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.

What’s in a Carry on?

What are the odds they’ll lose my luggage?

It’s only a two…three… hour delay.

We’re just going to circle for ten minutes.

We’ve all been there and heard that before. We’ve stood around bag claim watching that same blue duffel make its rounds on the conveyor belt. Yours has to be the next one. An hour later- no such luck. So much of traveling is never in our control. The one thing that always is? Your carry on. Take an extra 15 minutes and put some effort into it. You will not regret it. To help out, we’ve compiled the ultimate list of items you should always have in that carry on bag.

1. Complete change of clothes. Complete. As in: top, bottom, socks and undergarments.
2. Chargers. We’re talking phones, iPads, tablets, kindles, computers, shavers. Let’s be honest- your phone dying just might be worse than losing your luggage.
3. Headphones. The baby crying behind you. The grandparents in front of you bragging about their grandson: he’s a doctor, you know. You need to plug in and block it out.
4. Toothbrush & toothpaste. Enough said.
5. Face wipes. Whether it’s a long or short flight, nothing feels more refreshing than being able to clean up a little bit.
6. Big comfy scarf. Airplanes are always freezing. Always. Wrap up and settle in. Plus, it works as in instant outfit update.
7. Meds. Not worth the risk of losing them in your luggage. Get them all, too. Sleeping aids, cough relievers, daily vitamins.
8. Eye necessities. You have 20/20 vision? Great. But for the rest of us, we need our eye drops, glasses and an extra pair of contacts. Nothing worse than waking up from a nap in the sky and blinking out a contact without a spare.
9. Gum. Your ears will thank you.
10. Wild card reward. This looks different for everyone. For my best friend, it’s a piece of chocolate. For me, it’s my lucky heart shaped crystal. Throw in something small that makes you smile. Maybe it will help you through some rough turbulence. Maybe it will help you stay calm before meeting his family. No matter the case, you deserve a little treat.

Now that you have everything you need to go in the bag, do you have a quality carry on? We’ll help you out with that, too.

Top 10 Carry On Bags

Are you going somewhere for a weekend getaway soon? You’re going to need a carry on luggage bag, but there are hundreds of different carry on bags so which one should you get? I’m going to try to make your decision easier by narrowing your choices down to ten.

 

1. Samsonite L.I.F.T. 21″ Expandable Spinner (20.5″ x 15″ x 7″; 7 lbs)

Samsonite is made with high quality materials and is one of the top luggage brands at Irv’s Luggage. This Spinner Boarding Bag received several reviews at Irvsluggage.com and they are all five stars. There is a lot to like about this bag.  It has four multi-directional spinner wheels which allow 360 degree upright rolling so there is no weight on your arm. Integrated into the bag is top and side carry handles.  It includes tie down straps that keep the bag’s contents in place.

 

 

 

 

2. Delsey Helium Aero Carry On Expandable Spinner Trolley (21″ x 14.5″ x 10.5″; 8.4 lbs)

The Helium Aero Spinner Trolley from Delsey has many great features. This hardside upright is made with 100% polycarbonate which is good because it makes the case durable enough to keep your travel items safe and it makes the case lightweight too. The spinner wheels rotate 360 degrees to assure multi-directional rolling. Do you need to buy a TSA lock for your trip? You don’t need to worry about getting one if you have this carry on bag because a 3-dial TSA accepted combination lock is built into the case.

 

 

 

3. David King Vacquetta Leather 20” Large Duffel (12” x 20” x 12”; 3.5 lbs)

Your carry on bag doesn’t need to have spinner wheels and several technology features. A simple duffel bag can work great as a carry on bag. David King has some good duffel bags. This 20” bag is made with durable and long-lasting vacquetta leather and has a roomy main compartment with a u-zip closure. Don’t worry that this duffel won’t have enough pockets for your small items. It has front and back zip pockets and two side zip pockets.

 

 

 

4. Olympia Casual Sports 22” Rolling Carry On Duffel (22″ x 13″ x 9″; 6.7 lbs)

Maybe you don’t take many weekend trips and don’t want to spend a lot of money on a luggage bag you plan to use only a few times. This rolling carry on bag from Olympia is less expensive than the other bags on this list, but it has enough good features to make it a good carry on bag. The main compartment is roomy and with eight pockets, it shouldn’t be difficult to pack all of your essential items.

 

 

 

5. Wenger SwissGear Scan Smart Backpack (18.5″ x 15″ x 8.5″; 3.5 lbs)

Backpacks are great carry on bags for short trip. This Wenger laptop backpack should have all of the features you need. It has Scan Smart technology that allows you to travel through airport security without having to remove your laptop from the backpack. In addition to the organizer and accessory pockets, the backpack has pockets for a water bottle, sunglasses and mobile phone.

