CanucksHKG

Canadian / American Costco membership cards are valid in Japan right?

lithdoc

Yes, they are, as they're valid in UK.

Yub

Yes, they are valid in Japan.

Be aware that the Costco Japan stores are very particular about not allowing daypacks or large bags in the warehouse. You must check them in at the returns/membership counter before shopping. At this particular location, they will give you a card with a number as a claim ticket.

IsleOfMan

I'm down to either the Kirkland or the TravelPro Crew 9 20" to replace an aging low-end TravelPro.

Is it feasible to carry a 14" laptop in either of the outer pockets of the Kirkland? There are times I like to carry a laptop in my roll-aboard and avoid having a second bag on top or hanging from my roll-aboard. The laptop pocket on the Crew 9 20" is perfect for this, but you give up the suiter, a little interior space, and pay 70% more. I'd say I only travel with the laptop in the roll-aboard 1/3 of the time, so I'd rather sacrifice the convenience of the dedicated laptop pocket if the Kirkland's outer pocket will atl east somewhat safely accommodate the laptop.

Mellonc

just my two cents here....

I don't carry any LCD or flat screen equipment (including laptops) in the front pocket. A while ago my colleague put a well protected laptop in a case in the front pocket of her carry on. She had to put way in the back cuz there was no room up front. well, on arrival another lady, to help her out, grabbed the bag and tried to take it out from the bin, so that my colleague didn't have to walk all the way back.

the other lady didn't realize how heavy the bag was and it was moderately dropped face first onto a top of a seat than to the armrest of a seat.

And that's all she wrote. the screen cracked just like that. so simple and easy.

so I always carry my laptop in a briefcase.

NJTrucker

15 inch Lenovo laptop fits fine in the large front pocket of the Kirkland carryon.

JumpseatConfessions

TravelPro Crew 9 is perfect bag. I recommended it on a blog post not too long ago. What I use daily for work.

mbece

Well, the handle of my Kirkland bag which I had been using for the past half a year (with something like 70k miles) got stuck and had to return it... Unfortunately, the warehouse didn't have any to exchange. They only have the new hybrid model. I'm debating whether ordering it online or getting a different bag. I loved the Kirkland bag, very sturdy, rolled off easily on the streets and looked almost new but at moments I thought it was a tad too large (of course, the extra room came handy a couple of times when visiting family and bringing gifts)... Any suggestions?

Always Flyin

I have not been able to find the Kirkland bag recently so wonder if Costco is discontinuing it [hope not] or coming out with an improved model [I hope so].

As to the TravelPro Crew 9, it has on silly design flaw and one critical design flaw.

First, on the back side of the bag, TravelPro saw the need to put a ~12"x13" zippered compartment. If you put anything in it, that bag is not going to fit in an overhead. Period. Absolutely useless, IMHO.

Second, the hanger for a second laptop bag is a large, metal, U-shaped hook. It is too large, hard to do anything with when you want to put it inside the bag (since you won't want to leave it hanging outside when trying to check-in or place in an overhead), and it is difficult to take it off the second bag. Seems like 10-year-old design. Flawed.

mbece

I've been looking for a Kirkland bag too and haven't found one either, though I think it's still available online. I just hope it's not being replaced by the "hybrid" spinner model.

IsleOfMan

Your first noted flaw refers to the Flight Crew 4, not the Crew 9. I ended up disqualifying the Flight Crew 4 particularly for this reason.

The second point I would agree on as well IF I could get my Crew 9 to actually stand upright with a loaded laptop bag (~10lb total) on the hook, but it tips over immediately. I've decided the hook isn't useful for me due to the weight of my loaded laptop bag, so I just leave it at home.

Otherwise, having received it for Christmas and only traveled with it once, I'm really liking the Crew 9 and, barring premature mechanical failure, it should be a solid 4-5 year bag for me (~20 short domestic and ~2-3 international trips/year).

Always Flyin

Right you are. The bag I was looking at was a replacement crew bag issued by one of the major U.S. carriers three weeks ago. Foolish me. I just assumed they were issuing the latest model.

zippy the pinhead

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but we have two of the Kirkland/Costco bags pictured in the OP. We bought them years and years ago. The dimensions, including wheels, are 23.5" by 14" by 9" (46.5" overall). I notice the current equivalent being sold at Costco is 21.5" by 14" by 9" (under 45" overall).

Last year the wife flew with these on Alaska (official carry-on size limit is 24" by 17" by 10"), but this year we're taking a trip and using Alaska, AA, US Airways, and JetBlue.

Should we be concerned about the size of these old bags, meaning, what are the chances we'd be required to check them by AA or US Airways?

Thanks in advance...

swag

How is this bag holding up for everyone?

Three years later, I've loved this bag. Besides being the perfect size for me, I've loved the durability. It's probably come with me on at least one roundtrip a month, and even been checked on rare occasions. Not a single rip or tear inside or out, the wheels are perfect and all of the zippers have always worked flawlessly. The Kirkland brand label on the front is loose, but that's the only issue,

So now I'm heartbroken.

At the security checkpoint yesterday, I went to slide the handle down and it stuck halfway, sticking out about 11 inches. No amount of jiggling could get it to slide past that point. When I boarded, I had to be "that guy", putting the bag sideways instead of wheels first; luckily a bit of overhead bin 3D Tetris was able to result in full utilization of the space for my fellow passengers as well. That's not a challenge I want to repeat.

Once I got it home and unpacked, I found that the problem was one of the interior handle slide catches that lock the handle at fixed points unless the handle button is pressed. Sliding my hand along the handle on the interior, feeling through the nylon, I found that spot, squeezed with my fingers, and the handle released and closed. But as I test it, it won't ever slide down past that point unless I repeat the squeeze. And of course, during travel, that spot is inaccessible, buried under a suitcase full of clothes and stuff. So it seems my perfect bag has been felled by this tiny flaw.

I suppose I'll finally get a chance to test out Costco's legendary returns policy. But what might be out there to exchange it for? The Costco website doesn't currently show any Kirkland brand carry ons.

quan98

Same issue got me when I was in Kansas City a couple of years ago. Returned it to a little grumbling at the Linwood location but got store credit nonetheless.

You could go with the new hybrid version which may still be available at B&M stores or the Ricardo spinners which have been reviewed well here.