Rock of Ages ‘Vagabond’ luggage tags

by Annie Scott on


Luggage tags normally serve two purposes, but the new Vagabond luggage tags by Rock of Ages serve a third! Most tags help you identify your bag on the carousel and serve as a layer of security in case your bag is ever lost. Rock of Ages’ tags add something no bag tag has achieved before: sass.

As the proud owner of a black Briggs & Riley rollerboard, I can totally see the virtue in adorning my suitcase with a tag like the above. Alternatively, you can go for more colorful options bearing statements like “See You Later Alligator,” “Go in Peace” and “Good Karma – A Bag That Goes Around Comes Around.” Check out the gallery below for the full collection. It’s up to you how much of your personal sass you want to display on your baggage.

These cute tags are pure leather and feature goldtone hardware and a concealed identity tag. The Vagabond tags are available from roapress.com for $30 apiece. Did someone just say “stocking stuffer” or did it just echo so loudly in my head that I thought that someone said it?
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Review: Balanzza Mini Luggage Scale – avoid nasty surprises at the airport!

by Scott Carmichael on

Traveling with bags means trying to stay one step ahead of the airlines – and staying one step ahead of them, means knowing exactly how heavy your bags are. There no nothing more annoying than arriving at the airport, only to discover that you overpacked, and will either have to pay up, remove some items or move items between bags.

To help prevent these nasty surprises, you could consider investing in a portable luggage scale. Last year, we mentioned the Balanzza Ergo digital luggage scales – and now Balanzza has introduced a more compact version of their award winning product – the Balanzza Mini.

The Balanzza mini is the smallest digital luggage scale in the world. The device is about three times smaller than the original version – but still provides the same features and 100lbs. capacity.

To weigh your bag, you simply strap the scales to your handle, turn the unit on, and pick it up. As soon as the Balanzaa Mini beeps, you’ll have an accurate measurement. The scales are accurate to 0.2lbs – which is probably a better result than many uncalibrated airport scales.

The Balanzza Mini compared to the larger Balanzzo Ergo. Both are very accurate, but the reduced size and weight of the Mini has its obvious advantages. That said – with very heavy bags, the larger version may be more comfortable to lift.

The Balanzza Mini retails for $24.95, and is available directly from Balanzza, select Bed Bath & Beyond stores and a variety of online retailers.

Airline extra fees: $2 billion in three months

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Airline fees are definitely not going away anytime soon – not after the second quarter it gave the airline industry. Carriers in the United States raked in $2.1 billion in fees and extra charges in the second quarter of this year, a 13 percent year-over-year surge. And, it was good enough to deliver the sector’s first profitable quarter since 2007.

Well, here’s the worst part for you: most of it came from checked baggage fees. This annoyance was good for $893 million in the second quarter of 2010, a gain of 16 percent from the second quarter of 2009. Reservation fees were good for $594 million, with ancillary revenue (e.g., frequent flier mileage sales and pet fees) reaching $618 million.

Delta benefited most from the fees that passengers hate most, at $682 million. American Airlines and US Airways were next.

[photo by cliff1066 via Flickr]

Chinese artist creates sculptures from suitcases

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Ever packed so much in your suitcase that it felt like you were carrying around a whole city? Apparently you’re not the only one. Chinese artist Yin Xiuzhen had a similar feeling during her recent travels and decided to turn it into art. Xiuzhen has recently been using suitcases and discarded travel clothing to recreate miniature model cities in a project she calls “Portable Cities.”

The idea for Portable Cities got its start when the artist was waiting at the airport baggage carousel for her luggage. Xiuzhen began thinking about how we carry our homes around with us when we travel; the natural extension of that thought was to think about suitcases as the symbolic “home” of the global traveler. Ever since her revelation, Xiuzhen has been recreating intricate sculptures of her favorite cities like Seattle, Berlin, Vancouver and Beijing using pieces of random travel clothing as her medium.

For a generation of travelers groomed on round the world trips, AirBnB and Technomadic lifestyles, Xiuzhen’s art makes perfect sense. What is a home when you’re constantly packing your life into a suitcase? Is it a physical place? Or simply a state of mind?

[Photo via DesignBoom]

[Thanks Liz!]

Daily Pampering: Bottega Veneta $43,200 suitcase

by Melanie Nayer on

The fine craftsmen at Bottega Veneta have released their new high-end suitcase, and it’s simply divine.

The elegant alligator suitcase with brass hardware is part of Bottega Veneta’s fall 2010 collection and is made of pure alligator skin. The alligator luggage piece also includes a lock and key buckle for added safety, an internal elastic pocket and a garment bag.

Don’t think to hard about this one, though. There will be only one design exclusively available by private order from Bottega Veneta, so if you want one you must order now.

The price: A mere $43,200, but according to the website, the item is available to ship within three days.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.