Mellonc

Keep, Toss, or Ebay?

Nice bag. bought it last year thinking I'd try this no-wheel thing. well, that didn't work out as planned. it started out nice but on my first trip with this bag I was coming back from Asia with this bag on my shoulders. Getting on was no problem as the wait was short and I didn't have to lug it around so much. Getting off was another matter. Somehow the plane landed somewhere far and I had this death march of what seemed like a 1.5 mile walk to the customs area.

perhaps I'm getting old or perhaps this bag is slight bigger than I thought (though still smaller than Red Oxx Air Boss and other one bag carry on's). Tried switching shoulders, hand carrying it (was carrying a small brief on the other hand) and cross body style... everything..... . I would have paid for the darn expensive airport carts but none could be found......... just a long corridor of death.....

I'm gonna give up this hand carry method all together. I don't know how you all do it with Air Boss and other huge bags but I just don't get it.

TravlnD

I've got a bunch of no wheel one bags - was taken in by the allure. I agree they work great until you are forced to haul it over a long distance in the heat, etc. I just bought a new wheeled bag for that reason. With some of the newer bags you give up <10% of the storage space and add just a coule of pounds; well worth it IMHO.

Mellonc

I'm thinking it's perhaps the lack of back straps on this bag. Or not. I'm not sure. All I know is that I paid $300+ for this bag and the thought of not using it anymore simply kills me.

tcl

The longer the walk, the heavier the bag feels.

I too figured out the hard way that I could not carry a wheeless bag around the size of 22 x 14 x 9. Then a few years after that, I realized (again the hard way) that it didn't have so much to do with the size of a bag but with how the weight was carried. You might find more luck in a slimmer bag not more than 7" depth so that it doesn't throw your center of gravity off so much and where you can carry the weight closer to your body making it seem lighter.

As for backpack straps like those on a Red Oxx Sky Train? While they are more practical to carry, they only transfer the load and therefore the pain, to different places.

For casual travel I currently use a LeSportsac travel tote that measures 22 x 14 x 5.5 which feels lighter, fully packed and with more heavy stuff, than my Tumi Cortina Voyageur (16 x 12 x 7 (+1 for exterior pockets)). For work related travel, I always use wheels.

Since the bag is still widely available, I'd recommend selling it.

Mellonc

I'm gonna try one last time using this on my next trip. http://www.amazon.com/Domke-725-310-...ref=pd_sim_p_2

With this and making sure not to overpack, I will see what kind shape I'm gonna be in this week.

TravlnD

Some people swear by the Tom Bihn strap.

From what I understand it is made by OP and you can get at Amazon as well.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000EE...sr=8-2&pi=SL75

Mellonc

So this was my third and last trip using this bag. The gel strap wrap did help but I just cannot help myself from filling the bag to its capacity. Believe it or not this bag easily fits more than I could in a typical rolling carry on. I think I need the discipline of the confined size with hard backing. Off to the Bay.

Digits

What color is your Hartmann bag? Black?

Mellonc

Hartmann calls it Coffee. It's better illustrated here.

http://www.ebags.com/product/hartman...carry-on/49008