Our new vendor IVAR reinvents the backpack!
By Julia | August 27, 2010
One of our newest vendors is called “Ivar.” They make the most comfortable and ergonomically correct backpacks on the market. Typical backpacks are terrible for your back. All of the weight in the pack sits on your lower back and the contents settle at the bottom of the bag. This is not only uncomfortable, but it’s also unhealthy.
|
|
|
The solution: Ivar’s awesome patented shelf design! It substantially improves weight distribution of your stuff, making it more comfortable and better for your spine. Designed by the best product developers in the business and manufactured under the strictest quality standards, Ivar’s patented shelf system provides:
- Ideal weight distribution of your cargo
- Maximum file-like organization and easier access
- Superior load stability and ergonomics
- Padded laptop compartment or an additional shelf
Ivar truly is “The Backpack, Reinvented”.
bookbag. ivar, the backpack reinvented. from Ian Ivarson on Vimeo.
Topics: Luggage, Bags, and Travel Accessories | No Comments »
Vacation Thoughts: Staying Close to Home
By Randy | August 19, 2010
We are a company that sells luggage. We are all about encouraging people to pack up and take that extended vacation to a far away land, and we get a great deal of satisfaction out of helping people find the exact luggage they need for their big trip. For the sake of luggage sales, long distance vacations are great. The alternative to the long distance vacation, however, is, you guessed it, a short distance vacation. I have just returned from one such vacation.
Here in Minnesota (not actually pronounced Minnisooooda), a very popular vacation is a trip to one of our estimated 15,000 lakes, and yes, they really should change the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” slogan to be more accurate. What can I say, it was a conservative guess at the time, but it’s catchy. Anyway, a weekend trip, or in my case, a week long vacation to such a destination is commonly and affectionately referred to as a trip “Up North.” My trip up north was to a lodge with my extended family; parents, sisters, brother-in-laws, nieces, and nephews. We were all in one big cabin. There were about twenty of us. I never got a final count. It’s a vacation that we do every other year, because frankly, that’s how long it takes us to recover after one is finished. While I was there, I was taking some mental notes about this vacation, and as luck would have it, I now have an outlet for those thoughts.
Not having to deal with the hassles of an airport is nice. Sure, in the time it took us to drive to our destination, we could have flown to, say, Dallas. But, there were no worries of lost luggage, and it showed up in the same condition as when we left. There were no delays in our departure, due to weather or mechanical problems, and the only stop along the way was a restroom break for a nine year old who I told not to drink so much orange juice before we left. Plus, we didn’t have to worry about keeping all the liquids in our Eagle Creek Travel Accessories Pack-It Travel Bottle Set. My wife was able to bring her 96 oz bottle of whatever hair care product it is she uses, and even put it in our suitcase! I had to take fewer clothes because of it, but I’m not bitter.
When you spend a week with your grown up siblings, you learn things you don’t want to know. I’m going to leave it at that.
It was insanely hot and humid most of the week. That meant that the two real options were being in the water or being in the air conditioned cabin. For the most part, the kids chose the water, and the adults chose the cabin, with the exception of the adult who drew the short straw and had to watch the kids in the water. We are a card playing family, and being stuck in the cabin, we played a whole lot of cards. What I learned from this is that luck runs in streaks, and what goes around, comes around. A dominating performance by my brother-in-law and me early in the week, followed by relentless trash talking and taunting, led to a humbling end of the week. There is such a thing as too much card playing.
My Mom loves the Briggs & Riley Baseline 24” Expandable Upright that I got her for Christmas last year, and used it on this trip. Remember, we do sell luggage here. Seriously, she loves it. There is no doubt that I won the “Christmas gift for Mom” competition, and am officially the good son (not that there was ever any doubt). In fact, this gift of luggage for my Mom prompted my older sister, who takes her kids on an annual trip to Disney World, to browse our site and pick out the Heys USA Velocity 3 Pc. Set. Her logic is that her younger brother, who works at a company that sells luggage (in case you didn’t know), could get her this set at a discounted cost. The fatal flaw in that logic is that her younger brother tends to hold a grudge. It’s a character flaw that I’ve learned to accept. I remember all those times growing up when she could have been nicer to me or just plain nice to me. The bottom line: If YOU want to buy that set of luggage, you will be paying less than my sister.
I should have exercised more before going on vacation.
I should have exercised some before going on vacation.
There are moments on vacations that you wish could last forever. That moment for me was sitting on the dock with my six year old son one evening, fishing. The humidity was down, the temperature was nice, the sun was setting, and the lake was like glass. Watching the intensity on his face as he watched his bobber, his eyes light up when the fish nibbled and the ripples surrounded his bobber, and then finally the excitement when that bobber went under water and he reeled in a 3” perch. He was so proud. I was even more proud.
