Seven Great New Travel Items for Road Warriors
As a dedicated road warrior clocking in 100,000+ air miles a year, the right luggage and accessories makes the difference between a successful trip and packing purgatory. As a result, I am constantly in search of new and improved items to make my life on the road as seamless and pain free as possible. Here are a few of my new favorites:
1. Travelpro Crew 11, 21” Expanding Spinner Suiter
This ultra durable, light, expanding spinner is my new go-to carry on luggage. No small wonder Travelpro is the luggage of choice for airline employees. It’s got the strength and stability of hard-side luggage and can be stuffed like only soft-sided luggage can. The PowerScope extension handle has multiple stops making it comfortable even for those of us who are vertically challenged. There is a convenient, external dedicated power bank pocket and integrated USB port. Two interior mesh pockets and one plastic zippered pockets keep items organized. And a deluxe suit carrier assures your clothes arrive wrinkle-free. A deep exterior zippered pocket provides plenty of room for a computer and/or book, and a smaller exterior pocket is perfect for a travel umbrella. MSRP $229.99. Available at several retailers including Macys, and on Amazon.
2. Jump Paris’ Nice Triple Compartment Boarding Bag
A truly intelligently designed boarding bag made of twill nylon and leather trim, the Nice has three large, separate compartments with an additional zippered compartment in the center section, with an internal phone and passport pocket. Two stationary handles complement the detachable shoulder strap. The Nice has a wide exterior slide pocket sure to fit over any carry on luggage’s telescopic handle. This bag is so spacious it’s a great companion piece for a traveler’s main carry on luggage. MSRP$140.
3. Lodis Fabia Tote Bag and Wanda Cross Body Bag
Lodis’ nylon sport RFID Fabia laptop tote with Italian leather trim has a spacious interior and padded laptop compartment with an additional file section. Its deep red interior makes finding things a snap. The exterior has a slide pocket on one side and most important, the other side has a zippered pocket that when opened slides over the telescopic handle of your carry-on luggage.
Lodis’ nylon sport RFID Wanda pouch cross body bag likewise has the same rich red interior. Its sleek design lies flat, but still has plenty of room for your passport, smart phone, wallet, battery back up, sunglasses, and a few cosmetics. MSRP for the Fabia is $224.00 and $188.00 for the Wanda.
4. Samsonite East-West Trolley Leash Tote Bag
This elegant tote bag is made from fine Saffiano leather. Its coolest feature is its removable, padded tech sleeve that fits up to a 14-inch laptop permitting this streamlined tote to go from a busy work day to evening play time with ease. The leather straps have three-point adjustability, so it fits travelers of all heights. And to assure its easy portability at the airport, it has a detachable luggage leash that can slip over the handle of your carry on luggage. MSRP $229.
5. Tucano Tugo Medium Backpack
This may be the ultimate travel backpack. With a super durable, water repellant finish and wide, comfortable backpack straps, the Tugo has it all. Two front zippered sections with additional interior pockets and a rear padded compartment for up to a 15.6-inch laptop that makes removal quick and easy for TSA. It also has sturdy top and side handles and the zippered pulls on the roomy main compartment can be locked. Best of all, there is a built-in rear sleeve to attach it to your carry on luggage as well as a security pocket. MSRP $79.99.
6. Nuu-Muu’s Perfect Travel Dress
I have written about Nuu-Muu’s product line before, but this is such a great travel dress, it had to be revisited. These are very flattering A-line dresses that come in a wide variety of colors and prints that can be rolled into a ball and packed in the corner of one’s carry on luggage. At your destination they arrive wrinkle-free making travelers ready for anything. They can be paired with leggings and loafers, styled with sandals to the beach or coupled with high heels for a night out. There is a hidden pocket with a fabric closure in the back. And it’s easily hand washable, dries quickly and is made in the U.S. MSRP $88.
7. Go-Travel’s Worldwide USB Charger
If all of your electronics use USBs, there is now no need to carry the traditional, bulky adaptor. This convenient worldwide USB charger allows you to charge up to four USB devices at once, so that you don’t need to carry multiple units. It provides fast charging in more than 100 countries, has a 4.8A auto-regulating power output when dual charging, powerful enough quickly charge smartphones, tablets and other power-hungry devices. It comes with interchangeable US, UK, EU and Australasian plugs so your devices will be ready when you are. MSRP $24.99.
Happy travels!
Julie L. Kessler is an attorney, legal columnist and travel writer based in Los Angeles who writes for several publications and is the author of the award-winning book: Fifty-Fifty, The Clarity of Hindsight. She can be reached at Julie@VagabondLawyer.com.
