Innova

Hi guys,

My name is Matt and I am part of a Graduate Design Team at Purdue University and we are setting out to improve on the conventional Luggage for travelers. We are mainly focused on check able and carryon luggage for travelers that fly.

We are trying to identify the most prominent issues with conventional luggage. We have found that the way people travel has changed greatly over the last 5 years and yet there has been very little changed about luggage.

Here is your chance to get your voice heard. I will include some guiding questions but please respond with any issues you have with yours and any other luggage on the market today. Any time you can spend on this is greatly appreciated. I welcome any questions you have as well.

*Would you like to have a durable luggage that can tell you how much weight you are loading into your bag on a convenient display?

*Would you be willing to pay extra to have a bag that follows you or one that can detect when you are walking away from it and alerts you?

*Is the current luggage not durable enough?

*Is conventional luggage just too bulky?

*Is luggage too expensive? Would you be willing to lose some aesthetic features to reduce the cost?

*Are none of the things listed above an issue? Do you think that the current market of luggage satisfies all your needs?

*Also, if you are willing to let us know how often and in what capacity you travel, this information would be appreciated.

I understand that some of these are already available. But it is our opinion that the current products that offer these features are not to their full potential.

Thanks everybody for taking the time to read this. I hope you will take the time to answer these questions or to simply state the failures of your luggage or where it falls short.

Have a great day and happy travels!

**If you’re willing to answer follow up questions please let me know and I will send you a message through this forum or an email if you prefer. Thanks

Tennisbum

A built-in scale would be handy, but I wouldn't want it if added more than a couple of ounces to the weight of the bag.

No

Most manufacturers could improve on the quality/durability of their zippers.

Not so much bulky as heavy. I do prefer that all the handle and wheel apparatus on rolling luggage be on the outside, so that I have a flat-bottomed interior for packing.

Actually, I would be willing to pay a bit more for luggage that is both durable and light. Manufacturers routinely understate the weight of luggage in my experience, and weight is a major factor for me when I select luggage.

Another annoying thing that manufacturers do is to underestimate the dimensions of luggage. I wish they would include wheels and handles when they give measurements- especially for carryons.

GadgetFreak

Hi, and welcome to Flyertalk. This should probably be in the Travel Products forum rather than Travel Technology but I will go ahead and answer here.

That would be nice, but it wouldnt be a priority for me.

Not now but maybe in a few years.


Depends on the brand. Some is extremely durable, other stuff, not durable. It is a price/durability trade off that people make different choices on but all options are available.


It could be better in terms of weight, although again there are a wide variety of options out there from heavy, rigid, wheeled bags to more flexible, lighter bags (Red Oxx, Eagle Creek and Tom Bihn for instance).

I would give up most aesthetic features to reduce cost or weight. Im a lot more concerned about the latter.

I think the main issues for me are that wheeled bags are either right on the edge of being carry on size or are too small. I would like something that would fit under the seat, carry business stuff and a few days clothes and have wheels. The Eagle Creek switchback are a nice idea but a bit too large for my tastes. Something like that which was sized for international carry on and very light and durable would be a killer I think. Keep us posted on how it goes!

MrClean

For myself, I pay a bit more for superior quality and LESS luggage "gadgetry":

For carryons:
durability and lightness are the important factors for me. Wheels for carryons are just a bad idea even though its what 95%+ of travelers use them. Hardbody carryons are even worse.

Red Ox Skytrain is the best thing Ive found (superior materials [canvas, zippers, etc], no slip strap, backpack straps, light, NO WHEELS!)

For checked luggage: I prefer a huge volume canvas duffle(s).

luggage alarms dont really interest me personally, but I can see the benefit.

UALOneKPlus

One of the biggest problem with luggage is that most people only use them 1-5% of the time. The rest of the time they take up space in the closet. Make them multi-purpose would be better.

Also there is an issue with potential theft at the airport / luggage area. Making the bag somehow easier to identify / or auto-page you when it's within range would be very useful.

cressers

I would say that lightness is key these days. I love the rimowa polycarb series!

HOWEVER, for cabin luggage that you sometimes want to check, they are a pain as there is only one zip the whole way round, so using them at the airport to stuff a book in or something is not so easy.

A scale, or simple scale system would be great, but definately this attracts the more budget end of the travel scale.

