Keep Calm and Carry Your Bag On

Tired of paying hefty fees for checking your bag? With airlines charging anywhere from $20-$50 for your first checked bag, many travelers have made the switch to a carry-on bag, even for longer trips. Plus you can head out of the airport as soon as you disembark the plane, rather than trudging down to baggage claim to wait for your luggage.

Irv’s Luggage has been giving expert advice to travelers for over 72 years. Read on:

• While 4 wheel spinner cases are popular and convenient, 2 wheel cases give you more interior packing space. With a 4 wheel spinner, in order for the case to meet the overall allowable carry on dimensions, the case has to be smaller to allow for the 4 wheels. Takeaway: buy a 2 wheel carry on, gain more interior packing space and save BIG on baggage fees AND time.
• Softside vs. Hardside? Softside every time, for added space and flexibility in packing plus the convenience of having outside pockets. Most softside cases we sell have USB ports for charging your phone – you don’t need a hardside case for that!
• Packing cubes and packing folders have revolutionized the way we pack.
  • Save a substantial amount of space by organizing your items and packing everything in a packing cube or folder.
  • Packing folders are perfect for larger items like pants, or folded shirts. The wings fold in for maximum compression.
  • Buy cubes with compression zippers that further compress your clothes saving additional space in your case.
  • Using Ziploc bags in your luggage? Invest in packing cubes made of durable material and quality zippers because they will last forever, they stack better in your luggage, your clothes will be less creased and they’re easier to access.
• Bringing really bulky items, like sweaters and jackets? Check out Compression Bags – different than compression packing cubes.
  • Compression Bags are made of durable plastic. You load your bag, seal the top (usually these have Ziploc tops), and then roll the bag squeezing out all the air. Using your body weight and rolling the bag on the floor will give you the best results.
• Bring interchangeable wardrobe items that give you multiple outfits.
  • Choose basic pieces that work together and reduce the overall quantity of what you bring while still having options to change up your outfits.
  • Wear your bulkiest shoes or boots on the plane and pack the smaller pair in your carry on.
• Invest in a compact toiletry kit with multiple pockets for keeping things organized.
  • Use TSA compliant bottles or buy travel sized toiletry items.

So many carry ons to choose from – how do you choose?? I’m going to break it down and give you my top 3 favorite bags.

1. Briggs & Riley Baseline Domestic Carry On: at 22”, this carry on is the largest size you can take on the plane, giving you the most amount of space. The features and overall design of this bag are second to none; hanging section and a flat roomy interior. This is our best selling carry on, hands down.
2. Travelpro Crew VersaPack Max Carryon: This New collection from Travelpro is expandable, has garment bag features so you can hang items if you choose, and offers various zip in organizers to make this versatile bag perfectly suited to the way you travel.
3. Eagle Creek Expanse Hauler Convertible Carry On: This amazingly versatile carry on is perfect for the traveler that is moving around a lot and needs to have a roomy, lightweight bag along for the ride. This carry on converts easily to a backpack, with padded backpacks straps. Tuck the backpacks straps in and use the padded shoulder strap. Grab handles all around the bag make it easy to grab & go. Insanely great pockets everywhere.

With hundreds of travel accessories to help make your trip easier, more comfortable and more efficient, Irv’s Luggage is your 1 stop travel shop.

Harvey’s Seatbeltbag Giveaway Week 3!

We have a winner of the second week’s Mother’s Day Giveaway.  The Convertible Tote in Buttercup goes to John Mains. Congratulations John, We hope your mother had a wonderful Mother’s Day!!

A big thank you to everyone who participated thus far. Be sure to try again this week, you still have two more chances to win!!

This weeks contest!

Nominate your Mom for a chance to win a Harvey’s Seatbelt Bag! This year, Mother’s Day is May 13^th and Irv’s Luggage is celebrating Moms everywhere by giving away 4 Harvey’s Seatbelt Bags throughout the month of May.

Here’s how to enter:

Every Monday in May we will be GIVING AWAY a brand new handbag from Harvey’s Seatbelt Bags. That means 4 opportunities for you to win a Harvey’s Seatbelt Bag. On Monday May 21^st  the third of 4 winners will be selected. Our third giveaway is for a Boxy Tote Turquoise!! 

Each week we are giving away a different Harvey’s Seatbelt Bag! We will select a new winner every Monday from the previous week’s responses. If you do not win one week, you can re-enter during the next contest.

Are you ready to win? Answer our question in the comments section below! And don’t forget to check your emails every Monday to see if you’ve won!

