A couple of days ago I mentioned that this blog would be carried both in its usual place and over at the National Car Rental Facebook Page as part of their ‘Go Like a Pro’ feature.
Since National is a perennial favorite of business travelers for their ‘Emerald Aisle’ (pick your own car offering), it makes sense to bring unfiltered travel advice to their customers through their communications channels, I think it’s what I would do if I were them also, brand myself as the place for savvy travelers period and explain my offerings that way too.
They’re not paying me, I do have elite status with National (though they aren’t the only rental car chain with which I have status), and I asked them if they might have a few things I could give away to my readers.
One of the best things a serious traveler can have is a serious roll aboard, and they’ve generously offered a Victorinox Werks Traveler 4.0 to be given away to one of my readers.
They sent this photo of the bag:
For some sense of things, it looks like Amazon has the bag discounted from $500 down to $300. It’s a serious bag, and hopefully giving it away makes this a serious blog too. Hah!
- All you need to do to enter is leave a comment to this post, either what you like in a carry on bag or in a rental car.
- Only enter once. Anyone leaving more than one comment will not be eligible to win.
- I will draw a winning comment at random using random.org
- The contest will remain open for entries through Sunday, April 24 at 6pm Eastern.
This is a giveaway, I don’t get anything by offering it, all interpretations of rules are mine and it isn’t mean to be a strict terms and conditions just a friendly gesture to benefit readers. If you have a question, please don’t post it as a comment here since you only get one entry! Instead email me.
Enter away, good luck on the carry on, and thanks for the giveaway opportunity, National!
I look for bags that have lots of compartments and roll easily.
I always carry my own GPS unit.
1. LIFETIME WARRANTY. There are a few companies out there that offer this (Victorinox, Briggs and Reilly, Tumi etc) If they do not have a lifetime warranty they DO NOT have my business. The good news is that as you get these bags repaired, over time, they will replace them with the new ones in the line so every few years you will get new bags because the parts for the old bags are no longer manufactured.
2. DURABILITY (obviously) but this one is difficult. All bags will get damaged at one time or another and even though there is a lifetime warranty you have to weigh in your time and money in paying for the shipping back to a given company for repair or driving across town to drop it off at an authorized luggage repair. The Werks line of Victorinox is one of the lightest bags you can buy but it is the least durable of their products. The Victorinox Mobilizer NXT or Tourbach are the most durable bags but heavier. So it is a trade off. You decide.
3. DETAILS. Most bags have suit/shirt hangar options inside. The arms on the pull handle should be sturdy. The wheels should be in-line skate style for durability, The corners of the piping on the outside edges of the bag should be reinforced with an extra layer of material. There should be an outside pocket to quickly slip in a laptop and/or magazines AND a smaller horizontal zipper pocket within this larger outside pocket that can hold your passport, airline ticket etc.
4. NICE BUT NOT TOO NICE. In my opinion the Victorinox baggage are subtle enough to blend in with the other bags that are in baggage claim. If you have a 27″ Tumi, that is going to get some attention. For international travel especially, I prefer to be a bit more incognito and the Tumi bag is too flashy and will draw attention. FYI Obviously a Louis Vutton bag would be a ridiculous choice if you are trying to blend in. You get the idea.
5. BUILT IN LUGGAGE TAGS. The ones you get at the airline will fall off a certain percentage of the time. So you need a built in luggage tag.
6. INTERLOCKING TOTE SYSTEM. The bags you buy need to have a system where you can interlock them. There are many times I had to interlock 3 bags and tote them behind me through customs or a massive international airport or both. OR even across cobblestone streets from my apartment in Barcelona to the nearest main intersection where I could catch a taxi. This system needs to be well balanced so try it out before you buy. Victorinox bags have always served me well.
Did I forget anything?
I like both my rental cars and my carry on bag to be RED.
Otherwise, I’m not really picky.
I like a carryon that has suit accessory that’s easy to use and not too bulky.
What I like in a rental car is choosing my own car, usually something I would never drive at home.
I carry my travel magazines in my bag
Most important for a bag: it has to roll well, and be stable (I hate bags that tip over sideways when you turn too abruptly).
I like my bag to be lightweight and carry my books in there
Im a huge fan of the 4 wheel carry ons, so convenient.
