Fodorite018

I realized I made a mistake earlier, it is a 21" bag from Rick Steves that I have.

I have a 22" bag that I have had for years and weighs the same, but when I took the measurements for it, it was just a touch over the Air France limit. I did not want to chance having to check it, so got the new 21" bag. Now my old bag stays on a shelf unless we need it for a road trip or something.

Nutella

I have the Tom Bihn Aeronaut that's listed in the article. It's pricy, but very well made, and although I first thought it looked small, it can fit quite a bit.

I've used it both as a carry on for long trips when I have a checked suitcase as well, and as a lone bag for quick weekend trips. I found it was a good size for both uses as it's soft and only takes up as much space as it needs to.

Note: Tom Bihn bags have (or had?) the infamous label in French. Fine with me but some with certain political leanings should be forewarned. Consult google for more info.

mtnmama

My husband and I have bags from EBags (ebags.com)

We have the Weekend Convertible, which we've used for 2-3 week trips to Europe (with minor hand-washing). These bags are very expandable, have sensible zippered compartments, and are backpack convertible (better than wheels for urban environments and cobble stones). Unbelievably priced at $69.99.

http://tinyurl.com/5adau

bob56

I used the Rick Steeves backpack carry-on for two weeks in China last year. First time traveling that light and it worked great. I didn't get the wheeled version because I was told that most surfaces would be uneven or unimproved. As it turned out I could have used wheeled luggage even in the more rural areas. Packing the backpack, especially in the more humid areas, was a hot way of starting the travel day. i was envious of the cooler wheeling.

JBX

A good website to consult for carry-ons and specifically, how to get it all in one bag is:

http://www.onebag.com/

kit11

Since Intl. requirements can limit the weight of a carry-on to 11 lbs, I'm hunting for one that's light but has wheels! There are just too many long walks through airports to schlep one on my shoulder. Are lightwt & wheels contradictory needs?

travelgourmet

<i>Are lightwt &amp; wheels contradictory needs?</i>

To a greater or lesser extent, yes. There are light wheeled bags, but they will always be heavier than the non-wheeled counterpart.

GiuliaPiraino

I've been using my Swiss Army eMotion 360 22&quot; carry-on for 5 trips to Europe now and hundreds of domestic trips. It's the perfect bag for either case, I've used it on a trip for 3 days and the same single bag for a 46 day trip. The selling point for this bag, in my opinion, is that it's the lightest rolling bag that converts to a back pack. Most of the wheeled backpacks are very heavy before you even put anything in them, due to their bulky hardware. The eMotion 360 is only 5.5lbs empty and it has wide, comfortable padded straps that tuck in the back when not in use. It's 22x14x11 and I've been able to fit everything I need in there. It's small and streamlined but it comfortably holds 2-3 pairs of shoes, 3-4 pairs of jeans and a dozen shirts, hairdryer, toiletry bags etc. It was expensive, about $350, but I really feel it was the best travel investment we've made, hubby and I both bought one. Also, their warranty is amazing. The handle broke when I dropped it on an escalator and all I had to do was take it to a luggage repair shop in my city and they sent it UPS to Swiss Army and they sent me back a new bag, zero cost to me. There's a lifetime warranty. http://www.sonomaoutfitters.com/ista...;id=303841!145

suze

At best the wheels, handle, frame, etc. add 5 lbs. &amp; at worst it can add more like 10. With an 11 lb. allowance... well you see the difficulty!

GiuliaPiraino

There's an 11 pound allowance??? Where do they weigh your carry on bags? I've only seen that it had to be a certain size dimension but not weight? When we check in for our flight they never even look at our carryon bags, we just say zero checked bags and they give us our boarding pass. Is this something new? I need to know about this since we only fly with carryon. We've gone to Europe 10 times with carryon only and never had it weighed, the last time being in fall of 2007. Is this domestic or international that they weigh your carryon bag? I've just never had anyone even glance at our bag. One time going through security it was so full that it was having trouble passing under the camera curtain but all they made me do is take my bulky jacket out of the front pocket and it passed through just fine. Can you let me know any info on this? Thanks!

travelgourmet

<i>There's an 11 pound allowance??? Where do they weigh your carry on bags?</i>

I imagine that some of the budget airlines are 11 pounds, and am sure that many of them would weigh it, though I'm not sure where.