Question Three:

Do you know a wonderful Mom? This week we want to focus on the women you feel are terrific Moms. Whether it is a sister, friend or coworker, tell us about their unique qualities and why you love them.

Harvey’s Seatbeltbag Giveaway!

Nominate your Mom for a chance to win a Harvey’s Seatbelt Bag! This year, Mother’s Day is May 13^th and Irv’s Luggage is celebrating Moms everywhere by giving away 4 Harvey’s Seatbelt Bags throughout the month of May.

Here’s how to enter:

Every Monday in May we will be GIVING AWAY a brand new handbag from Harvey’s Seatbelt Bag. That means 4 opportunities for you to win a Harvey’s Seatbeltbag. On Monday May 7^th, the first of 4 winners will be selected. Our first giveaway is for a beautiful tote – the Hampton Large Carry All Sea Sprite!!

Each week we are giving away a different Harvey’s Seatbeltbag! We will select a new winner every Monday from the previous week’s responses. If you do not win one week, you can re-enter during the next contest.

Are you ready to win? Answer our question in the comments section below! And don’t forget to check your emails every Monday to see if you’ve won!

Question One:

Which celebrity or famous person does your Mom resemble? It could be someone she mirrors now or someone she looked like in younger years. Have some fun with this, we would LOVE to see pictures if you have them!!

Traveling Soon? Tips for buying good luggage!

After six weeks of frequent airline travel (six airline trips in six weeks) I’ve been in a lot of airports and seen a lot of luggage.  I worked for Irv’s Luggage for over five years and now have a new job and travel quite a bit. Over the last six weeks of traveling I acquired an entirely new perspective on airline travel and more importantly for Irv’s Luggage, a brand new perspective on luggage. I guess that I have now been upgraded to a frequent flyer, as the flight attendants now know my name.  Traveling with good luggage can make a huge difference in your trip and a huge difference in how you feel about traveling.

Three things to consider when purchasing new luggage.

First, how do you travel? Do you check your bag or are you more of a carry-on luggage person? For me, I really like a carry-on, cabin bag. I had to wait this past Sunday, while one of my traveling companions  waited for her large, wheeled checked bag came off the airline carousel.  The wait wasn’t terrible, but how do you find your bag among the sea of black bags?  Impossible. Plus, no matter how pristine the luggage is when  you check it, it comes out smashed, dirty and often something is damaged or scratched.  So whenever I can, I carry my luggage on board. My choice for the best carry on luggage? Easy: Briggs and Riley 21 inch wheeled carry on bag. Durable, easy to wheel and made of ballistic nylon, this rugged carry on is my first choice for a carry on bag.  And, good news, right now the Briggs & Riley Baseline 21″ Carry On Expandable Upright Chocolate – Discontinued  is on sale at 35% off.

Second, warranty. Let’s face it, luggage gets damaged…frequently. Look for luggage that offers a lifetime warranty, or a ‘no questions asked’ type of warranty. Briggs & Riley was one of the original ‘lifetime luggage warranty’ companies, and now many luggage manufacturers offer either lifetime warranty or a ten year warranty.  Hartmann Luggage, Samsonite, Victorinox, High Sierra and even Eagle Creek offer wonderful warranties.  And, should your luggage get damaged… first, if the airline damaged the bag, then stop at the ticket counter immediately and file a claim.  Second, Irv’s Luggage offers luggage repair on virtually every major brand. So, if you need luggage repair for wheels, zippers, handles, or seams, bring it to Irv’s Luggage for all your luggage repairs – no matter what the damage is.

Last, thought… right now spinner luggage is hugely popular (vs. the typical two – wheeled luggage).  My preference of spinner luggage verses the traditional wheeled luggage: spinner luggage.  Spinner luggage is easier to wheel in an airport, down the center aisle of the airplane and virtually everywhere. And, if your luggage gets damaged, and you lose a wheel, you still have three others!  I love my new spinner luggage. If you want something other than Briggs (see paragraph above) I am also a huge fan of the new Samsonite Hyperspace Spinner 21.5″ Expandable Upright (SM 47166). Offered in black, teal and pink, this is rugged, spinner carryon luggage is spacious, durable and lightweight.

Back on the road again on Friday to lovely Memphis. This trip, my Samsonite Hyperspace will be traveling with me!

 

 

The Best Carry On Bags from High Sierra Luggage

Spring Break trips are right around the corner for college, high school and elementary school-aged children and High Sierra has the perfect carry-on luggage for these young travelers to use; the High Sierra Export 22” Wheeled Travel Pack and the High Sierra A.T. Go Carry On Wheeled Backpack with removable daypack.

