Business cards and Tom Bihn luggage tags

[bchaplin]

To pick up on this discussion:

Some time ago, I had personal contact cards made up through a printing company called MOO. In trying them out to see whether they fit in the Tom Bihn luggage tags I have, I realized that they are a bit big. They fit, but only if slightly askew. (Or, the corners of the card will be covered by the frame of the tag.)

On looking more carefully at the MOO faq, I realized that the cards I'd ordered were a non-standard size, and this is something I might change when I have the next set made up.



In contrast, here is what a standard-sized card looks like in the same luggage tag:



And finally, the Oyster card I got in London a few months ago fits great! For what it is worth, that card seems to be the same size as Boston's Charlie Card and DC's SmartCard. (Why, yes, I do have a small stack of transit cards. Collecting them has become kind of a hobby.)



So in conclusion, the luggage tags are pretty flexible to fit a wide variety of items, but if you are picky about how it is placed inside the frame, the standard business card is better than MOO's alternative size. I need to get new cards made up, and think I will go for the standard size, and if possible, will get ones with rounded corners.

[AlaskaGirl]

Thanks for reminding me that I need to add a couple luggage tags to my next order. I should probably add it to my packing list, too, as they seem to be perfect for bus passes and hotel key cards while traveling. Thank you! elisa

[bchaplin]

I actually use my pocket pouch for my train pass. But for anything with an RFID chip either would work. It depends on what type of attachment strap you prefer and if you want a clear window or the ability to quickly remove/replace the card.

[moriond]

Hi @bchaplin, I tried a number of different business cards in the luggage tags that I bought, and these included several "conventional European sized cards" that matched the dimensions of the MOO cards you ordered. That size is actually used by a number of restaurants for their business cards -- especially if they have branches in other European countries. In every case I was able to fit the card into the luggage tag. Here's an example:


A standard U.S. business card is smaller, and easier to center. Here's the back of a U.S. business card overlying your "MOO size" card (2" x 3.5"/51 x 89 mm vs 2.16" x 3.30"/55 x 84 mm).


Also, the one that I used in the first image upload is from Sweden, and it's actually larger than your "MOO size" card, since it's 55 x 90 mm long instead of 55 x 84 mm long. (I also checked other Swedish business cards in the luggage tag pocket). The edges have been approximate lined up, so you can see the difference in card height by looking at the colored overlap region. Transit cards, credit cards, and hotel key cards have heights about half-way between the two.

I can even insert the taller Starbucks leaf cards into the luggage tag:


The top view shows one of the 2015 leaf cards inside the luggage tag window. The bottom view shows the Tom Bihn Luggage tag insert (about the size of a standard U.S. business card, but with rounded corners) overlying a "MOO height" business card.

Here's the same picture switching in the back of a "MOO size" business card in the luggage tag window, with the bottom view showing the Tom Bihn luggage tag insert (basically standard U.S. business card size) overlying a Starbucks leaf card.



To summarize: I didn't have any problems with inserting and centering any of the business cards I tried in the luggage tag windows, although the standard U.S./Canadian size business cards are the smallest and easiest to position. The business cards from Sweden are actually slightly larger than your "MOO size" cards. You can check the Wikipedia entry.

Just as a digression, I'll point people to @Miking's useful travel tip about using Starbucks cards to store your small change in different currencies:
This seems useful in view of @Miking"s travel tip:

The good thing about Starbucks is that you can use their rewards card as a convenient currency exchange for all the small bills and change you accumulate on a foreign trip! I just pull up to one of the dozens that are in every airport ever... order my usual "grande, low fat, half soy, no foam strawberry and črèmë mochalocachockalattefrappe" and have them put the rest of the change onto my Starbucks card. It is added in my home currency, at the current market exchange rate with no fees, plus with their gold card you can sit down, relax, get free wifi and refills on regular coffee and tea. (Move over Admiral's Club!):cool: plus it beats having it in a ziplock in your dresser!

So far I have tried this in the US, Canada, UK and mainland Europe and it works flawlessly.

I liked the leaf design cards as gift inserts to either Pocket Pouches or Luggage Tags. Here's a sample of this year's leaf cards (the detached leaf is shown against an Aubergine/Ultraviolet pocket pouch)



HTH

moriond

[TavaPeak]

Just got some Moo cards. Hmm...

[backpack]

To pick up on this discussion:

Some time ago, I had personal contact cards made up through a printing company called MOO. In trying them out to see whether they fit in the Tom Bihn luggage tags I have, I realized that they are a bit big. They fit, but only if slightly askew. (Or, the corners of the card will be covered by the frame of the tag.)

On looking more carefully at the MOO faq, I realized that the cards I'd ordered were a non-standard size, and this is something I might change when I have the next set made up.

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In contrast, here is what a standard-sized card looks like in the same luggage tag:

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And finally, the Oyster card I got in London a few months ago fits great! For what it is worth, that card seems to be the same size as Boston's Charlie Card and DC's SmartCard. (Why, yes, I do have a small stack of transit cards. Collecting them has become kind of a hobby.)

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So in conclusion, the luggage tags are pretty flexible to fit a wide variety of items, but if you are picky about how it is placed inside the frame, the standard business card is better than MOO's alternative size. I need to get new cards made up, and think I will go for the standard size, and if possible, will get ones with rounded corners.

Could you show us all your transit card with your Luggage Tag(s)?

Are you eve afraid that they will slip out?

[bchaplin]

Could you show us all your transit card with your Luggage Tag(s)?

Are you eve afraid that they will slip out?

I'd be happy to, can try to post tonight.
The cards should not fall out, given the design of the luggage tag

[backpack]

I'd be happy to, can try to post tonight.
The cards should not fall out, given the design of the luggage tag

Thanks so much!

