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Now that we are back from Maker Faire, and the Trunki that the Easter Bunny brought my son has been tested and put on a plane, I can tell you it is a great product.
The Trunki is a Melissa and Doug product that I originally saw on ThinkGeek, and eventually found at a local craft store for a ridiculously low price. We also purchased the messenger bag/saddle to be used with it.
Trunki: It fit nicely in overhead and under the seat storage on the airplane. It was easy to carry around,
and distracted both of our kids without even having to get any toys out of it. Several people (including a GeekMom or two) have asked me my thoughts on the Trunki, and I am glad we purchased it. The Trunki is a rugged product that can stand up to abuse. It's a good size, my 5-year-old daughter and 18-month-old son were both able to use it as a scooter in the airport waiting areas (which is good, because we had a two hour delay the day we left). The one reservation I have with the suitcase, which is easily remedied with bags inside, is how hard it is to organize stuff. The case is an odd shape so books and other rectangular objects don't really have a nice flat way to fit.
Messenger Bag: It has plenty of pockets and space without being too big for your kid to carry. Our son's has a diaper, a little pack of wipes, a small book, and a fruit snack packed away. With all of those items, the bag still closed with no problem. I do not recommend having that many items in it when used as a saddle. It makes the seat almost too wide to sit on. A bonus feature of the bag is a little horn built into the fabric (so it won't get lost). I thought this was an awesome touch. Not only is it fun, but it can almost be used as an alarm (even though it isn't very loud) if your child gets separated from you in a crowd.
The toys that are only brought out for travel are safely tucked away in the Trunki waiting for our next trip (which will be PAX in August). I know the kids wish they didn't have to wait that long to play with the Trunki again.