My car should be black
One thing I miss about my old carry on is a top pocket that is shallow – great for keys, phone, wallet when going through security.
What I look for in a rental car: Quick/easy pickup and dropoff and competitive proce.
What I look for in a carry-on bag: Fits in the overheard (tougher than you’d think with all the different dimensions of overhead for different planes), durable, large capacity (so no wasted interior space).
I don’t understand why rentals are stripped down so badly — rental cars should be one of the main ways for car manufacturers to market their vehicles. I never have a chance to drive any other car models, except when I rent a car. At that point I’m a captive audience for Ford or Chevrolet or whoever’s manufactured it. They should be using that time to show off their best features: responsive engines, integrated technology, strong safety features, etc. Instead, I get a stripped-down Ford Focus, and I think “wow, this is a piece of junk.”
Most important to me regarding a carry-on bag is that it’s lightweight, fits in the overhead bin and that it has an easily accessible front section for putting in newspapers and magazines.
I like for my bag to be lightweight and durable. In terms of a rental car–I prefer those that get great gas mileage and is fun to drive.
What I would like in a carryon is a sweet hot male who has elite status in multiple airline and hotel programs. Oh wait a minute, you probably weren’t asking what I wanted INSIDE a carryon, were you? Come to think of it, if he could fit inside a carryon, I probably wouldn’t want him.
I like a sturdy extendable handle
Carry on bags should be roomy on the inside yet tiny on the outside.
What I like in a rental car is fitting as many clowns as possible. For greatest effect, they should wear floppy shoes and funny wigs – but for the purpose of this gag, quantity is much more important than quality.
The possibility of picking the rental car of my choice is key. There are so many times I go back to the counter and ask if they have another car.
What do I like on a rental car?
audio-in jack, so I can listen to my podcasts…
i like a rental car that is comfortable, has a gps built in and also a company that can give you an extra set of keys (just in case).
I like rental cars that have low mileage, smell clean, and have a usb power port.
I really like the Emerald Aisle. National hit the nail on the head with this. Even though most of my car rentals are for leisure, it’s very useful to be able to pick a car based on specific needs (e.g. traveling with kids or without, with lots of luggage, or without, etc).
How about what I would like in a rental car? A GPS / sat-nav that isn’t regularly priced at $10 a day. Especially traveling overseas, I would sometimes prefer not to tote my own GPS and friction mount with me but I do it because it saves me $70 to $200 on my long rentals! (Mobile phones are an option but battery hogs and reliant on data connections for Google Maps.)
A carry-on with a long handle is a must. There is nothing worse for me than having to hunch down as I try to wheel a bag to the gate.
Carry-on bags should (1) have wheels and (2) be lightweight. Unfortunately, those features are often at odds with each other!
I love how lite-weight this bag feels, it would be an amazing bag to use for all my travels!
I would love this bag. The one I have now is beat up and I could really use a replacement for some trips I have planned this summer.
I like being able to fit a carry-on bag fit in the overhead compartment without issue (i.e. have to fit sideways, have to gate check, have issues on international baggage requirements, etc).
I like a superlight bag with wheels small enough to fit wheels first in the overhead bin.
I like bags that are made of Blue Repulsion Gel to minimize damage while checked.
Durability! And the zipper pulls shouldn’t fall off.
I want a bag that will last and one that isn’t too heavy or bulky before I even begin to pack.
I like carryon bags that are lightweight and fit nicely into an overhead bin.
What I like in a carry-on? – Small outside, Big inside
I prefer carry-on bags that have heavy-duty wheels and a solid handle. I also prefer a bag that expands when needed.
I like a carry-on bag which is light and nice-looking, and fits easily into an overhead bin.
What I like in a rental car is XM/Syrius Radio
I love fuel efficient vehicles when I rent a car.
What I like in a rental car is affordable pricing and convenience.
I really like carry on bags with a few good outer pockets to keep things in for easy access
A good handle on a carry-on bag is the best!
I like a bag with good wheels!
Contest Entry:
In a rental car I really enjoy Sirius Radio – makes it easier when youre in an unfamiliar area to know what radio stations you like.
Although it won’t fit in my rollaboard I’m hoping my new folding bike will fit in my checked bag.
I like that new car smell.
I like a rental car that is clean and priced at a great rate.
can take a beating and not look worse for the wear – applies to both bags and cars