PeteFree.comTimberland Claremont Luggage — and Timberland Jay Laptop Backpack — Review
© 2014 Peter Free
30 June 2014
Surprisingly good lightweight designs
Timberland’s Claremont luggage set and the Timberland Jay Collection laptop backpack worked well on two trips. The second of these saw the Claremont pieces survive being bashed among tons of military baggage aboard a Boeing 747 flight from Baltimore to Germany.
Though it is too early to comment about the Claremont and Jay luggage’s long term durability, thus far I have been pleased.
A very experienced hotel shuttle driver commented to me that he thought Timberland had designed a great product. We both like the fact that there are three handles on each bag — one at the peak, long side and bottom. As a result, you can pick each bag up horizontally, using both hands. This feature makes loading heavy bags into vehicles much easier than is usually the case.
The carry handles are well padded.
Positives
Both luggage sets are admirably lightweight. A YouTube video by its designer shows the Claremont collection’s features.
Travelers accustomed to the dividers of heavier luggage from the past may be disappointed at the inability to sort and separate, but those who just want something to stuff a bunch of belongings into will consider the collections well featured enough. I also liked the boot bags that come with each piece (except the backpack).
Once unloaded at your destination, you can conveniently store the collection(s) nested inside one other.
My wife used the largest Claremont suitcase for her assemblage of uniforms, including the dress ones. The piece’s large size permits the dress uniforms to be folded over only once, which makes it easier to look presentable upon arrival. We managed to get this piece’s crammed full weight down to 47 pounds by placing heavier, but dense items inside the two smaller bags.
The Jay Collection backpack carried my 15 inch laptop, a small hard drive, mouse and mouse pad, and the cables necessary to run the system. I added papers that I did not want to entrust to anyone else, as well as a spare shirt and 4 sets of eyeglasses. The Jay backpack probably weighed more than it was designed to carry, but it held up perfectly.
Seem sturdy enough
We did not have a luggage piece under 40 pounds and had to stack them for rolling. I dragged the largest Claremont with a 40-pound case on its top, while pushing the medium-sized Claremont in front of me. I often kick-lifted the front Claremont around obstacles. Nothing failed on any of the Timberlands, even on an especially long cross-airport haul over rough surfaces outside Baltimore Washington International.
About the Jay collection under-seat laptop computer backpack
The Jay Collection backpack was the luggage piece that I kept with me at all times. I chose it because it is designed to fit under airplane seats. My computer, plus drive and personal papers, all held irreplaceable confidential information that is necessary to “existing” in a bureaucratic world.
The pack is padded on its strap (back) side and has a padded sleeve there to hold one laptop computer. The sleeve compartment is deep enough to accept a not so light machine, as well as an assortment of filled FedEx envelopes behind it.
Going through TSA security, I especially liked how the comparatively stiff pack allowed me to slide the its top fabric back to reveal the computer, which I then could easily slide out of the pack and into a TSA tray. The pack includes a Velcro mouse pocket, one pen pocket, as well as a larger open pocket for miscellaneous small items (like a mouse pad and cables).
For ease in getting through airport security, I recommend packaging smaller items inside see through envelopes. This pack is essentially a container, and when unzipped around its side, items not inside the mouse pocket and laptop sleeve can fall out.
On the front, there is a narrow zippered exterior pocket that was perfect for the small-sized FedEx envelopes that I had stashed my personal identification papers, including two passports, inside. Although this zipper — which runs horizontally across the top of the pocket — cannot be locked with a TSA-approved padlock, it is short and stiff enough to stay closed, unless someone intentionally pulls it open.
The exterior of the Jay pack has a vertical carabineer-style loop strip stitched to it. I doubt you will find another laptop bag that has this sort of thoughtful utility incorporated into it. In contrast, the Claremont pack has a bungee crisscross on it, which would presumably be better for holding jackets.
Both laptop packs have top handles, so that you can carry them like bags. And both have exterior sleeves on their strap sides, so as to allow them to be secured over the aluminum pull handles of roller bags (including the Claremont and Jay collections).
Two potential negatives for both collections — for some travelers
These Timberland pieces are not rectangular “solids”. Each tapers toward the top, presumably so as to force most of the weight toward the luggage bottom and prevent the bags from toppling, when placed on their bases. This tapered design means that that both luggage collections do not stack neatly and securely like boxes.
I also found that the biggest bag would not fit under a 2010 Subaru Outback’s cargo cover bar. Its base was too tall. On the other hand, the taper meant that I could slide the top end under bar, with the base of the bag facing toward the car’s hatch.
Overall
These pieces from Timberland’s Claremont and Jay collections are the best luggage that I have owned.