Briefcases on wheels rolling toward chic

Susan Dallabrida acknowledges that her briefcase isn't a fashion statement. It's black, it's big -- and it has wheels.

Dallabrida, a biochemist at Children's Hospital, started using a rolling briefcase three years ago after back surgery. It makes the four-block walk from the parking garage to her lab easier, since it stores her laptop, planner, paperwork, CDs, and other work-related paraphernalia, including, sometimes, a bag lunch or a 12-pack of Pepsi balanced on top.

Consumers like Dallabrida are buying increasingly inventive and stylish products for business cases and computer bags, from the ubiquitous backpack to messenger-style laptop bags. Although the Travel Goods Association doesn't specifically track wheeled briefcases, overall sales in the $1 billion dollar business case and computer bags market were up almost 10 percent from last year, according to the trade group, which is based in Princeton, N.J.

In an increasingly portable society of laptops, cellphones, MP3 players, personal digital assistants, and other devices, "there is a whole new generation of commuters who expect to take their everyday life with them no matter where they go," said Michele Marini Pittenger, the trade association's president.

Manufacturers are offering more wheeled-bag options, from a shiny aluminum-magnesium "business trolley" to a bright pink Italian leather laptop case, but rolling briefcases still scream "nerd" to many.

"I wouldn't want to be caught dead wheeling one of those," said Namita Kiran Thuene, a research coordinator at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "They are so antichic, like dragging toilet paper under your shoes."

Still, for Dallabrida, the practical aspects win out. "I work in science, so in some ways, I'm already lumped in that [nerd] category," she said with a sigh. Dallabrida is on her fourth wheeled briefcase and finds that it reduces strain on her spine and upper body.

Expect to pay between $100 and $850 for a wheeled bag. Top makers include Tumi, Victorinox, Hartmann, and Jack Georges. Basic features include telescoping handles; padded computer sleeves or case, often removable; internal file divider for documents; and, pockets for such things as umbrellas, water bottles, cellphones, and airline tickets. Marilyn Murray, executive director for the National Luggage Dealers Association in Chicago, said a sturdy covering material, such as ballistic nylon or quality leather, is important for durability.

But, above all, it's the wheels that make the difference, said Dallabrida, who warned that these moving parts are the most breakable features of the rolling briefcase. Avoid cheap plastic components, she advised.

Murray said: "I think the nerd factor has lessened tremendously over the years." She uses the example of wheeled upright luggage: When it first came on the market, Murray said, "men were saying they wouldn't be caught dead with wheels. Perceptions change."