I saw a lot of cool stuff at the Travel Goods Show last month, you guys! I was really excited to bring you some new carry-on bags and Lojel did not disappoint with their newest: The Novigo. Their bags are all named in the universal language in Esperanto and Novigo means "innovation". Once you see my review, you'll see why.
I love new innovative products, and this cherry red definitely caught my eye. I love a bright bag, so this one fit all the check marks I had for a new carry-on. Here's why:
First of all, it comes with all these fun accessories: A toiletry bag, a cover, a shoe/laundry bag, and a little separator hammock, which I'll go into in a bit.
The Novigo doesn't have a zipper. Nope, because that's not secure or innovative. Nope, it has this nice little tongue and groove type closure. The top groove works with this bottom lip.
It fits snugly, so it's waterproof and stronger than your usual zipperedd carry-on. Nobody can force it open with a pen, that's for sure. This means your belongings are safe from those "overhead thieves". The ones who open the bins mid-flight and unzip a bit of your bag to steal your valuables.
So, what keeps your bag closed? The Novigo has two large TSA-approved locks that have combination locks on them, so it makes it twice as difficult for non-TSA agents to get into your bag. While you think this is a minimal security feature, thieves aren't going to mess with a bag that isn't easy to get into.
The hardside shell is made of a strong polycarbonate, which can really take a beating. How do I know? Because I filled it with all the things I picked up at the show and checked it home. I wasn't smart enough to put the cover on it, plus the bag may have gotten to Portland way before me, as I didn't leave Vegas until 11 hours after I was originally scheduled and from when I checked it through. When I finally made it home, my bag was waiting for me, but it was beat up and that nice sheen was less shiny. Aside from a few scratches and dirt, my Novigo wasn't bent out of shape or anything.
The inside of this bag is gorgeous. I love it. There are two large compartments (larger than I expected before I opened it). One is your main compartment and the other is a mesh zippered compartment, which is awesome to me.
Not only can you strap down your clothing in the main compartment, but you also have this removable hammock that can go over the top and hold things you want easy access to. I used it for underwear, but if you're a business traveler, maybe this is where you keep your ties or other things that you'll want to keep flat. It's nice that this also helps your stray clothing pieces from sneaking out and keeping your bag from closing.
It makes closing your bag easier, because it's not all bulgy. The same goes for the top compartment that zips closed. The mesh is taut and doesn't allow you to overstuff it. I was able to get a lot into this bag when packing for our next trip. We have clothing for a week (4-5 shirts and 3 bottoms each), a pair of flip flops for Eric, a pair of walking shoes for me that I put in the shoe bag, my toiletries (including my 3-1-1 bag), my lint roller, a wrap and our bathing suits.
Here's most of what I brought home from the show. It all fit (and then some) into the Novigo with no problems.
See the backpack on top of the Novigo? It's not much bigger than the carry-on is, and fit all that awesome swag.
Okay, so there's more that makes this bag awesome. #1 are these great little feet, so your bag can sit on its side but not get all scraped up on the ground.
#2: The bag's pull-out handle has two locking positions, making it easy for short people (me) and tall people (my husband) to both roll it along. We've had bags that have only had one locking position that was either too long or too short for one or both of us. This was perfectly comfortable for me in the shorter position, so I didn't have to strain to drag it along.
#3, and the thing that made this bag intriguing to me, were the locking wheels. Both sides have this little pedals that allow you to independently lock and unlock your wheels, so your bag doesn't roll away on a slope or the bus. I took it on the monorail with me back to my room from the convention center and it stayed put in front of me. The wheels, when not locked, are really quite smooth and I rolled it over the parking lot to the monorail and then through the carpeted hallway at the MGM and then over the uneven sidewalk 4 blocks to my room. I had no issues at all with it rolling smoothly on all four double spinner wheels, which I've always had with other spinner bags. I was impressed.
#4 The top handle of the bag is wide and gives you a nice grip. It also has a slow release so it doesn't bang on our suitcase when you let it go. It doesn't seem like much, but I like it. It also allows the handle to lay flatter when not in use, getting in the way.
I was super impressed with this carry-on. It looks great (even after the airlines scratched it up a bit), is seriously secure, and holds a ton. It's kind of magic. The hardside shell keeps you from overpacking, it's comfortable for almost everyone to roll through the airport (or the streets of your destination) and it's incredibly light for a hardside bag.
Your bag fits easily in the overhead bin of the airplane and holds everything you need for your travels, so whether you're looking for a new bag for your own trips or looking for a gift for mom, dad or your favorite grad, this carry-on is ideal for anyone who wants to travel in style.
Other specs
Where to buy: On the Lojel website or Amazon
How much it is: $269.99
Colors it comes in: Black | Passion Red (shown) | Steel Blue
Size: 21.6" x 15" x 9.4" (small)
Other stuff: Double spinner wheels, just 8.4 lbs, has a 2319 in³ inside capacity, made of Advance polycarbonate (making it super strong) with a super strength alloy frame, comes with a dust cover for storage at home.
Check out Lojel's other products, which you're going to love, and then follow them online:
Disclosure: I was provided with the Lojel Novigo for the purposes of this review, but all opinions are 100% my own.
I got the medium size. Only used it twice to Japan. Great luggage. I stored about 5 camera lens with some extra padding. The wheel locks are a bonus on the trains, lock them and luggage won't roll around in the carriage. My only issue, this thing is a scratch magnet. I was reluctant to use when I notice a few scratches from just laying down on the floor. And yes costly too. But after 2 trips to Japan. No regrets.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. I wished I had checked mine with a cover on it, because it arrived looking like it was run over by a car...BUT that's not the bag's fault, so much as the airline, and the hard structure kept everything inside safe, so it did its job.
Delete