A 3” perch, which is in the same family as the walleye, is not a good souvenir, and will not stay alive in a 5”x 5” plastic bag filled with water, in a suitcase, during a three hour drive home. My son found this out without his parents knowing. He also found out that perch have a needle like dorsal fin, which can puncture a plastic bag.
Back to reality.
Topics: Luggage, Bags, and Travel Accessories | No Comments »
American Flyer’s new Quattro luggage features revolutionary handle system!
By Julia | August 13, 2010
American Flyer, a 20 year veteran in the luggage industry, has a brand new line of luggage called “Quattro.” It features patented, telescoping handle technology that is revolutionary! All of the products in this line include a telescoping handle system that tilts 45 degrees, providing smooth and balanced rolling for their 4 wheeled luggage. You can push or pull the bag easily and make turns freely. And, don’t worry, the handle system still locks at different heights, as well as in the tilted position.
Watch the youtube video, featuring the new technology. It makes travel easier and less-stressful than ever before! See all the American Flyer Quattro products available on our website.
Topics: Luggage, Bags, and Travel Accessories | No Comments »
GreenSmart’s new bags are made from recycled plastic bottles!
By Julia | August 2, 2010
GreenSmart has a new line of backpacks and messenger bags that I love! A year ago, I bought one of their neogreene laptop sleeves for my Macbook. It doesn’t smell at all, it’s made from toxic-free ingredients and it uses 25% less energy to manufacture and 25% less petroleum to produce than neoprene. Plus, it’s lightweight, durable, and waterproof. So, I am already in love with their products, but now that I’ve heard about their new line of recycled bags, I love this company even more!
The Bottles 2 Bags line is made from 100% post consumer recycled PET plastic bottles. Every year in the US, 230 bottles per person go to a landfill, which is enough to fill the Rose Bowl stadium every 2 weeks! So when you purchase one of these products, you’re helping to create sustainability on our planet and keep these bottles out of landfills (because they never decompose).
Curious as to how this transition from plastic bottle to trendy messenger bag happens? Me, too! According to GreenSmart’s website, here’s the process:
1. Sorting: workers separate PET bottles from non-PET bottles. They also take out bottles with visible impurities.
2. Baling: the sorted bottles are compacted into bales, because this is an efficient way to transport them to another processing plant. One bale is over 6,000 bottles!
3. Grinding: the bales are ground into PET flakes. Only flakes that are pure (no bottle screw tops or foreign plastics) are used for fabric.
4. Washing: the flakes are then washed. And through a process of de-polymerizing and re-polymerizing, the flakes are separated from chemical impurities and converted to PET chips. This the the material that results in fibers that can be woven into yarn.
5. Yarn Twisting: the fibers get fed into a yarn twisting machine that creates varying sizes of thread. The yarn is spooled so it can be later used for weaving.
6. Weaving: the yarn is woven into fabric using looms. Different characteristics in fabric can be created at this stage in the process: heavier, lighter, finer, more dense, softer, etc.
The finished product is a durable, sustainable messenger or backpack that looks great! Each bag even displays a badge that tells you how many recycled plastic bottles were used to create it.
Topics: Luggage, Bags, and Travel Accessories | No Comments »
Be Sure to Pack Your Ironing Board…
By Julia | June 23, 2010
People travel to destinations for many various reasons. The outdoor enthusiast may choose hiking canoeing, geocaching and maybe even some of more extreme sports like base jumping or hang gliding. Well, the latest activity for the outdoor enthusiast/adventure seeker is Extreme Ironing!
Touted as an extreme sport and a performing art, people simply take their ironing board to an extreme and/or remote location and iron. Although many of us are just hearing of this craze in the last couple of years, it’s been around for a while. It was invented in 1997 in England by a man who decided to iron in his garden after a hard day at work. In 1999, he took an international trip around the world to promote the sport. Now, through more media attention and a growing number of enthusiasts, the sport has it’s own international extreme ironing contest (in which the quality of ironing affects 50% of your score!). Extreme Ironing teams even have their own sponsors like Rowenta, the German iron maker, who sponsored a trip in 2004 to have the inventor of the sport tour the US.
Have any of you tried this tongue-and-cheek extreme sport? If not, does it inspire you to plan your next vacation a little differently?
Topics: Luggage, Bags, and Travel Accessories, Other | 1 Comment »
Kalencom Sales Help Oil Spill Relief.
By Julia | June 2, 2010
The company Kalencom has been based out of New Orleans for 35 years. As such, they have experienced their share of devastation from natural disasters. They lost an entire warehouse during Hurricane Katrina. Monica Kalozdi, Kalencom owner, states, “We made the decision to return and rebuild our business in New Orleans because our ties to the city and state are extremely strong.”
