When Louis Vuitton approached me to introduce their first iPhone App, I fully expected nothing more than an iPhone based storefront for ordering good looking (but expensive) luggage. As it turns out, I was wrong to judge that quickly, because their first app is actually a thing of beauty.
Called Amble – this app is designed to let you follow in the footsteps of “friends of Louis Vuitton”, or journeys created by other Amble users.
The app contains a pretty decent selection of pre-loaded “Ambles” from people like Sarah Jessica-Parker and Sofia Coppola. And don’t expect walking tours around snotty places – Sofia Coppola starts her Amble tour at Shake Shack, followed by a music store and a charming book shop.
If you’d rather create you own Amble, you can use your phone to design your own – with GPS mapping, photos, video and audio. Once created, others can follow in your footsteps and enjoy the same experience you wanted to share.
The app is free of charge, but more comprehensive city guides with Louis Vuitton recommendations have to be purchased, These start at $5.99. You’ll find it in the App Store.
With Amble in hand, you’ll have a much easier time finding somewhere to eat next time you find yourself bored in Sant-Tropez.
On cruise vacations, a new goal on choosing the right luggage is to be able to walk on and off the ship with it by yourself. If you are physically able, this is the way to go.
Called doing it the “self-assist” way, the cruise lines require that you must be able to handle the luggage without assistance on and off the ship. If you can manage it yourself, you’ll save time and completely eliminate the possibility of your luggage being lost, stolen or rummaged through while you are not looking. Plus, you won’t have to wade through the sea of luggage after sailing to find yours among hundreds of others that look just like it.
If you can’t do that, you will need to give it to the porters at the pier to handle for you. (see photo)
Pre-Test:Which way sounds/looks like your luggage and the stuff in it will be better cared for?
Whatever you have, it will need to be small enough to fit through scanning machines on the ship, otherwise pretty much any size or shape will do.
Before you even think about looking for luggage though, we need to get the expectations for what it needs to handle straight. On a standard seven night cruise there will be two formal nights. Outside of that, there is broad acceptance for onboard apparel.
Consider where you’re going and what you’re packing before you shop for new luggage too. This will determine the quantity and size of luggage you’ll need. Not sure? Check travel guides and travel reviews for play by play recommendations before you shop. The big trick to making a budget on this stuff and sticking to it is knowing exactly what it is you want before you start looking for it.
Also consider that you will probably travel someplace else in your lifetime so versatility is a good factor to consider. A quick search of Gadling gear deals is probably a good place to start for the latest and greatest of what is out there right now.
Soft or Hard? Decide whether you want soft or hard-sided luggage. Heavier, hard-sided suitcases offer far better protection for fragile items. Soft luggage is lighter and bends when squished up against or rolled over by an airplane.
Check with your airline- Make sure the bags fits your airline’s approved carry-on size. The cruise line has no limits or restrictions on luggage but less is better here too. Choose a size that’s appropriate for the length of your trip. Keep in mind the possibility of needing to accommodate unexpected items or expand for a longer trip.
Here is a good line we have used on both short and long cruises as well as land vacations from Briggs and Riley.
This morning, Balanzza announced their first piece of luggage. The company is better known for their products to weigh your luggage, but this experience obviously helped them design the first piece of modular luggage in the world.
The TRUCO is a three piece rolling suitcase, which can be separated into a rolling case, briefcase and compact tote. All three pieces connect to each other, and if you happen to find yourself face to face with a limited overhead storage bin, you simply disconnect the front and top bag, and place them under your seat.
The TRUCO is available today directly from Balanzza for $199. More photos of this smart piece of luggage are in the gallery below. We’ll try and bring you a full review of it as soon as we can.
Airports are chaotic and tiring places. Between checking in, dealing with security, finding your gate, overpaying for bad food after waiting on long lines and then trying to board your flight before all of the overhead bins on the plane are taken, air travel is exhausting. Making things even more taxing is your luggage. Sure, rolling luggage releases you from the burden of carrying your belongings, but you still have to pull your bags. That means that at least one of your hands is occupied by something other than your smartphone, a cup of coffee or a cinnamon bun the size of Utah. It just seems to me that, if we have to deal with the horrors of the airport, we should at least be able to entertain ourselves with both of our hands. Here at SkyMall Monday headquarters, we have our dogs do all the heavy lifting. Since they can’t pass through airport security due of their knife collections, we’ve had to find other ways to free our hands for fun airport activities such as reading books, tweeting and pointing at which Sbarro meals we think are most likely to give us explosive diarrhea (Hint: All of them). Thankfully, SkyMall has managed to eliminate the need to use our hands to pull our luggage, thus freeing us to immerse ourselves in activities that help alleviate the stress of being at the airport. They’ve done it with the Helpy Carry-on Harness.Man has relied on everything from donkeys to horses to oxen to pull things, but if you want a job done right, you need to do it yourself. Now, thanks to the Helpy Carry-on Harness, you can simply tow your luggage around as if you were a truck pulling a trailer. You have to walk anyway (sadly, the entire airport isn’t made of people movers), so you might as well let your legs and torso pull your luggage. That leaves your hands free for everything from high fiving the ticket agent for upgrading you to helping up the poor person you clipped with your suitcase because you can’t see what the hell is happening behind you.
Think that the only safe and secure way to pull your rolling luggage is with your hands? Believe that wearing a harness will only lead to embarrassing back sweat? Well, while you deal with repetitive stress injuries in your fingers, why not have your home health aid read you the product description:
The Helpy is a comfortably fitting shoulder harness that allows you to conveniently pull your wheeled luggage behind you, leaving both your hands free to dial a number, check emails, hold your child’s hand, push a stroller and multitask on the go.
Finally, you can push your child’s stroller and check your email all while pulling your luggage and not paying attention to where you’re walking. Airports are fun again!
So, rather than pulling your luggage through the chaos of the airport, why not do a crossword puzzle and drink an extra large coffee while you walk to Gate 148Q with your bag strapped to your back? Take the bull by the horns and be your own pack mule.
Check out all of the previous SkyMall Monday posts HERE.
Daily Pampering is determined to cover the world’s most sumptous spa treatments, tech gadgets, private villas and of course, accessories … but today’s first foray into travel by designer Nancy Gonzalez might just take the 2010 award for “over the top” luxury. Each piece of her new collection, available exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman, is handmade in Columbia and 100% crocodile. Luggage trolleys are constructed with titanium to be both ultra durable and totally lightweight … not that we’re letting the airline even think about asking us to check these precious goods.
Gonzalez’s new line includes in iPad case ($1800), passport holders ($425), a croc n’ pony hair trolley ($6125), an all-croc trolley ($7500) and a croc carry-on trolley ($6500).
So what do you think … will you be gifting the luxury traveler in your life something from this collection for the holidays?
Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.