 

 

 

6. Briggs & Riley Torq International Carry On Spinner (21.4” x 14.3” x 9.4”; 8.9 lbs)

At 8.9 pounds, this Briggs & Riley spinner is not one of the lightest carry ons on this list, but it has many great features. It has a scratch resisting hardside case that will protect your belongings including a laptop and iPad. The gusseted, zipperless design sits flush with bag when closed, allowing an easy fit into the overhead compartment. The wheels are recessed double spinners for a lower center of gravity and effortless 360 degree navigation. Fodor’s named this carry on as one of the best carry on luggage bags for 2013 on their website.

 

 

 

 

7. Lipault Paris 2 Wheeled Foldable 22” Carry On Packing Case (22” x 14” x 8”; 5.33 lbs)

This Lipault carry on case has a feature that none of the other carry on bags on this list has: it can fold. If your biggest problem is that you have no room in your closet to store a carry on, this case fixes that problem because when it is not being used, it can fold up and go under your bed. It also has some good features that include two inline wheels, several zippered pockets, a combination lock and two interior adjustable straps for your clothes.

 

 

 

 

8. Victorinox Mobilizer NXT 5.0 22” Expandable Wheeled Carry On  (22” x 14” x 9”; 9.9 lbs) $259.99

The NXT 5.0 carry on from Victorinox has the features you would want every carry on bag to have. It has two front pockets for items that you can easily access without having to open the main compartment of the bag. If you need more room, it expands 2.5 inches for 29% extra packing capacity. You can carry your laptop inside the case and secure it with the Travel Sentry Approved luggage lock.

 

 

 

 

 

9. Travelpro Crew 9 21” Expandable Spinner with Suiter Luggage (21” x 14” x 9”; 9.3 lbs)

Do you want a carry on bag that has spinner wheels, expands, will last for a long time and is easy to maneuver? This Travelpro Crew 9 carry on is a luggage bag you should consider. It is made with microballistic nylon fabric with Duraguard fabric protection and has a removable suiter system.

 

 

 

 

 

10. Atlantic Compass Unite Wheeled Tote (13″ x 16″ x 8″; 6.1 lbs)

The last carry on luggage bag on my list is this wheeled tote from Atlantic Luggage. It is one of the smallest carry on bags on this list, but it has plenty of room for your accessories and has a front pocket for quick access to your wallet, iPod, keys and airline tickets. The high-sheen Poly fabric provides exceptional resistance to wear and tear. It might be too small for a trip that lasts more than a couple days, but it looks excellent for a one or two day trip.

 

Any one of these ten carry on bags should be great for a weekend trip. These bags and many more are available at Irv’s Luggage.

Heys America Luggage Meshes Pop Art and Travel

Heys America Luggage has become a global leader in luggage design with their innovative and original collections. They have created two Limited Edition luggage series, Britto and Fernando Volken Togni. Each collection combines a unique pop art design with the high standard features of all Heys America cases. These designs and patterns transform your luggage into a work of art.

The Heys America Fernando Volken Togni (FVT) Collection is unlike any other. It features three groups; FVT Cities, FVT World, and FVT USA. Togni is a Brazilian-born illustrator currently living in London. His art style is bold and unique. He uses vivid colors and sharp shapes to create a design of organized chaos. Each collection offers a three piece luggage set, such as the Heys America FVT USA 3 Piece Set, that includes 21”, 26”, and 30” uprights. All uprights are also available as single items to better suit your needs or allow you to mix and match. The Cities Collection highlights New York in the Heys America FVT Cities 30” Spinner.

The Britto by Heys America Collection, while also featuring a pop art style, is vastly different from FVT. It is designed by Romero Britto, a Brazilian-born Florida resident with a neo-pop style. Neo-pop combines pop art with graffiti. With this style, he created lively, fresh and happy designs shown on this Britto by Heys A New Day 26” Expandable Spinner. The bright colors stand out on the hardside cases. Like the FVT, this collection includes luggage sets and individual spinner suitcases, along with beauty cases and smaller travel duffels, totes and business pieces.

All Heys America collections are held to a high standard. Each suitcase, made from polycarbonate composite material, is both lightweight and durable, even the Britto by Heys Butterfly Love 30” Expandable Spinner. The impact-resistant and scratch-resistant printed exterior is protected by a layer of clear coat that provides a beautiful, glossy finish. Designed for easy maneuverability, each suitcase has four spinner wheels for an ultra-smooth and effortless 360 degree rolling. All pieces, including the Heys America FVT Cities 21” Spinner, feature a fully lined interior with built-in divider and mesh pocket. Heys included a built-in TSA lock for your safety and a zippered expansion system to provide you with 20% more packing capacity.