So when the company heard about the oil spill and the desolating affects it is having on Louisiana’s wetlands and animal life, Kalencom (and its division Hadaki) decided to take action. During the entire month of June, 10% of all sales will be donated to the Audubon Nature Institute. “It breaks our heart to see so much of our natural resources and animal life in jeopardy as a result of the oil spill, and we hope our June program will have an impact on saving the wildlife,” says Kalozdi.
Donations from Kalencom/Hadaki sales will go to support the Louisiana Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Rescue Program. This time of year, sea turtles migrate to Mexican beaches for the nesting season, so will be the most affected by the spill.
Kalencom, known for it’s functional diaper bags, and Hadaki, known for their wide variety of accessories, have recently changed how they manufacture their goods. Now more environmentally friendly, the products are free of phthalates and other harmful chemicals.
Purchase Hadaki
Purchase Kalencom
Topics: Luggage, Bags, and Travel Accessories | No Comments »
Top Performers in Good Houskeeping’s Carry-On Testing
By Randy | May 19, 2010
For over 100 years the fine people at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute (GHRI) have labored to help consumers by testing and recommending products ranging from food, to electronics, to pet products, and everything in between. The reputation they have gained has made the Good Housekeeping name one of the most trusted and recognized in the world. A recent test conducted by the GHRI was of particular interest to us at Luggage Pros. The test was done on 24 of the newest carry-on luggage bags, and the results were very interesting. The testing was based on roominess, size, weight, durability, water repellency, and a series of evaluations of performance and comfort. A complete, detailed description of the testing process can be found here. The following are five of the top performers in the GHRI testing of carry-on luggage:
Briggs & Riley Transcend 20″ Carry-On Upright
Always one of the leaders in quality, Briggs created this little beauty, which is perfect for a weekend getaway. GHRI testing showed its toughness and ease of handling.
Samsonite DkX 21″ Expandable Spinner
A long trusted name in the luggage industry, Samsonite made an impression with the mobility and stability of this model.
High Sierra ATGO Carry-On Wheeled Backpack with Removable Day Pack
The two-for-one versatility of this piece was a winner for High Sierra. It ranked high in comfort and durability.
Delsey Helium Zip Carry-on Suiter Trolley
This hardside bag by Delsey was the top performer of the hardside bags tested. The ease of access and impressive toughness resulted in high praise for this lightweight gem, not to mention the very consumer friendly price point.
Kipling Madison 22″ Wheeled Duffel
Roominess made this Kipling duffel a hit, as well as the high durability factor.
Buying a new carry-on bag can be a big decision, but with the help of Good Housekeeping, making a choice can be a little less difficult!
Topics: Luggage, Bags, and Travel Accessories | No Comments »
Susan G. Komen Luggage For the Cure
By Tania | May 12, 2010
Luggage Pros now introduces Susan G. Komen Luggage Sets. This travel collection collaborates with Susan G. Komen for the Cure and engages travelers worldwide in the fight against breast cancer. Each design incorporates the signature ribbon logo and is available in solid black or pink prints. Susan G. Komen For the Cure was founded in 1982 by Nancy G. Brinker in honor of her sister Susan G. Komen. Fifteen percent of the sale of every luggage set sold is donated to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure fund. Race for the cure while racing through the airport!
Topics: Business Travel, Domestic Travel, Luggage, Bags, and Travel Accessories | No Comments »
The “Skinny Luggage” has arrived with Antler’s “New Size Zero”!
By Tera | April 28, 2010
In March of 2009, an English luggage company, Antler, came to the United States to take on the world’s largest consumer market. This 90 year old company has dominated the European luggage industry for a number of years, creating a vast following of loyal Antler Luggage customers! In just one year, Antler held strong in the very competitive U.S. luggage market, making a name for itself, all the while learning a thing or two about what the American consumer wants and adjusting their products to define those needs. I recently sat down with Andrew Hamilton, Vice President of Antler USA, to discuss Antler’s history, the lessons they learned along the way, and what makes Antler the “perfect” luggage choice.
(TeraSchoeneck) Who is Antler?
(AndrewHamilton) Antler is a 90 year old luggage company based near Manchester, England. We are the #1 Brand in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, and #3 in Europe overall. For the last 50 years we have specialized in creating hard wearing, light weight luggage, and that is a tradition and legacy we have brought to the USA.
(TS) When did you enter the U.S. Market?
(AH) We launched in March of 2009, so we have just celebrated our first birthday here.
(TS) What did you learn from the market and what changes were made?
