Finalist 2023

Scout Travel – Smart Luggage Tag, Finder & Alarm by Knog

Knog / Hugo Davidson / Mal McKechnie

A smart luggage tag that digitally holds the owner’s contact information, features a luggage finder, and an 85dB motion-sensitive alarm.

Scout Travel – Smart Luggage Tag, Finder & Alarm

Traveling can be stressful, especially when it comes to keeping your luggage secure. Whether it’s navigating foreign cities, staying in unfamiliar locations, or just commuting to work, there are numerous opportunities for your bags to be lost, stolen, or misplaced.

It was for these exact reasons that Knog designed the Scout Travel…. a new generation smart luggage tag that combines your digital contact information, a highly accurate luggage finder, and an 85 dB motion-sensitive alarm top to provide unparalleled luggage security

Design Brief:

As global travel gets ever busier, so does the likelihood that your luggage may go missing at some stage during your journey. In 2022 alone the global mishandling rate of bags per 1000 passengers went up a staggering 74.7% when compared to 2021.

At Knog we were determined to develop a product to help keep traveler’s luggage more accurately identifiable, and trackable wherever it is in the world & with an in-built alarm. As such Knog’s design team was tasked with designing & developing a smart luggage tag that digitally held the owner’s details, was traceable using Apple’s Find-My network, and featured a motion-sensitive 85 Db alarm. Any resulting design needed to be aesthetically pleasing, practical to use, and able to resist the specific demands and rigors of international travel.


This project was developed by:

  • Knog
  • Hugo Davidson
  • Mal McKechnie

Design Process

All Knog products are designed following a robust and through design process.

With Scout Travel the process was slightly different to our normal design process due to the fact that Knog had previously developed a security device: Knog’s Scout Bike. Having already designed one security device meant that Knog’s designers understood some of the challenges that they would face and some of the technology they would have at their disposal.

As with all Knog product development the first step in the process was to look to see what is currently available in the market. Whilst the world has become aware of the development of tracing technology via Apple’s Airtags, what Knog were attempting to create had far more complexities since Knog wanted to develop a tracer vice that was purpose built for travel and that included a large range of functionality.

After a period of brainstorming, Knog’s design team started to analyse different solutions that they developed. One area that the team had to overcome design challenges was developing a metal security tether without it affecting the unit’s antenna, which was crucial to the functionality of the unit. Following rigorous field testing the Knog design team we able to overcome this particular design challenge by reworking the internal layout of the computer chips within the unit itself.

After the initial sample units were built, Knog went to great lengths to test the Scout Travel in real world scenarios. This testing involved a team of 5 testers using the Scout Travel units on their luggage during various international trips. Sos successful was this testing that Knog’s owner Hugo was able to tell a airline in Europe exactly where his luggage was in Frankfurt airport, which meant he was reunited with his luggage.

Design Excellence

Scout Travel Smart Luggage Tag, Finder & Alarm satisfies many criteria that constitute exceptional design. Firstly, it addresses the very real needs of travelers by providing a comprehensive solution for labeling, tracing, and alarming their luggage while traveling. Combining multiple functions into a single compact unit eliminates the need for users to purchase separate products for the purposes of labeling, tracing, or alarming their belongings, which is both convenience and cost-effective.

Another of the standout design features of the Scout is its smart finder technology. Equipped with Bluetooth connectivity, this innovative luggage tag pairs with your iPhone and is compatible with Apple’s ‘Find-My’ network allowing you to track your bag's location in real time. No more anxiety or lost luggage at the airport!

At Knog our products are always designed to be easy to use and this is true of Scout Travel. Ease of use is achieved in a large part as a result of the Knog App which offers a seamless interface with the Scout allowing you to arm & disarm, customize settings, set up proximity alerts, and even play a chime remotely to help identify your luggage locate your bag in crowded areas effortlessly.

In addition to its technological prowess, Scout Travel has achieved a practical and aesthetically pleasing design. The compact size ensures it won't be a burden during your travels, and the rechargeable battery guarantees long-lasting performance of up to 6 months between charges.

In conclusion, the Scout Travel Smart Luggage Tag, Finder & Alarm represents the epitome of design excellence. With its sleek aesthetics, highly useful functionality, advanced tracing capabilities, and user-friendly app interface, it is the perfect travel companion for the modern traveler. Experience peace of mind and effortless travel with the Scout – your gateway to a smarter, safer journey

Design Innovation

2022 alone the global mishandling rate of bags per 1000 passengers went up a staggering 74.7% when compared to 2021. In 2019, the global cost of mishandled baggage was estimated to be around $2.5 billion.

When Knog saw statistics like the one above we were certain that we could take some of the propriety technology that we have developed for our bike security products to help travelers keep hold of their luggage. With a Scout Travel attached to their luggage, a traveler drastically reduces the chances of permanently losing their luggage with 3 key functions of the product designed to prevent luggage from going missing whilst traveling.

Prior to Scout Travel there were limited options available for travelers wishing to ensure the end-to-end safety of their luggage whilst traveling. Traditional handwritten luggage tags existed, as did product trackers & suitcase alarms, however until Scout was designed never had all 3 functions existed in one product that was designed specifically for travel. In this respect, Scout Travel is unique within the market.

Scout Travel’s design considered the user at every stage of its development. This included the Knog App that is used to control the functions on Scout Travel, this App allows the user to set up the Scout Travel to their exact specifications including triggering the remote chime function, adjusting the motion sensitivity of the alarm, the alarm tone, and the alarm volume.

Finally, because Scout Travel is compatible with Apple’s Find-My network there’s no need to stress about leaving your carry-on behind. With separation alerts enabled in Apple’s Find My app, you’ll get a notification if your Scout Travel drops out of Bluetooth range. As a final level of customization, the user can also set Trusted Locations, which are locations where you can leave an item without receiving a notification.

Design Impact

There are many design impacts of Knogs new Scout Travel Smart Luggage Tag, Finder & Alarm some of which could be considered quite profound. Firstly, creating a product that combines the 3-way functionality of identifying, tracing & alarming travelers' luggage means that Knog is directly helping to reduce the likely hood of consumers losing or misplacing their luggage whilst traveling. It is our firm belief that any traveler with a Scout Travel attached to their luggage will not add to the shocking statistics from 2022 alone the global mishandling rate of bags per 1000 passengers went up a staggering 74.7% when compared to 2021.

Another positive impact of the design of Scout Travel is that it is designed to help reduce the anxiety associated with travel and losing your belongings, which allows consumers to be able to travel with the peace of mind that they have greatly reduced the chances of losing their luggage and in the scenario that they do, the tracing function makes the recovery of the luggage a straight forward process.

As with Knog products, very deliberate consideration was given to Scout Travel’s design to make it as sustainable as was feasible. The first design impact was that Scout Travel used a hi-density LiPo rechargeable battery, which will provide up to 6 months of charge and removes the need for any single-use batteries. Another area where Knog was able to reduce any negative impact was in the choice of packaging, which is made up of 100% recyclable Sugarcane pulp & card from sustainable sources.

Knog’s has built a global business based on developing high-quality design-driven products, as such Scout Travel is yet another example of design excellent from Vitoria being sent out into the world and highlighting Victoria's strong design heritage.

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