Please develop a rolling bag

[paulkbiba]

I have many Tom Bihn bags and recently I took my Aeronaut on a trip. I'm 65 and while I can carry the bag on my back for a while, it soon becomes too much for me.

As much as I love your bags I'm going to have to go to a rolling one. Is there any possibility that I can stay in the Tom Bihn community in the future? Your bags should not just be for young people.

By the way, I featured your stuff in an article I wrote about how I travel. Here it is: http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/13/r...carry-and-why/

Paul Biba
Editor Teleread.org

[eric]

Considering Tom Bihn's knack for accessories, maybe a roller should be an accessory that could added to certain bags or even multiple bags at once. It may already exist from a third-party.

[RedBeard]

Wouldn't a folding luggage cart work just as well? It seems to me that it might be more versatile than a dedicated rolling bag.

[KarlJ]

Your bags should not just be for young people.

My mom has a Aeronaut... she's 86.

[maverick]

hi paulkbiba,

welcome to the forum!

i'm not sure what tom bihn's plans may be for rolling luggage, but indeed, for old and young people, there are times when our back may not cooperate and we might prefer pulling our stuff on wheels rather than carrying it on our back.

one solution to consider, which redbeard also mentioned, is the use of a luggage cart with your aeronaut.

one significant benefit of aeronaut + light weight luggage cart is that this solution would be lighter than a rolling suitcase that holds a similar amount of stuff.

there is considerable weight added to a suitcase as a result of adding a frame for it to keep its shape and for stabilization for the wheels and handle mechanism you pull up.

this may not seem like a big deal if we are able to pull our stuff on wheel wherever we go, but that isn't always the case. inevitably, we come across uneven terrain, steps, and other obstacles that don't make pulling our stuff on wheels so easy, with the result that we end up carrying a heavier bag until we reach even terrain again.

for this reason, i would say consider the aeronaut + light weight luggage cart over the rolling suitcase.

[backpack]

I second the use of a luggage cart.

I used one with hard sided clunky luggages when I was in my 20's.

Using one with Tom Bihn lightweight and modular pieces (some can slip into handles)

[maverick]

I second the use of a luggage cart.

I used one with hard sided clunky luggages when I was in my 20's.

Using one with Tom Bihn lightweight and modular pieces (some can slip into handles)

heh - i remember having some hard shell suitcases when we were kids. they were made by samonsite, and they had these two latches that were really hard to close (note: that was likely because we probably overstuffed the suitcases!). i remember having to press down or sit on them to get them to close. and they would sometimes come around on the luggage carousel with one (thankfully not both!) of the latches open. i think they had a stick like pull handle that would come out at one end so you could pull them.

hehe! i hated those!! let me assure you, the handles on those suites were not filled with poron foam!

[bnett]

I agree with the luggage cart suggestion. When traveling with more than one bag (usually with my family) I use a Travelite cart. It is strong, light weight, and very compact. We fold it up and throw it in one of the bags just before we check the luggage.

It is a remarkably strong, well designed piece of gear.



Regards,
Brian

[bbcamp]

If anybody could design a good but light and compact roller, I think Tom can (Tom, know any aerospace engineers in Seattle?)
I just traveled to the West coast for work. I brought my Aeronaut, and just breezed on and off the plane. It fit beautifully in the overhead compartment, even in the small commuter plane. Most of those with rolling luggage either had to check their bags at the door, or fought to get them in the overhead compartment.

[backpack]

heh - i remember having some hard shell suitcases when we were kids. they were made by samonsite, and they had these two latches that were really hard to close (note: that was likely because we probably overstuffed the suitcases!). i remember having to press down or sit on them to get them to close. and they would sometimes come around on the luggage carousel with one (thankfully not both!) of the latches open. i think they had a stick like pull handle that would come out at one end so you could pull them.

hehe! i hated those!! let me assure you, the handles on those suites were not filled with poron foam!

Those were the ones, I had 3, I used them going back and forth from college to home every 30 or 60 days hence the need for a cart.

Mine had no wheels, I tried on one with wheels at the store and it flipped on its side after a few minutes, the rolling handle was too short and uncomfortable.

The carrying handles, made of hard plastic were no more comfortable, the locks a bother to deal with.

And... talk about expensive!
I was happy to "lose" them during one of my moves.


I vote for a Tom Bihn designed luggage cart.

[Nana8]

heh - i remember having some hard shell suitcases when we were kids. they were made by samonsite, and they had these two latches that were really hard to close (note: that was likely because we probably overstuffed the suitcases!). i remember having to press down or sit on them to get them to close. and they would sometimes come around on the luggage carousel with one (thankfully not both!) of the latches open. i think they had a stick like pull handle that would come out at one end so you could pull them.

hehe! i hated those!! let me assure you, the handles on those suites were not filled with poron foam!

Too funny! We have two of these in our garage gathering a bunch of dust. I have had them since 1974 or 1975 I think.

[bbcamp]

Addendum

I somehow only managed to post half of what i wanted to say in my last post to this thread, so I'll add to it here.

On a recent business trip I breezed on and off the plane with my aeronaut to get out to the West Coast, but came back with an additional 20 pounds of paper that I really wish I could have rolled. I think my arms are an inch longer after carrying all the extra weight.

The problem with most rolling carry-on luggage is that it is hard to squeeze into the overhead bins (or under the seat if one boards late....) and heavy. I have seen people literally pounding on their bags to try to get them to fit, particularly on commuter planes.

But I remain convinced that Tom can square this circle if anyone can--and with elegance.

Until then, I may have to start shipping all those books instead of carrying them.
bb

[BPritchard]

Get a cart

I had the same problem with my Aeronaut on our Seattle trip. Too heavy, even using backpack straps.

For my next trip next month, I got a luggage cart from Magellan's.

It will fit in the Aeronaut if not stuffed too full, or in the backpack strap area, or it will fit under the seat. The wheels stick out if using the backpack strap area and may hinder putting in the overhead. Or it could be put in the overhead while attached to the bag if there is enough room.

[flitcraft]

Another vote for shipping papers and books. You can ship them book rate for very little money, and your back and shoulders will thank you. Ironically, yesterday I finally got a package I'd shipped from England (slow boat rate) of four pounds worth of papers and books from a conference.

Portable luggage carts haven't worked that well for me. I own two of them and they hardly ever leave home, as it turns out. They are heavy, take up too much room if stored in my Tom Bihn bags, and are tippier than a wheeled bag. Forget it on cobblestones or uneven pavement--they really work best in airports for navigating the miles of corridors! One thing to keep in mind is that they aren't supposed to be stashed under the seats on planes. In the days in which they were common (before everybody had wheeled bags), flight attendants would remind passengers as a routine matter. Now, you might or might not be told off, but they really are supposed to go in the overhead only.

[Jenne]

Interesting-- last time I flew with someone carrying a wheeled cart, the flight attendant made her put it under the seat!

I had a cart for about 19 years and NEVER used it. My plan of attack is to get my luggage lighter and lighter as I get older! I have been in too many places where a wheeled bag is just not usable.