Bags that Travel Well

I am not a good packer. I always over-pack. (Thankful for the packing cubes, I manage the space in my suitcase nicely...). And, more often than not, I have trouble stuffing everything back into my suitcase when it's time to go home. Or, during my uncontrollable days... I over shop and need extra storage space.

And this is why I always carry these chums with me, behold: bags that travel well.

1. Longchamp Le Pliage bag, Large

cost depends on where you buy! I got mine through Power Retail (search for her on Facebook) 

 

It's not that trendy anymore, but I love, love bringing my Longchamp for travel. It can be casual for a stroll around the city, and can be a bit serious for a client meeting or a business conference. Since I hand-carry a backpack or a laptop bag when I travel, my Longchamp stays folded and flat in my suitcase. Out it goes to serve me when I reach my destination.

It's big, spacious, has a zipper, slightly water-resistant, and oh so portable. I recommend using a bag organizer with it, if you don't want to go crazy when looking for something inside. 

Can fit: Usual ladies' stuff like wallet, mobile phone, kikay kit. Can even fit an iPad and a small laptop.  When fully loaded, mine can function as a deadly weapon as well :D

I own two large long handles (in dark purple/ "bilberry" and brown) and a medium-long handle one in blue that I use on weekends. Longchamp calls their colors something else, and you have to know what to get because they come in a variety of size and handle length combinations. I personally think these bags are expensive, but worth it. I've had mine for ages.

2. Foldable Grocery Bag

 free from La Farge :)

Expands to about 12" x 15"

Made of nylon, carrying an ultra-light grocery bag is a must during travel. It prevents you from accumulating tons of plastic and paper shopping bags, especially if you get carried away with shopping. It is eco-friendlier, too! These can be bought from different places as well. (Recently, these are favorite giveaways in conferences or events!) I prefer the ones made of nylon (same material for umbrellas) because they are more compact. But you can find eco-bags made from canvas or non-woven cloth (paper-like cloth).

3. Herschel Convertible Backpack

Php 1,400 from Flight 001, Bonifacio High Street

 

Big things come in small packages.

Made of rip-stop nylon, this Herschel backpack is as handy as it is cool! The small pouch opens up to a 1.2 liter backpack with a durable zipper and an outer pocket. I first saw this advertised in a Cebu Pacific magazine, and then chanced upon it while window shopping at Flight 001 in Bonifacio High Street. 

I like this because I can just stuff it in a suitcase without it taking too much space... then whip it out if I need an extra carry-on bag. Again, for last minute shopping, or when you over pack and need to move some weight from your checked in luggage to your carry-on. It's also good as a "going around" bag, when you need to bring a backpack (a day-hike? Island hopping?) but don't want to carry around your whole gear. In my recent Mindoro trip, I kept my big backpack stowed in the van, and carried this with my jacket, water, snacks, other personal effects, with me at the "people" section of the RoRo.

The material of this Herschel looks flimsy, but based from experience, it's really durable. I once bought a bag like this from Divi(Soria) for Php 100.00, but it was a pain to roll up , and the zipper broke after one use. This Herschel sports a nice design, super flexible fabric that's easy to compress, and is obviously made from quality materials.  I've tried carrying my laptop with it, and it still felt safe (the bag is not padded, so if you want to do that, make sure you have a laptop sleeve to protect your computer.) 

Happy Travels!