The worst part of any trip is the packing and unpacking of the luggage. You fold and refold your clothing a million times, trying to find the best way to make everything fit and praying you haven’t left anything out. Your kids sit on the top to jam all of your belongings down so you can attempt to zip it up, and you wonder silently how you’re going to manage this same feat at the end of your trip, plus souvenirs.

When you do finally get everything zipped up you realize your suitcase weighs more than the average person should ever have to handle in a lifetime. Working with luggage should be easier, but it’s not. That is, unless you’re willing to spend a few extra dollars on some odd luggage that may look a little funny but will help you to get the job done more effectively. We proudly present our favorite, yet most bizarre, pieces of luggage.

LiveLuggage Power Assisted Suitcase

To get started, let’s take a look at the LiveLuggage Power Assisted Suitcase. Power assisted, you ask? This suitcase plugs into the average power adapter, giving it energy for up to two hours. When the suitcase is tilted to a 15 degree angle, the power assistance automatically kicks in, making it easier to pull your suitcase more efficiently.

The LiveLuggage suitcase makes it easier to navigate those difficult curbs, uneven surfaces, and turns, too. It’s also energy efficient, only using power at certain angles. It can even sense when you’re going down a hill, automatically shutting off the battery to ensure your safety while conserving power.

To make things even better, LiveLuggage comes with a Live Locator ID chip, making it easy for you to find your suitcase if it should happen to be misplaced or stolen. The only downfall is that it’s a little heavy to start with, but with the power wheels moving it is a cinch. The $1,400 price tag might be worth it!

The OBAG

Created by Roozdesign, the Samsonite OBAG has the ability to roll when pulled. Ok, ok – we know that wheels aren’t special, but check it out – this bag doesn’t have any wheels. The bag actually IS a wheel.

Because the bag itself is shaped like a wheel you shouldn’t have any trouble pulling it around. It’s excellent for those who need to travel up and down stairs or through a lot of turns in a major international airport.

It’s not huge, but it’s functional. There are two main storage compartments, each opening from the side like a drawer. It’s difficult to effectively pack a lot of items in a round storage container, so we don’t think you’re going to pack all of your clothes in this suitcase for a major trip. It does, however, look like an excellent alternative for shorter trips and might even be small enough to use as a carry-on bag.

There are a few downsides. The shape of the bag will make it easier to “lose” should you miss your grip on a staircase. Not only will your bag roll down the stairs, but I’ll pick up speed and possibly hurt the nearest bystander. The odds of this happening are probably pretty slim, but you wouldn’t want it to be your suitcase if it did!

Tony the Robot Suitcase

We grew up watching the popular cartoon known as The Jetsons, daydreaming about what it would be like to have robots that catered to our every need. The Tony the Robot Suitcase hasn’t actually been born yet, but the folks at the Russian Robotronic online catalog claim this incredible suitcase will be available for purchase sometime during 2009.

What’s so special about Tony? You don’t have to touch it! Simply put a smart card in your pocket and Tony will follow you wherever you go. He can’t climb stairs, but he can sound an alarm if someone tries to steal him or force him to go in another direction.

The only thing we’re not sure of is how Tony will react when he’s around other Tony the Robot suitcases. Will he get confused and follow the wrong tag? Will the suitcases get in a fight with each other as they attempt to be first to board the plane?

Still, Tony the Robot is an amazing hands-off alternative to the traditional suitcase. If you have an extra $2,000 to spare, we recommend checking him out next year.

Luggage doesn’t have to be simple, boring, or difficult to carry around. It can even be fun and relatively appealing to look at. And besides – if the TSA is going to search your luggage at random, you may as well have something unique for them to look at. We wonder, though – how will Tony the Robot react to a government search!