Some people travel all the time, but whether you’re a weekly road warrior or a weekend trip enthusiast, good luggage makes the best of travel companions. Lightweight Lipault Luggage is from France, where they really know how to make even a boring and functional item, very chic! The bags are not just a pretty face clothed in pretty colors however, they are engineered for strength (yes, you can over-stuff it and not find your belongings all over the baggage carousel upon arrival) and they are seriously user-friendly.
My personal experience with Lipault Luggage is excellent. Last year I reviewed a bright orange carry-on bag from Lipault’s uber-light, 0% Foldable collection. Since that time the bag has traveled with me several times overseas and has exceeded my expectations for a versatile and eye-catching piece of Luggage. That Lipault 0% Foldable 22″ 4-Wheeled Carry-On is such a great bag. You can over-stuff it and it won’t break or topple over. It is amusing to see the stares from people who clearly haven’t seen a colorful, stylish bag for a long while, standing out in a sea of boring, black! Like cars, the color choices in luggage have been so limited. Lipault brings color back to luggage, and that makes it fun to use and easy to spot it in a crowd of other bagsNow, Lipault has launched another style of carry-on, a new satchel design wheeled bag that is going to take your breath away! It is the Advice Sisters Weekly Obsession!Traditionally, satchels are soft-sided bags used for carrying books, but the Lipault satchel reminds me a bit more of the type of “carpetbag” shaped luggage many people carried before there were wheelie bags. The thing is, this one also has wheels and a handle that retract when you don’t want or need them (because sometimes you need to just slip your bag over your arm by the nicely padded handles, and run to make your train or plane)!The bag comes in 8 different gorgeous colors like the raspberry shown on the right, and the bag comes with a matching luggage tag. This 2-wheeled 20″ satchel weighs just 4.3 pounds and is 20′ x 13.5″ x 10″ (there is a 24″ version as well). But while the bag is lightweight, it’s also made with strong but supple, 210-denier nylon twill fabric. The retractable handle is aircraft-grade aluminum and the sturdy zippers are self-healing zippers. The bag is nicely lined with one zippered interior pocket, and on the exterior, a 1 strap secured by velcro to allow the bag to slip over the handle on other luggage pieces. Speaking of which, if you have other Lipault luggage you can mix and match colors from the soft-side and 0% collections.Some people just take a carry on for incidentals but if you can only take one bag and you don’t like to travel light, you may still find that the 20″ bag is big enough for a long weekend. As you can see from the photo, the bag opens up wide and all the way, so you can add a coat or boots and not have to bend them into pretzels. Even with several pairs of shoes, a light coat, and several changes of clothes, you’ll have plenty of room for souvenirs at the end of your trip. However, if you’re not the type to pack light, the 24″ would be a better choice. Keep in mind that for most airlines, a 22″ bag is the largest sized bag you can take on board the plane. That means you’d have to check the larger s24″ satchel if you travel by plane. However, the bag is not just durable so it will survive the baggage handlers. With the beautiful colors you can get, there’s no need to festoon your bag with tons of ribbons to recognize it.The point of a rolling bag is to relieve stress on your neck, shoulders and arms, but a lot of wheeled bags don’t roll well. Lipault luggage wheels are generously sized and they roll smoothly, so you can keep good control over the bag. Unlike the traditionally shaped wheelie carry on, this wheeled has a really stable shape so even if it’s stuffed, it won’t tip over. The water resistant fabric can be wiped clean with a mild soap and water if something gets on it.I think my Lipault Satchel will become my coveted and constant travel companion if I can get it away from my husband who loves Lipault, too!Whether you need a carry on for work, you’re going away for the weekend, or you’re planning the trip of a lifetime, Lipault is a fabulous choice for soft-sided luggage. Lipault would make a great gift for mom, for day, for graduates, a bride-to-be, or anyone who loves beautiful and functional things. The 2-wheeled 20″ satchel is available at: http://www.lipault-us.com/softluggage-1/2-wheeled-20-satchel-1.html ($179) and the 24″ satchel is available at: http://www.lipault-us.com/softluggage-1/2-wheeled-24-satchel.html ($199). For more information visit http://www.lipault-us.com.About Lipault: Launched by French designer François Lipovetsky in 2005, Lipault has become one of France’s leading luggage brands. After years of designing luggage for Air France, he developed Lipault’s signature Plume Collections. Named after the French noun “plume”, which means “feather”, these Collections are designed to meet the needs of today’s savvy travelers. Lipault currently has three flagship stores in France and is distributed throughout France and the United Kingdom in prominent department stores such as Galleries Lafayette and Selfridges. In the US, Lipault can be found at prestigious department stores and specialty stores across the country.
