Ever had that itch where you know the ideal solution is out there somewhere but you can’t quite find it? I had this recently, and then, almost by chance, found it was beside me all the time.
I travelled a lot this year and tried hard to find my ideal rig. I like backpacks for the freedom they give when walking through the airport. I have an overnight backpack that is a real favourite, but that can’t do the extended trips. I read articles and reviews and bought a highly recommended 35l Osprey backpack. It worked very well for a three-day run, but there was something just not quite right. It’s a big bag to manoeuvre if all you need is a charger on the bus.
Another trip followed quickly, and I explored the wheelie/laptop bag combination. I looked at a few without getting inspired, and so with time pressing I went back to some old friends – an Antler wheelie bag has been a solid servant for nearly 20 years and is pretty much bullet-proof. I also use a Muji clamshell bag when heading into the city. In combination they sit together really well and with some unexpected little features.
The wheelie bag is 49 x 35 x 22 which sets it nicely inside the TSA limits and is also a fair bit smaller than many other “approved” bags. I was only slightly smug on a recent pass through Boston Logan on a packed domestic flight where bags were being pulled for gate-stowage. They waved me through.
The clamshell has an outside pocket to stash a magazine or other small stuff without unpacking the whole thing and the metal handles are just wider than the handle struts on the wheelie.
This means that one handle can slot through and “clip-in” the two bags so they are pretty solid as I walk the corridors. This is a really neat accidental feature that is so useful. I can detach the bag to have by my feet whilst the wheelie is in the locker. It takes up minimal room yet holds my iPad, notebook, meds, chargers etc, all close at hand. That means minimum fuss which is a travel stance I like a lot.
It’s simple things like that which appeal to me – and when stuff just works, I keep going back to it.