The High Sierra Export 22” Wheeled Travel Pack is a very sturdy, well constructed, wheeled piece of luggage that conveniently converts to a backpack.  Made of exceedingly durable Duralite Weave 1680-Denier Ballistic material with a deluxe telescoping handle and corner-mounted in-line skate style wheels that all ensure longevity.  The quality construction of this bag will not disappoint!! In addition, the 22” Export also has great features including a deluxe organizer with a cell phone pocket, pen pockets and a removable key fob; a zippered pocket with headphone port (holds an MP3 player or sunglasses); a contoured daisy chain for attaching gear;  Vapel mesh airflow padded grab handles and waist belt that wick moisture and helps secure the pack; and finally and most importantly for safety, reflective accent piping to help your young traveler stick out at night on dark streets and walkways as they move from place to place.   High Sierra also made wonderful selections in regard to color as well; available in darker colors to cover dirt and wear well including Black / Charcoal Grey, Charcoal Grey/ Chipotle Orange and Navy Blue / Charcoal Grey.

The High Sierra A.T. Go Carry-on Wheeled Backpack with Removable Daypack is another great choice for the younger Spring Break traveler due to its’ lightweight, condensed and easily transportable design that includes many similar features listed above with the 22” Export. Made from a similar Duraweave Metallic Mini-Weave 900 Denier Duralite material and a special built-in high density foam structure to help maintain the bag’s shape while minimizing weight.  The removable front day pack with padded backpack straps, that includes a deluxe organizer, zippered accessory pocket and water bottle pocket, provides the perfect bag within a bag for daytrips and excursions; giving your young traveler the option of leaving the bigger bulkier travel items stored safely behind at the hotel.  This is truly an all-in-one luggage piece.

For 30 years High Sierra Luggage has specialized in quality travel products that are tough, versatile and won’t break the bank and this High Sierra 22” Export Wheeled Travel Pack and the High Sierra A.T. Go Carry on Wheeled Backpack with Removable Daypack are no exception. These are the perfect carry- on bags for young travelers heading out on their next adventure now and for many years to come…… now available and on sale at IrvsLuggage.com.

BRAND NEW Harvey’s Seatbelt Bags

We all know that seatbelts save lives. But did you know that a Seatbelt Bag can save your outfit?

Brand new Harvey’s Seatbelt Bags are available now at Irv’s Luggage and the demand just continues to grow! One of the newest styles available is the Weekender. This bag is not only roomy enough to hold a weekend’s worth of clothes (it’s an oversized duffel bag); it can work as a carry on bag for your upcoming holiday travel. Sized at 22″ x 11″ x 11″ with a detachable adjustable strap, the Harvey’s Seatbelt Bags Weekender comes in two great colors – Treecycle and the brand new color, Storm.

Now, for those of you wondering “What does Storm look like?” look no further. With its slight shading of greys, Harvey’s Seatbelt Bags has re-released Storm, a color that will work as a great neutral – it is a standout color by itself. Storm can also be mixed with Black, Red and Ice Leopard accessories to create the perfect color mix. Woven in their signature style, the large tote, large satchel and clutch wallet in Storm all showcase just how diverse the gradation of colors can be within one Harvey’s handbag. I love carrying a neutral bag in a color like Storm – it’s so versatile: not only can it play up the colors in your clothes, but you can also make it your own by adding a fun accessory to the mix! I think the Large Satchel in Storm might be my new favorite bag, but more on that later …

While I am a sucker for a beautiful neutral bag, I love nothing more than a handbag or wallet in a great print. When I first saw the new Harvey’s Wallet in Ice Leopard, I fell in love. The way that the spotted pattern has no real direction yet flows so perfectly together says a lot about the thought and construction of the piece. And if you love the pattern on the outside, you will be pleasantly surprised by interior of this collection. This “red-hot lining” screams out “I’m an accessory that wants to be seen” and deservedly so. It is the perfect addition to any closet.

Yes, I have already picked out the first outfit I want to wear with the Clutch wallet in Ice Leopard (black pants, white shirt and my favorite leopard flats!), but I can’t stop daydreaming about that Large Satchel in Storm. This bag is the perfect size for someone who needs to carry all of the essentials – wallet, phone, notepad, snacks and maybe even a book or two – without feeling like your handbag is going to burst. The shoulder straps are the perfect length to allow a snug fit under your arm and I LOVE the silver zipper pull with a star cut out at the edge. While the logistics are pretty impressive, the color is what really got me. I love how the color changes in the light – first it’s light grey, then dark blue and almost black in color. Now, tell us what you love most about this bag! And don’t forget to check out the brand new Harvey’s Seatbelt Bags at Irv’s Luggage today!!