The Perfect Rolling Carry-On Bag for the Professional Woman on the Go!

http://www.travelsmith.com/travelsmith-360-degree-spinner-ultra-organized-rolling-carry-on/luggage-bags/carryon-luggage/22411?defattrib=&defattribvalue=&listIndex=5

The Perfect Rolling Carry-On Bag for the Professional Woman on the Go!

For several decades it was impossible for me to travel anywhere without enough luggage to clothe a small village – even for an overnight stay. Fortunately, those days were long before the onerous, even criminally excessive fees the airlines charge in today’s world.

But, I’ve adjusted my travel profile and now seek minimalism in packing. Okay, part of the reason involves my inability to tote as many pounds as I was able to do in my youth. But, that is not my primary concern. I’ve grown to appreciate simplicity and ease. Modern fabrics that don’t wrinkle, fold into a tiny package, and still look professional have made travel easier. Learning to adjust to fewer cosmetics and personal care products as a result of airline carry-on restrictions have also contributed to my simpler travel profile. But when traveling for business I also need to take my laptop. I don’t want to carry a laptop case, a bag for my clothes and accouterments, and a handbag. That defeats any attempt to avoid checking luggage.

I’ve tried numerous travel bags that are marketed as the ultimate carry-on, guaranteed to hold everything one needs and still fit under the seat in front of you or in the overhead compartment of an airplane. Most fall short. Many are bulky, unwieldy, do not fit in the overhead compartment or are too heavy to lift, or do not have the space for a laptop & personal electronics.

However, while flipping through a TravelSmith catalog last fall, my eyes were drawn to the TravelSmith 360 Degree Spinner Ultra-Organized Rolling Carry-On that comes with a free matching fold-up tote.  I read the description, which included the fact the bag was a mere 7 pounds. And even better – the set is amazingly attractive, reasonably priced and comes in several lovely colors including red, blue, & chocolate brown quilted nylon; or black patent quilted PVC.  The dimensions: 15" H x 15" W x 8" D including wheels; Overall Carry-on Dimension: 41".  The free tote expands to 14" Height x 22" Width x 5" deep.

I packed this carry-on and tote for a 3 night trip this week and was able to pack 2 dresses, a pair of black pants, a long skirt, pajamas, 2 tops, lingerie, a shrug, a cardigan, an extra pair of flats, a pair of sandals, travel size shampoo, conditioner, personal care items, a brush, my laptop, IPad, Kindle, portfolio, chargers, wallet, 2 cell phones, a mini flashlight, and on the return trip a half full bottle of Cote de Rhone.  I took Amtrak. It was easy to navigate through Union Station in Washington, D.C. and Penn Station in Newark, NJ. I was able to lift the bag into the overhead compartment with ease. The tote has a strap to affix it to the pull-up handle on the carry-on. It stands up by itself without tilting.  I even bought a pair of jeans en route and that didn’t over-burden the bag.  Highly recommended at $149.00 including shipping.