#HTE

The One Low-Tech Design Feature All Rolling Carry-On Suitcases Should Have

With more and more of us traveling more frequently these days, luggage design has become a hot category for design entrepreneurs. As one example this Samsara design, billed as “The world’s first aluminum smart suitcase,” recently sought just $15,000 in pledges but pulled in a whopping $293,192.

New luggage designs like the Samsara tout their “smart” functionality, with apps, onboard batteries, anti-theft alarms, onboard lighting and other hi-tech tricks bordering on gimmicks. Except for the battery, I don’t care about any of the other stuff and don’t want that in luggage. I’m still using luggage I purchased in the 1990s because they’re tough and there’s nothing in them to go obsolete.

In fact, beyond the ability to store its contents in an efficient manner, there’s only one design feature—and a low-tech one at that—that I think all rolling carry-on suitcases should have:

Yep, that’s it. More of us traveling means more delays, which for me at least means more time parked at the gate performing my consuming late-departure pastime, which is fruitlessly trying to get to Inbox Zero. Having a simple, flat platform on which to rest my laptop and work at a somewhat ergonomic height would make the suitcase worth its weight in gold to me. So if you’re thinking of jumping into the luggage redesign game, please dispense with swoopy or rounded tops and give us all a level worksurface.