All carry-on luggage was not created equal. That’s the message Genius Pack wants you to get when looking at their Genius Packer 22” carry-on. This is a bag for the serious traveler who needs good organization and doesn’t have time for hunting around to find what is in the bag. Normally $298 is currently available for $198. Get it.
At first glance the Genius Packer doesn’t look all that unusual. A black 22″ carry-on with wheels, the back looks like something you could pick up at pretty much any department store. The bag measures 22″ x 14″ x 9.5″ and weighs 8.6 lbs when empty. Upon closer examination, however, one quickly finds that this is a bag designed with a good deal of thought and consideration for how the frequent traveler needs to work. It not only contains unusual features but it is a carry-on that comes with accessories – some of them included others available for an additional charge.
Here’s a look at the bag on a video and then we’ll run down some of more interesting aspects of it.
As you can see, the bag offers a good number of unusual features. One doesn’t need to use them but it is great to have these features available if you do.
Nicely padded handles on both the top and side of the bag let you to carry it in either orientation. Four wheels with a high clearance make the bag easy to wheel around and, thanks to their ability to swivel a full 360°, this bag is easy to maneuver through a crowded airport. The collapsible handle in the top feels rather sturdy and has a smooth motion when both extending and retracting it.
The back of the bag has a magazine pocket so you can keep some reading material handy but safely tucked away. A retractable strap will keep any small back placed atop this carry-on in place or, as the company recommends, can be used to secure a jacket when moving through the airport.
There are three zippered areas on the front of the bag. The lower two-thirds of the bag zip open to reveal a storage space. A single zipper on the front of this panel opens for some additional storage of papers and other documents.
A zipper pocket along the top third of the bag opens to reveal another storage area as well as a special pocket designed for the battery accessories sold by the company. You don’t have to use their specific battery but the pocket is sized specifically for this pocket.
One side of the bag has a hidden zippered area that opens to reveal a water bottle pocket.
On the other side of the bag is a zipper that opens to reveal the bag’s marquis feature – a special laundry chute that includes a patent pending multi-compression technology. Basically, this opens to an interior bag specifically intended for dirty laundry.
The laundry bag keeps dirty laundry separate from clean laundry and is entirely removable.
It is a slick feature that I could see being quite handy while on the road for more than a day or two.
It’s a convenient way to keep your clean and dirty laundry separate although it isn’t anything you can do with large Ziploc bags.
The other marquee feature of the Genius Packer 22″ carry-on is the umbrella shoot. This sits at the top of the bag and opens to reveal a small interior space that is perfectly sized for the company’s micro umbrella. (I’m sure you can purchase other umbrellas that will fit but the one sold by Genius Pack is designed specifically for this purpose.)
Looking at the interior front space of the back one quickly sees how much organization is present here.There is a zippered space for undergarments, one for socks, one for electrical accessories, and another specialized pocket designed for the speaker which is also sold by Genius Pack.
A toiletry kit is included and held inside the Genius Packer 22″ carry-on by two Velcro strips. This certainly isn’t a heavy-duty or highly organized toiletry kit but it is enough to get the job done. I really like the fact that it isn’t simply sitting in the bag but is always in one dedicated place inside.
In all, the Genius Packer 22″ carry-on is an interesting bag that will serve the frequent traveler quite well. It has some unusual features that may come in quite handy. None of these features are must-haves- people have used bags without these features for years and done quite well- there is a degree of convenience that certainly can’t be beat. And while adding on the accessories such as battery or the speaker can add to the cost of this product one doesn’t need to purchase those accessories if already in possession of an external battery or micro speaker.
At $300 I think this is probably overpriced but at the currently discounted price of $198 it’s worth consideration. The Genius Packer doesn’t have the style and flash of some designer carry-ons but that isn’t the point here. This is a well-designed, functional bag that comes with a five-year warranty. It’s for the serious traveler who doesn’t want to stress out about packing or unpacking when on the go. You can learn more and order yours here on the Genius Pack website.
MSRP: $298
What I Like: Well made; Great practical features; 5 year warranty; Removable toiletry kit
What Needs Improvement: Addition of accessories can add up and make it more costly than it first appears
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