[bchaplin]

@backpack - Hope this helps! Sorry, it was kind of dark when I took the photo this morning.

[moriond]

Thanks, @bchaplin, for the pictures of transit cards in the luggage tags. @backpack, the design of the luggage tag really does hold these cards securely. I remember @Badger mentioned trying to whirl the tags around by their handles as a check. And, as I said in the earlier discussion with @bchaplin, the luggage tags should also work for hotel room cards, so you could even loop a luggage tag by its end around your wrist, and carry your hotel room card with you that way to the gym or pool. At least, that was our thoughts when we tested the first versions.

I'm still curious about the experience of fitting non-US/Canadian standard size business cards into the luggage tag, because this has worked in every case I have been able to test. The largest standard size luggage card should only be 1mm longer than the card I showed in my first photo. Maybe others, especially from countries outside the U.S., can post about their experiences trying to fit business cards into the luggage tag?

Also, just as a frivolous digression, for Boston's Charlie Card, there was a Kickstarter project back in 2013, and the MBTA now sells the Wearable CharlieCard: Sesame Ring as an alternative. Or, there's an MIT version with the note "Invented by two MIT students who were fed up with missing their trains while fumbling for their Charlie Card subway passes."

moriond

[nealopp]

Seeing the thread title reminded me of my Moo cards, before I even read the first post.

Story time: Last year, I commuted about 30 miles 2x a week to another city for a class. Since it was during peak commute time, I did so on my motorcycle with my Synapse 25 attached to the rear seat of my bike, using ROK straps. I had a half dozen or so of my MooCards (the ones that are roughly 1/2 the height of standard business cards) in a luggage tag connected to the grab handle of the backpack. Eventually, the wind from was able (I assume) to blow open the slit on the back side of the luggage tag. I got home and found myself without any MooCards!

The lesson: Maybe put the luggage tag inside a pocket if you're going to strap your bag to a motorcycle :-D

[bchaplin]

I'm still curious about the experience of fitting non-US/Canadian standard size business cards into the luggage tag, because this has worked in every case I have been able to test. The largest standard size luggage card should only be 1mm longer than the card I showed in my first photo.

@moriond, I think you're right. The larger business cards (from MOO) certainly do fit. I was being a little picky about wanting the card to appear entirely in front of the clear part of the window, but I'm not actually sure it makes any difference now that I look back at the photos.

And thanks for your part in helping design these! In general I think the luggage tags are a brilliant concept. I particularly like that they won't snap like conventional plastic tags, that they harmonize with the bags, and that they have secondary uses (such as holding a train pass or ID).

Also, just as a frivolous digression, for Boston's Charlie Card, there was a Kickstarter project back in 2013, and the MBTA now sells the Wearable CharlieCard: Sesame Ring as an alternative. Or, there's an MIT version with the note "Invented by two MIT students who were fed up with missing their trains while fumbling for their Charlie Card subway passes."

moriond

This is a really fun concept! I haven't noticed anyone in my daily commutes with a "wearable" but it would work well for someone who travels really light and doesn't carry a conventional wallet or bag.

[moriond]

Seeing the thread title reminded me of my Moo cards, before I even read the first post.

Story time: Last year, I commuted about 30 miles 2x a week to another city for a class. Since it was during peak commute time, I did so on my motorcycle with my Synapse 25 attached to the rear seat of my bike, using ROK straps. I had a half dozen or so of my MooCards (the ones that are roughly 1/2 the height of standard business cards) in a luggage tag connected to the grab handle of the backpack. Eventually, the wind from was able (I assume) to blow open the slit on the back side of the luggage tag. I got home and found myself without any MooCards!

The lesson: Maybe put the luggage tag inside a pocket if you're going to strap your bag to a motorcycle :-D

@nealopp, I feel as though one of the luggage tag prototypes that the mods got to try out was really meant for you! The first version of the luggage tag they sent out to us had a diagonal zipper on the back. That would have worked for a stack of smaller than standard size business cards, and kept them sealed in. The problem was, the zipper head made it really difficult to fit in any larger than U.S. standard business size cards into the pouch without flexing them. By working very carefully, I could insert them. But generally speaking, getting the standard MOO cards into the pouch would have been an exercise in frustration. Any stiff, plastic transit card or hotel room card was liable to get cracked if you tried to insert it into the pocket and clear the zipper head. I tried handing both the original version with diagonal zipper and the other version with the straight opening to an "innocent bystander" to try, and he managed to put the standard card into the second version of the luggage tag, gave up on inserting the standard size US business card in the first version with diagonal zipper, and didn't even want to try inserting larger business cards or any plastic card into that version, for fear of cracking the card.

If you have a stack of smaller cards that don't fill most of the luggage tag in height, but are also thick in the pouch, and if you're riding on a motorcycle, I can imagine the situation you describe. But in most cases, especially if you're not trying to carry a thick stack of half height cards, and riding on a motorcycle, I think you should be OK with the current design luggage tag.

Maybe I should send you the first prototype!

The other whimsical part of me says that maybe the proper pouch for a MOO card is a COW (= Clear Organizer Wallet), which can zip up.

HTH

moriond

[kathryn]

@bchaplin I love this photo! I too tend to collect transit cards from everywhere I go (I still have a ton of credit left on my SUBE card from Buenos Aires, so I hope I get to go back someday). One of my favorite travel keepsakes is the plastic sleeve/wallet that came with my monthly Tube pass when I was on study abroad in London back in the late 90's.

@backpack - Hope this helps! Sorry, it was kind of dark when I took the photo this morning.

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