I would advise with the 5 areas for improvement, to focus on a specific category improvement. I.e. budget traveller, or robust carry on for high use. Do not look for improvements that effect ALL. You cannot please all the people all the time, so understand your segmentation and focus on that.

LTN Phobia

*Would you like to have a durable luggage that can tell you how much weight you are loading into your bag on a convenient display?

Not really. I can usually tell. It's a 'nice to have' but I would not pay extra for it.

*Would you be willing to pay extra to have a bag that follows you or one that can detect when you are walking away from it and alerts you?

No.

*Is the current luggage not durable enough?

It's fine. I get bored with my luggage so I wouldn't mind an excuse/reason to get a new one.

*Is conventional luggage just too bulky?

Not really. They are nice and light ones available.

*Is luggage too expensive? Would you be willing to loose some aesthetic features to reduce the cost?

Not really.

*Are none of the things listed above an issue? Do you think that the current market of luggage satisfies all your needs?

Those items listed above are not really an issue for me. However, currently available luggage does not really satisfy all my needs. I am currently looking for a lightweight (sub-3kg) 'non-clamshell' type 4-wheel cabin bag that is sufficiently large (right up to the BA size limit) with pockets at the front AND looks stylish. But it's quite hard to find exactly what I want.

I'd also like to see a 'top zip' to save having to get the wheelie bag down from the overhead bin and having to put it somewhere to dig something out. But for ease of packing, the bag would also need to have zips in conventional places as well.

I think the weight is the key, especially with some airlines restricting cabin baggage weight to 7kg, and also with checked baggage, people are trying not to incur excess baggage fees.

Innova

Thanks everyone. This is some great feedback. Please keep it coming, as we will be conducting this research for the next few days.

MrClean

In case you havent come across onebag.com yet, there is a lot of information you might find useful there:

http://www.onebag.com/bags.html

Alpha

No

That sounds like it would be extremely annoying except for the one time it saves your arse.

I think it's mostly plenty durable. I treat my carry-on well and it holds up well. Checked luggage is another story. You'd have to model it after the Bear Suit to protect it sufficiently from baggage handlers.

Yes. I think in some ways the trend is going in the wrong direction. Hard cases can be nice but their rigidity can also be a functional drawback. I think the direction they should go is in collapsible, like a hiking pack. You stuff if full of things and then compress the hell out of it. Have a side-zip so things are accessible. If you have little or nothing in it perhaps it could compress down enough to fit under your seat. Otherwise it could expand to 22" or larger depending on whether you wanted to use it as a carry-on or check it.

I think it's rather reasonably priced, provided you use it often. It's only expensive if you don't use it.


I'm happy to answer follow-up.

BearX220

No, I never challenge the weight limits.

No, not necessary.

There is plenty of durable luggage, but no correlation between price, brand, and durability. Cheap Kirkland luggage from Costco outlasts "prestige" bags that cost three or four times as much.

Wheeled rollaboards are too bulky, but they are not my preference.

This is my practice already. I've looked at Tumi, Briggs & Riley, Halliburton, etc. but don't see enough value to warrant abandoning my old Lands' End nylon-canvas bags: they're simple and indestructible.

No. The luggage market seems so trend-driven. Fifteen or twenty years ago black boxes on wheels were rarities; now they seem to be the only game in town, but I still don't like them.

I need two bags: a suiter that can be carried aboard, or locked and checked, as needed... and a compact soft-sided carry-on for trips of less than 5-7 days. Strong comfortable shoulder straps; no wheels or bulk. I have such bags -- Lands' End Lighthouse bags, 13 or 14 years old -- and you wouldn't believe how hard it is to replace them. I can't find anything I like.

I also need to be able to lock my bags, whether I'm checking them on flights or leaving them in a hotel's bell closet, and many bags, including the current Lands' End range, are inexplicably difficult to lock. Just because a bag is sold as a "carry-on" doesn't mean you'll never need to secure it.

As noted above I think paying a huge premium for "prestige" luggage is silly. I want durability, security, versatility, simplicity.

Sure.

Sebastian_R

No need for that. If it is there AND I can hide the scale AND it doesn't add to the weight of the bag why not. If you develop that, make sure you can hide it.

Nope, usually not helpful. I would be interested in a checked bag that starts filming when it is opened so I can proof that the TSA stole my Whiskey (which I'm not allowed to carry on).

No. Zippers, seams, wheels, handles all that needs to be MUCH stronger.

