Steamline Luggage makes junk in the trunk look good

by Libby Zay on

After hours and hours of watching travelers roll by with boring baggage at the airport, I finally spotted a line of suitcases that gives me luggage envy. SteamLine Luggage makes well-tailored, vintage-style cases that are reminiscent of old steamer trunks-except with a modern twist.

These leather-bound bags are at the same time fashionable and funcitonal. Color combos range from pink and crème to teal and tan (and some more modest options, too). As expected, SteamLine designed a range of sizes, including a stylish carry-on bag with discreet trolley wheels that ensures travelers will get to their departing gates with ease.

Purchasing luggage can be quite the commitment. In this case, with a price tag upwards of $280, many would consider it an investment. But not only do these trunks seem like fun pieces to wheel around the airport; they could be displayed at home when you’re not on the road. Any excuse to put off unpacking a little longer!

Video of the Day: Tiny overhead bins

by Mike Barish on

We’ve all seen it: that guy who has crammed a large bag in the overhead bin of the airplane and then can’t seem to understand why the door won’t close. It’s aggravating for everyone witnessing it. Why do so many people lack such basic spacial relations? We were reminded of that frustration when we discovered this commercial for 1Time, a low-cost South African airline. Granted, the ad is a few years old, but it’s message is no less topical today: we either need larger overhead bins or we all need to pay more attention to what we’re trying to cram in there.

Five uses for carabiners (besides climbing)

by Laurel Miller on


I’m a big multi-tasker. I’m also tiny, cheap, and a “lite” traveler. Even when I’m going on the road for a couple of months, I somehow manage to cram it all in my backpack. I use a daypack for carrying my essentials (passport, credit cards, cash, documents, sunblock, sunglasses, water, etc..), but it’s only so big. At 5’2″ I don’t like to haul around something the size of a parasitic twin.

This is why I love carabiners. These oval, pear-, or D-shaped metal clips–of the style used by rock and mountain climbers–are handy and versatile, and come in a variety of sizes, gauges, and prices. I never use professional carabiners, which are more weighty and costly than my intended uses (they also have screw, auto-, or triple-locks, rather than straight gates, which I find more handy for light use). I do, however, purchase heavier, stainless carabiners of the sort found at REI or other outdoor stores.

I seem to find a new use on every trip, and admittedly, I sometimes resemble either a pack mule or a bag lady after a day of exploring, shopping, or hiking. But who cares? It’s better than wrecking my back by using a bigger pack or traveling with shoulder bags that don’t don’t compress well (I do, however, keep a canvas tote rolled into the bottom of my big backpack so I can haul souvenirs home).

So what exactly can you do with ‘biners? Read on.

1. Carry your baseball hat or shoes on your backpack
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done this, both on my daypack and large pack. Sometimes I don’t have enough room to pack my running shoes, Chaco’s, or hiking boots, or maybe I need a spare pair of shoes for a day trip (apologies to former seatmates who have endured the stench of my sweaty shoes during flights). I also wear a baseball hat for sun protection if I’m doing any kind of outdoor recreational activity, but once I’m done with it, snap.

2. Clip on some shopping bags
I travel with a nylon shopping bag in a stuff sack (I recommend ChicoBags) so I can cut down on plastic if my daypack is full. But it’s a pain to carry multiple shopping bags, regardless of material–especially if, like me, you’re easily distracted and tend to leave them behind at every stop. Clip ’em on to your day bag and they’ll make it back to your accommodation. I also carry my travel coffee mug this way (obviously, you want to purchase one with a full handle, which can be tough to find for some reason).

[Photo credit: Flickr user chriscom]3. Air-dry your bathing suit
Knot the straps or, if you’re a guy, use that little waistband tie (many boardshorts also have key rings in their pockets). Um, don’t forget a change of clothes.

4. Key ring
I love travel-size tubes of sunblock that come with carabiners on them. Not only does it provide me with an accessible way to reapply when I’m paddling, hiking, riding, or skiing, but I get a free key ring out of it once I’ve refilled the tube to death. When I’m traveling, I snap my hotel keys (card keys are few and far between on the budget traveler trail) to a carabiner, and attach them to my body or within my daypack. Some people prefer to leave keys at the front desk, but the control freak in me likes to hang on to them.

5. Makeshift/emergency zipper
I discovered this one last week when I acquired a few too many ponchos and woolen hats in Chile. My tote bag was overflowing, so I snapped a large ‘biner onto the handles. It helped contain the alpaca within, and kept my souvenirs from scattering throughout the overhead bin on the plane. The same concept applies if you have a zipper break on a bag. It won’t solve things if it’s an item that requires checking, but at least it will help keep your belongings together until you find a replacement.

