Lightweight Luggage Report: Lucas Luggage 21" Expandable
Jan 19, 2011, 3:47 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 12
Lightweight Luggage Report: Lucas Luggage 21" Expandable
I promised to follow up on my experience with the Lucas 21" expandable carryon.
Very similar to the A. Saks product, this carryon fits most international bin requirements in dimmension. My problem was that I needed to figure out how to meet a 15-lb limitation for Air New Zealand carry-on for our party of 3, and so I took my little luggage scale to local stores to weigh everything in site.
I unearthed two Lucas bags at my local TJMaxx for $29.99 (before tax) and saw that they certainly were the lightest things in the showroom (well under 3 lbs right there, and when I took off all the price and Lucas tags at home, under 2 lbs). I ordered another on sale from ebags for under $40.
But to make this concept work, I spent more money. I had considered using a fold-up cart, but Air NZ people told me that would count as one more item and was not allowed. Figuring that I could always throw a shoulder strap on my body or in my Scottevest if need be, I decided I'd go with the luggage strap.
Following the example of poster Bonmot, I ordered Maillon Rapide Delta Quick links from Green Boat Stuff ( $7.50 per unit) to which to affix an Op Tech luggage strap (more $$).
I was worried about how floppy the bags would be and I did consider using packing organizors. But when I performed a dry-run pack, I found that if I started the bottom layer with shoes, ziplocked underwear and socks etc, and then layered with normal folded clothing, the interior restraining straps did their job perfectly. I did not feel as though the final "shape" was at all awkward.
Even so, my packing woes were not over. Again, Air New Zealand limits all flyers, even First Class, to the one 15-lb bag, and even with wearing my fleece jacket, Scottevest (for electronics), and Gore-tex jacket on board, I realized that no matter how hard I tried, I would not be able to get all my technical biking clothes in underweight. Resigned to the idea that we'd have to check one item, we packed an additional light backpack. Our thinking--OK, we'd have to check from LAX to Auckland, but from Auckland to Christchurch, we'd be able to take both items on board as Star Alliance Gold members.
Turns out the check-in people in LAX let us slide. We carried both items on board, and our Lucas bags slid into the overhead alongside the backpack as though both were EXACTLY made for the bin.
Throughout the trip, we found the Lucas bags to be gems. We were on a bike trip, and our biking guides told us at least six times how grateful they were for our packing. The Lucas bags fit into any corner, any cubby, any time and held up well. We felt very comfortable checking them on the final leg home. Their so-called "flimsy" quality actually made them quite adaptable to any and all circumstances.
I'm darn pleased, and I give a shout-out to Bonmot for making our use of the Lucas bags feasible.
Very similar to the A. Saks product, this carryon fits most international bin requirements in dimmension. My problem was that I needed to figure out how to meet a 15-lb limitation for Air New Zealand carry-on for our party of 3, and so I took my little luggage scale to local stores to weigh everything in site.
I unearthed two Lucas bags at my local TJMaxx for $29.99 (before tax) and saw that they certainly were the lightest things in the showroom (well under 3 lbs right there, and when I took off all the price and Lucas tags at home, under 2 lbs). I ordered another on sale from ebags for under $40.
But to make this concept work, I spent more money. I had considered using a fold-up cart, but Air NZ people told me that would count as one more item and was not allowed. Figuring that I could always throw a shoulder strap on my body or in my Scottevest if need be, I decided I'd go with the luggage strap.
Following the example of poster Bonmot, I ordered Maillon Rapide Delta Quick links from Green Boat Stuff ( $7.50 per unit) to which to affix an Op Tech luggage strap (more $$).
I was worried about how floppy the bags would be and I did consider using packing organizors. But when I performed a dry-run pack, I found that if I started the bottom layer with shoes, ziplocked underwear and socks etc, and then layered with normal folded clothing, the interior restraining straps did their job perfectly. I did not feel as though the final "shape" was at all awkward.
Even so, my packing woes were not over. Again, Air New Zealand limits all flyers, even First Class, to the one 15-lb bag, and even with wearing my fleece jacket, Scottevest (for electronics), and Gore-tex jacket on board, I realized that no matter how hard I tried, I would not be able to get all my technical biking clothes in underweight. Resigned to the idea that we'd have to check one item, we packed an additional light backpack. Our thinking--OK, we'd have to check from LAX to Auckland, but from Auckland to Christchurch, we'd be able to take both items on board as Star Alliance Gold members.
Turns out the check-in people in LAX let us slide. We carried both items on board, and our Lucas bags slid into the overhead alongside the backpack as though both were EXACTLY made for the bin.
Throughout the trip, we found the Lucas bags to be gems. We were on a bike trip, and our biking guides told us at least six times how grateful they were for our packing. The Lucas bags fit into any corner, any cubby, any time and held up well. We felt very comfortable checking them on the final leg home. Their so-called "flimsy" quality actually made them quite adaptable to any and all circumstances.
I'm darn pleased, and I give a shout-out to Bonmot for making our use of the Lucas bags feasible.
