Dustin Miller PolyInnovator Travels [Posts 1-3]

I love to travel.

About Page:

From the reaches of the United States, and hopefully to the various cities around the world. I think that in my heart and soul I am a global citizen, and I have always felt that way. Over the years I’d get to experience a bit of more and more trips.

Something that I obsess over is optimization. It started with knowledge management, and then even content creation itself as a subject. However even traveling, and being as prepared as you could be. Even the idea of One Bag Travel caught my eye.

I’ve had my same suitcase from when I was a teenager going to Sante Fe for my first trip. I’ve brought that along to nearly every trip I’ve done, and it is still going.

Though there are many products I’d like to try in that realm, and I fell in love with Travel backpacks instead too. Buying a TomToc Navigator, and before that some no name brand from Marshalls.

The way they work just fascinates me, and the idea of being free of belongings. Then being able to travel around the world. Even with my dog Geoffrey.

Small topics like downsizing your technology, such as replacing your desktop with a mini pc, or your monitor with AR glasses. These are things that I think a lot of people don’t talk about enough.

I’ll be that creator for you.

What should you expect?

I would really first like to get into the evolution of suitcase innovation. Then from there talk about some EDC and slings. Perhaps after that some product comparisons, and reviews. As affiliate income is a thing I think will propel me forward into being able to make even more content, and travel more.

With no additional cost to you after all, versus a membership which I think I’ll do down the line.

Let me know what you think!

Moving Abroad with Just Suitcases

Which ones are the BEST? Has there been ANY innovation in the suitcase market?

May 05, 2025

This is somethin I’ve been thinking a lot about, as I plan on moving to Singapore at some point in the future. Hopefully sooner than later.

In doing so I have been slowly prepping myself to have less and less belongings. Over a longer period of time. Instead of just selling it all right before I go. Now currently I am moving across my current city, and I have to stay here for a while. Even if I were to move to Austin (which comes before SG), I would have my car to move things. Meaning overall I don’t need to get rid of a whole lot right now.

I’m still trying to downsize more and more of my belongings though, or getting smaller versions of my previous stuff. Going from a computer that takes up the same amount of space as an ottoman, to a computer the size of two lunchables (without the box).

What innovations have been made?

There are only TWO changes I’ve seen to suitcases that make a REAL difference (excluding the Hinomoto wheels).

Those being WIDE handles, and a front opening to the suitcase (as opposed to the traditional clamshell style).

The reason why these two changes make such a big difference is that they give you so much more space IN the case itself.

With a wide handle you get upwards of 15-25% more space because the bars are no longer taking up the middle of the side of the case. Makes a far bigger difference than you might imagine.

The other thing is that when you have a front opening compartment it allows you to use the FULL height of the suit case. For example in one of the bigger cases shared below. If I wanted to throw my air fryer in there for when I move, then I could. However if it was clamshell style, then I wouldn’t be able to.

The Best Suitcase I’ve seen - Mixi

I scoured the internet, from amazon, google, temu, etc, and found that this particular model has pretty much all that you need. Has great wheels, a wide handle, front opening, and handles on two sides. All of which are things that should be accounted for when buying a case.

Other products have crappier front opening designs, I had bought one, and it failed to close all the way. You should definitely get a zipper based front opening not a latch style.

It also comes in a variety of colors. Also if you’re liking this post Please Share it! <3

Best Large Suitcases for Moving

Now I haven’t dug into these as much as the carry size suitcases, however I did try to find the cases with the most amount of usable space. There really wasn’t anything that had both a WIDE handle and a front opening. Especially at the larger sizes. Maybe at 24inch, but not the 29inch or 30inch cases.

Both of these follow the same size style for the most part. However one comes with a carry on, and the other is a bit cheaper (sometimes).

As I said before if you have a front opening, then it gives you much more usable space in the suitcase. I figured if you’re moving across the pond, this would be the way to do it!

My Trip to NABshow Las Vegas + Troubles with One Bag Travel

Rather the NEED to have a second bag...

Apr 12, 2025

Let me start with the frustrations of my baggage first, as it is front of mind. I used the TomToc Navigator 40L backpack. It is a great bag, and I honestly don’t think the issue is with the product. Rather how many clothes I brought, and what I wanted from the conference and airplane.

There are flight slings, and there are day slings. Now depending on what sort of tech you are bringing with you. I.e. a retroid pocket gaming handheld, iPad Mini, or in my case a OnePlus Pad (11 inch). This changes what sort of sling you can use, and I was going to get the TomToc Ubran EX11 for this purpose. Maybe it would have solved some of my issues, but not so much at the conference.

At the NABshow it is more of just basic needs, such as chargers, headphones, maybe my bluetooth glasses, and most of all hygiene needs. Like my micro-toiletry kit (which I’ll make a post about), and having breathe control items like mints/gum.

You can only fit so much, and while I did decrease the size of my charger (sort of) with the GaN wall plug I got. I still bring with me a portable battery bank (Anker/Ugreen are great for these).

I also bring drink packets like Celsius for mental fatigue improvement.

All in all, there are a lot of things I bring in my sling.

How do you go about fixing that? Well you bring two slings, one for the plane, and one for the conference. I also ended up getting a new one at the Sandisk booth, which I really love. That will probably end up being my conference one going forward.

I only needed my tablet for one meeting really, so I may end up just stowing that in my travel bag. Which has a travel slot, although doesn’t really work if I need to bring to the convention hall.

Additionally, I think I brought too many clothes, which made it hard for my bag to work. It was heavy, and bulgy, which isn’t ideal. While I do need a bigger sling or something to hold my items I’ll use for traveling. Like headphones or gaming console, as my travel backpack is just too big for it to go under the seat.

