How to travel with less baggage than Newt Gingrich

Continuing  this week’s theme of travel-related advice, we come to the luggage awards.  Now, my goal with luggage is very simple:  A) To be able to pack at least one nice change of clothes without said garments being wrinkled beyond all recognition after the trip.  B) To keep my luggage out of the hands of ...

By , a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast.

Continuing  this week's theme of travel-related advice, we come to the luggage awards. 

Continuing  this week’s theme of travel-related advice, we come to the luggage awards. 

Now, my goal with luggage is very simple: 

A) To be able to pack at least one nice change of clothes without said garments being wrinkled beyond all recognition after the trip. 

B) To keep my luggage out of the hands of baggage handlers and TSA. Really, I know that 95% of the time if I check my bag it will get to its destination unscathed, uninspected, and on time. It’s that 5% that preys on my mind every time I check a bag, however.  Even gate-checking on a regional puddle-jumper flight makes me jittery. 

So, with these simple criteria in mind I hereby present: 

Most Underrated Piece of Luggage:  The Victorionox Standard Issue Overnighter does not have wheels — it has to be carried with a shoulder strap.  It has also been the most elastic piece of luggage I own, good for overnight trips and those lasting a week.  The folded garment bag works extremely well.  As an overnight bag, it fits into the narrow overhead bins on commuter planes.  As an expanded bag, it can carry enough clothes for a week.  It’s the most useful piece of luggage I own. 

Most Overrated Piece of Luggage not named "Newt Gingrich":  The entire Tumi carry-on line is baffling — for the life of me I can’t see the appeal.  There isn’t nearly enough space inside the bags for more than just a few items of clothing.  The garment bag sectons are utterly confusing and not terribly effective.  The base of the bag is lumpy, which means that the packed clothes come out rumpled.  As a rolling bag it seems suboptimal – I’ve seen way too many travellers tripped up by it. As near as I can determine, the only advantage of a Tumi bag is that other people are impressed that you have a Tumi bag — kind of a Chivas Regal effect.  It is sturdy, but on the whole, compared to its price, the bag is underwhelming. 

My next (and last) travel post will look at airlines and airports — what I liked, what I didn’t. 

Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast. Twitter: @dandrezner

More from Foreign Policy

Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.
Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.

Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America

The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.

Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.
Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.

The U.S.-Israel Relationship No Longer Makes Sense

If Israel and its supporters want the country to continue receiving U.S. largesse, they will need to come up with a new narrative.

Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.

Putin Is Trapped in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy of War

Moscow is grasping for meaning in a meaningless invasion.

An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.
An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.

How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests

And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.