Got any cool travel uses for carabiners? We want to hear about them!

Timbuktu’s Messenger Bag for your Camera

by Pam Mandel on

The classic Timbuk2 messenger bag. I’ve got one, it’s in Rasta colors because, dude, I rode a bike everywhere and I live on the West Coast, man. It used to be all I needed to carry around with me (before I went mainstream with actual income and a car and a phone with a data plan) was my driver’s license, a pair of Chuck T’s, and some beer money. (If you think I’m making this up, you didn’t live in Seattle in the 90s. What? I’m old.)

I loved that bag, though I stopped carrying it when I needed to drag around a camera with a big-ass lens and a laptop everywhere I went. The husband kind of took it over and would use it when we went rollerblading down at the beach, tossing in a water bottle and the car keys and, so we could call 911 if I broke an elbow, that same phone with the data plan.The bag. The bag. It’s been redesigned as the Snoop Camera Messenger. that’s where I was going. It works great for all that stuff your modern life makes you carry around and it doesn’t look life you’ve cashed in all your urban cred for a lawnmower. Though I totally have, even if our mower came from Craig’s List. The bag. I was talking about the bag.

To keep your photo gear safe, there’s a padded velcro insert like any classic camera bucket. You can move the dividers around to organize your kit the way you like it. I had no problem stowing the camera with the 28-300 telephoto, the compact video camera, a pocket camera, a removable flash, and the netbook. There was still space for things like my phone, the Moleskine notebook, business cards… you get the drill. And that was all in the smallest size of the Snoop. So, yes, it does hold all your gear. All of it.

There’s a shoulder strap with an adjustable pad, plus, a waist belt to add on if you’re really going to cycle with this thing — that helps keep the bag in place when it’s fully loaded. There’s a clear pocket in the front, maybe for your transit pass or your press pass. There’s a “photoggy” thing I’d not even considered before: silencer tabs on the Velcro that keep the noise down when you’re opening the bag to switch lenses (or whatever).

I had to fuss with the strap and the shoulder pad to get it to fit right but that’s easy enough to do. I really liked the quick release buckle that adjusts the strap length, and once I had everything set, carrying all that gear around got a lot easier. It’s all secure, it doesn’t slop around in the bag, and it doesn’t look like a camera bag at all. Nope, it looks like a messenger bag from my bad-ass days of riding a bike everywhere.

Any downsides? I wanted a handle on the top so I could move the bag around when it’s not on my shoulder. The front pockets seems like they’ll hold a bunch of stuff, but that’s only true if it’s all fairly flat. An interior pocket for your valuables and a D-ring or clip for your keys would be a nice addition. Other than that, no complaints. It’s good looking, holds a lot of electronica securely, and it’s totally messenger chic. I like that.

Get your own from Timbuk2.

Congressman talks Delta baggage-gate, supports soldiers

by Grant Martin on

We’ve been following the unfolding events in a story that Gadling helped break on Tuesday where a group of soldiers returning from Afghanistan were charged $200 each to check their required luggage on Delta Air Lines.

Since then, the airline has taken several conciliatory measures and even changed their baggage policy, documenting all of the transition over on their blog.

Now, Iowa’s representation from the 1st congressional district Bruce Braley has jumped into the fray, issuing the below press release as well as a strongly worded letter (opens in PDF) to Delta’s CEO Richard Anderson:

“I’m deeply disappointed by this news that Delta Airlines charged soldiers returning from war such excessive baggage fees. These brave men and women put their lives on the line for our safety and security, and this is no way to welcome them home. I’m calling on Delta to immediately reimburse these soldiers for the extra baggage fees.

“Even if Delta was operating within its current baggage policy, I believe we all have an obligation to returning service members – not just to thank them for their service, but to also ensure that they’re not faced with any undue burden on their return.

“Since being elected to Congress, I have logged hundreds of thousands of miles on Delta – the only carrier serving my home airport in Waterloo. If Delta doesn’t reimburse these soldiers and reconsider its approach to servicing our troops, I’ll have to reconsider using their service.”

Though we’re certain that the airline is already well on the way to reimbursing the service members, Congressman Braley’s support only underscores the importance of the issue. Perhaps he’ll also help forge a better relationship between the airlines and the military so that issues like this don’t happen in the future.