 |
Borderline 2 Wheeled Hand Luggage Cabin Bag
by topsyturvy
I haven't had much luck with suitcases lately, they either have zips that break too easily or the handles are too stiff to pull out or they just aren't good at wheeling along. I have been on the lookout for a small case, suitable for hand luggage now for a while but I wanted one that has a good capacity inside and not one that is tight ... for space. I wanted it all but a lot of smaller suitcases are now more expensive, especially with the surge in hand luggage getting on free with the low cost airlines, it has now become a bit of a money maker for luggage companies.
APPEARANCE
I ended up going for this Borderline suitcase which is really nice, it is 40cm x 20cm x 55cm ideal for most airlines' hand luggage. It also has a large main compartment and is really light to hold. It has pink detailing on it which is a nice look to it and it comes on wheels so it is easy to roll around. The case is soft material, a strong fabric though that should last a good while. It really is compact and spacious and literally doesn't miss anything out with the design being perfect for all situations, it is a well designed small case.
BORDERLINE HAND LUGGAGE CASE
Now, I go away quite a lot at weekends and for weekends breaks so I like to ensure that I have a very strong, sturdy case that is easy enough to walk around with. This case is perfect for me, the pink works well adding some colour to it and on the front it has a metal badge with the Borderline logo on it which is nice. Now, on the front you have a small zip up pocket like you would on a ruck sack and you can slot everything in here quite flat from passports to tickets to anything really that will fit and it is a handy addition.
Not only do you get this front pocket but then there is the main front compartment which is huge inside and is quite flexible in terms of room so you can squeeze quite a lot in here and it is does fit a lot in, you will be amazed. The room in here for getting stuff in is much more than I've had in any hand luggage case that I have ever had, including those with an expandable zip area. It really is fantastic and even with a lot inside, you don't find that it gets ridiculously heavy to move around, it still feels light weight because of its design.
All of the zips are half pink and half metal which is a nice touch and they are very strong zips too, they don't stick, well they haven't yet and seem easy to move round. They are well put on and they seem reliable and have the whole for adding on a padlock if you want the option of extra security. The bottom of the case is made so that even if you want to stand the case upright it has two sticking out plastic parts which keep the case standing upright to balance it so that it doesn't fall over. It is good as this way you don't have to hold onto it all of the time.
The other thing I love about this case is the concealed pull out handle. It isn't noticeable at first but on the top there is a semi circle area with a zip and if you unzip this section, there is a handle that comes out, it is just a tall stick with a block to grip onto at the end but it is comfortable to hold onto for a while if wheeling it around. It is a great idea and if you don't want it out you can slide it back in and zip it away again. It is a clever idea and the handle is also very easy to pull out and it doesn't stick either which is useful.
The wheels on the case are great for rolling this around stations or airports. They wheel very quickly and don't jam. A lot of cases that I have had with wheels tend to get rusty after a while and don't roll with ease but this case it does the trick and makes life so much easier when walking with it. The case moves nicely and it just makes the case seem so much more lighter rolling it on wheels as it almost glides it is that good quality. The wheels aren't noisy either and are just your standard size.
There are a good few other options for maneuvering the case, you have your strong reinforced handle at the top that has just enough to get your hand under for moving it about if you don't want the pull out handle there all of the time. Not only is there the handle on the top but also you get the handle on the side which is very strong again and it makes it possible to support it from both handles or if you want to hold this on the side to make it more like a standard suitcase rather than a wheeled one.
The case has survived quite a number of trips so far and I am really impressed with this. It is a strong material and hasn't let me down yet. I fit everything that I could possibly want to fit into it and not being a solid frame, you can squeeze a lot more into the corners and it has more give on it. The case is easy to clean if it gets stained and the handles are all well put on and the case really is perfect for hand luggage. It fits exactly when I travel and gets me and my belongings from A to B with ease.
COST
If you want to get hold of this case, you can get them from the Co-op which is where I got mine for just £9.99 which is a competitive price at the moment for small hand luggage cases. Amazon are also selling this case but it is currently unavailable at the moment.
I could not locate an official website for the cases at the moment.
Read the complete review |
 |
Marks & Spencer Leather Boxy Faux Snakeskin Overnight Bag
by europe-chick
I've just recently bought this overnight bag from Marks & Spencers. The colour that I have is a patent black colour, other than the colour though the design of the bag is exactly the same as pictured above.
The full price of the bag was £89.00, however I paid less than this as there was 20% off at the time, taking the bag ... down to £71.00, I also had a £50.00 M&S gift card, so I felt like I only paid around £21.00 for it.
