Need help traveling with a suit

cvargo · Feb 4, 2016

So I travel a LOT for work. But the type of work I do wearing a polo and slacks is all I need, I only wear my suit about 10-15 times a year but never travel with it. So when I travel for business I have a very nice roller carry on that I put all of my items in and hit the road.

Well my youngest cousin has asked me to be his sponsor for his confirmation. He resides in Rhode Island. So I am going to be flying from Utah to Rhode Island, and I need to take a suit!

So how do you all fly with a suit?

I am assuming a garment bag but I don't own one except for the basic bag they gave me when I bought my suits at Men's Warehouse. Is it best to carry it on or check it?

I was looking at this: http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1626588/olympia-luggage-44-in-suit-garment-bag.jsp

Do any of you fine gents have any other recommendations? How do you travel with a suit? I will be there for a week so I am planning on checking a bag, if that matters.

sskim3 · Feb 4, 2016

cvargo said:
So I travel a LOT for work. But the type of work I do wearing a polo and slacks is all I need, I only wear my suit about 10-15 times a year but never travel with it. So when I travel for business I have a very nice roller carry on that I put all of my items in and hit the road.

Well my youngest cousin has asked me to be his sponsor for his confirmation. He resides in Rhode Island. So I am going to be flying from Utah to Rhode Island, and I need to take a suit!

So how do you all fly with a suit?

I am assuming a garment bag but I don't own one except for the basic bag they gave me when I bought my suits at Men's Warehouse. Is it best to carry it on or check it?

I was looking at this: http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1626588/olympia-luggage-44-in-suit-garment-bag.jsp

Do any of you fine gents have any other recommendations? How do you travel with a suit? I will be there for a week so I am planning on checking a bag, if that matters.

I have used a similar garment bag to yours and I was able to carry it on without any issues.

Now if you want to leverage a normal suitcase or duffle bag, you can use the follow method for packing:
http://magazine.brooksbrothers.com/how-to-pack-a-suit/

I have packed sports coats in a similar way without any issues. I do put it in last to ensure it doesn't get as squished as other items. A good hanging in the bathroom with the hot shower running and you should be set.

Good luck!

redfalconf35 · Feb 4, 2016

I would get a garment bag. I've traveled with a suit in carry on (because it was just a weekend trip) and I just used the cover that I got when I bought it. It was unweildy, unprotected, and in need of a good ironing by the time I got to my destination.

gegarrenton · Feb 4, 2016

cvargo said:
So I travel a LOT for work. But the type of work I do wearing a polo and slacks is all I need, I only wear my suit about 10-15 times a year but never travel with it. So when I travel for business I have a very nice roller carry on that I put all of my items in and hit the road.

Well my youngest cousin has asked me to be his sponsor for his confirmation. He resides in Rhode Island. So I am going to be flying from Utah to Rhode Island, and I need to take a suit!

So how do you all fly with a suit?

I am assuming a garment bag but I don't own one except for the basic bag they gave me when I bought my suits at Men's Warehouse. Is it best to carry it on or check it?

I was looking at this: http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1626588/olympia-luggage-44-in-suit-garment-bag.jsp

Do any of you fine gents have any other recommendations? How do you travel with a suit? I will be there for a week so I am planning on checking a bag, if that matters.

What sort of luggage do you currently use? You say a roller, is it max carry on size?

While the specialized garment carries do an ok job, it's just as effective to use a standard case and learn proper folding technique.

Here are two methods. I personally use the second, which is also how a tailor will ship your jacket. The key is getting big radius on the folds by putting other clothing items in the middle, and also use dry cleaner bags because the majority of wrinkles come from friction between different fabric types.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDGWW7_O2sI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWz6aJPae7s

I traveled approx 250,000 miles/ yr with only a carry on in the early part of the decade and this is by far the most effective and efficient method I have found.

gegarrenton · Feb 4, 2016

sskim3 said:
I do put it in last to ensure it doesn't get as squished as other items. A good hanging in the bathroom with the hot shower running and you should be set.

One tip is to actually put it in first, with the top half lying out of the case. Pack the rest of your items, then fold top half of jacket over and close case. This maximizes the radius of the fold and reduces creasing.

I'd be very wary of steaming as well, it's very easy to pucker and blow seams if your aren't careful, and to damage a fused suit if you have one.

