Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Manchester, United Kingdom
Programs: Hilton Gold, Priority Club Blue, SPG Gold, Sofitel Gold, FB Ivory, BA Blue
Posts: 8,479
I recently picked up a smaller Aerolite bag, from Amazon UK. It easily takes a pair of trainers, pants, five changes or clothes, MS Surface or iPad, plugs, cables and carry-on liquids. Add a light jacket, with practical pockets (Panasonic GM1 camera + kit lens, a telephoto lens, batteries, phones and drugs) and I'm good to go. In terms of having enough clothes to wear, I'm happy to hand wash yesterday's clothes, as long as I'm in an air conditioned environment (takes a day to dry, and I'm quickly learning which clothes are the least PITA, for ironing, at point of purchase).
The big problem is always going to be those airlines that i) have a strict weight limit ii) insist on weighing your hand luggage. Obviously, a mobile (or home printed) boarding pass should usually avoid that formality.