Back in February, I mentioned to my friends at Eagle Creek that I’d be traveling for a month in Asia. They set me up with some of their goods to try out while on the road. I was a bit nervous about depending on the gear without ever using it before. (What if one of the wheels on the suitcase fell off en route to Yangon? ) I was silly to worry. All of the gear was fantastic, and I reached a new level of organization with my packing. You could say I’m a changed suitcase packer thanks to Eagle Creek. I encourage you to check out their four-step travel system. Broken down into four key areas-luggage, pack-it systems, necessities and day travelers- it will change the way you pack for your trip.
The Switchback Max 22 is a wheeled backpack. A wheeled backpack is the best of both worlds-a wheeled suitcase and a backpack all in one. When I was in rural Burma, meaning no paved roads, I unzipped the back cover and slipped the bag onto my back. During my hectic scramble through the airport in Hanoi to try to catch my flight, the rolling wheeled suitcase with handle was the way to go. I found the amount of space, just under 2600 cubic inches, to be perfect for my month long trip. The removable daypack was my go-to bag for day trips around Saigon or for hiking to the ethnic minority villages in Sapa. The best part about this piece of luggage? It’s carry-on travel sized. No checked luggage here!
The Pack-It Specter Cube helped to keep my dirty clothes separate from my clean ones. It also was a good place to put my muddy sneakers . With the cube, I didn’t have to shove my shoes in a white plastic bag and risk getting dry dirt mixed in with my other clothes. The pack-it specter folder would’ve been helpful to keep button-down shirts wrinkle free, but I don’t bring too many of those on my trips. I’m more of a t-shirt kinda gal. Which leads me to my newest, most favorite packing organizer ever…
The Pack-It Complete Organizer. This wonder of a organizer has two half-sized cubes, one full size cube and an accessories pocket. It has a hook to hang the organizer into a closet or on the back of a door, which I did in every hotel I stayed in.
The compartments are useful in separating your clothes into shirts, socks and underwear. And when it’s zipped up, it fits into a 22-inch carry on suitcase like a glove. I use this now on every trip I take, however long or short.
Finally, the silk undercover bra-stash was my go-to item for when I didn’t want to carry a purse. When I went out to meet friends for a drink in Hanoi, I put some cash and my ID in the little satchel and headed out. I liked not worrying about keeping tract of a bag or a wallet, and just having what I needed. The silk was much more comfortable against my skin than just stuffing cash in my bra. Not that I would ever do that, or have ever done that…
Thanks to you Eagle Creek, I’ll never be disorganized again.
Photos courtesy of Eagle Creek.