COMFY CARRY-ONS

CARRY-ON in COMFORT

As travel resumes, fresh ideas for luggage and accessories will come along for the ride

WORDS LARK GOULD 5

With global travel at an all-time low, luggage was bound to follow. Brands, such as Away and Samsonite, continue to reel in the wake of the damage wrought by the novel coronavirus as travel bookings saw a near 90 percent plunge.

However, those in the know also know that good luggage does not go out of fashion. Well-made travel accessories can outlast pandemics, recessions, shut-downs and delays, and will be ready to roll with stylish ease and inventive efficiency once the going gets going again.

At the 2020 Travel Goods conference held in the pre-pandemic days of March, the luggage innovations were out in force offering solutions to travellers who, at the time, were jet-setting more than ever and needing convenient answers from the luxury end, as well as the everyday luggage lines.

Whereas in past years, the conference was dominated by smart luggage embedded with trackers, chargers, and drivers that turned bags into handsfree rollies that follow owners around the airport, and other bags that would morph into small transport vehicles with seats, this year’s lot proved to be lower key.

The focus was one of usability and functionality rather than splash – which proved to be a good move as countries around the world began to shut down.

“We definitely have seen a hit in sales but luckily we offer everyday bags and goods and that has made it easier for us to stay afloat,” said Jacob Durham, co-founder and CEO of Nomatic, a boutique line of smart-looking travel packs, camera bags and roll-on luggage in the midpriced range. “Our mission since we launched in 2014 has been simple: function, innovation and quality, and that has kept us going.”

The company backs that up with a no-questions-asked exchange for any defects and also with an affordable three-year extended warranty that allows easy exchanges for any damage a customer might do to a bag for what basically amounts to the cost of a scone and latte at Starbuck’s.

While the company is doing business online and partnering with such companies as Best Buy for distribution, Durham says he sees a shift for this year, although he remains confident that travel will return with force, and with it, the joy of upgrading one’s "People will be looking luggage. for the right bags with

“Pre COVID, the right look, feel and our customers were weight, with all the traveling at least every smart pockets in the month if not more. But right place” now as people are not yet comfortable getting on planes, travel is shifting to car trips so investing in bags is not so much on people’s minds. This will change, especially as business travel comes back. Then people will be looking for the right bags with the right look, feel and weight, with all the smart pockets in the right place,” he says.

At the travel goods show, several interesting and innovative luggage options stood out from the crowd and could be seen as solutions toward smoothing the discomforts of travel – whatever route that travel might be taking.

1. GETSET The Problem: You arrive at the check-in counter at the airport with luggage in tow and prepare to check that bag in when the checkin attendant tells you your bag is overweight and you owe an extra $100 on that ticket. Solution: GetSet offers lightweight luggage in three sizes that weighs the bag you are packing as you go. No airport surprises, no inaccurate bathroom scale readouts or chaotic repacking scenes at the check-in desk. The bags come with an embedded scale and LED readouts in pounds/ kilos that can be viewed while packing is in progress. The key differentiator from other self-weighing luggage is the readout appears as you pack rather than after the process – no need to close, zip, lift and weigh the bag, and then re-pack.

The bags come in an assortment of colors in carry-on, mini and large sizes. The hard-shell polycarbonate suitcase is fixed with plenty of extras: A removable battery charging station, an affixed TSA-approved combination lock, durable wheels, easy-grip telescoping luggage handles, and a zippable internal clothing divider with storage compartments. As an extra convenience, the bag comes with a portable coffee tray that fits onto the luggage grip to hold that Starbuck’s and scone while waiting to board. The bag rolls with perfect balance and even manages to maintain that balance when you place a second bag on top of it.

The bags are found at

getsetluggage.com.

