Product Review - AKOZLIN Vinyl Record Bag
Over the past two years, I have had several thoughts and conversations about how I would get records from my parent's house in New York to here in Arizona. If I were to travel by air, it would not seem realistic to try to bring back as much as I thought I might want.
You may know this already, but at the risk of overstating the obvious - records can get heavy! I came up with a loose strategy for myself - to bring back some in a carry-on item and to ship others back as securely as possible. I am still nervous about how the second part of this plan turns out, but I am happy to report that plan A worked out great!
In late May, I had been searching for travel bags designed for transporting albums when my wife asked me for gift ideas for the approaching Father’s Day holiday and for my July birthday. I thought of one I had seen that I knew was in a good price range and suggested my wife have my son gift it to me.
The AKOZLIN Vinyl Record Bag sells for under $30 and holds up to 40 records. It features durable handles, a shoulder strap, and a strap for carrying it on top of a rolling suitcase. It also has large organization pockets on its sides and front and a zippered pouch in its lid. A removable solid bottom and a Velcro divider were also great features. This was exactly the bag I was seeking for the price and capacity.
For the trip to New York, I had some books and an iPad Pro to bring with me, so the bag was light and convenient. I carried some headphones and charging supplies and had plenty of room for more. I knew this would be different for the trip back while carrying records along with these items.
I had little doubt the case would carry the 40 records advertised, but I planned to reduce this amount to 25 for my purposes. This would allow me to manage the weight issue a little, and I could use the divider to save space for my books and tablet. The chargers could have easily gone in pockets, but I opted to pack some in my checked bag as I wouldn’t need them all during the flight.
I did not weigh the bag, but it probably weighed 25-30 lbs with all of its contents. I was surprised to see that, even packed in this way, it still slid on its side underneath the airline seat in front of me. It fit perfectly there and was also not in the way when I slid it behind my feet and under my knees to stretch my legs a bit.
Lugging the full bag through the Charlotte, North Carolina, airport was not an issue, but I found myself moving the bag from one shoulder to another several times as we walked to our connecting flight. A padded shoulder strap would have been a clear improvement, and I expect I will bring a towel for cushioning with me if I am making a trip with a bunch of records in the future.
After we arrived at Sky Harbor in Phoenix, I attached my suitcase's handle through the AKOZLIN's luggage strap, making our exit from the terminal much easier. Now that I have been through all of the bag's traveling contents, I can comfortably say it transported my records admirably well. I feel they were well-protected on their journey, making me optimistic about using this bag again in the future.
PROS—It protected my records while allowing me to fit typical traveling items. It is Excellent value for transporting a smaller collection.
CONS - The shoulder strap could have been more comfortable, especially considering the bag's capacity
Definitely recommend! Thanks for reading.
