My tried and tested garment bag is rapidly falling apart. I need a new one, but cannot find one I like.
I almost always travel with a garment bag. It’s actually rare these days that I wear a suit for meetings, but my current garment bag, pictured below, is perfect for my baggage needs.
First, it keeps 1-2 outfits nicely pressed. Second, the two side storage pockets are perfect for my valuables and other essential items. I keep my laptop and charging cables on one side with any paperwork and my toiletries with one change of clothes on the other side. That way, if I ever have to check my rollerboard carry-on I don’t have to worry about my short-term needs if it somehow gets lost. And it always fits under my seat, if necessary.
Cutter & Buck makes “upscale” golf clothing and other sports apparel. I don’t golf and I don’t wear Cutter & Buck clothes, but received this garment bag about a decade ago from a former family friend and have used it ever since.
But it is showing its age. One of the zippers used to open and close the main garment compartment has broken. About a year ago, one of the two side pocket zippers broke, rendering the bag unusable. I paid $25 to have the zipper fixed, but it just broke again.
Thus, it is time for a new a bag. I’d love the same bag, without the logo (or with my own logo…), but I cannot find something like it anywhere. I need zippered pockets on both sides, not just one side.
But I suppose I am open to a wholly new garment bag. I wish Rimowa made one…I love my Rimowa rollerboard and would welcome a matching garment bag.
I would like something pretty, but most importantly is must be practical.
Thoughts? Any recommendations?
Try WallyBags.com I have one of theirs that I use for business trips by car when I have a 2nd bag for my stuff other than the suits and dress shirts. It has 2 big pockets, one of which is gusseted. It’s very durable and well made. It does not have a shoulder strap, but they do seem to have models with one.
I will check out WallyBags.com.
I would suggest learning how to properly fold clothes, then use either a roller board or duffel bag. Even for me, a traveling business man, it is rare that I need more than one suit (and by wearing the suit jacket on the plane, I don’t need to worry about packing it). In the case that I do need a well-pressed suit, I have a single garment bag that holds one suit and dress shirt. Sounds like you don’t even need to travel with a suit, which means a garment bag makes zero sense for you.
Thank you for the suggestion, Andy K.
“And it always fits under my seat, if necessary.”
@Matthew, unless you’re in a seat that doesn’t allow underseat storage (bulkhead, exit row on some airlines, and some premium cabin seats), I hope you *always* put it under the seat and not just when necessary. It’s impossible to tell from the photo, but garment bags are usually larger (18″ at the shoulder) than the personal item dimensions of many airlines, especially if they’re packed to the gills. It’s rather inconsiderate to use the shared storage spaces (overhead or closet) if you already have a rolling suitcase as a carry-on.
Please let us kn0w if you do find a garment bag that meets personal item size restrictions. IIRC, AA and UA are generous, but European/Asian carriers are pretty strict. There’s no way a garment bag would pass as a personal item on LH, for example.
A couple thoughts. First, I fly Lufthansa all the time in economy class on short-haul flights and have never been stopped. Second, while the garment bag goes under my seat 90% of the time, it is more for my convenience, not to preserve overhead bin space. The bag nice fits over my Rimowa, such that it is not taking up additional horizontal space in the overhead locker.
Well, as long as it goes under the seat (or fits on top of your carry-on), I don’t have an issue. I do think it’s inconsiderate when people exceed their allowance (size or quantity) and then also take up the shared storage space. Thankfully, you don’t fall into that category. But, if LH (or anyone else) ever decides to implement stricter checks on hand luggage, you’d be screwed (along with many others, I’d imagine).
1 or 2 carry-ons at 8kg each:
“Dimensions for carry-on baggage: max. 55 x 40 x 23 cm
Dimensions for foldable garment bags: max. 57 x 54 x 15 cm”
Personal item:
“Another small item of baggage (max. x=30 cm y=40 cm z=10 cm, e.g. handbag, laptop bag).”
My life has been revolutionized by my Briggs and Riley wheeled carry-on garment bag.
Like Andy K, I used to (and still sometimes do) use a traditional roller board. This is great for work trips. For a 3-5 day trip, the B&R stores 2 suits, 1 pair of shoes, and 4-5 shirts, ties, etc. perfectly, and has the side pocket you mentioned. I also like that I can open it on a second bed or desk or counter and easily live out of the suitcase after hanging up my suits. Finally (and this is a really niche preference), if I pick up a bottle of scotch or other liquid I want to check, it goes safely into this bag but might break in a soft garment bag.
Check out the Filson Suit Cover