Travel Products - Lat56 Suit Packing - A rip-off?

Given the links provided in this forum I checked out the Lat56 product again. It is touted as a suit packing SYSTEM.

To me it seems more like a system to rid people of their money in a really outrageous way. I mean this is equivalent to a $200 coffee cup made of carbon fibre. Total waste of money.

My arguments?

1. Just like the carbon fiber coffee cup it may well work. But so does an ordinary suit bag and hanger that comes with the suit when you buy it.

2. When you know how to pack a suit correctly, which will take about ten minutes to learn (or five if you are smart), and which you can learn right here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-products/1024268-packing-tips-masterthread-includes-how-pack-suit.html , you will not need any product at all.

3. Not needing any product at all is better because it saves time, money, space and weight. And it has less impact on the environment because no energy is wasted to make a product that's useless or at least totally unnecessary. Besides, not needing any product at all means you won't have to deal with the California Proposition 65 warning against containing chemicals that may cause cancer. See here: http://us.lat56.com/products/suit-packing-system/


I mean look at it! How naive does one have to be to buy into that stuff? It's an ordinary suit bag with a bulky hanger and a piece of card board or plastic in the bottom. WOW! They charge the ridiculous amount of $135 for it. Shockingly, there are either so many dim people who buy this product that they are temporarily out of stock or they have really lousy logistics. ;)

For $90 more they give you a foam-molded EVA hard case to put that suit bag in. Together the packing solution weighs 3.7lbs packs maximum two suits and is thus half the size and weight of a regular carry-on, plus it needs to be carried separately. Highly inefficient, if you ask me. Mind you, these are the reduced sale prices. ROTFLMAO! :p

I guess the only real selling point is that it looks like a high-tech military equipment or gun case, so it appeals to the "tactical" side in would-be mercenaries. :D

Frankly, with security being what it is today, I'd rather not travel with something looking like a gun case hanging over my shoulder.

Well, I found something good. ;) The zippers are the water-resistant kind. Yet since this piece is meant as a carry-on it will not sit in a torrential downpour on the tarmac for hours. Ordinary zippers are good enough at keeping rain out of your luggage while you walk to your hotel.

And if anyone now comes to tell me not to diss it before I haven't tried it, I say I don't need to crash a car into a tree to know that it's a bad idea.

Besides, I usually recommend against suit carriers and garment bags on grounds of them being inefficient packing devices. But this one is particularly egregious and made worse by its price, IMHO. And yes, I have tried several other products of this type.

Till

^ As always, a fair and concise summary.

^ As always, a fair and concise summary.

I couldn't help myself. That thing was just off the hook. ;)

I mean they must be taking their customers for pretty 'easily parting with their money'.

Till

The obvious shilling of this product that took place in this forum on several occasions was enough for me.

Not like I would have bought this thing anyhow. It's the answer to a question no one ever asked.

Packing for business does not always involve buying yet another piece of kit. In fact, it usually doesn't involve purchasing anything.

Thank you Till, I've been away for awhile, as well as OBOW - and was to be blunt, shocked to see the fairly positive review of this 'system'. As always, you are on target :)

Thank you Till, I've been away for awhile, as well as OBOW - and was to be blunt, shocked to see the fairly positive review of this 'system'. As always, you are on target :)

Hi cpeck, I take it this is the One Bag One World review you mention? -
http://www.1bag1world.com/blog/2012/4/30/gear-review-lat56-red-eye.html

Hmm, I don't believe anyone in this thread actually owns one of these bags or has tried it? The OBOW expert who reviewed the bag obviously has used it first hand and I'm quite impressed. Unless I'm mistaken, none of you have given it a chance, or indeed seen one or used it.

Hi cpeck, I take it this is the One Bag One World review you mention? -
http://www.1bag1world.com/blog/2012/4/30/gear-review-lat56-red-eye.html

Hmm, I don't believe anyone in this thread actually owns one of these bags or has tried it? The OBOW expert who reviewed the bag obviously has used it first hand and I'm quite impressed. Unless I'm mistaken, none of you have given it a chance, or indeed seen one or used it.

What is there to see or try? It's a hanger with a bag, that fits inside a case?!?!?

What is there to see or try? It's a hanger with a bag, that fits inside a case?!?!?

Going with your thinking - let's take a Tumi roll on. You would say - "What is there to see or try? It's a box on wheels with a pop up handle"

Let's not get too obsessive or fanatic because you only like one type of bag guys.

Mrhills

I agree totally. Whenever anyone speaks positively of it it's always a brand new member. Puts me off.

Interestingly I went to the UK selfridges store to check it out, as I'm in the market and wanted to see it in the flesh. Apparently they have de listed it.

I suppose the solution to this dilema would be to buy it from someplace with free returns.

The question is, which return policy does lat56 offer:

http://us.lat56.com/lifetime-guarantee/

No hassles. Period.

To make that obvious, we offer you free ground shipping. And if you don't like our products, you can return them to us free (contact our Customer Service Group and we'll quickly organize that for you).


or
http://us.lat56.com/legal/returns/default.asp

You are responsible for the cost of returning products, unless we delivered the items to you in error or they are faulty.

The main thing we can take away from the OBOW review is that the same result can be achieved with other means and that it is rather expensive given that the other means are basically free. In addition, we can take away that it is otherwise not a very versatile or practical bag.

The comments of OBOW users show the same common sense that prevails on Flyertalk.

Till

Where do you put your dress shirts?