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2. BRIGGS & RILEY Problem: You have a long list of things that you absolutely need to take with you, but you don’t want to go to the trouble of lugging around another piece of luggage. Solution: Briggs & Riley, an independently-owned brand that’s the travel authority in the luggage space with an almost cult-like customer base, o ers a patented compressionexpansion tool inside its better carryon bag selections.  e engineering allows travellers to expand a bag up to 34 per cent, but then compress it back down to carry-on size. In durable so or hard cases, the expander is released and pops up to turn the luggage sides into solid expanded walls.  e traveler places items inside to create an overstu ed case.  e bag is zipped and then the compression design takes over as the bag is easily pushed back into its original carryon dimensions with all the goods inside. Meanwhile, the latest at Briggs & Riley is a series of convenient day and weekend packs under the Delve moniker.

“We make solving customers’ problems a fundamental part of everything we do and building products as well as services that can do that is the key to our brand,” said

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Richard Krulik, chief executive of Briggs & Riley, in a 2019 interview. “ ere is a steady progression to keep pushing the boundaries of innovation for real solutions that have staying power and make a traveller’s life less stressful.”  e company is the only luggage brand to o er a lifetime repair guarantee on all bags.

briggs-riley.com.

3. ROLLINK Th e Problem: You live in an apartment the size of a tissue box and you travel so much that any remaining space is given over to storing bulky luggage. Or you are taking a cruise and inside the tiny stateroom, luggage either becomes something you eat on or trip over. Solution.  e Rollink Flex Earth bills itself as the world’s thinnest suitcase.  ese items come in neon colours or black with popsicle-hued accents.  e hard shell bags o er all the classic dimensions of a regular suitcase but then squish down, accordion style, into a  at surface that is no thicker than the latest  omas

Piketty tome.  e bags roll on two wheels and are designed so that a small suitcase can  t  at into a larger suitcase and be popped into action as the need arises.  e bags stack neatly into closets or under beds for safe navigation. rollink.com

4. NOMADIC Th e Problem: You need a handsome portable, be it a backpack or carryon, and you need it to be built your way. You don’t see any cookie-cutter combos to  t what you are seeking and want certain compartments and packing solutions that will keep you organised. Solution: Nomatic is a Utah-based baggage builder that has the business traveller in mind.  e company focuses on backpacks, briefcases and carry-ons that can be customised to suit the traveller with smart design and surprise features. Top seller is the Carry-on Classic that has enough space to pack in a work-week full of clothes.  e rollie o ers a yawning interior that can be  lled with clothing and compressed up to 30 per cent for carriage through a patented

magnetic strapping design and using separate compression packing cubes. The shells are strong enough to be carried into a war zone or slammed with a sledge hammer, should these occasions arise. Wheels, handles and zippers follow in line. A built in TSA-approved lock keeps items safe, and the strong, balanced product allows for easy luggage stacking and rolling with the help of a three-tier telescoping handle.

Other travel accessories include an apparel sleeve for wrinkle-free travel, a vacuum bag that acts as a sort of duffle and then compresses the load by 50 per cent, toiletry bag, packing cubes and a shirt organiser. Customisable backpacks also provide lightweight comfort and organisation. The company is offering comfort-boosting discounts in these COVID times.

nomatic.com

5. SOLO The Problem: The world is drowning in discarded plastic bottles. Solution: Solo New York has a bag for that. Solo’s Re:cycled Collection takes discarded plastic bottles, breaks them down, melts them into fiber, and weaves them into stylish gobags, briefcases and backpacks. The company is a sister enterprise with Briggs & Riley and offers a varied line of products and styles to fit the Millennial set in handsome textiles of greys and blacks. Currently, the Re:cycled Collection is available only for the Re:move Duffel, the Re:vive Mini Backpack and the Re:store Tote, but a new robust line of bags are in the offing. solo-ny.com

6. ZHAMPAGGE ALL-IN-ONE ORGANISER The Problem: You need to carry just a few things for an overnight or special engagement and you do not want to take a suitcase. Solution: The silky organiser with an unlikely name can be worn like a purse, weighs very little and keeps all your items wrinkle free and in their right places. As a two-sided flat item it expands to a 14x21-inch quasi suitcase that turns into a flat slider or folded crossbody purse. Ten intelligently considered pockets hold toiletry, shoes, shirts and pants, tech devices and chargers, notebooks and pill cases, and can be placed atop contents in a suitcase for quick access, or work separately and easily hung on a rack or in a closet. The bag can be thrown into the washing machine for easy cleaning. The polyester blend is waterproof for a convenient answer to storing soiled clothing, liquid containers or bathing suits while traveling. The Zhampagge comes in six colours and retails for $99 at

zhampagge.com.

