Revolution Rolling Pack on a 10-day trip to Vietnam
Recently, I went on a ten-day trip to Vietnam in order to inspect the production of the Revolution Rolling Pack at our partner’s factory. The trip was mostly for business, but I took a few extra days to “bleisure travel” And play tourist, as I had never been to the country.
I couldn’t think of a better scenario to put the Revolution Rolling Pack to the test! I knew for this trip I had to only use carry-on luggage because I wanted to be on the only direct flight from the United States to Vietnam, which left from San Francisco, and I could not purchase a linked ticket to a domestic flight from Boston for this trip. This was also the airport that the other member of our quality team was flying out of, and I wanted to meet her at the Vietnam Airlines gate, so we could travel together.
So, I purchased one-way tickets from Boston to San Francisco and back, in addition to the round-trip ticket direct to Vietnam leaving from San Francisco. I used the 8-piece set of Onli Travel packing cubes to pack most of my stuff inside the Revolution Rolling Pack. The packing cubes fit perfectly, and worked as intended, reducing my stress as I packed (with only 2 days notice!) for the trip. The only cube that I did not use as originally intended was the suitor. Since I didn’t bring a suit jacket to tropical and humid Vietnam, I packed my raincoat inside the suitor instead. I was able to pack a full week’s worth of clothes and everything else I needed inside the Revolution Rolling Pack without expanding it!
I had no problem at the airport with my luggage. I unzipped the Messenger Tote Pack and Revolution Expandable Daypack from the Revolution Expandable Spinner to create the Revolution Double Pack. I carried the Revolution Double Pack on my back as my one “personal item” and rolled the Revolution Expandable Spinner through security and on to the jet-bridge. There were no concerns at security, or the boarding gate. After my first flight from Boston to San Francisco I had to quickly change terminals in order to check-in for my international flight to Vietnam. Unlike almost everyone else in the check-in line, I was able to get my boarding pass quickly, because I had no checked luggage! The majority of the passengers had to lug heavy bags to the counter, and go through the frustrations of the international check in process. This was definitely a stress reducer for us, as we arrived at the gate with plenty of time to board.
On the plane, I was able to put the Revolution Expandable Spinner in the overhead bin on its side with no problems. I also had no problem placing the entire Revolution Double Pack under the seat in front of me, (despite the memory device for the inflight entertainment system for my row being also placed under my seat!)
When I arrived at the airport in Vietnam, it was easy to negotiate the passenger boarding stairs, with the Double Pack on my back. The four wheels on the bottom of the Expandable Spinner made the bag glide through the terminal with little effort. When I got to my hotel room, I was able to quickly and easily place the packing cubes in the drawers I wanted to use in my room, while being able to find everything I brought with ease!
During my day trips to the factory, I would usually just bring the Revolution Expandable Daypack with my laptop inside, a notebook, charger, water bottle (and – for the tropical climate - a sweat towel!) Splitting the bag made it easy for me to bring just what I needed for the day, and not carry the entire Double Pack. On my days off, I would usually take the Messenger Tote Pack with my camera, some sunscreen, a water bottle, and whatever else I needed for the day exploring Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. This made it easy to wander as I wanted, and explore the cities freely.
Coming home, I didn’t have to wait for my luggage to come off the conveyor belt at US Customs, and was able to walk quickly to another terminal for my connecting domestic flight back to Boston. Since the flights were “unlinked”, this made a real difference! It looked to me like the wait in the customs office if you had checked baggage was at least two hours!
Overall, I honestly think the Revolution Rolling Pack is one of the best solutions out there for a stress-reducing and flexible carry-on. This is not just because I work for Onli Travel! I love that the bag is modular, so that I can put all three pieces together if I want, or just have a backpack and rolling bag, which qualifies for most airlines as normal for carry-on luggage. I can carry it on my back if need be, such as going up stairs, or roll it down a long hallway, such as in a hotel or an airport terminal. Plus, it fits my computer easily, has compartments that make it easy to take out my electronics and liquids for security with little effort, in addition to expanding if required. I also like that I don’t have to use all three pieces if I don’t want or need to. It gives me the flexibility to travel in the way I want to, and that best suits my needs at the time.
It’s great to work in a company where the product really does deliver on its promise! Not everyone has the chance to do this! The Revolution Rolling Pack turned a sudden, potentially stressful trip half way around the world into an enjoyable adventure. That’s the way travel should be!