Doc4 · Feb 4, 2016

Well, you can always just wear the suit on the plane. (Works better than you think, and you have the added bonus of looking nice!)

Also, most sizable luggage has a zippered interior pocket well suited (pardon the pun) for storing a suit in transit.

A3M0N · Feb 4, 2016

I used the first method on this page for a recent interview trip.

http://www.realmenrealstyle.com/how-to-fold-suit-jacket-3-ways/

It made it through the trip pretty well, there was a soft crease that fell out after hanging it up for the night.

camjr · Feb 5, 2016

I travel with a suit (or at minimum slacks and a sport coat) quite frequently. I gave up rollaboards a year ago for a Red Oxx Airboss shoulder bag and love the product. I began to use the "bundle wrap" method on my suits and clothes and it works great (just do a YouTube search).

Another benefit of the Air Boss is that you don't have to gate check the bag when having to fly on a Regional Jet. It goes straight in the overhead, so you don't need to wait in the jetway to claim your bag once the plane makes it to the gate. Great product with great reviews.

http://www.redoxx.com/Shop-by-Gear-Item/Air-Boss/91018/13/Product

And a couple of pages that are also worthwile:
http://1bag1world.com/
http://www.onebag.com/

Cheers!

gegarrenton · Feb 5, 2016

The AirBoss is a good bag. Great company support too.

If you are looking for something a little cleaner and lighter the Arc'Terx Covert Case C/O is a wonderful bag as well.

JohnYaddy · Feb 6, 2016

Check out some videos on YouTube. There are several ways to fold a suit into a carryon or checked bag. No need to buy a suit bag for one event.

BigJ · Feb 6, 2016

I have had to travel with a suit on many occasions. I also tend to be a 'one bag' traveler, so checking bags is not an option.

As a consequence I have used three options:

1. Wear the jacket and fold the trousers to fit into your bag (usually the best choice).
2. Use the 'bundle wrap' method (you can find multiple explanations if you do a search) with your suit jacket on the outside of the bundle.
3. Use a 'suit folder' mechanism, such as the one I have in my TravelPro carry on bag (typically used by flight crews).

Hope this helps!

Hirsute · Feb 9, 2016

BigJ said:
1. Wear the jacket and fold the trousers to fit into your bag (usually the best choice).

This is what I do, too. I'll either hang my jacket up if there's room in the closet during the flight or I'll just fold it gently and put it on top of my carry on bag in the overhead.

Mischief · Feb 9, 2016

One thing I do is always keep a dry cleaners bag to pack the suit on its hanger in my garment bag. Just place the bag over the hungered suit then hang it in the garment bag, fold the arms inward. The dry cleaning bag keeps it wrinkle free.

Wetshavemike · Feb 9, 2016

Roll it. That's what I did with military uniforms, and still do with my suits. Make sure everything is flat. Fold jacket inwards along the back, and roll the jacket and pants. No wrinkles, and it doesn't harm creases. It takes up far less space in your bag to!

eightysixCJ · Feb 10, 2016

I use a suit bag. Pack your items individually with a layer of tissue paper sheets inside and inside a plastic bag (dry cleaning bag). Seems to prevent bunching and wrinkles from my experience. Tissue inside and between items in a regular suitecase helps prevent wrinkles also.

Congratulations and have fun.

Tom

takeshi · Feb 11, 2016

cvargo said:
Do any of you fine gents have any other recommendations? How do you travel with a suit? I will be there for a week so I am planning on checking a bag, if that matters.

If you're going to travel a lot with suits then a garment bag or luggage designed to handle a suit could be worth it but if it's a one time thing then properly rolling/folding/wrapping will do the trick.

cvargo said:
I am assuming a garment bag but I don't own one except for the basic bag they gave me when I bought my suits at Men's Warehouse. Is it best to carry it on or check it?

Doesn't really matter if properly packed. Most garment bags can't be carried on. There are, however, carry-ons designed to accommodate suits. Or, again, you can roll/fold/wrap in whatever carry-on you prefer. Don't use the bag your suit came in for travel unless you know you can hang it on the aircraft. Typically only first & business passengers can do so though.

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Need help traveling with a suit

cvargo

sskim3

redfalconf35

gegarrenton

gegarrenton

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather

A3M0N

camjr

gegarrenton

JohnYaddy

BigJ

Hirsute

Used to have fun with Commander Yellow Pantyhose

Mischief

Wetshavemike

eightysixCJ

takeshi

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