(AH) There is always lots to learn, but when you come to the biggest consumer market in the world you had better be ready to learn very quickly. I guess the thing that stood out was how heavy the majority of US luggage was in comparison to the UK market; the average carry- on bag here is around 10Lb in weight, but in the UK it will average 7Lb. The second thing that really stood out was the growing popularity of 4 wheeled cases here; so we introduced three new lines of 4 wheel cases in the last 6 months.
(TS) Why choose Antler?
(AH) Antler compares to Samsonite or Delsey, who are our biggest competitors. Normally, you will find Antler to be at similar price to one of our competitors but the design and the weight will be different. Antler Cases will be lighter than our competitors.
(TS) Review a product:
(AH)
Product: New Size Zero 30” Super Light Weight Upright
Weight: 7.3Lbs
Dimensions: 30 x 18 x 13
Material used: Polyester outer material. Aircraft grade rounded handle set for lightness and strength. Carbon fiber rods for lightness and strength. Polypropolene frame. All the impact points on the case have extra protection. The in-line wheels are used for quiet rolling and are inset into the body of the case to protect them against impact. The wheels are slightly offset so the case can carry extra weight.
(TS) What do you love about this bag?
(AH) You can pick it up with your little finger! It’s a huge bag, but it weighs so little. This means that you can carry more in it than you can in a traditional bag of this size. As the bag only weighs 7.3Lb that means you can carry 42.7Lbs of your belongings without going over the airline limit of 50Lbs
(TS) Who is the Typical User?
(AH) Anyone who travels a lot. It can be a leisure or business bag. There is also a carry-on in the line which weighs in at 5.3Lb that I would recommend to any business traveler who wants to carry something that is hard wearing but extremely light.
In the perpetual quest to find the “perfect” piece of luggage, you will come across thousands of pieces that will not meet your needs and only a hand full that will. Many of you will spend hours upon hours hovered over your computer researching, reducing options, researching further, reducing a few more, and comparing prices. I encourage and invite you to look to Antler for your next “perfect” piece of luggage—the perfect blend of design, durability, and light weight.
Topics: Luggage, Bags, and Travel Accessories | No Comments »
Travel Accessories for a Trip to the Ballpark
By Randy | April 20, 2010
“The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It’s been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game, is a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good, and that could be again. Oh people will come, Ray. People will most definitely come.”
It is one of my favorite movie monologues, and if you recognize it, the chances are pretty good you’re a baseball fan, and are enjoying the beginning of a new season of America’s favorite pastime. The quote, of course, is from James Earl Jones’ character Terrance Mann, in the 1989 classic Field of Dreams. The message, though from a fictional movie, could not be truer. Over 70 million fans flocked to major league games last season, and the popularity of the sport is among its highest ever. Another famous line from that movie is “If you build it, he will come,” and in Minnesota, where we are located, they built it. Brand new Target Field opened for our home town Twins, and fans welcomed back outdoor baseball for the first time in 30 years. I have been to a few games since the season opened, and have found some items that we carry here at Luggage Pros to be very convenient accessories when heading to the ballpark.
Most teams allow fans to bring in a smaller bag (subject to search), and this day pack works perfectly. It’s small and extremely light weight, which is a must when maneuvering through crowds. I use it to bring some snacks for the kids, a light coat, sun screen, and even my kids’ baseball gloves . . . ok fine, my baseball glove.
Kiva Convertibles Convertible Poncho
So, I’m sitting at the game, and then something happened that I had not previously experienced while at a major league game; water started to fall from the sky. Confused people rushed for the concourse to avoid getting wet. Not me. I had done some research and learned that this does sometimes happen in open air stadiums. I pulled out this handy Kiva Poncho. How great is this thing? It folds down into its own self-carrying pouch. I felt like James Bond. In hindsight, I probably should have brought one each for my wife and kids. It’s a mistake I won’t be allowed to make again.
Victorinox Lifestyle Accessories 3.0 Automatic Umbrella
If you’re not a poncho person, this will work as well. The carrying case provides convenient storage, and it is very easy to use. Just be sure not to block the view of the people behind you when the game is being played!
Lewis N. Clark Antibacterial Towelettes
It is a known fact that my six year old son can wave down a cotton candy vendor a half a stadium away. When that happens, and he is allowed to get some, anyone within a three seat square area is in danger of ending up with cotton candy on them. I bring these as a courtesy, to pass out while I apologize, and also to pry his hands off whatever they happen to be stuck to when he’s finished.
Lewis N. Clark Eye Mask and Ear Plugs
Sometimes, the Twins play other teams from the American League Central Division. If you are a fan of one of those teams, and they’re playing the Twins, you will probably need these. Bah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha (evil laugh). Sorry, I couldn’t resist. It’s my nature.
Have a wonderful summer at the ballpark!
Topics: Luggage, Bags, and Travel Accessories, Other, Trip Planning | No Comments »
« Previous Entries