Pop art originated in the mid-1950s in Britain and late 1950s in America. The term was invented in 1955 by Lawrence Alloway, a British curator. Characterized by pop culture and consumerism, the concept of pop art refers to the attitude and not the art itself. It often uses images currently used in advertising, such as logos or product labels, comic books, and news. The style is bold, vibrant, and simple, and often features bright colors. Shop Irv’s Luggage for travel goods that are functional and durable as well as reflective of your style and personality.

What is spinner luggage vs. suiter style luggage?

Spinner luggage refers specifically to the presence of 4 wheels on the case, allowing you to roll the bag in an upright position alongside you, instead of pulling the bag behind you. Standard rolling luggage has 2 wheels, usually in line skate wheels that offer a smooth glide, but can be more of a strain on the back and neck because you must pull this luggage along behind you. Spinner luggage stays upright next to you, with wheels that swivel as you change direction. Many people find spinner luggage to be easier to handle, with significantly less stress on the body.

Some of the top brands selling spinner luggage are Samsonite, Travelpro, and Victorinox.

Suiter style luggage is something else entirely. ‘Suiter’ refers to a compartment that is sometimes built into the case and sometimes removable, that allows you to hang garments to minimize wrinkling. This works well for suits, dresses, shirts and blouses because you lay the garments flat in the suiter compartment, and then fold it in half or in thirds, into the suitcase. This really does help reduce the wrinkling that occurs when you just fold garments and pack them in the case.

Spinner luggage can have a suiter compartment, and suiter bags can also be spinners. Briggs & Riley is a perfect example; they make luggage with the suiter feature as well as with spinner wheels.

Carry On Luggage and Thanksgiving Travel

Are you planning to travel and celebrate Thanksgiving? Traveling for Thanksgiving is a great way to spend the holiday, see family and friends, and take a rest.

Traveling means packing things that you want to bring. We all tend to want to bring more with us when we travel than we have room for. This is a common packing problem. The best solution to this packing dilemma are packing accessories. Brands like Eagle Creek and Travelon make packing cubes and packing folders that help keep your clothes organized and save tons of space in your luggage.

While packing accessories will change how your pack forever, it is essential that you consider the luggage that you take with you as well. Durability is important, as are wheels and weight. On a short trip, it is highly recommended that you use a carry on bag. This saves you time in the airport as well as baggage fees. Popular brands of carry on luggage that you can buy are listed below:

1. Samsonite Carryon Luggage
2. Travelpro Carryon Luggage
3. Delsey Carry On Luggage

These are three of the most trusted brands of carryon luggage. They are reliable, durable, lightweight and come in a variety of colors and styles. Most cases come with spinner wheels, making travel easier. Rimowa is a luxury luggage brand that makes hardside polycarbonate cases that are very lightweight but extremely strong. They are a great investment for the serious world traveler. Travelpro made the first Rollaboard suitcase over 20 years ago. Designed to meet the travel needs of pilots and flight attendants, they are now meeting the needs of everyday travelers. Samsonite is the most globally recognized brand in the world, and for good reason. They make a case for every type of traveler; hardside, softside, spinner cases and more. Make your travel experience fun, memorable and hassle free while using carry on luggage from Irv’s Luggage.

Briggs & Riley Torque Polycarbonate Hardside Luggage

Briggs & Riley’s Torq International Carry On Spinner Suitcase provides a great solution for one of my biggest concerns about using 100% polycarbonate hardside luggage: the lack of a front pocket. Their carry-on version from the collection addresses the need for an easily-accessible front pocket that is common on most other nylon/cloth suitcases, but lacking from hardside luggage. 

Until I got a polycarbonate hardside luggage of my own, I had no idea how much I took that front pocket for granted. I no longer had a place to easily access my magazine, notebook, snacks, or anything else while at the airport terminal; I either had to put it in my personal item (which is already loaded down with my laptop, possibly souvenirs, or work-related collateral) or constantly access my carry-on by opening it up, making a huge production number out of simply wanting to read.

 

 

This video shows just how easy it is to now have some extra storage on the Torq Interational Carry On.

