I live to travel. I’m like a horse chasing the carrot dangling at the end of the stick in front of him. I’m always looking ahead to my next trip. Trailing a close second on what makes me happy is new luggage; carry-on luggage to be more specific. I love reviewing carry-on luggage. It’s a game with me to see how much I am able to pack in my luggage while still following the carry on rules. With that in mind, I have two pieces of luggage to review, as well as a new Fedora and a travel kit for my pills. We’ll start big and work our way down.
Lite Gear is a Benicia, California-based company (Bay Area) that sent me a 20″ hybrid carry-on several months ago. I like this carry-on for many reasons; mainly because it fits easily in the overhead airplane bin and it is very lightweight. My California mindset of reuse & recycle loves that the material is super durable and made from recycled Polyester and it only weighs six pounds! Inline skate wheels allow for zipping through the airport (always a good thing) and there are three huge external zippered pockets on this carry-on. The interior of the suitcase is roomy with two internal compression straps and there is a large internal mesh pocket for keeping all of your new purchases safe – or let’s be honest – this is a good place to stash your dirty clothes.
The bag comes in black, mallard green (looks blue to me) and royal purple with locking telescoping handle. My bag is a 20″ hybrid carry-on and retails for $159.95, but check the website for current pricing and to check out their latest kickstarter campaign – this one features waterproof led light technology.
A fun concept from Ugobags is the personalized suitcase. The Los Angeles-based company allows travelers to create customized luggage. Choose your luggage shell color and size and then upload your photo or choose an existing design online. This is a great idea for advertising your business with a branded bag and, of course, it’s a great idea for travel bloggers and writers!
The exterior is made of Polycarbonate material, is lightweight and impact resistant. The bag comes in three sizes, small, medium and large and weighs in at 6 – 9 pounds. Pricing on the Ugobags range from $189 – $219, and includes free delivery. For more information visit the Ugo website www.ugobags.com
I’m a fan of the Tilley hat. What other hat is insured against loss? Made in Canada, their hats are fashionable and functional. Functional hats are key to me now that I’ve had a skin cancer scare. Tilley hats offer the highest sun-block rating (UPF 50+) and are lightweight and breathable. They also come with a four-page owner’s manual and a secret pocket for stashing money or your hotel room key.
The folks at Tilley sent me the raffia fedora with a tea stained color. The brim may be worn up or down – depending on your mood – fashion options. The fedora retails for $105. As always, check the website for details.
Good things come in small packages. The MedCenter Traveler has become one of my travel essentials. While I don’t take any prescription drugs, I take a boatload of supplements, from vitamin C to calcium supplements. I can see why the MedCenter Traveler would come in handy for baby boomers to keep taking your medication on schedule when traveling. I like the portability of the pill boxes – clearly marked from Monday to Sunday – and the color coding, green and red, to show which days are complete.
I’ve been using the MedCenter Weekly Traveler to make life easy for my husband to play nurse during my recently hip replacement. Load up the pills all at once and keep your daily routine on schedule all week. The MedCenter Traveler comes with a compact, nylon travel kit with Velcro closing flap and retails for $19.95.
Article written by and photos courtesy of Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip, Travels from Northern California. Thanks to @litegearbags, @ugobags, Tilley and @MedCenterSystem for supplying me with this travel gear and fashion products for review purposes. All opinions are my own.