Eagle Creek updates some of my favorite products to enable more organized, light and secure travel
Suitcase technology hasn’t changed much since Travelpro flipped the bag’s profile from horizontal to vertical and developed the roll-aboard in the early 1980s. Sure, there have been slight modifications to the shape and the addition of wheeling duffels. And, there has been a resurgence of hard sided luggage in new colors and prints from Rimowa and Heys, but nothing much has really changed since the handle and wheels were added to bags.
There have been new developments in accessories, however. Packing cubes, folding organizers, RFID money belts, and packable extra bags are just a few of the items that travelers have adopted in the past years that continue to improve.
Packing Cubes
My Eagle Creek mesh packing cubes have logged thousands of miles and seen the inside of hundreds of hotels. I love my cubes so much that when Eagle Creek offered to send me new ones, my immediate reaction was to say no.
But, when the lighter-than-air envelope arrived with Eagle Creek’s new, Ultra-Light pack-it cubes, aka Specter, I was happy I agreed.
This new cube set weighs 2.2 ounces cumulatively, compared with 4 ounces (113 grams) for just the original mesh Cube. The large cube holds the same amount of Tshirts; the quarter cube holds more underwear. I typically use the medium cube for gadgets – which the new lightweight one might be too flimsy for, so it will become my bathing suit, bra cube.
While I would never wear that color green, it’s perfect for packing cubes. It should enable easily finding them in the backpack.
Every ounce counts, especially when you’re carrying your gear on your back and I cannot wait to road test these new cubes on my upcoming trip to Guatemala.
RFID Money Belts
I’m not sure if criminals are really reading credit card/ATM cards from traveler’s wallets, but why take chances? The new Eagle Creek RFID Blocker Money Belt DLX is just as light and more compact than my 10 year old Eagle Creek money belt.
According to Eagle Creek’s representative, these money belts will not set off airport metal detectors. Of course, with the new body scanners I now stow the money belt deep inside my smaller carry on bag for transiting airport security, rather than have another TSA agent I have to tell me to put the money belt on the conveyor. But when you’re going through the regular spectrometer instead of the body scanner, this belt supposedly will not set off the device.
Packable Bags
One of my favorite travel accessories is a small black Eagle Creek duffel bag that rolls into a little case – perfect for me to carry around my fragile and other purchases. Often I will check my hard-sided bag home with any liquids and dirty laundry, and bring all my new purchases and valuables on the flight home in this duffel. Eagle Creek offers a full line of bags that pack into little cases, giving you more options for daily use while traveling, or for an additional carry on bag. And for hands-free photography, I always carry one of those Envirosax roll-up shopping tote bags so I can stow any purchases in a shoulder bag.
I’ve been using Eagle Creek products since the 90s and any of the items I bought then are in excellent condition today. Planned obsolescence is clearly not their business model. The company makes sturdy, well thoughtout products with continuous improvements.
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Packing cubes, RFID-Blocker money belt and photos courtesy of Eagle Creek.