Hands-on with 3 great carry-ons for techie travelers (video)

I’ve been writing about and reviewing laptop bags and other luxury luggage for years. Most recently, I decided to focus on four-wheeled carry-ons, and I published a slide show on CIO.com titled, “11 carry-on bags for today’s tech-savvy traveler.” I liked three of the bags featured in the story so much, I recorded a hands-on video with them.

I’m also apparently not the only one who loves well-designed laptop bags and durable, functional luggage; a number of the notebook-bag and luggage-related slideshows I published on CIO.com in the past proved consistently popular in terms of website traffic. It’s easy to understand why. You can’t exactly carry all of your gear without a bag, so a reliable sack is nearly as essential as the tech goodies you lug around.

However, there’s more to it than that. Modern bags are practical, but they can also give you a chance to make a statement. Are you a Tumi (a.k.a., someone who loves pricey, quietly stylish things) or a Briggs & Riley type (oh-so practical)? Or are you a counter-culture cat who could easily be mistaken for a bike messenger, Chrome bag slung over your shoulder?

Functional bag design is also no longer limited to boring ballistic, black nylon. Today’s gear bags are available in assorted colors, styles and materials. Some even have technologies built into them, including location-tracking tech in case the bags are lost or stolen.

Every traveling techie deserves a quality laptop bag, and a reliable carry-on, and each of the bags featured in the slide shows mentioned here, and in the video above, are all worthy (if sometimes pricey) options.