The Briggs & Riley Torq Carry On Spinner certainly has a great feature in that front panel for storage, but the rest of the collection in medium and large has plenty more to offer. The Briggs & Riley Torq International Collection focuses on global travel with numerous security features and organizational options. The 100% polycarbonate hardside body is just the beginning when you consider the Smartlink™ system strap you can use to transport two or more bags as one (saving you from dragging a suitcase with each hand, an integrated ID tag to protect yourself and your bags, a molded compression panel to keep clothing flat, minimize wrinkling, and prevent contents from shifting while traveling, and so many more features to protect and organize. Spinner wheels and the high level of quality you’d expect from Briggs & Riley is icing on the cake.

 

 

Prices for the Briggs & Riley Torq Collection starts at $479.00, available in Ruby, Cobalt, or Graphite (availability may vary depending on size of luggage purchased) in carry on, medium, or large. Given the simple solution of an external pocket for a 100% polycarbonate hardside carry on to address a smaller issue, you can be sure to handle any travel snafu, environment, or situation with this luggage when it comes to larger issues. And as always, enjoy free shipping with orders over $99. Give the gift of travel this holiday season!

 

Top Hardside Luggage – Samsonite Fiero

 

The Samsonite Fiero Hardside Luggage Collection is one of the newest arrivals at Irv’s Luggage. As a Samsonite Luggage brand, there is a lot you should expect. Given the quality of other Samsonite hard sided luggage as the Winfield 2, Silhouette Sphere, L.I.F.T collections, Fiero Hard Side Luggage carries on the legacy of quality, durable hardside luggage that Samsonite has come to personify. Reengineered spinner wheels, a diamond textured 100% pure polycarbonate hardside luggage shell, TSA-approved lock, super lightweight construction, and expandable functionality certainly make these hard sided cases a confident buy for any traveler.

If you’ve never been sure why spinner wheels are so important, see here:

 

The hardside luggage is composed of a polycarbonate shell; it’s “diamond” pattern helps prevent scratches and scuffs. That is common with hard side luggage, and Samsonite wants to ensure that your case will hold up under whatever conditions you encounter. Seeing your checked bag visibly deformed or squished, possibly scratched/torn would be a thing of the past. The spinner wheels and lighter weight make hardside luggage easier to move and pull alongside you rather than behind you, so you’re not tripping up fellow travelers or getting your handle/hardside luggage caught on a corner. You may pack a lot for your trip, and the lighter weight of the luggage itself and the spinner wheels help you stay on the move regardless of the contents (within reason!) Expandability allows for room for almost everything from laundry bags to electronic device chargers, so that no necessity is left behind. Or so you can bring back plenty of souvenirs.

Hopefully, the Fiero hardside luggage would limit mad dashes because you ran late dragging a heavy non-spinner wheeled case. Hopefully, the Samsonite Fiero hard sided luggage will save you on additional baggage fees because they fit everything you need. The Samsonite Fiero is available in 20”, 24”, and 28” to ensure you have just enough room for any kind of trip and hopefully, you look as good and flawless while traveling, as your scratch-preventive polycarbonate hardside luggage should.

 

About Packing Cubes (Athalon, Eagle Creek)

I recently traveled on business to Philadelphia, PA for Irv’s Luggage.  The City of Brotherly Love, the birth place of the nation, all sorts of history just permeating the 5th largest city in the United States (who knew?)  Not known for the biggest population or overwhelming skyline, Philadelphia is however a city of firsts.  Rather appropriate, as this was my first true business trip.

But before I even got on the plane, I had to pack.  I needed to plan for casual, business casual, extra shoes, toiletries, business collateral, and anything else I might pick up along the way.  I needed a plan.

In recent history, I’ve become a big fan of packing cubes.  They fit together nicely in my luggage, keep my personal effects (from clothes to electronics) sorted, and overall just make keeping track of everything so much easier.  I find myself worrying less about if I packed all the socks I brought with me or that all my shirts are together.  I know, because using the packing cubes (in my case I use the Athalon variety pack) helps me eyeball everything instead of having to dig for what I have left.  Irv’s Luggage carries other styles from Travelon and Eagle Creek, so count on a variety of options to choose from, and each one worth it.

The key to the packing cubes (as any seasoned traveler might tell you) is rolling your clothes properly and tightly (refer to the video).  You can fit plenty of shirts and pants as opposed to bundling all your clothes loose and hoping they stay in one place.  Shoes can go inside your bag and a packing cube will make sure nothing gets on your other clothes (and that everything easily slides together.)  A carry on bag or an expandable luggage case all of a sudden has a lot more capacity than you originally thought.  You do it right, you just might save $25 on a checked bag fee.

The best part about having all your belongings organized?  Less time worrying about your stuff and more time spent on taking in the local sights –

 

 

 

Free Antler Carry on! Limited time only.