Inbox:I'm sure I made a great impression recently when, after a meeting with a be-suited technology company executive, I left to catch my plane with a cabin bag which looked like it had fallen off a dust cart. It was time to replace it, but which one should I get?
As most gadgeteers know, clothes are just the half of it when it comes to travelling. You need space for your laptop, maybe an iPod, power adapters, mobile and perhaps even a camera or video camera.
You'll also need some space for documents and clothes. I asked colleagues and the thinking on bags like this is divided into two camps. One group favours the outsized laptop bag on wheels, which you can carry like a briefcase or roll, but which will also take a laptop and spare shirt - while the other favours the slightly larger "cabin luggage".
There are lots of options, but I have narrowed it down.
The Kensington Contour Overnight Roller Case (€91.95 from Expansys.ie) is a rugged nylon case with internal compartments for clothes and a water-resistant pocket for toiletries. It has a padded chamber for a laptop and handy pockets for tickets, phones, PDAs and keys. The Contour's curved telescopic handles can make walking easier as they distribute the weight of the case better than straight ones.
I also quite liked the look of the Swiss Gear Potomac Wheel Tote (€145 from Trippluggage.ie), which has the Swiss Army Knife seal of approval and is pretty tough. It has the usual combination of skate wheels, telescopic handle, expanding files and an overnight compartment. Over in the cabin luggage camp, there are many cases on offer, so here are just two. The Dicota Notebook Companion S (€139.00 from Komplett.ie) is a robust looking cabin-sized bag with well-organised storage and a secure spot for your laptop. Like many others, it has an integrated bag for toiletries and exterior pockets for pens, business cards, etc - but you can also access the laptop from the outside without your dirty laundry falling out.
Gadget geeks may want to go for the Crumpler "Dick Casey" laptop trolley in firebrick red (€299 from Komplett.ie) which has in-line skate wheels surrounded by scrape resistant tarpaulin. Like all Crumplers, it has Chicken Tex Supreme material, waterproof lining, lots of pockets and a removable laptop satchel.