I think it serves well the need for one bag travel, just not in all cases. I do have a smaller, more personal item sized bag, that would work. Perhaps not so much if it was expanded to hold more clothes. I’m not sure…

This case isn’t closed yet! The road to the travel backpack and sling combo will continue.

Going back to Las Vegas was an interesting trip. It wasn’t necessarily planned that far in advance. I managed to grab plane tickets for $170, which is a steal, but I do have factor in the MoX shuttle which was about $120 to STL.

Then the real costs start to add up, such as the airbnbs, which where a whole other thing. One was super cheap, and was really close to the airport. The other one was not cheap, and was a bit gross too. Both were pretty much in the ghetto, and were a bit sketch to be going in and out of if I’m being real. I grew up in the ghetto, so its not too far off for me. However this is Vegas, and I’m in a suit.

While I could have stayed with a friend in a hotel, I didn’t want to impose too much on him. However going next time I might try to figure out something with someone. I do forget that this is an option, as you don’t have to go solo/stag.

Food I did pretty well on, but overall I didn’t dine out too much at fancy places. I mainly just did some cheap and easy stuff. I also failed to eat lunch some days, which I think others did too. Maybe this was a fault of the conference for offering pretty mediocre food offerings.

Transportation was another thing, lyfts were my only way around, other than taxis. I don’t use uber for a plethora of reasons. One of which being they left me a blizzard. However I was able to subsidize that cost at least. Most importantly I think really was just trying to be prepared. I went to the store and got waters, I brought caffeine with me, and if I had more time or was able to I would have gone to a bigger grocery store to get food and carnation instant breakfast drinks.

Now that I am back home I’m realizing just how tiring the trip was, I didn’t quite relax a whole lot. Even though I certainly did more this time around due to my friends being a lot more chill than I am.

The conference was interesting because I got to see again this merging happening between the broadcasting world and the content creation world.

A big podcaster showed up, and people from the more corporate booths didn’t take the person seriously. Which is interesting because his business probably makes more revenue than half their clients.

So we’re stilling dealing with that stigma of creators not being “professional”, when I saw plenty that knew more about cameras than some of the broadcasting people. It is a bit insane to think about.

Going to Vegas is another thing I wanted to talk about. Just like the malls all across America. That spend everything mindset the US had is gone, and so the debauchery focused haven that Vegas became was no longer needed. Now we are seeing this city in almost a pre-retirement state.

I sort of wish I could have seen it in the 60s or 80s when it was sort of at its prime. To me Vegas is also skewed by me playing Fallout New Vegas as well. As I am used to seeing it in a post-apocalyptic state. Honestly in some parts of the city it wasn’t that far off from the game.

All in all, this trip was a success. I got to meet people, and reach out to old connections. I hope that one day I can go back and build upon them again. I’m not sure if I covered everything in this post, and I probably didn’t. Like airport stuff, and even some of the conference. Although I just wanted to quickly get these ideas out.

Packing into One Bag (Maybe 2) for Travel

This is a topic that will probably be pretty common on here, as OneBagTravel is a pretty popular niche. I'd like to just have it all in one, but I'll probably need a sling bag/day bag for this trip.

Apr 04, 2025

While I’m obsessed with packing just one bag and then having a little sling that I could just pull out. I really need a bigger sling, or even a tablet bag given all the tech and items I want to have ready at hand.

This goes back to my techie-ness, as well as preparedness, personality traits. I tend to bring two micro first aid kits. One in my personal item, and one in my carry on, etc.

I’ve actually come to the conclusion too that two toiletry kits is the way to go too. This is something I might make a post about at some point.

The micro-toiletry kit houses things like chapstick, mini toothbrush, emergency caffeine packet, maybe deodorant if I know I’ll need it, condom, or whatever I think might be useful for that point in the trip. The point is to not be left out somewhere without a way to freshen up, be prepared (I’m a single dude you never know), and to refresh if I get sweaty.

I also am a techie as I said, so I have a little Retroid Pocket 4pro, which is another topic I’ll probably make a post about. As it is just the right size (even IN the case) to bring in a sling bag. As well as, a variety of tech items like cables, adapters, GaN charger, etc.

I’m writing this post today in free flow of thought, and while I’m still not sure how I want to go about doing this newsletter. I still want to just add it to my half a dozen newsletters on my home site. As that way everything can be all in one place. I also feel that this travel brand might have a leg to stand on its own. Plus I might get pretty into testing out products or locations.

Anyways, the point I want to make today is that I’ve been thinking a lot about this one bag thing. I’m currently preparing to go to Vegas, and I even have a suit that is foldable (really nice 8way stretch material suit from Express clothing). Besides the items I need to put in my sling bag. I’ve gotten everything else to fit in the main bag. I think one of the crucial things is that I can’t put my gameboy (retroid pocket) into the main bag as I’ll probably have to store it in the overhead.

I’m also thinking about having a bag to use at the conference itself. Which may entail me bringing stuff back to the airbnb/hotel room. Although I do have a foldable tote or drawstring bag I could bring in that case.

I’m currently thinking about what items I could get rid of more, and should I be a bit wiser and just bring another bag. The problem is then I’ll have two backpacks which makes it harder to bring along in the airport.

Hence why a nice sling bag would be helpful, as it would be compatible with my travel backpack. If I was just using a suitcase it wouldn’t be a big deal. This is something we can talk about in another post. The various combinations of bags/cases/slings that you can use.

Let me know your thoughts. I’m not sure what I’m going to do, maybe I’ll make a post when I get back talking about what I ended up doing! Subscribe to follow along!

Why am I making this move?

Once you have made a home on the internet it is hard to take it elsewhere. Substack still feels a bit out of place for such a blog series, and while I intend on writing more on traveling.

Hence why I created the Travel tag now.

There are not any plans for a consistent travel series at this point, which I thought I was going to do prior.