Super Sneaky Personal Item
Sep 24, 2016, 12:58 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1
Super Sneaky Personal Item
Bag help needed!
The gate harpies at the mid-size airports where I fly love to have me put my carry-on in the sizer at the gate! My spinner is small (Victorinox 20) but the laptop compartment poufs beyond the United sizer when the suitcase is fully packed. My last flight had me stuffing items into my purse so I wouldn't have to check.
I need a one-bag solution that will fool the eye for size as I'm boarding.
It must hold:
iPad mini, phone, chargers and other purse-type items
3-4 days of cold weather clothes (I pack light but... you know)
Toiletries
Day bag
Must be:
Lightweight
Mary Poppins-esque
I have a Lo&Sons OMG but it's not big enough. I'd also like to stay below the Tom Bihn/OG price tag.
The gate harpies at the mid-size airports where I fly love to have me put my carry-on in the sizer at the gate! My spinner is small (Victorinox 20) but the laptop compartment poufs beyond the United sizer when the suitcase is fully packed. My last flight had me stuffing items into my purse so I wouldn't have to check.
I need a one-bag solution that will fool the eye for size as I'm boarding.
It must hold:
iPad mini, phone, chargers and other purse-type items
3-4 days of cold weather clothes (I pack light but... you know)
Toiletries
Day bag
Must be:
Lightweight
Mary Poppins-esque
I have a Lo&Sons OMG but it's not big enough. I'd also like to stay below the Tom Bihn/OG price tag.
Sep 25, 2016, 2:12 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,304
Welcome to Flyertalk!
Putting a few of the bulkier winter clothing items into a compression packing cube might create enough space for the laptop pocket. Perhaps give the compression packing cubes a try or swapping out some bulkier sweaters for thinner ones before changing suitcases.
A two wheeled bag will probably give you enough extra space to push the clothes down and pack a bit more in. Go with a lightweight bag without a padded laptop section if you don't carry a laptop. Spinners usually lose a few inches of room due to the wheels and raised floor while two wheelers usually take a bit of the rear corners for the wheels.
If you're willing to go without wheels, the eBags Mother Lode Weekender Junior might work and there's no wheels or handle assembly taking up valuable space. It is a little shorter than the standard version so it won't look as large on if you are petite. I tend to get eyeballed a little more than a taller person, even with the same carry on bag size, based on perspective.
Putting a few of the bulkier winter clothing items into a compression packing cube might create enough space for the laptop pocket. Perhaps give the compression packing cubes a try or swapping out some bulkier sweaters for thinner ones before changing suitcases.
A two wheeled bag will probably give you enough extra space to push the clothes down and pack a bit more in. Go with a lightweight bag without a padded laptop section if you don't carry a laptop. Spinners usually lose a few inches of room due to the wheels and raised floor while two wheelers usually take a bit of the rear corners for the wheels.
If you're willing to go without wheels, the eBags Mother Lode Weekender Junior might work and there's no wheels or handle assembly taking up valuable space. It is a little shorter than the standard version so it won't look as large on if you are petite. I tend to get eyeballed a little more than a taller person, even with the same carry on bag size, based on perspective.
Sep 25, 2016, 12:05 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: WAS
Posts: 287
The eBags Savvy laptop tote gets recommended every so often in the Women Travelers forum. My personal item is Briggs & Riley's Baseline tote, which is what I replaced my Lo & Sons OG with.
Sep 25, 2016, 1:21 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Home
Programs: AA, Delta, UA & thanks to FTers for my PC Gold!
Posts: 7,676
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...rag-rules.html
Welcome to FT!
Sep 25, 2016, 3:21 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: NYS
Programs: Days of Our Lives, General Hospital
Posts: 1,495
I'm not clear whether you mean a "personal item" or what is commonly called a carry-on bag. I'd understand the latter to be something (whether wheeled or not) that is close to the maximum permitted size but not over, and the former to be something that is not as large as that.
If you mean a carry-on bag, there is no point in merely fooling the eye. The question is whether it will actually fit into the sizer, because sooner or later someone will tell you to try.
The problem you had was that it was possible to stuff your bag too full. This is common with soft-sided bags. For example, on a trip requiring both warm-weather and cold-weather clothing, I had to carry a blazer over my arm for the air-travel days. It would fit in my ebags e-tech Weekender Convertible, but made it too thick.
So if you mean one bag that will hold everything, not an adjunct bag, you need to have a bag that is at or close to the maximum allowed size, but pack it carefully. But there is still a chance that you would be forced to gate-check it, so you still need an adjunct "personal item" to hold things you absolutely cannot check: iPad and phone, prescription medication, basic toiletries, one full change of clothing, and anything you will want on board. You mention having a day bag inside the main bag; why not take it out and use it as the personal item?
If you mean a carry-on bag, there is no point in merely fooling the eye. The question is whether it will actually fit into the sizer, because sooner or later someone will tell you to try.
The problem you had was that it was possible to stuff your bag too full. This is common with soft-sided bags. For example, on a trip requiring both warm-weather and cold-weather clothing, I had to carry a blazer over my arm for the air-travel days. It would fit in my ebags e-tech Weekender Convertible, but made it too thick.
So if you mean one bag that will hold everything, not an adjunct bag, you need to have a bag that is at or close to the maximum allowed size, but pack it carefully. But there is still a chance that you would be forced to gate-check it, so you still need an adjunct "personal item" to hold things you absolutely cannot check: iPad and phone, prescription medication, basic toiletries, one full change of clothing, and anything you will want on board. You mention having a day bag inside the main bag; why not take it out and use it as the personal item?