I came across Kipling luggage quite by accident – I noticed one of their bags rolling behind a passenger on a flight earlier this year and thought, how fun! I saw one of their bags again a month later and decided I should find out a bit more about Kipling luggage.
Their style exuded fun and yet not long before I saw the bag, I decided to stop using low quality luggage, so began to be more and more observant about which brands people were using. Then, I set out on a mission to put several brands to the test. I started with Samsonite, since it was the earliest respected brand I can remember and we had used them as a family many years ago.
I figured Kipling would be all things fun but not durable. So far, I’m wrong.
Their large upright Florida Lite roller luggage has been on many a trip since it arrived months ago and it seems to be passing the durability test so far.
From soft grip handles, a lockable zip, 3 front zip compartments which I love, a mesh zip interior compartment, to its nice expandable soft exterior, it’s a great find for leisure travelers.
They have the flexible four wheels making it easy to roll and I mean, roll….you don’t have to drag it, you simply push it and it follows along with you, a godsend when you’re traveling up and down escalators or need to do a long haul in a hurry at a massive international airport. I’ve had to run through airports on more occasions than I’d care to count and having zippy wheels like these can mean making your flight….or not. (btw, Samsonite’s Silhouette collection also has great smooth and fast wheels, a feature we loved).
Its dimensions are 19.25″ x 30.75″ x 12″ (expands to 13″) and it weighs 9.7 pounds. The other beautiful thing about the bag is its durable zippers, which when you’re accustomed to less serious bags, is a time saving gift. Ever had to struggle to get a zipper open or realize that it didn’t take much to bust one when you’re trying to get an overpacked suitcase shut?
Notice anything interesting and a little different about the end of this key ring?
No, their luggage isn’t targeted to children – I loved the gorilla mascot that hangs from all their luggage and was a selling feature for me as a grown woman. Go figure! Their brand equates to fun, something we look for in products. We all need a little fun on our journeys, don’t we? Aren’t you tired of bags, coats and accessories that mainly come in black or brown?
I decided to do some digging about where the mascot idea came from. I learned that three designer friends in Antwerp, Belgium stumbled upon a happy accident on a loom and discovered crinkled nylon fabric which turned into the Kipling luggage line. A world of bright and colorful bags and accessories were born as a result and the line was playfully dubbed Kipling, after the clever little spirit of the monkeys in Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book. And, who doesn’t love Jungle Book?
While we’re talking about fun colors, one of the features that drew me to Kipling in the first place, see a variety of views below of one of their mid-sized rollers in a soft lavender/purple. (they call it vivid purple for when you’re trying to order).
The wheels
Below is the Florida Lite Large roller bag in a Vibrant Pink, further exemplifying their fun color choices for bags. This bag also comes in vivid purple (above), True Blue (which I have and is noted above) and black.
I love the fun factor of their bags while also offering functionality and durability, strong enough for the leisure traveler.
Two thumbs up! I love my Kipling – because I love color so much, I wished I had gone with purple, at least the small roller bag I could use as a carry on. I went with the blue because I felt that it would wear dirt better given how many trips I take, particularly into JFK, where they don’t always treat your bags as kindly as you hope.
Between Dublin and New York, the bag has trailed this year and also to Paris and a few places in between. It hasn’t punctured so far – while the fabric is durable, I would suggest it more for leisure travel use rather than for the business traveler who is checking luggage and on planes every week.
The fun colors also go more in line with leisure travel although personally, I have used it on both leisure and business trips so far.
The above Florida lite line isn’t all that Kipling does. They offer totes, backpacks, accessories and handbags too and I’m keen on testing out a carry on bag in the future….in a fun color of course. Below is a smattering of choices across their line so you can get an idea of what they offer. For more information, visit their site where they have everything on offer with reduced prices and discounts as well.
Note: Kipling sent me luggage to test out but I was not paid to review anything and my opinions expressed are most certainly my own. I love this bag.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
