Copilot Premium Europe 9.5.0.400 Cracked Lips
Odina Conkright
The old topic that gets beat to death is which kind/size/type should I buy/use. It comes up in specific threads and it comes up as parts of threads on related subjects. As a result there are dozens of recommendations scattered over dozens of threads.
So, how about we consolidate recommendations here. NOT AN ARGUMENT as to what kind or type or size one should use; just your favorite that people can research and like it or not.
Bric's BY ULISSE 21" SPINNER -ulysses-21-expandable-spinner-black/
A hard side spinner and my goto bag for the last four years (about 10 overseas trips and half as many domestic); and it looks new but Carry-on bags don't get the abuse that checked bags do. I think I paid $140 for it (a lot for a basic Economy Light guy)
Packing Scenario" Carry-on (5.8lbs) + Stuff (11.9lbs) = 17.7lbs / Personal Item (1lb) + Stuff (8.1lbs) = 9.1lbs
Good:
At 21 x 14 x 9 a legal carry on for every major european and US carrier.
It is almost perfectly rectangular so there is no wasted packing space due to the tapered design many bags have.
The wheels are compact and set up a tiny bit into the bag, again making the storage area larger while keeping the height requirement.
Clam shell design so i dont have to tear everything out of the bag to get the stuff at the bottom.
I can hang my "Personal Item" (a small backpack) over the handle and it doesn't fall over.
The ease of maneuvering spinner bags especially on planes.
Clean smooth sides that slide easily into and out of full airline overhead compartments
Downside:
Light for a hard shell spinner but still 5.8 lbs
I always pack to the limit of 17.7kg no matter which bag I use, so the starting weight of the bag doesn't make it "heavier" but does limit the amount that I can put in it.
Admittedly this bag only works for me if I use the Personal Item properly to carry the heavy items and only put fabric in the carry-on; then it works perfect.
I am one of the few (apparently) who really doesn't like the 4-wheeled spinners. It feels like wrangling a puppy through the airport to me. I traveled once internationally with the Ebags weekender junior backpack, and it held a lot. But I realized I prefer a light 2-wheeled bag.
For my personal item, if we are hiking, I will bring an Osprey hiking backpack. If it is a non-hiking trip, I use the Tom Bihn Pilot (which is also my work briefcase). For a really short trip, the Pilot could be the only carryon. It's a great bag.
I've also used the Rangeland backpack (different one than Frank's). Pros: Holds a lot and has a trolley sleeve and dedicated laptop compartment. Cons: Heavy and not enough inside pockets. Easy to lose items inside. I'm about ready to give up on this one for flying.
Size: 12L x 16.25H x 5.25W inches and weighs about 1 pound.
My usual carryon is the Rick Steve's 21" rolling bag. I have plenty of room leftover to bring things home in this. Last trip to my moms I even managed to bring a soup pot, large skillet and large saucepan back in it, lol.
For 1-3 night trips I use one of two bags. One is a 19" bag that is kid size. We bought them for the kids back in 1998 for $10 each at Job Lot or something like that back east. They are still going strong, so we definitely got our moneys worth;). The other bag I use is a 20" American Tourister, that I have had for years. It is smaller than most other 20" bags as it is again more narrow and not as deep. This one looks much nicer than the kids bags and has one outside pocket that I use for my laptop.
I've been using the TravelPro Maxlite Soft Side spinner for about two years now. I am 95% carry on only (I check on the way home if I buy something I can't take through security). I like this bag a lot. It's VERY light. No issues ever fitting into an overhead compartment. One thing I don't like is that the lining of the bag has a zipper in it. I have no idea why. I guess if you needed to get to the hardware for the extending handle? Anyway, the zipper has broken so the lining just flaps open. Not really a huge deal, doesn't affect the use of the bag at all, but it's annoying.
I have an ebags backpack whose name I don't remember - it's a computer bag that holds enough for a weekend. I don't use it much except for domestic travel because it's bigger than a standard backpack but too small for more than a weekend. I had the Motherlode Jr. backpack but fully loaded it was too heavy. Fortunately, one of the straps broke on a luggage carousel, and when I contacted eBags about replacement or repair, they told me to choose a new backpack, so I was able to choose a smaller replacement.
If I check a bag on the way home, I have a packable tote that I use to put things in it that I would be sorry to be without if my checked bag were lost. This is my favorite travel item - I use it for carrying groceries or other shopping, carrying recycling, dirty laundry etc. and it's small enough to toss in my cross body bag. I bought it in 2017 and it still looks like new. -tote-bag
Stan used to carry a smaller backpack left over from our student days (!), but he likes mine so well he bought one last year. The top front pocket on his is much deeper than the one on mine; I don't consider that an improvement.
