Posted by Nancy D. Brown

Briggs & Riley 29" Wheeled Duffle Bag Luggage Review

As the luggage dumped one-by-one off the conveyer belt and onto the airport carousel, I was pleased that my Briggs and Riley duffle bag was desert gold in color. Not only was it easy to spot, it was easy to describe to the bellhop the next day in Alaska when my luggage was delivered to the wrong hotel room. Fortunately, my luggage was only lost temporarily.

Priced at $309, the 29″ wheeled duffle, (yes, that’s Briggs and Riley’s proper spelling) is expensive, but it comes with a “Simple as that” warranty that even covers airline damage. At 10.4 pounds, the rolling bag is lightweight, water repellant and resistant to abrasions, tears and fabric punctures with its “Tuff-Lite ™ manufacturing process. The company offers free shipping on all orders over $100.

I like the U-shaped opening, allowing for easy access into the duffle bag. The flat, front pocket held my passport and travel documents that I carry in a plastic folio. The large lid pocket on top of the bag kept my dirty laundry separate from clean clothes, while the two, slim, zippered pockets inside the bag held my Deadman’s Reach coffee from Raven’s Brew that I picked up in Ketchikan, Alaska.

The company is on Twitter and offers special promotions when you become a Facebook Fan. I’m now a fan, how about you?

PACKING TIP:

I don’t usually recommend packing coffee in luggage, as the smell can permeate into clothes and luggage. In this particular instance, I put the coffee in a zip lock freezer bag and then stashed it in the zippered pocket, careful to remove the coffee each night and re-pack it in the morning.

 Briggs and Riley 1 (888) 462-2247

Posted by Nancy D. Brown

Travel writers share tips for how to find lost luggage

 With a heavy heart, I waited for the baggage claim carousel at O’Hare Airport to circle one last time. Surely my duffel bag would magically appear momentarily. Afterall, this was a non-stop United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Chicago. I had checked my bag in two hours early. How could this be happening to me, and at 1:30 in the morning?

Sadly, I admitted defeat and went over to the steel machine where I was to punch in my luggage identification number and wait for it to spit out the delayed baggage report receipt. Dejectedly clutching my laptop computer, I shuffled off to find the airport shuttle to the Hyatt Regency O’Hare. The nice folks at the front desk hooked me up with some toiletries and I went to bed confident that my bag would be delivered before noon checkout.

As is the case of a lodging editor, I was moving on to review another hotel property the next day. Still no bag. After calling United Airlines 800 number, I was directed to their on-line site (which was down) to check the status of my bag. I checked into the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place and was greeted with a friendly and sympathetic staff. A well-stocked toiletry bag was provided to me, but, alas, no duffel bag.

Eventually, I was reunited with my bag, but not before having to purchase a pair of dress pants and no-iron shirt for my BlogHer Travel Panel speaking engagement. I also need to send a shout out to Mary Kay Cosmetics and Public Relations Account Supervisor Jill Kleiner of Coyne. Her agency overnight Federal Expressed their entire make up line to me while I was staying at the Sheraton Hotel. And yes, Cat Lincoln of CleverGirls Collective saved the day when she slipped me some vital Yummie Tummie shapewear undergarments.

Rather than rant and rave, I’d like to offer some lost luggage travel tips from professional travel writers if an airline loses your luggage.

Travel Writers Share Lost Luggage Tips

Jennifer Leo: Los Angeles Times Travel Blog and Editor of Sand in My Bra series

Wendy Perrin: Conde Nast Traveler’s Consumer News Editor and Perrin Post blogger

Sean Keener: Co-Founder of the BootsnAll Travel Network 

Rosalind Cummings-Yeates: Freelance journalist and travel blogger

Kim Mance: Editor of Go Galavanting.com

Donna Hull: Freelance Writer and blogger at My Itchy Travel Feet

Lanora Mueller: Writing Travel blogger

Shannon Hurst Lane: Freelance travel writer