Even the European legacies can be bad about this. Most of the Star Alliance carriers (Lufthansa, Swiss, SAS...) have an 8kg limit (17lb). SAS, at least in Copenhagen, will ask to weigh your bag when you check in. I have had them do this, even when travelling long-haul business class. However, they normally only ask if the bag has wheels. I have never had them ask to weigh my non-wheeled bag. If you make it past check-in, however, you seem to be homefree.

GiuliaPiraino

Oh, ok, I guess we've just been lucky that no one has ever asked to weigh our bags, that's what I love about this bag it really looks very, very small even though you can really stuff it full. We've always flown Continental in business class so probably maybe checking in at the first class counter they don't bother to weigh them since the limits are higher? I know they let you have 1 more piece of carryon, totaling 3 whereas in coach it's 1 carry on + 1 personal item totaling 2. I guess I better call and check if things have changed. That would be terrible if we packed really light in order to do only carry on and then had to check bags anyway! I would have likely sacrificed that 2nd pair of shoes! LOL

doug_stallings

U.S. airlines flying to Europe typically do not weigh carry-on bags because the limit used to be so high (about 40 pounds on most airlines). I can't imagine how you'd fit that much stuff in a carry-on size bag, but there you go. Plus, business-class passengers usually get to bring on almost anything they want (and that even goes for British Airways).

Europe-based carriers, on the other hand, typically have much more stringent limits and always have. And the super-budget airlines like Ryanair and Easyjet almost always weigh or measure carry-ons.

Someone mentioned that only bags with wheels usually get weighted, and that's pretty much true.

Expect more weighing in the future, for both checked and carry-on bags from all airlines, which are definitely going to start enforcing their policies very strictly because of the price of fuel.

Fodorite018

Last summer we flew Air France from SFO and only had carryons. AF has a 12kg limit, which is around 22 pounds. All 3 of us had our bags weighed and then they put a sticker on the bag indicating that we met the requirements. Our bags were again weighed at CDG for the return flight.

GiuliaPiraino

Thanks that's good to know. Do you think they are trying to say below that the total of all three carry on items must total 18kg or less or is it just the last item? It's kind of worded strangely. This is from AF's website regarding hand baggage:

1 piece of baggage (measuring a maxi of 55 cm, 35 cm, 25 cm maxi*)
+ 1 smaller-sized item
+ 1 accessory (examples: handbag, laptop computer, camera, etc.)
weighing a total of 18 kg.

Also, what do they consider a &quot;smaller-sized item&quot;???

doug_stallings

It means that everything (all three items) together cannot weigh more than 18kg, but this only applies in business class.

GiuliaPiraino

Great thank you. That's what I was thinking. Still I wonder what the &quot;smaller item&quot; is? I guess I'll call them and ask.

lvillinois

I love my suitcase! But think I may have to part with it....it's a Pink Jansport 22&quot; rolling bag. I personally don't like pink but I sure can see it on the carousel!

Now,however,I am determined to only carry on but think they may not allow this bag. How stringent are the European airlines, we will be on Brussels Air? Will I have to go buy a 20&quot;? BTW, it fit easily in the overhead bin on AA from LAX to ORD.

Sarvowinner

I've just bought the High Sierra ATQ 22&quot; Carry-On Wheeled Backpack. With out the attached day pack it weighs 7 1/2 lbs. I have a Hedgren rolling duffle (which I check) so needed something I could put on my back when pulling it, but I can wheel the carry-on through the airports etc. I looked at a lot of wheeled backpacks and this was the best except for the Victorinix and Hedgren Wheeled Backpacks which were much more expensive. The ATQ has padded straps but a waist belt would have been good.

I couldn't possibly do carry on only on my next trip as I'm travelling for work and leisure in the North American and European winter then doing a cruise from Florida to Rio. - total time is 2 months. I need to carry work and leisure clothes plus laptop and paper work. I'm going to buy an ultralight notebook like the Asus EEE and if I can't carry on the ATQ, I'll slip the notebook into the daypack and check it. There is only one flight where I'm concerned so fingers crossed. I'm not using any LCCs.

bdjtbenson

I also use an Ebags convertible carry on.

I've had it for at least five years (purchased for under $50) and it still looks new. One corner has some rubbing on the flap over the zipper other than that it could have just come out of the box.

I like the waist and sternum straps, the compression straps and the very useful organization pocket in front.

If you have a convertible, ditch the shoulder strap. Use just one of the pack straps when you want to carry it over one shoulder.

It weighs about 3lbs empty. I use it to travel for business and pleasure (up to 4 weeks at a time) either way it's about 15 pounds packed.

Here's what I pack for pleasure travel:

http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=1440268