The overnight bag is a patent leather, and as I mentioned I have it in black. It looks really quite classy and sleek in the patent black, and it basically goes with anything. The patent leather is gorgeously shiny and glossy, and it looks and feels irresistibly luxurious. It definately looks like an expensive overnight bag, it doesn't look cheap at all. The leather is not as hard as you would expect for patent leather, it's not a super soft leather at all, but it's not hard and rigid either.
The overnight bag is a boxy shape, a bit like a squared off triangle I guess, the bottom of the bag is larger and wider than the top of the bag. It has two sturdy handles on the top, the handles are suitable for either carrying the bag by hand, or hooking it over your shoulder. I always tend to hook it over my shoulder, and it's really comfortable to carry like this. The handles are just long enough for the bag to sit snuggly under your arm and not hang down and bang about as you are carrying it.
The overnight bag is a perfect size for a overnight stay, you can get everything that you could possibly need in here and then also use this as your handbag as well. It's not too big that it looks out of place doing so. I also find that this works well for a weekend away, you do need to pack carefully if you want to get everything for a weekend away in here, and I always find that I definately do need to take a seperate handbag as well. I would say that a weekends worth of stuff is definately the bags limits, if you are going away for 4 or 5 days or more then this bag won't cut it.
This is a perfect size as a carry on for any airline, it will easily fit in the overhead lockers, it isn't too big and bulky.
The bag stands on four little metal studded feet so that the bottom of it doesn't get damaged when you stand it on the floor. The bag is lined with a bright purple polyester lining which is wipe clean should anything leak onto it. My lining does have a couple of stains on it from leaking toiletries but the polyester lining seems to be fairly waterproof as the stains haven't seaped through to the leather itself. The bag closes with a double zipper which is good quality and fairly sturdy, I've packed the bag full to bursting and had to virtually weld it shut, and the zippers still work perfectly fine and haven't given out.
The bag has quite a few extra pockets or sections which I like, it has a zippered pocket on the front of the bag, it has a zippered internal pocket, and it has a slip in section on the back of the bag. All of the pockets or sections are also lined with the bright purple polyester lining.
The patent leather itself is wipe clean, I've spilt a latte on it, and basically just wiped it over with a tissue and then a wet one and it's absolutely fine. I have been careful on the whole with my bag, and as such there's not any scratches or marks on it. I am slightly wary as to how well the patent leather will stand up in the long term, as I know patent can show scratches easily, but so far it seems to be really good quality patent leather and looks like it will last a good while.
The bag comes with a padlock and key which I don't tend to need as I wouldn't ever leave it anywhere unattended, but I guess that it's handy to have. It also comes with a black patent leather luggage tag attached to one of the handles, I've taken this off as again it's something I don't need. I'll probably end up using the luggage tag on a suitcase instead.
I would definately reccomend this overnight bag to anyone, yes it is expensive, but it is very good quality and it looks really stunning as well, if you look after it, it should last you for years and years to come.
I've only given it 4 stars due to the high price, if it had been cheaper it would be 5 stars no question.
Read the complete review |
 |
Trunki Terrance Ride-On Suitcase
by kama0529
I travel quite a bit with my family with us taking 4 - 5 holidays a year and also several weekends away thoughout the year. I've found it is handy to my son to have his own "suitcase" or carry on case to put everything be wants in it for the duration of the traveling part of the trip. This is where the Trunki Terrance Ride-On ... Suitcase comes in - and it allows my little son to have his very own travel case - which obviously frees up considerable room in my bag!! The Trunki Terrance Ride-On Suitcase cost me £27.99 about six months ago, but I note it is currently available on Amazon (Amazon.co.uk) for £25.95 which, I believe, is a very reasonable and acceptable price for such an item.
The Trunki is a little blue suitcase which is made out of thick and sturdy plastic and which opens up down the centre to allow items to be packed into both sides of the case. It has an ample capacity for things to be stored in.....ample that is for a young child.....as it can contain 18L, with dimensions measuring 46cm x 20cm x 31 cm. It has four wheels on the bottom of the case so it is easy to pull along.
The top of the case is wide and flat and this allows my son to sit astride the case so that he can be pulled along. There are two little green "horns" at the front of the case that he can hold onto, and then there is an orange pull thread that can be used to pull the case, with or without the child sat on it. The case can therefore be pulled by the adult as well as the child. Although the pull along aspect can be used to entertain my son, the fact that he can use the case to sit on when we are in long queues can actually be really helpful. The case can also be carried using the handles, one of which is on the side and one of which is on top of the case.
The case is lockable and this can be handy to stop your child from unlocking it at inconvenient times. I generally allow my son to have a say in what he wants to have packed in his case, but I ensure that there are some practicalities (like snacks) packed in there as well as all of his toys.
Overall, I think this is a great little suitcase for a little person - and it has certainly made traveling a great deal less painful!
Read the complete review |