7. RAIDO LUGGAGE The Problem: Traveling well requires luck and who could not use a boost from some higher powers for a safer, hassle-free trip? The Solution: Raido Luggage, with offices in Miami and Florence, embeds ancient runes into their designs. These are the letters of an ancient Germanic-Etruscan alphabet, the Futhark, each ideographic symbol representing a cosmological power. Raido’s suitcases are made from strong and light plastic material, and have a practical topside TSA lock, four silent

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wheels and expandability to add 30 per cent capacity to the case. For those travellers who want to bring their pet along, Raido offers an airlinesapproved case that allows passengers to carry their pet in two hassle-free ways: 1) With the removable wheels on, they can attach the pet carrier “wagon style” to the rolling Raido carry-on and take the pet in tow; or 2) they can remove the wheels and stack the carrier on top of a rolling Raido carry-on, Fido wheeling alongside, protected by the runes and loving the ride. raidoluggage.com.

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HOTELS COLLECTION

GRAND MILLENNIUM DUBAI HOTEL

Business Traveller Middle East magazine is available in all of these exclusive hotels

MIRFA HOTEL WALDORF ASTORIA RAS AL KHAIMAH

DUBAI The 340-room five star hotel features awardwinning restaurants and bars, spa and health club, stateof-the-art meeting rooms, a magnificent ballroom and exceptional banquet facilities.

+971 4 429 9999

reservations@grandmill-dubai.com grandmillenniumdubai.com

CROWNE PL AZA MUSCAT OMAN CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE

AL MARFA Away from the bustle of city life, overlooking the azure blue waters of the Arabian Gulf, the Mirfa Hotel o ers 114 newly renovated rooms. The hotel provides excellent accommodation for the business and leisure traveller, state-of-the-art conference facilities, a fully equipped gym and ample parking.

+971 2 8953009

rsvn@mirfahotel.com

CROWNE PLAZA DEIRA, DUBAI

RAS AL KHAIMAH Cradled by the Hajar Mountains, a championship golf course, sandy beaches and the azure waters of the Arabian Sea, Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah is 50 minutes from Dubai Airport and brings true Waldorf service to the most alluring beachfront location in the UAE.

+971 7 2035555

rasalkhaimah.info@waldorfastoria.com waldorfastoria.com/rasalkhaimah

SHANGRI-LA HOTEL, DUBAI

OMAN Adjacent to the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, this 295-room hotel is an integral part of Madinat Al Irfan, a product of an exciting ambition to establish a new urban centre within Muscat. Situated 10 minutes from the new Muscat International Airport, Al Mouj and Muscat Hills Golf courses and overlooking a Wadi - a natural reserve and home to about 260 variety of Oman’s exotic birdlife during the season.

+968 2425 2000

rooms.cpmuscatocec@ihg.com crowneplaza.com/muscatocec

DUBAI Located in the cultural heart of Dubai, Crowne Plaza Dubai – Deira lies at the convenient gateway between the old and new districts of the city. Featuring 300 guest rooms and suites, and an array of meeting rooms, 6 restaurants and bars, a dedicated and fully equipped fitness centre with outdoor swimming pool, the hotel is the perfect place for both leisure and business guests.

+971 4 262 5555

cpdeira.info@ihg.com crowneplaza.com/deira DUBAI The award-winning Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai o ers luxurious accommodations, exceptional dining and gracious hospitality in the heart of one of the world’s most dynamic cities. The hotel’s 302 superbly appointed rooms and suites o er a combination of traditional luxury and modern functionality. Spatial elegance, awesome views and thoughtfully selected furnishings create an experience of unparalleled style and comfort.

+971 4 3438888

shangri-la.com/dubai

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