off with just a pair of clean underwear in their pocket but I'm not one of them, and it will be fairly cold while we're travelling too. Also, if it matters, we're planning on checking bags for the flights and have already paid for them, so I'm not asking for a small overnight or weekend bag because that is not appropriate for the trip we are taking (plus I have one already).

But I don't want to be dragging a heavy suitcase around with me either so some kind of portable luggage item seems necessary. Backpacks are designed for this kind of carrying but I don't see how I can carry one safely in a crowd so that it can't be stolen from. Pickpockets are a real issue but long train holidays are still popular, so I assume there's some solution or best practise that people use for carrying stuff in this situation. What would it be?

I don't currently own anything at all suitable so have to buy something regardless of what it is. I'll probably need to make my husband buy something too because he currently thinks he's going to take his 90 litre travel pack which is both way too big and super easy to unzip. We're good for sekrit bags for hiding our money in and that kind of thing, it's the big stuff that we need to sort out.

So what kind of luggage, bag, suitcase, pack, whatever - generally or specifically (noting that I live in Ireland and will only buy online from within Europe) - should I be buying for my inter-railing holiday round Europe? I'm specifically worried about the safety/non-stealability aspect since just finding a comfortable pack or rugged carry bag is pretty easy.

What is the best way to pack up my skyroll roll-up garment bag?

ManInSuit — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 06:01:27 -0800

What is the best way to pack up my skyroll roll-up garment bag? I just got a new skyroll roll-up garment bag. This is a carry-on bag where your suit goes into a garment bag that rolls around a storage cylinder, rather then being folded. (I got the regular one, not the one one wheels).

When I bought it I thought - I bet there are lots of places on the web where I can read peoples' best advice for packing this thing, because that is what the web is like. But it turns out that the web is not like this. But I've found very little info, apart from a short video from the manufacturer.

So... Does anyone have any great tips for the best way to pack one of these things? What I plan to put in it is something like this:

1 suit
1 jacket (maybe)
5 or 6 shirts
3 or 4 ties

Thanks!

Not quite backpacking, more like laptop- and garment-bagging

cardioid — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 23:01:45 -0800

I think I want to pull up stakes and wander around the world for a while. Mefites, advise me, please! (snowflake details follow) I already travel a lot, often a weekend here and there, sometimes multiple weekends in a row, and sometimes (more often recently) on longer, multi-destination trips. This puts me away from home quite a bit, to the point that sometimes home feels like a very expensive, nicely appointed storage unit. With a bed and shower inside. So I've been thinking that I want to actually change that to an actual storage unit, one that's not so expensive.

Right now I'm in a good situation. I have an excellent job that pays well, is great about remote work, gives me a very flexible schedule, is engaging and personally rewarding, and encourages travel. I have a sizable personal network with friends and acquaintances in many locations who are happy to put me up, at least for a while, and that's likely to grow even larger. And as I said, I have some travel experience. I also have friends and coworkers in similar situations (at least as far as travel goes) whom I can go to for advice.

I also don't have that much stuff. I'm living in a furnished apartment right now, with the bulk of my possessions in the form of books and clothes. When I moved here ("here" being Philadelphia), I put everything in a 10' U-Haul truck that ended up being somewhere between one-third and -half full. I'm actively working on paring down some of those possessions even further, which is what my last question was about. (If you have anything specific to say for that topic, please leave an answer there.) But I'm not planning to minimize to the point that all my possessions fit in a single bag I carry around with me, so I'm trying to figure out where I want my "home base". I'm likely to get a storage unit no matter what, but do I also want a place of my own? Do I want to share a house with others? Do I want a room/bed/shower/closet that's mine?

If my "home base" is simply a storage unit, what do I do about a permanent address? I imagine this is necessary for establishing residency, since even if I truly wanted a fully nomadic lifestyle, various government entities and financial institutions would probably like to know where I actually live. What about physical mail, like letters and packages? Is Earth Class Mail the way to go?

What about luggage? Thanks to One Bag, I have a Red Oxx Air Boss that served me well for a while. I then moved to a garment-style bag, which lets me pack more, even overpack. I've since moved to checking my bag, and it's been quite pleasant in most respects except for the additional cost and the delayed arrival on a recent trip. Both of these bags are nice enough for travel, but they're not so good for living out of. The extended, multi-destination trips can be a pain, especially if I don't have a place to hang up my clothes while I'm not transporting them. I may need to learn to pack differently, or dress differently, or do something to make the travel life easier.