No. But it is waaaay too heavy.

If the specs are right, I don't care about the price that much. I wouldn't pay for purely aesthetic features but I'm willing to pay for functionality.

Well, I do have stuff that works for me now. But there is always room for improvement.

dko3tgk

*Would you like to have a durable luggage that can tell you how much weight you are loading into your bag on a convenient display?
It would be a nice feature, not for all bags though. Especially for larger sized checked bags. But it shouldn't add to the weight. Then just traveling with a light luggage scale would be better.


*Would you be willing to pay extra to have a bag that follows you or one that can detect when you are walking away from it and alerts you?
With all the security recommendations about not leaving your bag out of sight, and being asked if you solely packed and handled your bag, I don't see why this would be an important feature.

*Is the current luggage not durable enough?
Decent luggage is durable enough overall. Except for common missing zipper pulls and broken handles.

*Is conventional luggage just too bulky?
Not bulky, heavy. When I travel on a 2+ week trip, and like to buy alot of things abroad, weight limits are always an issue. Especially with limits being 44lbs total for two checked bags on domestic/regional international flights. Most bags in this size range are already 11-18 lbs empty.
This also gets complicated when US inclusive international legs of an itinerary allow 50lbs per bag, for 2 bags. Once you start flying regionally on the same trip, the drastic decrease in weight limits really complicates things.

*Is luggage too expensive? Would you be willing to lose some aesthetic features to reduce the cost?
No. Like any other products, you choose what you pay for. You have the choice of buying nice looking good luggage for a higher cost, or plain looking good luggage for less cost.

*Are none of the things listed above an issue? Do you think that the current market of luggage satisfies all your needs?
I think more emphasis on extremely durable AND lightweight still has room to grow. Many of the highest rated durable bags are on the heavy end of the spectrum. The goal should be durable and lightweight.

*Also, if you are willing to let us know how often and in what capacity you travel, this information would be appreciated.
3-4 trips of 2-3 weeks per year from the US to East Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, and some Middle/Near East. And 1-2 trips, 4 day to 1 week trips transcontinental US or Hawaii. Mainly for leisure travel, sometimes with a minor business component.

Yes a PM follow-up through FT is acceptable.

GadgetFreak

An FT PM would be fine. How much do I travel.....

Hell, I dont remember. Probably 8-12 trips to Europe, 3-5 day duration, 2-5 trips to Asia about the same duration and maybe 15-20 domestic trips (maybe a third of those transcons) 1-4 day duration. Varies a bit from year to year. Roughly 150K-225K miles per year actually flown per year. Mostly business with one or two vacation trips and the odd smattering of mileage runs. Last year was all work except one trip for 5 or 6 days to Borneo (mix of business and vacation) and one mileage run.

Tutu

Would you like to have a durable luggage that can tell you how much weight you are loading into your bag on a convenient display?

No. I don’t do enough International that this would be of benefit. On my US flights (all carry on) I have never been questioned on weight, just size.

*Would you be willing to pay extra to have a bag that follows you or one that can detect when you are walking away from it and alerts you?

No…I don’t leave my carry on luggage unattended. Well…..I take that back, only when going through security. Maybe one that alerts when going thru security and TSA takes my bag for additional screening.

*Is the current luggage not durable enough?

I don’t seem to have a problem with durability for my carry on. I get tired of my luggage before it wears out. Checked luggage it another story.

*Is conventional luggage just too bulky?

Not so much the bulk but the weight. I love my TravelPro Crew 5 22 inch carry on. But I stopped using it because it weighed about 12 lbs. empty. Switched to a Eagle Creek Hovercraft because of the lighter weight. It doesn’t pack as well, but so much easier to lift into the overhead bin, amazing how a few pounds makes such a difference.

*Is luggage too expensive? Would you be willing to lose some aesthetic features to reduce the cost?

This is difficult to answer. I have tried to get the luggage I want when on sale, etc. I care more about the weight, ease of packing and features of the bag than the aesthetic features. But cost needs to be considered.

*Are none of the things listed above an issue? Do you think that the current market of luggage satisfies all your needs?

I seem to always be looking for a “perfect” bag. I have decided it is not possible. As a female who travels for work I always struggle as I prefer to do all carry on. I need wheels to pull it in airports.

*Also, if you are willing to let us know how often and in what capacity you travel, this information would be appreciated.

I travel on average of 2 to 3 trips per month.