The crowd is slowly fading in the distance behind me. I glance over my shoulder and see a near single file line of runners just behind me begin to emerge from the pack. The weight of this race is unlike most struggles we encounter in our day to day. The stakes are high… very high. To lose this race means more than the disappointment that comes with loss, it means that the international trip I’m leading, consisting of my wife and 6 high school boys, is off to a very bad start. The truth is, if you’ve traveled much at all, you’ve likely run this race yourself. Sadly, despite our best efforts in planning, these things happen. Life happens, and our response is all we can really control. So how do you handle a delayed flight and the subsequent tight connection? Hopefully you throw your luggage on your back and run through the Philly airport! We made the connection with seconds to spare, but why? How? On these trips, we keep the luggage rules pretty simple. Rule #1: Carry-on only, and Rule #2: You need to be able to pick it up and run.
So is the Duckworthy Migration duffel with its backpack straps truly superior to rolling
luggage? Let's begin with rolling luggage. First, foremost, and most obviously it rolls. That’s nice. It means you don’t have to carry this little box of your belongings. Life appears easy, just rolling along on those smooth terminal floors. But what happens when you enter into the footrace described above? Generally, you lose. There’s really just no easy way to pick up that roller and run. At best, it rolls along beside you on 4 wheels or, with the 2 wheel option; it’s continually to clipping your heels with each step. When the crowd slows, so do you. You calculate your passing lane while stranded behind people strolling along who clearly have a 6-hour layover and realize that both your body and your luggage will never fit into that tiny passing lane. It’s not only the ability to run through the airport that matters. What happens when you are making a connection from your US airline to New Zealand Air in Auckland? If you’ve not been to Auckland, the New Zealand Air terminal is in a separate building… roughly a quarter mile away. Yes, there’s a shuttle, but you were just on a 12 hour flight from LAX and you might want to stretch your legs. It is also possible that you do not have the luxury of waiting for the next shuttle that comes in 15 minutes. Your rolling options at that point are not impossible, but they are certainly uncomfortable. Watching travelers struggle over curbs and cautiously approach pavement cracks seems a bit unnecessary. The versatility of hands free backpack carry is pretty tough to beat in this situation. Just pick it up! If you have rolling luggage this is simply not a preferable option.
Beyond the (limited) function of rolling luggage, you are left with the form. Form and function go together for a reason. It’s the ultimate target of effective design. Both beautiful and useful. Rolling luggage rarely accomplishes either of those things. Take a good look at the baggage claim carousel. Black (and maybe the occasional red) rolling boxes abound. The creators of rolling luggage have only recently given us a few additional colors to add to the baggage claim mix. However, you do take notice when something breaks this bland routine. You notice when one of your fellow travelers has taken a little more time and effort, and intentionally selected a piece of luggage that’s different from the fray. Well worn leather and sturdy canvas, tell the story of past journeys and grand adventures. There’s a good chance that when you look at the owner of this bag, they themselves probably look somewhat polished. Not likely that they are traveling in flip flops and gym shorts. Why? Because they care about the details… and they didn’t miss their flight.
The best adventures are rarely predictable. Adventure well with our one of a kind 40L Migration Duffel here!