For personal items, he uses a laptop case, without the laptop. (This causes no end of confusion at airport security: "Sir, please remove your laptop. Sir, your laptop!, SIR!" while he is blissfully wondering who they're talking to.)
Since my beloved 50 year old Polish leather bag died, I've been using a freebie we got from Sierra club as a sign-up gift. It's about 11"x13"x3" made of light canvas. It works well enough, although I'm not averse to upgrading a bit.
I do have an older version of the Euro Flight Bag which I'm considering using as a personal item, but honestly, I think it's too big. I have used it for domestic travel. It works well with packing cubes, or without as a general carry-all.
Overseas carryon only: I also use the Rick Steves Classic Backdoor bag. I like that it only weighs a bit over 2 pounds, which helps greatly when there's a weight limit. Second choice is a Cotopaxi Allpa 35L backpack if I will also be checking a bag.
Personal Item is a RS Civita bag, or if I want something more sturdy, a small REI or Outdoor Research backpack.
Domestic: I check a REI Wheely Beast 22inch 2 wheeler. It's a carryon size, but I'll check it rather than a bigger bag. I have an assortment of Tom Bihn, RedOxx, REI and other carryon-sized bags. Plus a variety of different-sized shapeless duffles I can use as needed.
But my wife's recently been mobility challenged, and she's riding a small Luggie portable personal scooter that folds down--48 lbs. She rides it up to the airplane door and gate checks it. The scooter is faster than I can walk and has a 10 mile range. It's allowed her to go on 2 European trips and a trip to Las Vegas in the last year.
Note that a 21" carry on bag with wheels will be 22" in size, and some budget European airlines will try to make you check them--for profit maximation. But we know they'll fit in the overhead bins since they're flying Boeing and AIrbus jets. I've only had to check them one time on Norwegian Air Shuttle where the flight attendant was having a bad day.
Kipling Sherpa tote. It has one large compartment with a large inside zippered pocket. One outside zippered pocket on the outside that runs the length of the bag (My tablet, passport and boarding pass live in there) and two large outside zippered pockets (all during flight needs are in there, snacks, ear pods, book, lip balm, medication that needs to be taken during flight, tylenol, antacids).
It also has a sleeve to fit over my carry on handle.
This bag has been pulled, tugged at, crammed into spaces, spilled on and it holds it's shape, the lining still looks perfect and it is not designer, so no worry about it being flashy.
It has fit under the seat of every airplane I have been on and is light weight.
Carry-On: I use a RS Rolling Carry-on. It's six years old now but I haven't travelled enough to wear it out. It's got many more trips left in it's life. I carry it on outbound and expand and check it inbound. I wish the tow handle felt a little sturdier but no problems with it. The challenge is not to overstuff it outbound which is easy to do and keep weight down to under 20 lbs. No matter how hard I try, I can't pack less than 9 1/2 ins deep, but United and Delta don't seem to mind so I quit stressing about it.
Personal Item: I use a packable RuMe cFold tote as a personal item. The company is sadly out of business but I stocked up and gifted lots of their close-out items. The tote weighs 7 oz, is lightweight doubled nylon, surprisingly durable and has a trolley strap. My only complaint is there are no interior pockets. I also use an assortment of zippered RuMe Baggies to pack all my miscellaneous things. I used a PakSafe tote prior but had to sew on a trolley strap and it's heavy (2 lbs).
Day Bag and Purse: I also take a packable backpack from Eddie Bauer as a day bag. The current colors would not be my choice (mine is gray). I take a very small (tiny) Travelon purse which holds enough for exploring city streets (phone, money, aspirin, kleenex). I need the backpack for day trips and changeable weather (sweater on, sweater off) and if I want to carry a camera. A larger purse causes my neck to cramp.
The Personal Item, as i alluded to earlier, its as important to my packing as the carry-on bag. Interesting that a few of us use the same bag, especially when it appears to be a no-name chinese import sold almost exclusively on Amazon along with 300 similar bags.
The beauty of the thing is I can fit a pair of hip waders, wading boots and all the necessary tools for fly fishing in it (except the 7 piece rod and the folding net which go in the carry-on). But once there the bag has cinch straps on both sides that the rod and net fit nicely into so its one easy back pack on the hike to the river. Packed as described fits nicely under the seat: !Ai7Zk-szxfTJidJjYaDjGJqXIWVbWQ?e=ieK6Cv (but not stylish)
7fc3f7cf58