Also, my travel has all been within the US so far. I'm really looking forward to international travel, but I have no personal experience there. Again, I can talk with friends and coworkers, but what can you tell me? To continue working, I'd need internet availability, and cell phone coverage (data, text, voice) would be very helpful. My phone is Android, a direct-from-Google Galaxy Nexus. My computer is a MacBook Pro.

I'm planning on doing this sooner rather than later. Actually, to drive home the I-travel-a-lot-and-need-to-get-out-of-here point, let me say I'm going to be out of town in various places from the 8th of August to the 24th of September — call it a month and a half — with only a few days here in late August. I have two trusted friends who volunteered to handle the packing and moving to storage for me, for reasonable compensation that I'm happy to give, of course.

Feel free to point out all the previous questions like this that I missed in my search. I don't mind being told to RTFP.

Staying within airline luggage size limits?

Morrigan — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 11:30:33 -0800

The size limit on checked luggage is 62 inches (height+width+depth) for most airlines . Do I need to be concerned about being close to that, assuming the weight is okay and it is not overstuffed? I need a big suitcase to check through but want to avoid additional luggage fees. Should I avoid the 29" models as many are only about an inch under 62"? This is mostly for international travel on major carriers.

Identify this Bag?

kreestar — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:51:38 -0800

What kind of bag is this? If I had to ask whether a shop had one in stock, what would I ask for? I first thought "messenger bag", but google pics show another style. Maybe a subspecies of the same thing?

Looking for a convertible carry-on bag.

cp311 — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 22:44:29 -0800

I'm looking for a carry-on bag that meets the following criteria: convertible, small enough to carry on a plane legally (US), all black, compression straps of some sort, and no wheels. Lower or reasonably priced options are preferred (~$80 or less is ideal). I'm considering the Rick Steves convertible carry-on, but am open to other options. I'm planning to use the bag for car trips and domestic flights. I don't want anything hard sided, colorful, or wheeled. I probably won't use the backpack straps much, as I prefer a handle or shoulder strap, so super-padded backpack straps aren't a concern.

This Rick Steves convertible carry-on has good reviews, and is probably my favorite option so far, though I'll consider others. I like that it has both internal and external compression straps and quite a few pockets for smaller items. The GoLite TraveLite seems nice, but has fewer pockets. It also lacks compression straps of any kind. The Patagonia MLC bag is a little more costly than I'd like, though I'm curious about whether it would be more durable than other options.

What convertible carry-on bag would be best for me? Have you tried the Rick Steves bag?

Where can we stash our luggage while going around on day trips?

gchucky — Tue, 29 May 2012 19:42:30 -0800

TravelLogisticFilter: We're planning a trip to Japan in October and need help with the logistics of where to leave our luggage as we get around. We're having a hard time coming up with where we can leave our luggage during the days. Most of our time is going to be in Kyoto, but we want to do an overnight in Hiroshima. The plan right now is to get to Hiroshima midday, stay overnight, see the Genbaku Dome, Miyajima, etc. and then get back on the Shinkansen to Kyoto. The problem, though, is that we'd check out of the hotel in the morning and then have to lug our bags all around Hiroshima. Paying for an extra night in a Kyoto hotel just to leave our bags there seems ridiculous (and pricey).

Does anyone have experience with this sort of thing? Can we check out of a hotel and then leave our luggage there for a day? Is it possible to drop our bags at the next hotel we're staying at and have them hold it for us for a night? Is there some other option I can't think of right now? (Bonus points: how would this work in other countries? I can't imagine doing it here in America, but then I've never tried...)

(And for what it's worth, our Japanese is pretty good. Not fluent, but we can get by just fine.)

I'm not looking to travel light...

Ookseer — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:56:12 -0800

Suitcase recommendations. It needs to take a beating. It also needs to have 4 wheels. The 4-wheel "spinner" thing is non-negotiable, unfortunately otherwise I'd probably go with a Pelican case. Can be hard or soft sided but can't bust a gut when it's loaded with anvils and dropped on the tarmac. 26" - 30" size. I don't expect it to last forever, but I'd like to get a few dozen flights out of it. (I know that durable + spinner is something of a contradiction, but walking around the airport I can see that some are obviously much better made than others.)

Specific models or just bands appreciated.

Identify and/or recommend aluminium luggage

Joakim Ziegler — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 15:51:49 -0800

Can anyone identify the aluminium luggage shown in this photo? The photo is a Mercedes promo photo for one of their station wagons, but the luggage looked very good. Additionally, is aluminum luggage a good idea? What brands do you recommend?