FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Advice for EU Luggage (Carry-On / Checked)

Oct 24, 2015 | 2:22 pm

#2

SkyForce6

Join Date: Mar 2015

Posts: 108

Quote:

Originally Posted by bef58115

I've spent the last week trawling through all the various posts on luggage/brands and models.

Background
With my job, my travel is sporadic, from local UK based travel (trains/car) to EU travel. This year, I have had limited local travel and majority short haul EU travel resulting in 70+ EU flights.

I have always checked my luggage into the hold and never done carry-on!

My faithful North Face "Sidetrack" has finally worn through on the corners, exposing the internals of the bag. Not bad for 7yrs of ownership!

Current Luggage/Packing requirements

Current (to be replaced) luggage is 43L
Majority of time I travel for 5 days /4 nights.
5 work shirts, casual jumper/jeans, 4 t-shirts, casual shoes, underwear
Main airlines (AirFrance/EasyJet/RyanAir/Lufthansa/BA)
Expandable is a plus

This somehow fills 43l with very little to spare.

I've tried to pack the exact same into a basic hard shell carry-on (36l) and failed. I assume I need pack "smarter", maybe get a lighter jumper etc.

As I'm re-placing my luggage, I'm re-evaluating my decision Carry-on Vs. checked luggage.

Based on the airlines I fly, the max carry on sizes are around:

55 x 40 x 20 (RyanAir)
55 x 35 x 25 (AirFrance)

Tumi

I really had my heart set on a Tumi Alpha 2 International (56 x 35 x 23) or the Continental (56 x 40.5 x 23) as they were both expandable, looked & felt good and seem to get great reviews.

But they both appear to be too tall & too deep.

My only choice would be to check either of those two bags into the hold and then I'm not sure how it would hold up to my travel routine and whether I would feel comfortable doing that to a bag that costs as much as they do 650-700£... Does anyone do this with their Tumi luggage?

I've looked at the International Slim ( 55 x 40 x 20 31l) which is the exact size but didn't seem as versatile as the others and had the smallest capacity, it's also best part of £600.. Any recommendations on this model?

Rimowa

I was drawn the the Topas Stealth immediately, but have read horror stories of the damage the aluminium picks up, I can't see this lasting in the event I have to gate check it.. where as a ballistic nylon shell I wouldn't panic too much.

I like the Salsa Cabin Multiwheel which is (55 x 40 x 20) and 35l... Again I'd face issues with AF.

Briggs & Riley

I like the baseline series and capacity wise they seem pretty good, but again same problem re size.

Commuter 48.5 x 36 x 23
Wide-Body 50.8 x 39.4 x 20.3

But I wouldn't feel too concerned if I had to check these bags into the hold because they're much cheaper than the Tumi and the warranty backs them up if they go wrong.

So In summary, I don't think there is a carry on bag in the above brands that is going to fulfil the criteria I need for EU carry-on/5 days worth of clothes.

If that's the case I'll end up with something around 50l:
Rimowa Salsa Multiwheel 52L
B&R Baseline Domestic
Tumi Alpha 2 lightweight Short trip

Anyone else been in this dilemma before?

You are talking to a luggage fetishist here!

I think you should be able to travel carry on only with these tips:

Try to reduce the number of shirts and t-shirts to 3 rather then 5 and 4 respectively like you use now. Make use of your hotels laundry service or if that is not possible for some reason just clean them under the arms under the tap in the hotel bathroom. Rub a shirt with regular bar soap in the smelly areas under the arm pits and rinse it. Once they smell good under there just make use of the hotel hair dryer and it will dry within a few minutes. This way you can easily use the same shirts/t-shirts for 2 days in a row and therefore not need to pack 4-5 of them. As for storing those shirts/T-Shirts in the carry on bag make use of a Eagle Creek Fold It garment folder:

http://shop.eaglecreek.com/packitspe.../d/1142_cl_-1#

I think the medium size will work for you! Put all your shirts and t-shirts in that folder and if possible put the folder in the zippered compartment in the lid of the bag as is shown in the demo video.

The jumper contain lots of useless air, you can probably reduce it 30-50% by putting inside one of these:

http://shop.eaglecreek.com/packit-co...l/d/1065_cl_-1

Compression sacs in 3 sizes. You just put the jumper in then you roll the sac to compress the air out trough the one way air valve at the bottom and it will become hard and flat as can be seen in the demo video.

Jeans is best worn during flights due to their heavy weight and bulk. But if you have to pack them then do not fold them and use up the precious vertical space in the center of the bag. Instead fold them in half length wise and make use of the outer perimeter of the inside of the bag and wrap their legs around the outer perimeter of the bag.

As for shoes get a shoe sac for them and store them inside the sac heel to toe stacked vertically at the bottom part of the bag. http://shop.eaglecreek.com/packit-sp.../d/1303_cl_-1#

Do not make the space inside the shoes go to waste. Instead put zip lock bags inside them and store stuff such as chargers, cables, underwear, watches etc inside them.

As for toiletries. Liquids is an issue when traveling carry on only these days... Get one of these Nalgene ones for liquids:

Amazon

The kit that includes the bag is 17 Pounds so not cheap but the bottles inside are truly leak proof and with multi colored caps for separation also it can stand upright and comes with a carabiner for easy attachment to your carry on bag.

Travel sized toothpaste is available at Boots: http://www.boots.com/en/Colgate-Tota...-25ml_1162606/

One issue I always have is deodorant. So when I travel carry on only I always buy a new one at the tax free shop past security!

As for carry on bag recommendation I have to think some more but my recommendation will be a roller rather then a spinner and soft sided rather den hard shell.

Do you travel with a computer, how do you store that one?

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