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For business people, compact bags with wheels are smart and efficient as they can carry laptops, piles of paper, folders and other relatively heavy items. Such bags are particularly suitable for short business trips as they are smaller than regular-size suitcases.
Called “carry bag” in Japan, compact suitcases generally have four wheels on the corners of a rectangular base, although some types have only two wheels at the front corners and must be tilted when pulled. The handles are telescoping so they can be adjusted for convenience and to avoid bothering people on public transport.
“The product should be chosen depending on how it is used, for what purpose and where the user wants to go,” said Wataru Miyako, who is in charge of marketing at Ace Co., a Tokyo-based bag manufacturer. Miyako checks out the convenience of various Japanese and overseas products as part of his work.
If you make frequent business trips, the size of your bag is important. Regulations on the size and weight of carry-on baggage differ between airline companies, and those regulations often change.
Miyako warns about having to check in a heavy or large bag when you accompany your boss on a flight. “After landing, it might be embarrassing if you keep your boss and client waiting while you pick up your bag,” he said.
If you leave home very early in the morning or come home late at night, the rattling noise of the wheels as you pull the suitcase can annoy your neighbors. To help eliminate this problem, bag manufacturers have developed wheels with a muffling effect, Miyako said.
If you stack a briefcase on a compact suitcase, they look neat if their width is aligned. Photo: The Yomiuri Shimbun
Men’s bags are usually black or navy and made of nylon or polyester. Popular standard products of this type from Ace cost around ¥40,000.
“If you want a bag with a difference, I recommend resin bags,” Miyako said.
Resin is regularly used for casual suitcases. Products suited for business are priced from ¥30,000 to ¥50,000.
Resin bags come in a wide variety of colors. Matt silver is stylish but muted, and suitable for people who have conservative tastes. Mustard and wine red are recommended for those who want to be different from others.
“As more women are beginning to use such bags for business trips these days, products for women and in gender-neutral colors are making inroads,” Miyako said.
Before buying a bag, open it first and check how convenient it is for you, such as the placing of inner pockets, whether it has a section to hold a laptop, and how easy it is to get things in and out. Some bags are designed to prevent a full view of their contents when they are opened.
“When you are taking papers out of your suitcase, it’s not good if all the other contents are on display,” Miyako said.
If you want to put a briefcase or similar bag on top of your suitcase, Miyako recommended similar styles and widths.
Compact suitcases easily become dirty as their base is close to the road surface. For routine maintenance, Miyako said dirt caught in the wheels should be removed with a toothbrush and the suitcase stored in a well-ventilated spot out of the sun.
“I hope people consider their bags as good business companions and use them for a long time,” he said.
Be careful of others
You should pull you suitcase depending on the condition of the road surface or other places. If you are careless and bump into other people with your suitcase or block their path, you most likely will be subjected to withering glares.
On paved roads and in buildings and crowded places such as train stations, you should keep your suitcase upright, close to your side and “slide” it along the ground. Moving your bag this way can be very smooth, particularly when it contains heavy items.
On the other hand, in less crowded places or when pulling your bag along streets paved with stones or other irregular surfaces, you should tilt it a little as you pull it.
“If you tilt your bag too much, it can wobble and become unstable. You may end up dragging it and damaging the surface,” Miyako said.
(The Japan News)
