My Latest Adventure and My New Briggs & Riley BRX Luggage #BRXtravelgear

I am an adventurer at heart…I love traveling, meeting new people, exploring new places and bringing home rocks!!! Most of all, I love to be in nature…to be amongst all that is a gift from God. That is where I am at peace and at home.

Going to California for BlogHER ’11 was adventure personified. I did not decide to go until two weeks prior to the event when I was offered a sponsorship. Everything fell into place quickly once I accepted and before I knew it, I was winging my way to from coast to coast…

During my flight, my well-traveled red suitcase hit some bumps and finally gave up in the conference bayside hotel. So, mid-trip,  I was in the market for some new luggage…because, well I had to schlep all this wonderful swag (free stuff from vendors) home somehow!!!

Since I was staying on in San Diego with my son for two weeks, I could take my time finding replacement outdoor luggage. Then, as luck would have it, I was offered a trial of  Briggs & Riley BRX Travelgear ( #BRXtravelgear )…and I jumped at the chance to tell you my story and return home with a piece or two of the premiere adventure travel gear for modern adventure traveler. That would so be me!!!

I researched online and discovered that the Briggs & Riley BRX line has reinvented adventure luggage. That sounds like my kind of luggage. It is a lightweight, high-performance collection which sports a 10-20% weight reduction compared to similar bags…a big advantage for today’s weight restrictions by airlines.

I found that the 10 piece collection has garnered rave reviews.

The Exchange 26 Duffel (left, $160)– an ingenious duffel that converts into a backpack won National Geographic Adventure’s 2010 Gear of the Year.  The Explore 22 Upright ($290) was named “Best Carry-on Luggage” by Men’s Journal in their 2010 gear of the year roundup, a major coup for the 7.5 lb. lightweight dynamo. The luggage is available in earthy Slate, Ocean, Amber and Lava  colors and is priced from $40-$320.

I love to shop at outdoor stores, so that is where I began my search for this wonderful line. I first went to REI in Encinitas but alas they did not carry the line at all.

They did have loads of backpacks, bags and outdoor luggage and even  some good deals on other adventure travel gear brands, but I was determined to come home with a BRX bag or two.

Next, I went to Adventure 16 in Oceanside. The store had several pieces of BRX luggage, the staff was friendly and very helpful…the signange was great and explained the pieces, but I wanted an ocean blue duffel and they did not have it in stock. So onward as the search for the perfect outdoor travel bag continued…

Then I went to Farien Del in Del Mar…jackpot. As soon as I opened the door…I knew my bag was inside. They had what must be the entire line of Briggs & Riley luggage as the entire first floor was all travelgear. Now I just must decide which piece(s) I want/need!!!

The small-scale Excursion Field Bag (right) envelops an iPad, Kindle and most Netbooks, concealing the device securely for transport, weighs just over one pound and costs just $80. When it comes time to access your digital device, a clever pull system lifts the top into the palm of your hand for an easy retrieval. A front pocket carries business cards, accessories and a power cord. And the whole unit is protected with a proprietary tear- and snag-resistant weave of high-tech materials that leave moisture and debris in the wild.

The larger Excursion Messenger (left) cushions laptops up to 15.6 inches and weighs less than the lightest laptop and sells for $110. Unlike other messenger style bags, its traditional topside handle is balanced to the whole unit for stability, virtually eliminating chances of embarrassing spillovers while the soft adjustable strap contours the neck and body keeping the bag comfortably tucked in tight.

Like the Excursion Backpack and other stylish yet rugged bags in the BRX collection, the Excursion Messenger and Excursion Field Bag are much more than a simple iPad case or laptop bag modified to contain a computing device. They include an organizing system so you can pack and retrieve your notes, personal effects and equipment intelligently.

“We’re making life in the wired world a little easier by bringing our 17 years of designing award-winning, innovative bags to this new category,” said Tim McGuire, General Manager – Outdoor/Adventure Travel for Briggs & Riley.

The store was amazing and they had a travel expert, Sara Jane, on staff who was buying the BRX line for a trip to Africa later this year. She explained her choice of luggage here:

So what did I decide to purchase?

BRX Expedition 28 Rolling Duffel ($300) This is the space master.  It has a ginormous main compartment for the bulkiest of gear and side storage panels that fold down allowing bag to collapse for efficient storage. A real plus when traveling and short on space!!!

I will be using my new BRX gear on my return trip and documenting my travels through southern California wine country and the high desert in the next few days…stay tuned for the further adventures of Rebecca…and her new adventure travel gear…

BRX Adventure Gear Website
Briggs and Riley TravelWare on FaceBook
B&R Twitter: @briggsandriley

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All opinions are 100% my own.