If you’ve ever wandered around the luggage department of a department store, you were probably amazed at how far luggage has come in the last 20 years. There’s so many bells and whistles, it’s like the auto aftermarket. Who knew the average traveler would care about these fun extras? Of course, we are all familiar with retractable wheels and extendable handles but what about other useful additions? Let’s take a moment to look at the most innovative ways luggage companies lure in the unsuspecting buyer.
First, we have the addition of extra handles. Many bags now have handles at both ends; the better to shove you into the overhead compartment, my dear (and pull you back out again).
Then there’s the feet. Yes, that’s right; first “handles”, then feet. Many bags now feature plastic or rubber pieces on the long side of the bag, opposite the handle side, so if you put your luggage down on a wet or dirty surface, your luggage will be protected. A small nicety you’ll certainly appreciate when wearing a white raincoat.
Along with the ands and feet, your bag may have a backbone. That’s right, something manufacturers call “runners”. Runners are two hard rubber strips that are attached to the back of the luggage. If you’re going up the stairs or escalator, for example, you can pull the luggage along with you and the runners will help the bag to slide as you pull it.
Now your bag has hands and feet, but can it stand up by itself? How you pack your bag has a lot to do with whether or not your bag can remain upright. For optimum stability, pack heaviest items in the part of the bag that will be the bottom when the bag is standing up, and lightest items at the top of the bag. To help you, manufacturers are redesigning their product the have more overall balance built into the structure of the luggage.
If you’ve traveled, you’ve filled out a name tag. This is usually a small, sturdy business- card size paper encased in a plastic cover and attached to the handle of your luggage. Some luggage now have a built-in holder attached to the outside of the luggage, instead of tied to the strap. There is a lot of information regarding traveling on today that one can find simply by logging into the Internet.
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