Of course, this same reasoning works for most luggage... I am amazed that people pay what they do for Tumi when you can get much cheaper bags that pretty much do the same thing.... :)

The main thing we can take away from the OBOW review is that the same result can be achieved with other means and that it is rather expensive given that the other means are basically free. In addition, we can take away that it is otherwise not a very versatile or practical bag.

The comments of OBOW users show the same common sense that prevails on Flyertalk.

Till

Of course, this same reasoning works for most luggage... I am amazed that people pay what they do for Tumi when you can get much cheaper bags that pretty much do the same thing.... :)

Bingo! I bought a Tumi "personal item" during the Nordstrom/BA eStore 36 Avios per dollar promotion three months ago. I'd wanted to check out the luggage so I figured it was a good time and reason to buy. Found myself sorely disappointed--even more so about a month later when I ordered a RedOxx Extra Small Aviator. With much lowered expectations, I was pleasantly surprised and realized that this bag, with almost the same dimensions as the Tumi, met my needs at 1/7 the price.

Not to derail the thread but I only partially agree. Good quality has its price. Details have their price. Any Tumi bag is much more detailed and complicated in fabrication than any Redoxx or TB bag. In comparison these bags are too expensive. If you really want a very priceworthy bag you will get an A. Saks 21" Exp. It's around $50 and it's great. Besides, whoever pays full retail for a bag ... :p

But the Lat56 that is the subject of this thread, as to not to derail it any further, is a serious joke in and of itself. And when we consider its price it's an exceptionally bad joke. :(

BTW, I just got myself a very promising Mandarina Duck Gecko convertible bag at the store in Paris. $130 (half price because it's discontinued). Looks great and has some very good details. Review when I get the time. :)

Till

Not to derail the thread but I only partially agree. Good quality has its price. Details have their price. Any Tumi bag is much more detailed and complicated in fabrication than any Redoxx or TB bag. In comparison these bags are too expensive. If you really want a very priceworthy bag you will get an A. Saks 21" Exp. It's around $50 and it's great. Besides, whoever pays full retail for a bag ... :p

But the Lat56 that is the subject of this thread, as to not to derail it any further, is a serious joke in and of itself. And when we consider its price it's an exceptionally bad joke. :(

BTW, I just got myself a very promising Mandarina Duck Gecko convertible bag at the store in Paris. $130 (half price because it's discontinued). Looks great and has some very good details. Review when I get the time. :)

Till

Can't the Lat56 people turn your argument around on you? Perhaps their suit packing system is simply quality that many of us cannot see, just as I cannot see the vast difference that you see between the Tumi and the RedOxx that would justify paying seven times the price. And, by the way, I agree with you on the original premise of this thread, but in the end, value is in the eye of the beholder.

I have the A. Saks 16" expandable, and I wouldn't put it in the same league as the RedOxx Extra Small, which is roughly the same size. And I got the two of them for almost the same price. With the A. Saks, I'd put nothing more valuable than clothing in it; with the RedOxx, I'd have no problems believing the construction is strong enough to hold heavier equipment, including a laptop, without breaking. And if I were looking for something bigger and had the choice between the A. Saks 21" expandable and the Aviator Small, again two bags of comparable size, based on my experience with the two smaller bags, I'd again go for the RedOxx.

But, that's the great thing about style and taste, it varies from person to person. Even with an opportunity to use both the Tumi and the RedOxx, I'm happier with my RedOxx purchase. Many others might disagree. And some will, to my mind inexplicably, find the Lat56 suit packing system worth every penny they pay.

As long as I'm not writing the check to buy it, I don't really care.

There quite a few posts on the Lat56 bags, many of which include hating on the company, without ever trying anything out. This particular post really was the one thing between me and the Red-eye.

Eventually, with the 50% off, I've decided to take the plunge, and I want to share the experience. As a quick disclaimer, I'm not affiliated with the company in any way, nor have I ever communicated with anyone there.

Just came back from a week long YYZ-DME-PEK, with a day and a half in DME and the rest in PEK.

I carried a suit, 3 dress shirts (2 French cuff, one regular), a tshirt, swimming trunks, 7 pairs of socks and underwear (packed in an Eagle Creek two sided cube), an empty Eagle Creek half cube for dirty underwear, 2 ties, shaving kit (separate razor and trimmer), all necessary toiletries, all necessary cables, an iPad, belt, cuff links, etc.

One shirt came out wrinkled. The iPad was not really comfortably in, so I bought a small shoulder bag in PEK for my iPad and documents.

Otherwise, since I started practicing the zen of carry on only, 2 years ago, this bag is amazing. It beats my Tumi and Samsonite experiences by a far and wide margin.

I'm typing this from the KLM lounge in AMS, enroute to NBO, as the stay home was only 2 days this time. The only change I made is to take 2 shirts instead of 3, as I have only 2 days of meetings.

Bottom line - highly recommended, well made, well thought through. Already had one of my colleagues get one.

I carried a suit, 3 dress shirts (2 French cuff, one regular), a tshirt, swimming trunks, 7 pairs of socks and underwear (packed in an Eagle Creek two sided cube), an empty Eagle Creek half cube for dirty underwear, 2 ties, shaving kit (separate razor and trimmer), all necessary toiletries, all necessary cables, an iPad, belt, cuff links, etc.

One shirt came out wrinkled. The iPad was not really comfortably in, so I bought a small shoulder bag in PEK for my iPad and documents.


So, where exactly do you pack a shirt in this bag? (And I note one was creased.....)

So, where exactly do you pack a shirt in this bag? (And I note one was creased.....)

I hang the shirts underneath the jacket, buttoning up 2 buttons - one on top, and one around the middle.

Did a few more long runs, this time with 2 shirts hanging - better than perfect - I'm in love with the bag.