[IN]Place Rolling Case File

The [IN]Place Rolling Case File that OfficeMax gave me to try out has certainly travelled a lot of miles in two weeks! I took to BlogHer two weeks ago, and this week I was back in Chicago again to film the Peter Walsh-OfficeMax Back to School webcast in nearby Naperville. I took the Rolling Case File to show everyone from OfficeMax how I was using it and to give my feedback. And since it is from Peter Walsh's product line, after all, how could I resist asking him to sign my rolling case for me?

Peter, being a lover of pristine, neat surfaces and quite a humble guy to boot, looked understandably doubtful at the thought of desecrating this nice, sleek black case with his signature. But I promised not to sue him for vandalism of private property, so he gamely took my Sharpie and signed it.

The Basics
The Rolling Case File, from Office Max's [IN]Place System, designed by Peter Walsh, exemplifies some of Peter's organizational maxims: having a place for everything, having everything handy, keeping systems flexible. It's a portable file system with multiple compartments, handy organizational pockets, a separate laptop bag that stores in the front pocket, and a bag for power cords and peripherals that stores in one of the side pockets.

The Bongga
The [IN]Place Rolling Case File is sleek and sturdy and oh-so-well made. It rolls over sidewalksl and roads and airports with ease, and I'm not worried about the wheels falling off anytime soon.I love the way the telescoping handle goes up and down with a quiet, metallic whoosh at the push of a button. I used the middle area to pack my clothes and toiletries in, but if you're travelling on business, the attached bars make this the ideal case to carry all your files and folders in. I love all the separate compartments -- you don't have to rummage around in a bottomless pit to find things!

The Blah
The case is 1 inch wider than United Airlines' maximum thickness for carry-on baggage. I took it on board anyway because you can lose the extra inch by removing the laptop bag from the front compartment and squishing it in. I also figured people would cheat by way more than that (and I was right -- some people boarded the plane with what looked like steamer trunks and baby elephant cages). But still, I couldn't wheel it down the airplane aisle, and I had a nervous moment when I thought it wouldn't fit into the overhead compartment. After a couple of desperate shoves, the case managed to fit (this was a plane from San Francisco to Chicago, certainly not the smallest one out there). International flights? No problem. Smaller aircraft? Be prepared to check it in at the gate.

The Bottom Line
The [IN]Place Rolling Case File's separate compartments make it great for organization on-the-go. Just hope that on-the-go doesn't include a tiny propeller airplane! Whether your version has the designer's' signature on it or not, you'll appreciate the clean style and great quality.

I received a product sample for this post, but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.