CH Gift Guide: Schlep It Up a Notch
10 easy ways to transport heavy loads or personal goods
Whether it’s hauling home groceries in the trunk of a classic car, kids in the cargo carrier of a Christiana bike, or tackling laundry in an urban environment, schlepping is a natural part of a busy life. Make it easier on your favorite workhorse with one of the gifts from the Cool Hunting gift guide which makes hauling, carrying, transporting or packing things around a lot more fun. See these 10 items below and plenty of other ideas in our holiday guide.
Classic Car Club Membership
For those who fantasize about getting behind the wheel a 1969 Jaguar convertible, but aren’t quite willing to make the investment, try the Classic Car Club Manhattan. A mecca for classic car enthusiasts, this club is an endless joyride for members, who can access an elite fleet of 40 of the most coveted vehicles of all time. With membership priced at less than the cost of a monthly Manhattan parking spot, this car club will fulfill any Mustang fanatic or Lambo lover’s wildest dreams.
Christiania Boxcycle
The Christiania cargo bike was born out of the autonomous and unconventional Copenhagen commune, where hash is legal and cars are not. One or both of these factors perhaps led to Lars Engstrom’s ingenious original cargo bike design, created as a one-off for his wife Annie to transport their two kids. In bike-friendly Copenhagen, there are now 40,000 on the street. These easy-to-ride miracle workers are a necessity for carrying oversized loads: Surfboards, groceries and even the most precious cargo of all—children.
Indigo Sashiko Game Carrier Tote Bag
Constructed out of durable Japanese-woven Sashiko from textile experts, The-Hillside, and designed exclusively for the stylish gents at old-school Williamsburg menswear purveyor, Hickoree’s, the Colimbo “Game Carrier” Tote Bag is based on early 1900s bags, which regulated the amount of game one could hunt through limiting the quantity of contents they could hold. This handsome tote is sure to up your style as it tapers your packrat tendencies.
Large Tote
Rachel Mansur and Floriana Gavriel met by chance at a concert in LA. Two days later, they began designing a line of streamlined bags that speak for themselves. Crafted from vegetable-tanned Tuscan leather, unlined and lacking the bells and whistles of many of today’s totes, Mansur Gavriel’s high-quality carriers are notable for their classic silhouettes, elegant proportions and minimal hardware. Their Large Tote has a detachable wallet, is as fitting for a day in NYC as for a trip to Cannes, and adds a timeless quality to any ensemble.
Mixology Backpack
Who needs a bar back when you can have a bar backpack? In the “spirit” of the holiday season (or as we like to call it, vodka) Tumi and Ketel One teamed up to create a Mixology Backpack. Perfect for the seasoned drink mixer, or anyone who wants to be the life of the party, this refreshing pack includes a host of accessories, including one and two ounce jiggers, a shaker and a spoon. This celebration-maker ensures you will always be equipped to concoct the next martini, and elevate any gathering from humdrum to humdrunk.
DryZone DF 20L Camera Bag
Ideal for the traveling photographer, this waterproof camera bag from Lowepro is specially designed with a removable internal case for fast access. Whether it’s a surprise rainstorm or rowdy set, the roll-top closure seals in your precious equipment and keeps the elements out.
DraMaten Stockholm Shopping Trolley
Let’s face it, urban living often requires a trolley. For those who have shied away from toting a pair of wheels on city sidewalks, we give you the DraMaten Stockholm Shopping Trolley, a stylish and mobile caboose that will provide some much needed relief for your aching shoulders. This little buggy folds up easy for compact storage—extremely necessary considering you’ll need that extra space for all the great new stuff you can now bring home with you.
World’s Greatest Laundry Bag
Scavenge for quarters, haul a heavy load down three flights, embarrassingly sort dirty gym clothes in semi-public space—and that’s only the beginning. But we continue the task because the reward of clean undergarments far outweighs the hours lost amidst the machines. This sturdy bag is roomy enough for even the least frequent of launderers, and is sewn in Massachusetts from a natural army duck canvas, revered for its stench-rearing capabilities. Best of all, the sack is emblazoned with a mantra we can chant along with each spin of the dryer and try to understand where that other sock went: “You will feel great when this is all done.” Amen.
Lenz Pen & Pencil Case
Artist, designer or engineer on the go? If so, the Lenz serves as a compact carrying case for your favorite writing instruments and drafting tools. A classic accessory that should find its way back into favor, the leather gem is available in light and dark brown, and pulls closed with one sturdy zipper.
Fluent Stash
Aptly described as “organizational origami” this smartly designed and expertly crafted organizer holds your travel goods in style. A hang-hook means you can easily access your goods on the go from three pouches and a zippered pocket. Fold it all up and throw it in your bag—you can even access exterior pockets without opening the main compartment.
