New Airline Weight Limits

Just when travelers were getting used to dealing with 50 pound weight limits on their luggage, some airlines have , once again, changed the rules.. In the United States, Spirit and Allegiant Airlines now have a limit of 40 pounds on bags that are checked-in. Overseas, many airlines, such as Ryanair, have a 44 pound limit on their checked bags. Dealing with these limits can be a hassle, but new lighter-weight luggage makes it manageable. Here are a few suggestions of super lightweight luggage.

Roncato Venice 2.0 28″ Expandable ML Spinner

Many of the best brands for lightweight luggage are from Europe, and the Italian company Roncato has been specializing in making some of the lightest strongest cases since the 1940’s. This line was recently updated with duo-caster wheels for additional stability as well as a more streamlined look. The best news is that they still kept this case at only 6.1 pounds.

Antler Titus DLX Hybrid Large Expandable Spinner

The Antler Titus has been a huge seller for this British based company, and it has finally arrived in the states. The best feature of this case is that the 32’’ case weighs only 5.7 pounds. This is a great option for people who need to pack items that are bulky. What makes this case unique is the hybrid design that combines the benefits of a hard and soft case. Antler uses polypropylene for the top of bottom of the case for extra durability. This suitcase even has a built-in TSA lock.

TravelPro Maxlite 4 26″ Expandable Rollaboard

American based Travelpro has been making the Maxlite line for several years and they continue to be one of our top sellers. What makes this case unique is the rollerboard design which uses larger sturdier wheels then most spinner bags. This makes this case perfect for use on uneven terrain, such as cobblestone streets. This suitcase is a great value for the infrequent travelers.

High Sierra Winslow 28″ Wheeled Drop Bottom Duffel

For those who prefer wheeled duffels, there is High Sierra’s Winslow line of duffels. At 7.7 pounds, this is one of the lightest duffels on the market. Duffels are great for value travelers because when not in use they can fold up and be stored in small areas.. Those who like to divide up their packing will also appreciate the drop bottom design. At $107.99, this is the least expensive of all the products we have looked at so far.

These are just a few examples of lightweight luggage that Irv’s Luggage carries. As airlines continue to play the weight game, manufacturers are always adjusting their product options. Check out our lightweight luggage section of our website or stop by one of our stores, and we can always help you find the right case that you can use for any trip.

 

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.

Take This Duffel Bag and Stuff It

This should be an Olympic sport … stuff your favorite duffel bag with as much as humanly possible. Leather duffels from David King, Le Donne, and Passage 2 let you pack, cram, jam — and organize — all of your clothing and travel accessories. It seems like everything you own would fit in these bags. WARNING — watch the airline baggage regulations and don’t try to pack the kitchen sink. It may just push you over the weight limit. Either way, there is plenty of room and space.

Duffel bags come in various leathers and sizes, and there are even wheeled options to meet the needs of today’s travelers. However, the duffel bag is not new to the luggage scene. It has been around for more than 400 hundred years.

Did you know this?

• The tightly woven canvas that was later used in the duffle bags was first manufactured in the 15th century in Duffle, Antwerp Belgium. It was never intended to be used for luggage.
• In 1611, the cloth was imported to Spain and Portugal for sailors to repair their ship’s sails.
• Sailors fell in love with the durable, seaworthy fabric and began to make their bags from this material. The bags were originally called sea bags or ditty bags.
• During World War I, the term duffle bag was first used.
• The US military first issued the official duffle bag in 1943 and it has remained the military’s favorite bag.
• Duffle is also spelled duffel. Why? No one knows!

The duffel bag users of yesterday would hardly recognize today’s leather duffel bag. David King, Le Donne, and Passage 2 are three of the finest bag manufacturers and are top featured brands at Irv’s Luggage. Their bags have plenty of pockets and compartments for travel items, and even dirty laundry. With the David King Vaquetta Leather Duffel with Bottom Compartment, it is easy to keep your messy, dirty things below and keep your clothes clean and fresh in the compartment above.

Duffel bags are often spotted filled with gear at sporting events or gyms. They make for great carry-on bags, as they are available in a variety of sizes that easily fit in the overhead bin or under the seat. College kids arrive home with the Passage 2 Collection Vaquetta Leather Rolling Duffel oozing with weeks of dirty clothes.

Weekend travelers also love duffels — especially the Le Donne Distressed Leather Getaway Duffel — because they can easily fit all their clothing, shoes and gear needed to go exploring. Each leather duffel from Le Donne is unique in its color tone variations, creases and weathered look. The bag feels like it has been a part of you, like your comfy leather slippers, and the shoulder strap removes if you prefer to carry it by hand.

