Travelling with a suit...

[paydepst]

We are planning a trip overseas later this year and trying to restrict ourselves to carry-ons. I don't want to buy a suiter carry-on since the carry-on I have is practically brand new. Any ideas as to how to makeshift convert a regular carry-on into a suiter carry-on or to fold the suit so it doesn't arrive a mass of wrinkles? In the past we have always had checked baggage but we don't really care to do it this time for obvious reasons--fees, lost bags, etc.

Also has anyone travelled with a laptop lately and any special advice there? Remember this is a US-UK trip.

 

[rabidpotatochip]

Probably not the advice you're looking for (or want), but if you can avoid traveling with either a laptop or a suit in your carry-on I strongly suggest doing that. Where the suit is concerned you can rent one (seriously) and as for the laptop, you can get a GSM phone that does nearly everything you need.

Otherwise, where the laptop is concerned make sure to take it out of your bag and remove the battery. You usually have to put it in its own bin with the battery. If I can't talk you out of bringing a suit look into bundle wrapping. It takes some practice and patience but things hold up pretty well.

 

[blackfoot]

I would suggest wearing the suit, but it would get just as wrinkled. I think Chip has it here.

 

[Brodirt]

I have been from US to Europe and back recently.

I had no problem with my laptop in my carry on. The experience was no different than flying domestically.

As for a suit, I have never been able to get one to its destination unwrinkled other than in a proper garment bag. In fact, my wife and I have decided to ge exactly the opposite to your idea. We each have a quality garment bag in which we try to pack everything we can. Our clothes (including shoes, suits, dresses and accessories)luggage for a long stay in Italy last summer was the 2 garment bags and one medium sized suit case (which also carried all of my cycling gear.

Our clothes reached our destination in excellent shape.

Your not going to be saving a whole lot of time picking up your checked baggage anyway (like you can flying domestically) so I would check a garment bag.

 

[SepticTank]

It may come as a surprise - but irons are available this side of the pond...

 

[strat1117]

I have been from US to Europe and back recently.

I had no problem with my laptop in my carry on. The experience was no different than flying domestically.

As for a suit, I have never been able to get one to its destination unwrinkled other than in a proper garment bag. In fact, my wife and I have decided to ge exactly the opposite to your idea. We each have a quality garment bag in which we try to pack everything we can. Our clothes (including shoes, suits, dresses and accessories)luggage for a long stay in Italy last summer was the 2 garment bags and one medium sized suit case (which also carried all of my cycling gear.

Our clothes reached our destination in excellent shape.

Your not going to be saving a whole lot of time picking up your checked baggage anyway (like you can flying domestically) so I would check a garment bag.

I have to agree with Brodirt here. It's nearly impossible to get your suit to your destination unscathed if it isnt' properly packed in a suit bag (although I've never tried Chip's "bundle wrapping" idea). We usually put as much stuff into the garment bags as we can -- and they do hold a lot.

Good luck, and enjoy the trip!

 

[HerrHepcat]

Bundle wrapping is great, I've done that for a long time.

Before that, I would 'Roll' my suits You get less wrinkles that way.

Any wrinkles I did get were solved by hanging the suit up in the bathroom, and letting the hot water in the shower run for a bit. 'Steaming' garments in the bathroom works really well. Just go in there after about 30 minutes, and pull down on your garments, then let the bathroom air out. (And the clothes to air dry.)

 

[rabidpotatochip]

It may come as a surprise - but irons are available this side of the pond...

Yeah, but there are no normal outlets to plug them into.

 

[paydepst]

It may come as a surprise - but irons are available this side of the pond...

I knew that was coming!

Well maybe we will check one bag as there are some allowances on international flights.

 

[SepticTank]

Yeah, but there are no normal outlets to plug them into.

They're normal for the irons here - ie. 230V and actually worth using

Assuming OP is staying in a hotel, even if there's not one in the room, make enough noise at reception and one will appear. If he's staying with friends/rellies then they will normally own one. If he's under a railway arch with hobos, he's SOL.

 

[rabidpotatochip]

I knew that was coming!

Well maybe we will check one bag as there are some allowances on international flights.

That just reminded me of something...

You want to get on that plane as fast as possible because the overhead storage fills up fast due to people who believe they need to travel with all their earthly possessions. If you're one of the last people on that plane you run good odds of either having to store it about 10 rows forward or back from where you're sitting or even having to check it anyway.

They're normal for the irons here - ie. 230V and actually worth using

 

[richmondesi]

I'll be trying bundle wrapping when I go to New York next week. I hate checking bags, and the only reason that I ever feel the need to is when I am taking a suit.

Has anyone had luck with the carry-on garment bags? I've been thinking about getting one.

 

[RazorDingo]

If he's under a railway arch with hobos, he's SOL.

Do British hobos still dress for dinner?

Actually, "hobo" is, I think, a uniquely American term - generally applied to itinerant migrants who travelled from town to town by hopping on passing railroad freight cars. If not completely impossible, I believe this is much harder to do with British and European trains.

As someone who travels between the US and the UK three or four times a year, my advice is this: Just pack and check your luggage. The "rate determining step" in getting out of the airport at either the US or UK end has very little to do with waiting for your suitcases to come off the carousel - and everything to do with getting through immigration control. This, in turn, is largely determined by the origin of the planes that have arrived immediately before yours. (ie. - A planeload of passengers from some dodgy middle eastern or south american nation is going to take considerably longer to get processed than others..)

People who fill up the overseas luggage bins with luggage that ought to have been checked make themselves extremely unpopular. It take a lot longer for Security to x-ray and examine your bulging bags. I HATE being bashed on the head and shoulders by some joker back in coach lugging a massive "carry on" bag as he staggers up the aisle or tries to get it out of the bin after landing.

Most international flights allow you to check two bags, weighing up to 50lbs each.

 

[paydepst]

We've been to the UK several times in the past just not in the last few years so I know all about the overhead fill up believe me.

This is the first year I've travelled with a suit or two though and I wanted advice. I don't mind checking bags it's the wife that has a morbid fear of it. However we've never been long waiting for bags at any airport and we've been in several in the British Isles.

 

[mdunn]

I fold the suit in my carryon case as I would any shirt, only I roll up my underwear&socks and make a tube that goes across the shoulders so they dont get strange wrinkles when I arrive.

 

[nznorm]

Take the laptop and the suit. Ask the hotel to press the suit and make sure you take a plug adapter for the laptop. Happy travels!

 

[Chimensch]

I was a salesman for 25 years and traveled constantly. If you have the suit dry cleaned before you go and leave it in the plastic cover, it won't wrinkle. Really!

 

[_JP_]

If I can't talk you out of bringing a suit look into bundle wrapping. It takes some practice and patience but things hold up pretty well.

Dang, ya beat me to it! That's a packing method that works surprisingly well and is used a lot by hostelers.

 

[rabidpotatochip]

Dang, ya beat me to it! That's a packing method that works surprisingly well and is used a lot by hostelers.

Efficient travel is a hobby of mine.

 

[The Knize]

They're normal for the irons here - ie. 230V and actually worth using

Assuming OP is staying in a hotel, even if there's not one in the room, make enough noise at reception and one will appear. If he's staying with friends/rellies then they will normally own one. If he's under a railway arch with hobos, he's SOL.

I was going to say, the idea of a 230 volt steam iron is very appealing!