Is your luggage slowing you down? If you’re a technology user traveling in this post-Sept. 11 world, it probably is. Most major airlines have instituted a strict new “one-plus” carry-on luggage rule allowing you to bring a single regulation-size bag, plus a smaller pocketbook or laptop on to the plane.
But you still have to remove your laptop and turn it on when you’re screened – and that’s the challenge. Old carry-ons aren’t made with easy access in mind, and it’s made for slow going through the checkpoints.
That’s a problem Jeanette Cates, a speaker and consultant based in Austin, Texas, knows well. She’s started consolidating her laptop with her carry-on luggage in order to save time and space, packing her Sony Vaio laptop into her luggage along with her other files. “It slips out of the slim case to go through security, then goes right back in,” she says.
Is there a better way to travel with your gadgets? Sure. Since Sept. 11, several luggage manufacturers have been revising their designs to make their products more compact, easier to unpack and more technology-friendly than ever. A word of warning: some of these solutions are pricey, and unless you’re a very frequent traveler, you might want to keep an eye on your wallet.
- The eVEST (Scottevest). An innovative jacket with zip-off sleeves and 17 pockets, it’s the equivalent of a second carry-on bag – except that you wear it. It comes with its own “Personal Area Network” for cords related to earbuds, headphones and batteries, and features a laptop pocket in the back. The upshot of the eVEST is that you don’t need to remove all your electronic devices at security and turn them on and off. Instead, just take off the jacket and put it through the x-ray machine. Price: $129. Call (866) 909-8378 or click on http://www.scottevest.com
- The WebMobilizer (Swiss Army). This laptop case features retractable wheels and a telescoping mono-pole with a swivel grip for improved handling. Accessing this bag at security checkpoints is – literally – a snap. It also comes with comes $1,500 in laptop theft insurance so you can use it with peace of mind. Cost: $525. For more information, click on http://www.swissarmy.com.
- The Upright Virtual Office (Atlantic). A wheeled business case, computer case and overnighter in one. That made the Upright Virtual Office popular before Sept. 11, but its real selling point is what designers did afterwards: they reduced its size so that it’s all but guaranteed to fit in the tightest overhead compartment. Price: $169. Get details online at http://www.atlanticluggage.com or call (888) 8ATLANTIC.
- The Expandable Carry-On with Suiter (Tumi). A compact, lightweight carry-on with storage for hanging clothes and a back “sleeve” that slides over a wheeled bag. The bag features two outside pockets, a front storage compartment and a separate back compartment with a removable suiter that’s got zip mesh pockets to let you get into and out of the luggage faster. Price: $350. Call (800) 322-8864 or visit http://www.tumi.com for details.
Of course my favorite solution is no solution at all. The Regent Wall Street Hotel’s “No Baggage” program will lend you a laptop computer while you’re a guest for in-room use, so there’s no need to take your technology with you.
Now that’s what I call service.
Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.
Elliott is consumer advocate 
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