Spring Break – Wheeled Duffel Bag-stravaganza

 

Spring Break is a modern tradition where people get together with friends and family to just get away after thawing out from winter. Just pick up and go away for a week or 2 where you enjoy the sun, lounge around on a beach with a cool beverage, and let the waves lap at your feet.

Make sure to not only pack what you need, but that you pack enough! Large wheeled duffels can help. If your travel luggage wasn’t big enough to accommodate enough clothes for a week or 2 and your amenities, you’re going to run out of clean clothes very quickly before you get home!

High Sierra offers a number of different wheeled duffels to suit your needs.  From the AT3,  AT6 and many more you have wheeled duffel with high capacity, a good number of pockets, inline wheels to keep you moving, and all at a great price from Irv’s Luggage.  Also highly durable, a High Sierra duffel bag is going to keep your possessions safe through some of the toughest conditions.

 

 

 

Ogio also has a wide selection of wheeled duffels as well, in particular the Radica which is one of our top rated and best-selling brands.  Expandable, lined with pockets, easy to move and carry, Ogio duffel bags are another fine choice for an extended Spring Break away from it all.  The durable 1200 x 600D Poly material will keep your stuff together, and protected where ever you travel.

 

 

 

Once you arrive at your destination, it’s always handy to keep track of everything as well.  Between packing cubes and hanging organizers keep all your amenities and clothes carefully organized and stowed away.  With Irv’s Luggage you have a variety of choices, from Travelon, Eagle Creek, Baggallini, Athalon, and more.

Spring break should be fun and a fond memory, as all trips should be.  With our help and these products you can take a load off your mind when it comes to how you’re going to fit everything and where all your stuff went.  Instead, worry about when you can catch the sunset off the beach, or when your tour of the islands leaves.
Make a memory!  And please feel free to share on Facebook!

Luggage: Your Constant Companion

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” as the saying goes.  To me, it begins not just with a single physical step, but when you make the choice to go, and what goes with you.  Upright luggage, carry on luggage, ultimately it’s your best friend or your worst enemy if you choose poorly.  Your suitcase is your first traveling companion, before you’ve even decided on any people you’re going on your trip with.  It’s your most consistent and reliable companion at that.  Plans change, availabilities come and go, flights get delayed, but your luggage stays with you, except in the most extreme of circumstances.  It’ll hold your gear and keep it safe, might even be a chair in a pinch.  Choose wisely, and I suggest starting with Heys USA Luggage.  With their designs and reputation, you don’t have to look through too many luggage reviews to find one that suits you.

If you’re a traveler from outer space or someone looking for a weekend getaway, you might need expandable luggage or a leather duffel bag, and you want to be ready.  It’s a tenuous balance!  Too much, and it’s cumbersome.  Too little, and you’re turning your underwear inside out with another week to go.  Your luggage will be there for you to provide fresh clothes and the amenities necessary to make you feel human again where ever you go.  The expression to live out one’s suitcase isn’t just an offhanded statement, travel luggage is your home away from home, why not make the best of it?

Heys USA Luggage offers spinners, hardside cases, fun designs, even computer cases.  You can peruse our abundant selection on IrvsLuggage.com or visit us directly at our Northbrook or Mount Prospect locations.  That way, you get a personal touch from our knowledgeable employees that will help you find what you want, get what you need, and send you off where you’re going to go.  If your luggage has been through some tough times, we’ll take care of it with one of the largest luggage repair centers in the Midwest and it will look good as new.  You take care of your luggage and it will take care of you.

Our own repair center, serving crews and the community.

Best All Around Bags Leather Duffels & Laptop Messenger Bags

Leather, I love leather!!  Leather is a great material for so many things! It is sturdy, dependable, long lasting and resistant to everyday dust and dirt. Always fashionable, dresses up any outfit and leather bags always seem to be in style.  In particular I am a huge fan of leather duffel bags and leather laptop messenger bags; I have both and cannot say enough about them, they serve so many purposes!!

Leather Duffel Bags are great for weekend travel, the gym or as an all around great carry-on luggage piece. Sometimes when I am carrying a book, water bottle and a sweater, I will even use a leather duffel as a handbag!  Leather duffel bags are so versatile!!  Some great choices and top selling leather duffels include:

• Passage 2 Vaquetta Leather 18” (765550) and 21” (765540) Duffel Bags – Both of these are great choices depending on what size you are looking for.  A nice feature of the 21” bag is the additional pockets on the exterior for extra storage and organization.
• David King Leather Two Pocket Duffel (302) – A top seller from David King, this 19” leather duffel has a large main compartment, two gusseted pockets on the front, large end pockets and an adjustable removable shoulder strap.
• Korchmar La Romana Expandable Duffel (L1185) – An absolutely stunning duffel, the crème de la crème of duffel bags.  The La Romana is made of full grain glove soft pebble grain cowhide trimmed with full grain oil tanned saddle leather, fully lined and comes with an adjustable, removable shoulder strap. A higher-end expandable duffel but you will definitely be getting your money’s worth with this one.

