7/02/2012

Hideo Wakamatsu Feather 20" Carry-On Khaki Green Review

Hideo Wakamatsu Feather 20 Carry-On Khaki Green
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Nice little rollerboard bag for a college student or young professional who travels occasionally (2-4 times a year). $179 is a bit on the high end for the bag, but somewhat reasonable given the attractive and mostly functional design. For those who travel more often or with business colleagues/clients, consider paying a little more for a high-end piece of luggage that's built for the long haul. It won't look as hip as this bag, but you'll need a better build quality.
My favorite aspects are the super sturdy rubber wheels -- the same kind you find on a good set of rollerblades. That means the bag rolls whisper quiet and smoothly, even on asphalt and concrete. Quite the upgrade from the plastic wheels on the $40 generic rollerboard I replaced with this.
There are two fabric handles. One on the top of the bag, and one on the side.
The adjustable side straps work for and against you. They're super helpful when the bag is stuffed full and you need to squish it down a few inches to comply with carry-on regulations. They're annoying when you want to quickly grab a book or sweater from inside your bag while you're on the plane, train, bus, etc. There are four buckles which you must release before you can unzip the bag. Then you have to re-buckle all 4. If you overstuffed your bag, you must loosen the straps, re-buckle, then re-tighten 4 times. If you cinch the bag fairly tight, the loose ends of the straps drag on the floor as you wheel the bag -- not something that goes over well with me if I have to take the bag into a dirty airport restroom. Ultimately though, I'm glad they are there for both style and for cinching the bag tighter, so I'll get over it.
My only real suggestion for improvement would be a sturdier canvas fabric. The material on this bag is fairly thin. While it is plenty strong, and has the benefit of being super-lightweight (probably 2-4 pounds lighter than my previous bag), it does not hold its shape well. If not packed properly, this bag looks misshapen and lumpy. Cinching the bag with the side straps also creates bulges and lumps. If you expect the bag's silhouette to always look as it does in the product photo seen here on this page, you are kidding yourself.
The pull handle collapses into the bag. The telescoping nature of the handle requires a bit of force to extend it fully. Yet another gripe.
If you get past the design flaws, it's a handsome, modern, hip traveling companion. You won't find many other bags with this kind of character, so I've forgiven its shortcomings. Holds about a week's worth of clothes. Stands out in the crowd, but not in a flashy way. The khaki green color is super nice, and the two-tone look from the black straps and trim contrasting against the green is quite sharp. If the green doesn't do it for you, there are other colors to choose from. Reasonably happy with my purchase. Met my expectations at this price point.


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