Several years ago, I was at an airport waiting by the luggage carousel for my black rollaboard. I spotted it and while watching it glide along, someone took it off the carousel, looked at the luggage tag, realized it wasn’t theirs and put it back. A few seconds later, another person took my bag, looked it over and returned it to the carousel. And then it happened a third time. Eventually, we were reunited.
After that experience, I realized that one of those people could have been so jet-lagged, tipsy or excited and accidentally taken my bag, which isn`t uncommon. Soon after that I bought brown luggage and put bows, stickers and duct tape on all sides to help distinguish it from others. But the bows quickly became ragged and sometimes came off, some of the stickers fell off and the duct tape looked tacky.
And then I discovered an indispensible tool – the luggage strap!! You simply wrap it around your bag like a seat belt, tighten it and there are no problems spotting it at the airport or when you’re traveling with a group. I quite like the Lewis N. Clark strap. Unless you have a red or orange suitcase, red is the perfect color. I find that straps in neon or pastel colors show dirt easily. Dark and pastel colors as well as those with designs don`t get your attention as well. They should really call it the Peace of Mind Strap. Check out this video clip:
The strap is made of sturdy polyester (webbed construction) and wasn`t beginning to fray like a sample I was given from a travel goods manufacturer. I bought a strap at the dollar store, put it around a rather lightweight rollaboard and it lasted two short return trips within Canada as part of the buckle cracked and I couldn`t use it anymore. The Lewis N. Clark one has a durable polypropylene buckle that`s larger and better made than other straps I`ve examined such as those put out by Austin House, Tracker, Northern Traveller (sold at Wal-Marts in Canada) and Maple Leaf (sold at The Bay in Canada).
Other great features:
- Since the strap is so obvious, it`s less likely that someone will try to steal your bag.
- If your suitcase goes AWOL, it’ll be easy for airline personnel to find it.
- In case something happens to the luggage zipper, the belt keeps the contents in tact.
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