Leather Laptop Messenger Bags are great for work for both male and female executives, a nice alternative to the traditional briefcase; also a wonderful bag to sport around town with your laptop in tow as a unisex cross body bag.  Leather laptop messenger bags are terrific, if you do not have one, it definitely is time; Kenneth Cole and David King have some great choices:

• Kenneth Cole Risky Business Leather Laptop Messenger Bag – The most popular Kenneth Cole, selling at a nice $100 price point!  Kenneth Cole sure has a way with leather and style while still keeping it affordable.  Kenneth Cole’s Risky Business is a fully lined, single gusset flap over style messenger bag with many organizational features and a sleek, modern appearance.
• David King Distressed Leather Laptop Messenger Bags the 6153 and the 6111 – Two great  distressed leather messenger bags from David King.  If you are looking for a hipper more laid back look, distressed is the way to go. With a padded laptop section, an inside zipper divided section and a great organizer both these messenger bags serve it up right

So if you want to purchase two types of leather bags to accommodate all your business, travel and everyday needs, the leather duffel bag and a laptop messenger bag are the perfect choices!  Check out these Kenneth Cole, David King and Passage 2 at IrvsLuggage.com today!!!

The Best Luggage for Students Traveling or Studying Abroad

Are you a student heading overseas to travel or study abroad……or an avid traveler taking a much deserved extended vacation? Well I have the perfect combination of luggage for any of these extensive, long term type travel plans; the High Sierra Elevate 34” Drop Bottom Wheeled Duffel and the High Sierra Export 22” Travel Pack.

The High Sierra Elevate 34” Drop Bottom Wheeled Duffel is a large piece of luggage that   will fit just about everything you need for a longer trip (with 6715 cubic inches of packing space) without weighing you down.  The 34″ Elevate weighs-in at a mere 8.8 pounds.

With a large main compartment with a U-shaped opening and a large drop bottom compartment with straps, you will have a great deal of packing options for the larger variety of “necessities” you will need. (The bag also contains a zippered divider panel between the upper and lower compartments that can be rolled up and secured to create one large compartment.)

When taking a larger piece of luggage, maneuverability is key and the Elevate 34” Drop Bottom Duffel will not disappoint.  With inline skate-style wheels inserted into protective corner-mounted housings and a recessed, telescoping lightweight aluminum handle system with locking mechanism, the Elevate Duffel will get you there with ease and with your arms and lower back intact!

Other great features of this duffel include: custom ID holder in a hide-away front pocket; protective feet to keep the bag cleaner and protected from rough surfaces; durable webbing handles with padded wrap and padded grab handle on the end; zippered front accessory pocket and two top-loading end compartments; and finally adjustable exterior compression straps to help secure your precious belongings from the rough hands of baggage handlers scattered throughout the world.

The High Sierra Export 22” Travel Pack is a smaller wheeled carry-on that converts to a  backpack and is the perfect bag to complement the larger 34” High Sierra Elevate Drop Bottom Duffel.

When you are traveling with the larger duffel, this High Sierra 22” Export Travel Pack can be worn as a backpack to free-up your hands. This pack is extremely comfortable with adjustable Vapel Mesh Airflow padded straps.  When you are without your larger piece of luggage, the Elevate 22” Travel Pack can also be wheeled from place to place on planes, trains or automobiles for shorter day or weekend type excursions. Once again, it can also be used as a backpack while traveling on foot, animal or bicycle……really a very versatile piece of luggage, perfect for any journey you encounter.

Some other great features of this High Sierra carry-on luggage include: a front load main compartment with clothing hold-down straps; deluxe telescoping handle and corner mounted inline skate- style wheels (for ease of maneuverability just like the larger Elevate 34” Duffel); a deluxe organizer with cell phone pocket, pen pockets and removable key fob and a zippered pocket with headphone port; reflective accent piping for safely and a Mesh 1000ml water bottle pocket to help keep you hydrated, an immensely important part of any successful travel.

So there you have it, the perfect luggage combination for longer extensive travels……happy trails from Irv’s Luggage!!!